We’ve rounded up all the news you need to know today, so you don’t have to go searching.
1. Eight-year-old forced to deliver the final blow that killed her three-year-old brother Moko Rangitoheriri.
The eight-year-old sister of Moko Rangitoheriri who was horrifically beaten to death by his carers, has told her aunt that she was forced to deliver the final blow.
Both siblings were placed in the care of a family friend, while their mother was in an Auckland hospital caring for their sick older brother.
While there, three-year-old Moko was abused by the family friend, Tania Shailer.
His eight-year-old sister (who cannot be named for legal reasons), tried to hide him from the abuse and sneak him water. Each time she attempted to help Moko, she was severely punished by their abuser, Shailer.
On the night of his death, Shailer forced his sister to kick an almost comotose Moko. When the final blow was delivered she was told "It's your fault he's dead. You killed your brother."
According to Stuff.co.nz, the little girl has since said she wishes she had died, too.
2. Sydney student may not have broken the law over $4.6m overdraft
A student who spent a large sum of money accidentally given to her by Westpac may not have broken the law, a magistrate has told a Sydney court.
Christine Jiaxin Lee was arrested while trying to board a flight to Malaysia on Wednesday, four years after a "glitch" in Westpac's system left her able to spend $4.6m of the bank's money. She spent much of that amount on handbags, Fairfax reports.
Fairfax media reports magistrate Lisa Stapleton granted Lee bail on Thursday, saying it appeared Westpac inadvertently gave her an unlimited overdraw facility and so she used it.
Lee, 21, has been charged with dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception and knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime, Fairfax reports.
3. Peter Dutton owes raped refugee a duty of care, court finds
The Federal Court has ruled that Immigration Minister Peter Dutton owes a refugee raped on Nauru a duty of care, and must not force her to terminate her pregnancy in Papua New Guinea where it is neither safe nor legal. The court also found that Dutton owes the young woman a duty of care.
The young African woman, known only as S99, was semi-conscious after suffering a suspected epileptic seizure when she was attacked on Nauru. Despite begging authorities to let her come to Australia to terminate the pregnancy she does not want, Australian authorities instead sent her to Papua New Guinea. She has now spent a month in limbo there, as courts considered her fate.
Justice Mordecai Bromberg of the Federal Court handed down his ruling on Friday, saying the young woman must be considered under the protection of Australian law, despite the fact she lives in Nauru.
Fairfax Media reports that uncertainty still surrounds the woman's fate, however, as the Immigration Department is under no obligation to bring her to Australia for a safe and legal abortion - only to ensure she receives one.
4. More than a dozen people arrested over Pakistani "honour killing"
Thirteen people have been arrested over the death of a 16-year-old girl.
The year nine student, known as Ambreen, was injected with sedatives, strangled with ropes, tied to a van and burned in a so-called "honour killing" in northern Pakistan. The girl's remains were found on April 29.
The mother of the victim is among those arrested, according to police in Abbottabad, in Pakistan's northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
According to CNN, police understand Ambreen's murder was ordered by a tribal council because she allegedly helped a neighbor and her boyfriend elope.
5. Jordan rice finally honoured as a hero
Jordan Rice, the 13-year-old boy who saved his younger brother before losing his own life in the 2011 Queensland floods, will today be presented with a Bravery Medal.
Jordan saved his 10-year-old brother Blake by telling civilian rescuers “take my brother first.”
A change.org petititon started by his father, calling for Jordan to be awarded the medal, drew more than 300,000 supporters.
Jordan will be awarded the posthumous medal at Government House, Brisbane, his father writes today for news.com.au.
Jordan’s mother Donna also died in the floods.
6. Mobile phone use "not causing cancer," researchers claim
Mobile phone use is not liked to a rise in brain cancer in Australia, according to a new study led by the University of Sydney.
The authors of the study, published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology on Thursday, claim that mobiles phones, are not correlated to incidences of brain cancer.
According to Fairfax Media, the study contradicts the claims of American epidemiologist Devra Davis, whose visit to Sydney in November raised concerns over the dangers of mobile phones, which emit electromagnetic radiation,
7. Movie made that cannot be watched for 100 years
A new John Malkovich film is set to be released at Cannes Film Festival this month -- but it won't be actually hit cinemas for 100 years.
The unusual film, 100 Years – The Movie You Will Never See, will be showcased at Cannes but unviewable, and locked inside a vault.
GQ reports the film, first announced in November, will have its first screening on November 18, 2115.
A press release states that “to ensure that 100 Years remains secure until its official premiere,” the project is being “held in a special safe that will open automatically in 100 years when the timing is complete.”
8. Man accused of raping and killing girl
The man accused of raping and murdering an 11-year-old school girl has pleaded not guilty.
Bowe Maddigan, 30, is facing charges of murder and two counts of sexual penetration of a child under 16 for his attack on Zoe Buttigieg, who was found dead in October 2016 in rural Victoria.
Maddigan pleaded not guilty on the last day of his committal hearing at Wangaratta Magistrates Court in Victoria, the Herald Sun reports.
Earlier this week, the girl's mother, Janelle Saunders, told the court she had engaged in a marathon drinking and cannabis-smoking session at her Wangaratta home with Maddigan and friends.
Just hours later, Zoe was found dead in her bedroom.
Top Comments
6. Yeah sure they don't, all that non-ionizing radiation pressed up against your head is good for you right?, plus there's the fact that early mobile phones were chunky and generally had aerial's away from your head, then came digital, 2G, 3G, 4G and soon 5G all with increasing transfer rates.....all with internal aerial's pressed up against your head. Some studies say they do some say they don't, a lot seem to think we just don't know yet.
The study says
"Mobile phones produce non-ionising radiation which is low energy, sufficient only to ‘excite’ the electrons enough to make them just heat up." .......so not nothing at all then.