1. Last night Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott had the first 2013 election leaders debate, in a discussion dominated primarily by the economy. Kevin Rudd has been accused of cheating during the debate, as he had a sheaf of papers in front of him that he referenced throughout the discussion. Bringing notes to the debate contravened the rules.
I have lots of official briefs for the debate. Does anyone have some good jokes? KRudd pic.twitter.com/H1WlB8mKhk
— Kevin Rudd (@KRuddMP) August 11, 2013
2. The Labor party has promised that if they win the upcoming election, they will introduce a bill to legalise same-sex marriage within the first 100 days of being elected.
3. 38-year-old Benjamin Koch has turned himself into the police, after kidnapping his 10-month-old daughter and allegedly assaulting the little girl’s grandmother. Police were searching for Mr Koch since early Sunday morning. The girl is apparently safe and well, and the grandmother is in a serious condition in hospital.
4. A former newspaper owner from the UK, Eddy Shah, has said that underage girls who have ‘consensual’ sex with older men in positions of power and celebrity – which is otherwise known as statutory rape – are to blame.
Shah was cleared of rape charges of an underage girl last year, after an investigation into media personalities inspired by the allegations against Jimmy Savile. Shah said, “If we’re talking about girls who go out and just have a good time, then they are to blame.”
5. A series of bomb explosions have killed up to 70 people during Eid al-Fitr (a religious holiday in Islam) in Baghdad, with the bombings targeting markets. Attacks on civilians rose during Ramadan, and violence has been increasing since April, when government forces intervened in a Sunni protest camp.
6. Tokyo Electric Power – the operator of the Japanese Fukushima nuclear plant – has begun pumping up radioactive groundwater in an attempt to stop leakage into the Pacific Ocean. Last month it was revealed that the sea was being contaminated by radioactive water, which has prompted the company to act.
7. 24-year-old Jessica Mauboy has been named as National Artist of the Year at this year’s National Indigenous Music Awards. In a reordered thank you she said: “To all the voters to everyone who supported me, thank you so very much and big love to you.”
Have you seen any news stories today you’d like to share?
Top Comments
I really love Jess Mauboy. Great singer and all round champ. Well done to her.
The Eastern Grey Kangaroo that was rescued after being shot with an arrow (Endeavour Hills in Victoria) has died. She also had a joey that died when she was shot over a week ago. I hope that sick little f*cker who did this (I believe he's made himself known) gets the full weight of the law that is available for animal cruelty to punish him. It starts with animals and then gets worse from there.
That's awful news, I'm so upset to hear that. You are right though, what on earth possesses someone to be so needlessly cruel?