7 Monday news bites (July 18)

Good morning all, and welcome back from the weekend! If you’ve been out of the loop or even just want to catch up on what’s been happening, we’ve put together some of the biggest news in one spot. Here it is:

1. First pictures of the Beckham’s baby Harper Seven

The first pictures of Victoria and David Beckham’s bub have been released, by them, on Twitter and Facebook. And what a gorgeous little girl they have! Harper Seven was named after Posh’s favourite book’s author Harper Lee and Seven came partly from David’s jersey number and because, as a number, it is considered lucky around the world.

2. Rebekah Brooks arrested, Police Chief quits, Murdoch runs ‘we are sorry’ ads in newspapers

Rebekah Brooks has been arrested on suspicion of ‘conspiring to intercept communications’. She is also being questioned by Metropolitan police in their separate investigation relating to the

illegal payment of police bribes. Rebekah only resigned her post as News International CEO on Friday. News Corporation mogul Rupert Murdoch has run advertisements in British papers at the weekend saying ‘we are sorry’. The full page ads went on to apologise for not acting sooner or more effectively. This despite a Wall Street Journal interview last week in which Mr Murdoch said News had acted ‘extremely well in every way possible’. British PM David Cameron, himself facing pressure after having met with News at least 26 times since his election in March 2010, has promised a full, judicial inquiry. Lachlan Murdoch, Rupert’s son in Australia, has flown to Britain to be by his family’s side.

The Metropolitan Police chief Paul Stephenson has also quit his post, denying any wrong-doing. He was criticised strongly for hiring a former News of the World editor in a PR role. That editor was arrested last week.

3. Is the average age of menopause decreasing?

One of the largest studies ever into the case of premature menopause in Britain has found about 7.4 per cent of women, from a survey group of 5000, experienced menopause before the age of 40. Doctors, presenting the findings at a reproductive conference in Sweden, said they were unsure if the cases are increasing or had been previously under-reported.

4. Tony Abbott is preferred PM in first post Carbon Tax poll

In the first proper poll taken since the carbon tax policy was released, Tony Abbott has emerged with an 11 percentage point lead on the Prime Minister Julia Gillard as preferred PM. The support for Labor has also plunged to a record low 26 per cent. The Sydney Morning Herald / Nielsen poll showing 52 per cent did not support the package. 56 per cent wanted a new election. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott writes for Mamamia this morning about the carbon tax and why he believes his party has the best option. He says both parties have the same emissions reductions targets … but differ wildly in how they get there. Coming up.

5. The 8 hour day is being replaced by longer shifts

But we kind of knew this already right? Dr Rebecca Loudoun, senior lecturer in business at Griffith University, said the 12-hour shift used to be seen in industrial lines of work but was moving into the office environment. This also meant fewer days in some cases … though notably not all cases. There have long been calls for a four-day working week in Australia for those businesses that could arrange it. Do you reckon it could or would work?

6. The alcopops tax ‘probably’ reduced the sale of the pre-mixed booze

Probably, according to the report. An article in the Medical Journal of Australia says data showed an apparent drop in alcopops sales of 40 per cent since the tax was introduced in 2008. Now there are calls for a minimum price on alcohol to stop drinkers making the switch to cheaper products that aren’t alcopops. Like wine and some straight spirits.

7. Released prisoners don’t fare well back in society, die at a rate 10 times higher than normal

A major national report that looks into the release of prisoners has found it can be deadly, with at least one per day dying. Half of these are due to drug overdoses – their tolerance for drugs having been reduced in jail – but a significant percentage are also suicides. Advocates for prisoners on their release say there needs to be more support for them and that some systems need to change to bring the death rate down.

Mia talks to Karl on the Today Show about the introduction of social media classes in schools, coffee breaks in the workplace and the News of the World scandal.