1. MH17 developments
The Prime Minister Tony Abbott has demanded “justice” for the 37 dead Australians lost when flight MH17 was downed on Friday.
His words come as world leaders say they are just days away from imposing sanctions against Russia.
In other news the black box has been recovered overnight. For more on these overnight development reads these posts
- PM demands justice.
- World leaders just days away from imposing tough sanctions against Russia
- The black box has been recovered overnight
- The remains of 196 people loaded onto refrigerated rail wagons, to be taken to an “unknown destination.”
- Children reports seeing bodies falling from the sky
- It would have cost just $66 a passenger to fly a safer route
- Sky News forced to apologize after a reporter goes through a victim’s bag
- A cyclists thanks his lucky stars after a twist of fate sees him miss both MH370 and MH17
2. Australian teen suicide bomber
A 17-year-old from Melbourne has been confirmed as the Australian suicide bomber who killed five people. News Limited report that the man is from Melbourne but had left the county either through Perth or Sydney late last year.
The suicide bomber has been hailed by the terror group ISIS as a “knight” and had links to jailed terrorists in Australia. ISIS claimed on Friday that he detonated his bomb belt near a Shi’ite mosque in the wholesale market of Shorja, injuring up to 90 people.
3. Baden-Clay mistress speaks
The mistress of jailed killed Gerard Baden-Clay has told 60 Minutes that she loved him unconditionally and that he did not murder for her.
“Why I say he did not kill her to be with me was that I loved him already. He didn’t need to. He already had me … He killed for himself.”
For more read this post here.
4. Lebanese-Australian cleric arrested in Lebanon
A Lebanese-Australian cleric with links to al-Qaeda has been arrested in Lebanon, AFP reports.
Overnight Sunni cleric Hussam al-Sabbagh who was wanted for “terrorist activity”, was stopped at a checkpoint by soldiers acting on “several arrest warrants” according to the army.
Mr Sabbagh, a prominent backer of the armed revolt against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, is suspected of recruiting and sending fighters across the border. The security official said he stands accused of “setting up an armed band and training terrorists”, and of links to al-Qaeda and radical group Fatah al-Islam.
5. Deadliest day in Gaza conflict
In what has been called the deadliest day in the conflict, 13 Israeli troops were killed overnight in Gaza, according to the Israeli Army, sparking the declaration that Israel was sending additional forces to the ground to “combat terror.”
While Israeli shelling yesterday left more 110 Palestinians dead, including women and children. The multi-digit death toll on both sides marked the deadliest day in the conflict since Israel started an air offensive on July 8.
6. Patriot child star found dead
Actress Skye McCole Bartusiak, who played Mel Gibson’s youngest daughter in “The Patriot,” has been found dead in her home in the US.
She was 21-years-old.
CNN reports that investigators have not determined a cause of death but that she had been suffering from epileptic seizures in recent days.
7. Rolf Harris fast tracked to softer prison
The Daily Mail reports that Rolf Harris has been moved to a “soft” prison, amid speculation he was receiving preferential treatment.
The Australian entertainer was convicted of 12 counts of incident assault against four separate women. The Sunday Mirror says that Harris is sharing a cell with another “pensioner” inmate, and has been very withdrawn. “He is doing all right but spends hours drawing. It takes his mind off things.”
The UK Attorney General Jeremy Wright will investigate whether his sentence is too lenient.
8. Smoking payout
A widow of a chain smoker who died of lung cancer has been awarded damages of more than US$23 billion in her case against the USA’s second-biggest cigarette maker.
Cynthia Robinson successfully sued the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company over the death of her husband Michael Johnson, who died 18 years ago, claiming the company failed to inform customers of the health dangers and addictive nature of its products. Johnson died aged 36 after smoking one to three packs a day “up until the day he died”, after he took up the habit at 13.
9. Extra charges for English speakers
The Daily Telegraph reports that Chinese restaurant in Sydney’s CBD is 10% more for English-speaking diners.
