Thursday's news in under 5 minutes

1. Oscar Pistorius

The Oscar Pistorius trial in South Africa has heard testimony of a boxer who claims that Pistorius accidentally fired a pistol in a Johannesburg restaurant weeks before the double-amputee runner fatally shot his girlfriend.

The boxer, a friend of Pistorius was at a restaurant when he says Pistorius passed him a firearm under the table, it accidentally discharged.

“Just say it was you. I don’t want any tension around me,” Kevin Lerena reported Pistorius saying. There’s too much media hype around me”.

2. Schapelle Corby

The Indonesian media is calling for Schapelle Corby to be returned to jail – at the same time her brother-in-law has spoken of her delicate mental state.

Wayan Widyartha spoke to journalists outside his family compound saying that Schapelle’s mental health was so dire that she had locked herself in the toilet for an entire day and was still on heavy medication.

Newspapers have called for her parole to be revoked as she has “ridiculed” Indonesian law.

3. Pregnant woman drives into ocean

A pregnant woman in Florida has horrified onlookers by driving a mini van full of children into the ocean.

Witnesses have reported seeing children crying out ‘help me help me.

Shocked onlookers tried desperately to help. Bystanders and lifeguards pulled three children and their mother from the car

If you, or anyone you know needs help please call Lifeline on 131 114.

4. Today’s weather

Need to know what the weather is like where you are today? Mamamia Rogue has got you covered.

Read the weather post here.

5. Call for action on alcohol related domestic violence

Labor Senator Nova Peris has used a speech in Canberra to call upon the AMA to do more to tackle alcohol-related domestic violence.

She has asked that people who have committed alcohol-related domestic violence be banned from purchasing alcohol at the point of sale.

“The technology to implement point-of-sale bans exists; it is cost effective and has been proven to work.”

Senator Peris said in the Territory an indigenous woman was 80 times likelier than other Territorians to be hospitalised for assault.

6. Ukraine crisis

The Foreign Ministers of Europe and key western powers are holding talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to try to resolve the crisis in Ukraine.

Overnight developments:

• Hundreds of pro-Russian demonstrators stormed the regional government building in Donetsk
• Gunmen in Crimea threatened the UN secretary-general’s envoy, Robert Serry
• Russian forces seized two Ukrainian missile-defence sites in Crimea.
• In the US, Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel announced plans to expand US military co-operation with Poland and Baltic states.

7. Paid Parental leave scheme

Treasurer Joe Hockey has told the ABC that the Federal Government will push ahead with its planned paid parental leave scheme which is planned to begin in July 2015 and cost about $5.5 billion a year.

“The paid parental leave scheme will be fully funded and it is fully funded,” Mr Hockey said.

8. Drug and Alcohol report

A report by the Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) released today has found that many weekend parties and drinking sessions can have a knock on effect to the school community.

It says that students who use drugs and alcohol on the weekends turn up late and disrupt classes.

There are also concerns that bullying or unsafe sexual activity on a weekend can spill into a student’s performance at school.

The report highlights the fact that many parents are not stepping in to stop the illegal consumption of drugs or alcohol.

9. Coroner’s inquest details

Details have been released on a Coroner’s inquest into the deaths of Luke Batty and his father Greg Anderson.

Luke, Batty was aged 11 when he was attacked by his father at a Victorian cricket ground.

Police shot Greg Anderson soon after and he died in hospital.

The inquest which will begin on October 13 will look at events leading up to their deaths including criminal charges against Greg Anderson and whether he was being treated for mental health problems.

Investigators would also examine whether police at the scene had any other options to subdue the father, such as using stun guns or having the dog squad assist.

10. Police sacked over racist stubby holders

Three Victoria police officers – including an Inspector – have been sacked over the creation of racist stubby holders.

The stubby holders were produced for a social event in 2012 – they depict a picture of a mudfish and the slogan “My date of birth is 01/01/?” as well as “Sunshine Police: Whoever says sunshine brings happiness has never worked here”.

The term “muddy” is a derogatory reference to Australian Africans. The “01/01/?” is believed to refer to African refugees not knowing their date of birth.

11. Adelaide judge lifts suppression order

In an unusual move an Adelaide judge has lifted a suppression order on the name of a teenager who killed a student on New Years Eve 2012.

Liam Patrick Humbles was sentenced to at least 24 years in jail for murdering Lewis McPherson and attempting to kill his best friends while they were walking to a New Years Eve party in the Adelaide suburb of Warradale.

The judge noted that the teenager was grossly intoxicated when he fired the four shots.

He will be eligible for parole when he is 42 years old.

12. Farmer’s facebook ban

A QLD farmer, celebrating the arrival of rain has been banned from Facebook and had his pics removed after his wife posted an image of him running naked on their property.

James Rogers and Jody Fraser had not seen rain for eight months at their property near Cobar in central New South Wales.

The image went viral but was taken down by Facebook for breaching it’s graphic content and nudity guidelines.

To see the banned pic go to this post here.

In brief:

In the cricket Australia has beaten South Africa by 27 balls

What news are you talking about today?