Your speedy update on all the day’s big stories, Monday, May 5 2014
When billionaires brawl - Packer's public fight.
James Packer has made headlines of the wrong kind after being caught in a punch-up with his best friend David Gyngell. The 46-year-old mogul was photographed outside his home in a vicious fight with Gyngell, head of Channel Nine, on Sunday afternoon. A bidding war immediately broke out over paparazzi photographs of the incident, as snappers were staking out Packer's home in the hope of catching a visit from his rumoured love interest Miranda Kerr. Instead, the pics caught the pair exchanging blows until Packer's security team stepped in and restrained Gyngell. News Corp eventually secured the rights to the photos (left). Rumours abound about the cause of the fight, with some speculating it was to do with the end of Packer's marriage to Eric Baxter. But the pair released the following statement: "We have been friends for 35 years and still are. In that time we have had our fair share of ups and downs. We respect each other and neither of us will be commenting further."
Screentime study's surprising results.
A study has shown that children under three who used smartphones and tablets scored lower in verbal tests than those kids who didn’t. But it's the results on the parents of these children that has really shocked. 60 per cent of the parents of the children in the study believed that playing on touch-screen devices helped with toddlers’ learning and development. The results showed that children playing non-educational games actually scored lower in verbal tests than children who are not exposed to smart phone games.
Police start to dig at the McCann's Portuguese resort.
The search for missing British toddler, Madeleine McCann has changed direction, with news that Scotland Yard detectives are going to begin digging around the Portugese resort where she was reported missing over seven years ago. Forensic officers will reportedly look underground at the Praia da Lux resort using radar equipment, according to London's Mirror newspaper. Police will dig up the ground surrounding apartment 5A, where the McCanns were staying during their family holiday. Kate and Gerry McCann have been told of the search but at this point are not expected to return to Portugal.
Would you pay your kids to eat their veggies?
A row has erupted over a possible plan to pay primary school children to eat their vegetables. A US initiative that sees children paid 25c per day to eat healthily has local backing from leading Australian dietician Rosemary Stanton. But now, Sydney nutrition educator Lynsey Bradley has attacked the proposal, saying that the payments are counterproductive. "Bribing your kids is telling them vegies are the disgusting thing that needs to be endured in order to have the reward at the end. This is exactly the opposite from what we are hoping to teach them.”
The most 'Unforgettable' performance on The Voice.
Last night saw the second season of The Voice Australia hit our screens on Channel Nine. Though most publicity for the show has surrounded the introduction of Kylie Minogue as a coach, last night's episode was taken over by contestant Lionel Cole. Cole, the nephew of iconic singer Nat King Cole, took to the stage performing his uncle's song Unforgettable and surprised the coaches with his performance. Watch his blind audition below...