Friday's news in less than 2 minutes.

1. US man charged with the murder of his son.

A US man, previously thought to have been suffering from Fatal Distraction Syndrome, has been charged with the murder of his twenty-two-month-old son.

Justin Ross Harris has been in police custody since he pulled over his car over on the way home from work in a panic one afternoon and allegedly told onlookers he’d forgotten to take his son to child care that morning.

The 8 charges against 33-year-old Harris include malice murder and felony murder, as well as cruelty to children.

In the days after the initial incident, it emerged that Harris had previously been researching terms like ‘hot cars’ and ‘children’. Prosecutors will argue that Harris deliberately left Cooper in the car because he wanted a child-free life.

If convicted, Harris could face the death penalty.

2. Joan Rivers dies age 81.

Joan Rivers has died aged 81. The Fashion Police host passed away peacefully on Thursday afternoon, local time.

For more information, click here. 

3. Australian surfer missing in Bali.

A QLD man has reportedly been reported as missing after he failed to return to the Bali hotel he has been staying at. According to The Herald Sun, hotel staff at the Nusa Indah Bungalow contacted police after Peter Maynard failed to check out from his room last week. His belongings were still in the room.

Mr Maynard’s wife and children are reportedly on their way to Bali to search for him.

4. Good news for anyone who wants a Foxtel account.

Foxtel are reportedly going to dramatically cut their prices in an attempt to woo new customers. From October, the price of a Foxtel subscription will go from $49.50 to $25 per month.

The move comes as a response to the growing number of options for Australians to watch their favourite US shows more cheaply on the internet.

Foxtel boss Richard Freudenstein said: “We want Foxtel to be part of the daily lives of millions more Australian households.”

5. Brother of suspected hacker gives interview.

The brother of a man who is believed to be the person behind the nude photo scandal, has given an interview to the media.

Bryan Hamade’s brother Andrew described the situation as a “massive misunderstanding.”

In an exclusive interview, Hamade told Buzzfeed: “It’s getting to the point that my mum is being borderline-harassed by everyone.”

“He’s good, he’s a little mind-blown about the whole thing. It’s a crazy situation and he’s a little shocked that this is really even happening.”

6. Amanda Goff responds to critics.

Former magazine journalist and mother-of-two Amanda Goff wants everyone to know that her kids are fine.

The 40-year-old author of Hooked – Secrets of a High-Class Escort, has responded to people who questioned her parenting skills, after she appeared on Channel 7’s Sunday Night to talk about her job as a high-class escort. 

Goff told the Daily Telegraph: “So far, the only thing we had to deal with at school this week was my son getting hit on the head with a soccer ball, which caused a few tears.

“So, while I appreciate your concern, my kids are fine, thank you very much. How are yours?”

In Sunday’s interview, Goff – who earns up to $5000 per night to service men in her Sydney apartment — insisted her lifestyle poses no threat to her children’s wellbeing. 

 7. It’s Equal Pay Day… and the news is not good.

Today is equal pay day.

The day was chosen because it’s 64 days since the start of the new financial year — and statistics show women need to work an extra 64 days each year to match men’s wages.

Recent Australian Bureau of Statistic figures show the gender pay gap has widened to a 10-year high, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

The average ordinary full-time weekly earnings for men is $1559.10 compared to $1275.90 for women, the ABS reports, while in the past 12 months, men’s average salary increased 2.9 per cent, and women’s increased 1.9 per cent.

8. Gammy’s mother will not receive donations

Baby Gammy’s surrogate mother will not receive the donations made to the child.

Fairfax reports Australian charity Hands Across the Water has decided to deny funds to Gammy’s 21-year-old Thai surrogate mother Pattharamon Janbua, saying the donations were always intended for Gammy.

The organisation has raised more than quarter of a million dollars for him.

Its director, Peter Baines, will meet with his Thai family later this month to determine how to pay for his medical expenses.

9. Japan to bypass UN ban on whaling

Japan has revealed plans to bypass a UN ban on the slaughter of whales in the Antarctic.

The Guardian reports the country has revealed a new, scaled-down “scientific” programme that will catch only minke whales.

Japan was forced to end its hunt in the Antarctic in March by a ruling in the international court of justice (ICJ) in March.

10. London beheading

An 82-year-old woman has been beheaded in north London.

A 25-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after victim Palmira Silva was found “collapsed” in a back garden in north London, The Huffington Post reports.

Ms Silva’s body was found after police received calls that a man was attacking an animal and car with a knife.

Scotland Yard emphasised the brutal attack did not appear to have a terrorist motive, but have not confirmed if it was random, according to The Huffington Post.

11. Extension of preschool funding

The Federal government will today announce the extension of funding for the Universal Access to Early Education Program — which  guarantees every Australian child 15 hours a week of kindy or preschool in the year before commencing full time schooling.

The funding will be extended for another 12 months.

“We are absolutely thrilled to see the funding extended,” Executive director of parenting community The Parenthood, Fiona Sugden, said. “This is a major win for parents around the country who care deeply about the quality of early education in Australia.”

More than 8,000 parents from the parenting group have been actively campaigning on this issue since May.

12. Bodies found after Rozelle fire

Two more bodies have been found in the rubble of a Sydney building destroyed by an explosion at a convenience store in the early hours of Thursday, police have confirmed.

The bodies are believed to be those of a Sydney woman and her baby son.

The Guardian reports rescue workers had been searching for 31-year-old Bianka O’Brien and her 12-month-old son Jude since the explosion.

Officers were seen carrying two stretchers from the site as firefighters looked on with bowed heads, News Corp reports.

The body of a man was found on Thursday afternoon. The man is believed to be 27-year-old Chris Noble.

What news are you talking about today?

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