Friday's news in under 5 minutes

1. Minister says breast cancer linked to abortion

Senator Eric Abetz has appeared on television claiming a link between abortion and breast cancer.

Speaking on The Project to Mamamia publisher Mia Freedman, he said: “I think the studies, and I think they date back from the 1950s, assert that there is a link between abortion and breast cancer.”

You can watch the segment here.

Major cancer experts have condemned his comments overnight.

The Australian Medical Association President Associate Professor Brian Owler told AA: “I just don’t understand why a senior member of government would want to try to take on this issue and put himself out in the media using articles I’m told are from the 1950s as the basis of his discussion.”

Senator Abetz was on The Project defending his involvement in a “pro-family” conference which promotes bigotry and intolerance.

He released a statement this morning defending his comments.

“Media reports that I have drawn or believe there is a link between abortion and breast cancer are incorrect,” he said. “In my interview last night on The Project I studiously avoided doing so, and was cut off before being able to acknowledge that Dr Angela Lanfranchi’s views on this topic were not the accepted medical view.”

For more on the Senators comments read this post here.

 2. Pregnant woman faces disciplinary action for refusing pelvic exam

A heavily pregnant ANZ worker alleges she was told by her employer she would face disciplinary action if she did not undergo a pelvic examination by a company-appointed gynaecologist.

When the woman needed to go on maternity leave early due to complications, she says, the bank asked her to undergo an interval pelvic exam with one of their doctors.

Katherine Bashour, who was employed by ANZ for five years, says she refused to go as her doctors had advised she stay at home.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports she provided ANZ with medical results.

Ms Bashour – who is due to give birth in four weeks — appeared in court yesterday seeking an injunction to stop disciplinary action.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports “she has claimed the bank’s demands and threats were part of an effort to punish her for lodging discrimination complaints and separate court action against it.”

The matter will return to the court in November.

3. Tsunami reunion

As the 10-year anniversary of the Boxing Day tsunami in Indonesia and other parts of Asia which killed 230,000 approaches, one family claim they have found their daughter.

Jamaliah Jannah’s daughter, aged 4, and son, aged 7, were swept away during the floods.

According to DPA, Raudhatul Jannah, now 14 has been found by her uncle who recognized the girl in a nearby neighborhood.

Jamaliah told German news agency, DPA: “This is a miracle from God.”

The girl had been being looked after by an “elderly woman in nearby Aceh Barat Daya district,” the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

The girl was reunited with her mother and father Wednesday.

For more on this story, see this post.

4. Oscar Pistorius trial

The Oscar Pistorius murder trial has entered its last few days, with the State prosecutor Gerrie Nel accusing the athlete of being a “deceitful and appalling witness”.

“We will argue that the accused’s version should be rejected,” Mr Nel told the North Gauteng High Court.

“The court should have no difficulty in rejecting his full version of events, not only as not reasonably possibly true, but in essence as being absolutely devoid of any truth.”

Pistorius has pleaded not guilty to intentionally shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

The proceeding was attended by both Pistorius’s father and Steenkamp’s father for the first time.

The Washington Post reports Oscar Pistorius sat stony-faced throughout the prosecutor’s presentation. The case continues tonight.

7. Toddler dies

A toddler has died in hospital after suffering injuries allegedly caused by being entangled in his family dog’s lead.

Superintendent Michael Robinson said a strike force had been established to investigate the death of three-year old Joey Woodcock.

8. Penalties to increase for leaving kids home alone?

Victoria may increase its penalties for leaving children home alone or unattended in a car.

Fairfax Media report the new penalties will rise from $2214 to $3690 if you leave a child under 12 unattended. The maximum jail term will be six months.

The ABC reports Ambulance Victoria responds to around 1,000 incidents each year. A third of those incidents result in a child being taken to hospital.

The proposed new changes were introduced to parliament this week.

9. Trapped man thanks rescuers

The man at the centre of an image which went viral after a train platform of commuters lifted a carriage off him has spoken.

The Perth man, known as Andy, fell into the gap when boarding the train and one of his legs became stuck up to the top of his thigh.