Yin Li Sichuan restaurant has two menus – red for Chinese and black for English readers. The paper reports that a “serving of fried rice with lettuce and beef is $17.80 on the English menu but only $15.80 for Chinese speaking customers. Mapo tofu ($16.80) and dried spicy bean ($17.80) are both $1 more if you can’t read Chinese.”
The owner denied there was a discrepancy saying, “Sometimes people who come a lot get discount.”
10. IVF to be bulk billed
An IVF clinic set to open its doors today will offer the first bulk-billed IVF service in Australia.
Primary Health Care opens its first clinic in Sydney and will cut the average out-of-pocket expenses for patients to about $500, compared with the average of about $4000 in private clinics.
News Limited reports that the average cost for treatment is about $8000 with between $3000 and $4000 covered by Medicare.
11. James Garner dies
James Garner, the US star of hit TV series The Rockford Files and Maverick and films including The Great Escape and The Notebook has died aged 86.
Garner had suffered ill health since a severe stroke in 2008. “Mr Garner died of natural causes,” the West LA Division of the Los Angeles Police Department told the BBC.
12. Asthma drugs suppress child growth
In worrying news for parents and doctors two scientific studies have shown that corticosteroid drugs given via inhalers to children with asthma may suppress their growth.
“The evidence… suggests that children treated daily with inhaled corticosteroids may grow approximately half a centimeter less during the first year of treatment,” said Linjie Zhang at the Federal University of Rio Grande in Brazil, who led the review.
“But this effect is less pronounced in subsequent years, is not cumulative, and seems minor compared to the known benefits of the drugs for controlling asthma.”
Steroid-containing inhalers are prescribed as first-line treatments for adults and children with asthma. They are the most effective asthma control drugs and have been shown to reduce asthma deaths, hospital visits and improve quality of life by cutting the number and severity of attacks.
12. No Anzac day holiday for Victorians
News today that Victorians will not be given an extra public holiday for Anzac Day despite the fact the day falls on a Saturday.
“The purpose of Anzac Day is to respect, commemorate and remember the brave soldiers who sacrificed so much for our freedoms,’’ a spokeswoman for Small Business Minister Russell Northe told The Age.
“It is not about getting a day off and taking for granted the liberties our soldiers fought so bravely to protect.
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Top Comments
Does anyone know the contact details of this new IVF clinic?
True #2 and 4, an Australian man goes to Middle East as a suicide bomber and another Australian man who is an imam is arrested as a terrorist. We really need to admit that we have a problem with this belief system. Every time someone suggests this , especially on MM, the usual trolls write in with accusations of racism , and that you can't judge the whole group on the actions of a few etc. what will it take before these deniers see the real picture? A suicide bomber in Sydney ?we have a very clear and very present danger amongst us. No one deserves to die because we pander to the political correct brigade. We need to 1. Cease immigration of people from this part of the world into australia (especially via boats). 2, remove all funding to these faith schools 3. Increase penalties for any felonies (especially regarding gun crimes ) that these people are involved in. 4. Deport whole families of anyone involved in the Syria conflict or returning to it . 5. Record every sermon in every mosque and any speeches that are anti Australian or is pro terrorist groups , will result in that mosque being closed . It's no good doing these actions after the fact. We need to protect innocent Australian lives.
How are you going to implement your five proposed policies?
Go away you stupid little person.
Reading reports like these makes me wonder if we have immigration wrong, or to flip it around how is letting people in with these views right? Perhaps it would be better for all if immigrants went to countries where they can be comfortable and participate in the prevailing culture? Who wins by importing people who want to engage in terrorism and murder?
I know where you are going with this , so let me ask you a question. Before u answer google Boston marathon, lee rigby, London bombings , Madrid bombings as a start. Western cities with home grown murderers with the same common faith. My question is "do you think this could happen in Sydney?" Please include percentages, like "no 100% certain " I'm not bring a smart alec, I really want hear your view. A young man, born and bred in Australia has gone overseas and killed himself and innocent people. That's the price of an air fare between here or there.