Wednesday's news in under 5 minutes.

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

1.  Sydney and Hunter regions set to be battered by east coast low for a third day.

The storm which has pummelled Sydney and the Hunter regions for the last two days is set to continue into today with vigorous winds, large seas, and periods of heavy rain and thunderstorms. Conditions are expected to slowly ease during Wednesday as the low weakens. The forecast is for a high (95%) chance of rain, possibly heavy.

Three people lost their lives yesterday.  Police said a woman and two men were found dead on Tuesday morning in the town of Dungog as it received 350mm of rain in just 24 hours.

Here is the latest:

• The Central Coast and Hunter regions were the worst hit with three Hunter Region hospitals to use back-up generator.
• Areas of the Hunter have received over 400mm of rain.
• Dramatic footage emerged yesterday of a house floating down a Dungog street.
• 4000 people including 800 children are still stranded on the cruise ship Carnival Spirit​ outside Sydney Heads in swells of up to nine metres high.
•  About 200,000 people are still without power.
• Transport officials are calling for commuters to avoid nonessential travel or delay your departure this morning. Check for updates

• An evacuation order is in place for Manly Dam as residents are on edge waiting to see if their properties will be safe. Last night police called for calm. “While there is flooding in the area due to a combination of high tide, rain, heavy surf blocking the exit of water, and a number of small creeks feeding water to the area, Manly Dam has not spilled over or released any water at this time.” At 7am Nine News reported that the dam had begun to spill.
• A large number of schools will be closed today, parents should check dec.nsw.gov.au or call their local school for more info.
• Sydney-siders have ventured out in the horrific conditions to help the homeless. For more read this post here.

A Public Information and Inquiry Centre (PIIC) has been set up for residents regarding information on the flood and storm operation across NSW on 1800 227 228.

2. Bali body in the suitcase killers sentenced.

A 19-year old girl has been sentenced to 10-years jail in a Bali cell after her part in the murder of her mother.

Heather Mack, who gave birth one month ago to a daughter was given 10 years for the ‘sadistic’ murder of her mother Sheila Von Wiese-Mack.

Mack’s boyfriend and the father of her baby, 21-year old Tommy Schaefer, was sentenced to 18 years jail.

The court heard that Schaefer and Mack arranged for him to secretly travel to Bali to surprise Von Wiese-Mack and inform her of Mack’s pregnancy. During an argument he bludgeoned Mrs Wiese-Mack with a fruit bowl.

Together he and Mack stuffed her body in a suitcase and left it in the back of a taxi while they fled.

The judge said, “In my decision I have made a special judgment because Heather has a baby who needs a mother. For Tommy, I call the crime sadistic.”

Schaefer will be 39-years-old when he is released from Kerobokan Jail. When Mack is released, her daughter will be 10-years-old. Her baby will be allowed to reside with her until she is two-years-old.

Mamamia has previously reported on this here.

3. Bali Nine executions are imminent.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has said that the execution of Bali Nine organisers Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, is “only a matter of time,” pending the conclusion of their legal processes.

His comments come as two more prisoners on death row, Frenchman Serge Atlaoui and Martin Anderson from Ghana, have their cases thrown out of court.

4. Dogs and divers called in for search for teacher Sharon Edwards.

­Detectives yesterday called in police divers to search waterways near the two homes owned by missing teacher Sharon Edwards and husband John in Grafton, NSW.

The 55-year-old, who is feared dead went missing on March 14. Police have formed Strike Force “Burrow” to investigate what they believe may be a murder case.

There are conflicting reports about the nature of the relationship between Mrs Edwards and her husband with police initially calling him estranged.  AAP reports that friends have claimed there was no  relationship breakdown.

“She has always been very open and she never mentioned that to anyone,” one friend said.

 If you have any information about the disappearance of Mrs Edwards, contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

5. Funeral of Stephanie Scott takes place today.

The town of Leeton will today face the devastating task of saying good-bye to Stephanie Scott as her funeral takes place.

Yesterday students returned to school for the first time since she was murdered on Easter Sunday. Today the school will partially close while most teachers will attend Ms Scott’s funeral.

The private family funeral is being held at the Eugowra function centre, near Canowindra in the state’s central west – where she was due to marry her fiancé, Aaron Leeson-Woolley on April 11.

