Wednesday's news in under 5 minutes

1. Balcony death trial

Accused murderer Simon Gittany has taken the stand for the first time in his trial. Gittany is accused of murdering his fiancée, Lisa Harnum by throwing her off a balcony.

“Did you kill Lisa Harnum?” his barrister Philip Strickland, SC, asked.

“No,” Mr Gittany said without wavering.

Asked whether he threw or “unloaded” Ms Harnum from a balcony, he also replied “No.” He said he’d told Ms Harnum to “pack her bags” after she refused to reveal “a secret” she considered shameful. He told the court he covered her mouth to suppress her screams and save “embarrassment” because he thought the neighbours would hear their argument. Cross examination for Gittany begins this morning.

2. Carbon Tax

One of Australia’s largest business groups says consumers may not see a big difference in the price of many products when the carbon tax is removed.

In its submission, the Australian Industry Group says apart from electricity, many price changes are likely to be limited. It says many businesses were not able to pass on the cost of the carbon tax in the first place

3. Mums-to-be discriminated against

Pregnancy has overtaken disability as the top discrimination complaint in Australian workplaces according to the Fair Work Ombudsman. Complaints included being sacked, passed over for promotion, denied training and receiving inappropriate comments after they revealed they were expecting.

More people also believe their family responsibilities see them treated differently by their bosses. It is the first time pregnancy has formed the majority of complaints.

4. The Mummy Wars

The ‘Mummy Wars’ have been ignited again in the UK with the UK Culture secretary angering stay-at-home Mums after saying that women returning to work after having a family are ‘vital to the economic recovery’ and that women are not ‘an optional part of the labour force’.

Her comment sparked an angry reaction from stay-at-home mothers who said it was more important to get unemployed young people into work than coaxing mothers into leaving their young children at home. The UK campaign group Mothers At Home Matter, said: ‘Why such an almighty push to get mothers into work, leaving their children as young as six months? It’s feminism gone mad.’

5. Daniel Morcombe trial

A pre-trial hearing will take place in Brisbane today hearing arguments about evidence which could be presented at the trial of Daniel Morcombe’s accused abductor and murderer, Brett Peter Cowan. Thirteen year old Daniel Morcombe went missing while waiting for a bus on the Sunshine Coast in December 2003.

6. Family Day Care threatens to close

There are concerns that Family Day Care centres will close down unless the child-to-staff ratios imposed by the previous Labor government are revisited. Under national reforms to come into effect from January the number of children per staff member a family daycare centre can cater for will drop from five to four.

Some operators have said running a family daycare centre will become financially unviable. The Assistant Education Minister Sussan Ley has they will assess whether implementation of the child-to-staff ratios should be slowed.

7. Florida gang rape

Five youths have been arrested in the US in the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl. The accused and the victim were students at a Florida High School. The three boys and two girls dragged her by the hair, kicked and punched her, then held her down while she was raped in a videotaped assault, police say.

8. Tattoo health concerns

Concerns are being raised over just what is in the ink used for tattoos. With over three million Australians inked an ABC investigation has found that a number of tattoo inks being sold in Australia contain toxins, including potential carcinogens. A study last year found many tattoo inks sold in Europe contained carcinogens.

In Australia, there’s no monitoring of tattoo inks and the sale of tattoo equipment and inks is unregulated.

9. Male-anorexia

New research suggests that eating disorders are more common among boys and men than previously thought.

A study of 5,500 American boys revealed that nearly one in five – 17.9 per cent – were ‘extremely concerned’ about their weight and physique. These boys were more likely to start engaging in risky behaviour – including drug use and frequent binge drinking. Boys with eating disorders tend to be more worried about how muscular they are than about how thin they are.

A Doctor in the study said “Parents are not aware that they should be as concerned about eating disorders and an excessive focus on weight and shape in their sons as in their daughters.”

10. Burmese opposition leader to visit

Aung San Suu Kyi will make her first visit to Australia later this month. She spent a total of 15 years under house arrest between 1989 and 2010, while the country was ruled by a military junta.

She has expressed hopes of becoming Myanmar’s next president, although this would require constitutional changes ahead of the 2015 elections.

11. Anti abortion propaganda

Outraged parents have complained of pro-life literature distributed to their children last week during Halloween. Children in New Mexico in the States were handed graphic anti-abortion propaganda attached to their lollies. A debate over abortion has heated up in recent weeks in the lead up to a vote on a 20-week abortion ban in Albuquerque. Election day is Nov. 19, but early voting began last week.

A local TV station tracked down the woman who handed out the anti-abortion propaganda to trick-or-treaters. She defended her right to spread her beliefs if children came to her home.

12. Homecoming Queen and Queen 

A heartwarming tale from the US where a lesbian couple was crowned homecoming queen and queen at their LA High School.

“I was really surprised, actually, but I thought it was really amazing,” said Lily Cohen, who along with her partner, Greta Melendez, was nominated by her classmates for titles that historically have been awarded to a male and a female student as king and queen.

They said they were amazed at winning the title, as only a few years ago they were bullied.

In Brief:

Gai Waterhouse has celebrated her first Melbourne Cup win.

More than 1000 paedophiles, including 46 Australians have been caught by using a virtual child as bait.

A Russian teenager who sold her virginity through an online auction site has been given the go-ahead by police to seal the deal.

Some 9.3 million people in Syria – or about 40% of the population – now need outside assistance

What news are you talking about today?