Tuesday's news in under 5 minutes.

We’ve rounded up all the latest news from Australia and around the world – so you don’t have to go searching.

1. Outbreak of potentially deadly virus to newborns causing concern.

There has been an outbreak of a virus potentially deadly for newborns in Queensland.

Parechovirus can be severe among infants younger than three months old. It usually causes fever, rash and diarrhoea, but in severe cases can develop into hepatitis or encephalitis and some children may require treatment in intensive care.

In Queensland, so far this year, there have already been 55 cases of parechovirus, 90 per cent of them among children less than three months old.

Infectious diseases expert Dr Theo Sloots told The Courier Mail it was highly contagious.

“It’s in the kids under three months that it causes severe disease and in a considerable number of those, it involves the central nervous system and they go into intensive care,” Dr Sloots said.

There is no specific treatment for the virus.

Earlier this year newborn Tinley Beute, from Toowoomba contacted the virus. After a lengthy hospital stay she recovered.

Her mother, Skye Browne urged other parents to be vigilant.

“I am probably one of those parents that gets told they are overreacting. But I would rather that… If I hadn’t taken her in, she wouldn’t have survived.”

Dr Leisha Callaghan from Brisbane’s Royal Children’s Hospital told the ABC last year that it was a ”nasty virus.”

“Certainly when little babies contract the virus they are very sick when they present. They often have seizures – need to be in intensive care.”

“There’s the risk of death and certainly long-term morbidity, with the possibility of significant brain damage.”

2. Police offer reward for information on death of schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer.

Queensland Police say that someone they have spoken to knows something about what happened to schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer but they are not co-operating out of fear or loyalty.

The 12-year-old went missing after being dropped off at Marsden State High School on October 30. She was found dead six days later on the banks of the Pimpama River, 40km away.

Yesterday detectives offered a $250,000 reward and indemnity from prosecution to accomplices.

“We’re of the view that there are people out there who have information about this homicide,” Detective Superintendent David Hutchinson said.

“We’re hoping that the reward and more importantly the indemnity might provide an incentive for those people to come forward.”

Police say that they have information that suggests to Tia had a prearranged meeting the morning she went missing.

“We’re reasonably confident we have spoken with people who have information about what occurred to Tia at that time.

“For whatever reason they’re not coming forward with that information.

“That might be through fear. It might be through loyalty.”

Crime Stoppers can be contacted on 1800 333 000.

3. The 24 millionth Australian has been born.

Australia’s population reached 24 million people in the early hours of this morning.

The ABS said it was unclear whether the 24 millionth Australian was a newborn or a migrant, but based on statistics was likely to be a boy, from Western Sydney named Oliver.

The most recent data from June 30 2015, suggests in Australia there is a baby born every one minute and 44 seconds, one death every three minutes and 24 seconds and a net gain of one international migrant every two minutes and 39 seconds.

It has been about three years since Australia reached 23 million

Demographer Mark McCrindle told Seven News Australia’s population was growing at a record rate.

“A decade ago we were adding an extra million people every five or so years,” he said.

“This extra million has been added in less than three years – the shortest period of time in history.”

Australia is projected to reach 50 million in 2089.

4. Former Miss Australia’s face blew up in police raid.

A former Miss Australia International has suffered third degree burns after a ‘flash’ grenade exploded in her face while she was in bed with an alleged bikie associate during a police raid.

The Courier Mail reports that Felicia Djamirze, 28, and her boyfriend, alleged Rebels associate Dean Grant O’Donnell, 35, were asleep last week in the bedroom of their home when police lobbed a ‘flash’ grenade into the room.

Part of her hand melted and she has undergone two operations.

Djamirze said the grenade exploded in her face and the threatened loss of sight in her right eye.

Djamirze and O’Donnell, have both been charged with drug trafficking.

O’Donnell was also charged with 13 drug and weapon offences after the raid allegedly uncovered 2kg of ice, a loaded handgun and a shotgun near the home.

Djamirze’s lawyer Chris Ford argued the police use of a flash grenade was excessive. He said that the beauty queen, now a first-year law student was made to wait 40 minutes for an ambulance.

“This was not a siege situation, or a situation where police were chasing an armed fugitive. There was no imminent threat and the police had the advantage of surprise,” he said.

“The police rode in like cowboys (and) nearly killed my client. There should be a full independent investigation.”

Djamirze denies the drug charges.

She remains in hospital.

5. Police investigating whether childless woman killed another woman for her children.

Police investigating the murder of Bendigo woman Samantha Kelly are examining whether the woman accused of being an accessory to her murder, Christine Ann Lyons, 44, was motivated by her desire to take custody of Samantha Kelly’s children.

Lyon’s partner Peter James Arthur, 44, is charged with one count of murder. Another former partner of Lyon’s Ronald Lyons, 43, is also charged with accessory to murder.

The four adults, and Kelly’s four young children all lived together in Bendigo.

The Herald Sun reports that “Ms Lyons is unable to have children and police are investigating if she had a longing to take responsibility for Ms Kelly’s youngsters.”

A source who spoke to the newspaper said, “The whole thing is just unbelievable”.

Ms Kelly’s brother Michael told media when he took the children into his care that they seemed confused about who their mother was and referred to a different woman when asked about who their mum was.

6. Girls burnt after fondue mishap.

Two young girls have been seriously burnt after a fondue burner fell over in their home.

The two girls, aged five and seven-years-old were rushed to hospital after the fondue burner reportedly tipped, causing the methylated spirits used as fuel to spill onto a tablecloth, which caught alight and burnt the girls.

The children from Yowie Bay in Sydney, were rushed to hospital on Sunday night suffering serious burns.

7. School funding gap – rich schools get richer, poor get poorer.

The average public funding of some of the nation’s most elite private schools increased at eight times the rate of the neediest public schools according to data from the MySchools website.

Analysis of the website by Trevor Cobbold, convener of the Save Our Schools public education advocacy group found that funding increases exposed an “incoherent and unfair school funding system that favours advantaged students and discriminates against disadvantaged students”.

In Victoria the average state and federal government funding increase per student for selected Victorian private schools was 25 per cent from 2009 to 2013, compared to 3 per cent for selected disadvantaged state schools reports Fairfax Media.

In NSW the average funding increase per student for 14 selected private schools was 23 per cent from 2009 to 2013. For 15 of the most disadvantaged public schools in NSW the average increase per student was 11 per cent over the same period.

8. Almost 50 civilians killed in Syria hospital attacks.

The United Nations has said that almost 50 civilians have been killed in missile attacks on medical facilities, a school and other locations in Syria.

The attacks took place in the town of Idlib in northern Syria and Azaz near the Turkish border.

A spokesman quoted Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as saying the attacks are “blatant violations of international laws” that “are further degrading an already devastated health care system and preventing access to education in Syria.”

Medicens Sans Frontieres said seven people died after a hospital supported by the medical charity was hit.

A second attack in Azaz, suspected to have been carried by Russian jets backing the Syrian government, hit a children’s hospital, a school and other locations.

9. $1b worth of ice found hidden push-up bras.

A joint police operation has netted more than $1.2 billion worth of ice in what officials say is the largest liquid methamphetamine bust in Australian history. Four people were arrested with police saying the drugs were allegedly imported into the country hidden in gel bra inserts and art supplies.

Federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan said it was a very good day for Australia law enforcement.

“This has resulted in 3.6 million ­individual hits of ice being taken off our streets with a street value of $1.26 ­billion,” Mr Keenan said.

The four – a 33-year-old man, a 37-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman from Hong Kong and a 59-year-old Chinese man could face life in prison.

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