As a mark of respect, Leeton shops and businesses will close at the time of the funeral.

 6. Labor to propose superannuation tax hikes for high-income, wealthy Australians.

By political reporter Dan Conifer

Labor will today propose superannuation tax changes it says would raise more than $14 billion from high-income and wealthy Australians over 10 years.

The two moves would see retirees lose tax-free status on annual superannuation earnings above $75,000 and more people pay 30 per cent tax on contributions.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the measures ensure the system was sustainable.

“These changes are all about putting fairness back into the system,” he said.

“These changes are good for the future integrity of Australia’s pensions and superannuation system.

“They are fair and they’re good for the budget.”

Change one: Higher tax on contributions for high income earners

During its last term in office, Labor introduced a high-income superannuation charge for people earning more than $300,000 annually, taxing these people’s contributions at 30 per cent (everyone else pays 15 per cent on contributions).

Labor’s proposal would see a 30 per cent contribution tax rate apply to people earning above $250,000 a year.

The ALP estimates 110,000 people would be affected by the new arrangements.

The party estimates it would raise $5.1 billion in the decade to 2026-27

Change two: Taxing retirement earnings above $75,000

Earnings from superannuation accounts for retirees in the pension phase are currently tax-free.

The Opposition’s proposal would see earnings $75,001 and above taxed at 15 per cent.

The party estimates it would affect about 60,000 people with superannuation balances above $1.5 million and raise $9.2 billion in the 10 years to 2026-27.

Industry to be consulted over proposed changes

The Opposition is also vowing the moves would be their only changes to the tax treatment of superannuation if elected.

Mr Shorten and the shadow treasurer Chris Bowen will detail the proposals today, including at the National Press Club.

Labor said it would provide the Australian Tax Office with extra resources to execute the policy.

The party also said it would consult with industry before the next election around the implementation of the package.

A version of this story was originally published on ABC.

7. Diet pills bought online kill teenager.

An inquest has heard that a teenager in the UK bought diet pills online which then burnt her up from the inside.

Eloise Aimee Parry, 21, from Shrewsbury, died in hospital on 12 April after taking eight of the pills which are thought to have contained the ingredient DNP.

The BBC reports that Ms Parry’s mother said when the drug kicked in it made her daughter’s metabolism soar.

“They attempted to cool her down, but they were fighting an uphill battle,” she said.

“She was literally burning up from within… When her heart stopped they couldn’t revive her. She had crashed.”

Her mother, Fiona said she did not have any idea her university student daughter was taking the pills “This allowed her to achieve this super-slim appearance but it cost her her life.”

“It only takes a small amount to kill you,” she said.

“It’s a really nasty drug. Once the drug is in your system it does a lot of damage. It doesn’t just burn fat; it destroys your muscles. It turns bodily fluids yellow.

“Doctors didn’t stand a chance of saving her, unfortunately.”

Police have said that the lethal ingredient DNP was more commonly used as a pesticide.

8. Ousted Egypt president Morsi sentenced to 20 years.

Former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has been sentenced to 20 years in jail over protester deaths in 2012, in a televised court decision. It is the first verdict to be issued against the country’s first freely elected leader.

The Cairo Criminal Court issued the veridic overnight as Morsi and other defendants in the case – mostly Muslim Brotherhood leaders – stood in a soundproof glass cage inside a makeshift courtroom at Egypt’s national police academy.

 9. FBI admits forensic hair analysis evidence was wrong for decades.

An investigation by the FBI has revealed that the evidence in hundreds of court cases in which the FBI hair forensic unit gave testimony was flawed.

The Washington Post has reported that almost all trials in which they offered evidence against criminal defendants over more than a two-decade period before 2000 contained flawed testimony.

This is the US’s largest-ever forensic scandals and includes dozens of death row convictions.

The errors do not mean there was no evidence of guilt, but that the defendants may have grounds for appeal.

The FBI released a statement saying they “are committed to ensuring that affected defendants are notified of past errors… and will continue to do so until all of the cases are addressed.”

10. Prince William starts paternity leave early.

Is the Royal baby about to arrive? The news that the Duke of Cambridge has started his six weeks of paternity leave early has royal watchers excited.

Prince William will now be on unpaid leave until June 1, meaning he will be near his wife when she gives birth.

There were fears he would face a long commute to be by her side if he was still undertaking his training.

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