He told Channel Nine he was amazed when commuters banded together and saved him

“It’s something I’ll be telling my grandchildren about,” he said.

10. Bullying in childcare?

A conference has heard preschoolers can begin bullying others from the age of three.

The Macquarie University study found 93% of early childhood educators believed young children between the ages of three and five years were capable of bullying.

Previous studies have shown kids this young were not capable of such actions.

Researcher Cathrine Neilsen-Hewett told Fairfax Media: “about 20 per cent of children aged three to five are engaged in victimisation, either as a bully or a target.”

11. Teacher at school wearing no pants

A teacher in the US has made headlines after being arrested for turning up to school drunk and then removing her pants.

Lorie Hill was starting her first day at Wagoner High School in Wagoner County, Oklahoma, when she was found in a classroom drunk. She then took off her pants.

The NY Daily News reports she was arrested.

Luckily for parents and students, it was a pupil-free day.

12. Ovarian cancer drug subsidised

A drug proven to have given ovarian cancer sufferers better outcomes has been approved for subsidy.

The drug, Avastin, is now available to women diagnosed with stage 3 and stage 4 ovarian cancer. It slows the growth of new blood vessels.

The cost for many women has bee $4000 a month – but through subsidization it has now fallen to $36.90.

Three women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every day.

For more information on ovarian cancer, visit this page here.

13. Baby expert says mums are trying to prove themselves too early.

Parenting guru and baby expert Robin Barker has said she feels mums these days try to return to every day life too quickly after having a baby.

“I do think there is a tendency in our society to have to prove life will go on as before after the baby comes and that some babies are probably exposed to our over-stimulated, noisy way of life a little too early,” Robin Barker told News Limited.

She said there should be a ‘common sense’ approach.

14. Sam Newman exposes himself

Footballer-turned-TV-celebrity Sam Newman exposed himself on television last night.

The Footy Show star was rolled off a hospital bed, wore unbuttoned Port Adelaide pyjamas, by a woman dressed as a nurse on last night’s episode.

As he rolled off the bed, the 68-year-old exposed his genitals to viewers on the Channel 9 show.

Newman is no stranger to controversy, having previously been criticised for comments branded sexist, racist and homophobic.

In 2008, he mocked up a photo of journalist Caroline Wilson onto a lingerie-wearing mannequin — a stunt that Fairfax sports journalist Wilson called “degrading, humiliating and insulting”.

16. Obama has authorised airstrikes to protect US personnel

US President Barack Obama has authorised targeted airstrikes to protect US personnel and Iraqi civilians, the ABC reports.

Obama has confirmed that US military planes have sent humanitarian supplies to members of religious minorities who are under siege from Islamic militants in nothern Iraq. The 40,000 Iraqis trapped on Mount Sinjar in the country’s north are mostly from the Yazidi minority, the Guardian reports.

The UN Security Council late last night condemned attacks on members of the religious minority, saying jihadist group ISIS may be accountable for crimes against humanity.

Human rights organisation Amnesty International also expressed concern for the rights of Iraqis in the area.

“The situation for Iraqis in the north-west of the country, especially those from the Yezidi and Christian minority communities, is becoming increasingly dire as both residents and many of those already displaced are now fleeing their homes and places of shelter,” Amnesty International’s Senior Crisis Response Adviser Donatella Rovera said today.

“Many members of minorities are even fleeing areas where there seems to be no imminent danger of an ISIS attack as they are so traumatised by their recent displacement. They are gripped by panic and fear.”

17. Backpacker charged over baby’s death in the outback

A 25-year-old Irish backpacker has been charged for hiding the body of her newborn child.

Police said the woman had been travelling through the Kimberley region of WA and had not realised she was pregnant. She gave birth at home alone in May, but only appeared in court last month.

According to the ABC, it will be alleged the woman hid the baby’s body and told nobody about the birth for days.

By law all births must be reported, even if the baby died of natural causes, the ABC reports.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment.

What news are you talking about today?
[post_snippet id=324408]