Monday's news in under 2 minutes.

1. Lisa Ho slammed in cruel gossip column

There has been widespread disgust and condemnation following the publication of a cruel gossip column about fashion designer Lisa Ho in News Limited papers over the weekend.

Paparazzi snapped photos of the unsuspecting Lisa Ho paddle boarding on the weekend and the pictures were then published with a cruel and unnecessarily descriptive column.

The column included sentences like: “Her mouth was turned down in an unflattering frown – perhaps because she’d been caught in a dowdy swimsuit. Let’s be honest here, Ho looked less fashion star and more fashion frump.” Ugh. Our message to the gossip columnist? BACK OFF.

2. Polls predict clear Coalition victory

The nation’s newspaper polling now appears unanimous in predicting a clear victory for the Coalition in September’s election. The latest Newspoll shows that Labor is trailing to Coalition on a two party preferred basis 54-46. While Tony Abbott’s personal approval rating is on the rise, Kevin Rudd still leads as preferred Prime Minister 43 to 41.

3. Rudd pledges to deny anti-vaxxers tax benefits

Yesterday Kevin Rudd announced that if re-elected Labor would pass new laws so that parents who ‘conscientiously object’ to vaccinating their children would not get the Family Tax Benefit A end-of-year supplement. You can read more from Mamamia about the changes to vaccination policy here. The Prime Minister has also unveiled a $375 million package for hospitals, which has been pledged with the goal of modernising facilities and providing updated equipment and technologies throughout Australia.

4. A young Melbourne man has been killed after a drive-by shooting in the US.

22-year-old Christopher Lane was visiting his girlfriend in Oklahoma, while studying on a sports scholarship at East Central University, when he was shot while jogging in the street. Three teenagers have been arrested on charges of first degree murder.

5. Police throws baby in China

Authorities in China are investigating an incident in which a policeman grabbed a 7-month-old baby girl from her parents and threw her to the ground, in an attempt to prove that she was a doll. The policeman, a man named Guo Zengxi, fractured her skull. According to reports the man had been drinking, and was trying to prove that the baby girl was a doll as part of a bet with his friends, who were also on the scene.

6. ZARA founder dies aged 69

The founder of one of the world’s most successful fashion chain stores, Zara, has died aged 69. Rosalia Mera began life as a shop assistant and ended it as Spain’s richest woman. She was also co-founder of Inditex, Zara’s parent store.

7. Reeva Steenkamp’s parents sue for compensation.

The parents of Reeva Steenkamp are planning to sue 26-year-old Oscar Pistorious for compensation. The state’s case against Pistorious will be brought tomorrow in court where he will be charged with her premeditated murder, on what would have been Steenkamp’s 30th birthday. Pistorious will face trial early next year.

8. Audrey Hepburn’s son shares private pictures

The son of Hollywood great Audrey Hepburn has shared private pictures of his mother. Luca described how his mother wasn’t interested in fame and would tell her bodyguards “No, I’m perfectly able to walk. Keep it for the years to come when I’m old and frail.”

He said: “She wasn’t afraid of growing old. She was looking forward to sitting around the fire and telling stories to the grandchildren. She always saw life as seasons – “I have been young, I’ve been a mother, and now I am old.” So to her the ageing process was normal.”