Monday's news in under 5 minutes.

By MAMAMIA NEWS

UPDATE: Schapelle Corby’s brother will face drug possession charges.

The half-brother of Schapelle Corby – James Kisina – will face a Brisbane court tomorrow, after being charged with possession of a dangerous drug.

26-year-old Kisina was arrested by police on October 26 in Logan, and was charged with both possessing cocaine, and obstructing police. Kisina was with Schapelle Corby when she was arrested by police in Bali in 2004.

Corby, now 36-years-old, was convicted in 2005 of attempting to smuggle marijuana into Bali, in her bodyboard bag. Recent reports have suggested that Corby’s parole application may be signed within the next two weeks.

 1. Children starving in Syria

Concerning reports are emerging from Syria where Aid workers are saying that Syrian refugee children are arriving in northern Lebanon thin and stunted, and that suspected malnutrition cases are surfacing right across the country.

With millions suffering from hunger, experts warn that if the crisis continues into the winter, deaths from hunger and illness could begin to dwarf deaths from violence. The conflict has already killed well over 100,000 people. Particularly troubling, aid workers say, are reports of mothers who stop breast feeding, unaware that it is the best way for  a malnourished mother to keep her child alive.

2. Lost votes

Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss says the West Australian Senate recount has been a “debacle” and a “huge embarrassment” to Australia’s electoral system. The AEC announced the results of the recount on Saturday, with Greens candidate Scott Ludlam and Australian Sports Party candidate Wayne Dropulich picking up seats over Labor’s Louise Pratt and the Palmer United Party’s Zhenya Dio Wang.

The results, which the AEC will officially declare today, are likely to be challenged in the Court of Disputed Returns. The votes remain missing. Mr Truss said a new election, if decided on by the courts, should happen as soon as possible.

3. Christie Brinkley condemns online trolls

Christie Brinkley has said she is shocked by the online world of bullies. She has revealed that her daughter with Billy Joel, Alexa Ray, was rushed to hospital following a suicide attempt – a victim, Christie says of the now pervasive culture of vicious online bullying, or ‘trolling’.

Her daughter has singled out gossip blogger Perez Hilton as being one of the worst culprits. The supermodel is calling for more accountability online saying “I discovered the internet is where people with chips on their shoulders can assume a fake identity and just spew venom and bitterness.’”

4. Melbourne Cup

Tomorrow is, as they say, The race that stops the Nation.

And punters are hoping it might produce the first Melbourne Cup win for Gai Waterhouse. Waterhouse’s horse Fiorente remains the favourite. Although she has trained more than 100 Group One winners she has not yet snared the big one. Waterhouse also has new acquisition Tres Blue running for her as she tries to win the race she has run second in three times.

5. Holocaust memorabilia outrage

EBAY has apologised and removed about 30 items of Holocaust memorabilia from its listings after a British newspaper reported that items including a striped concentration camp uniform were on sale.

The uniform, thought to have been worn by a Polish baker who died in the Auschwitz death camp, had an asking price of 11,200 pounds (A$18,847).

6. Anonymous targets QLD

The activist group Anonymous has targeted Queensland’s anti-bikie laws saying they are “creeping fascism” and has warned Premier Campbell Newman to “expect us”. The group says the new laws, which apply mandatory sentences for members of organisations the government deems as criminal, have gone too far.

The government says the laws are aimed only at criminal bikie gangs and the “worst of the worst” criminals.

7. Coalition conscience vote 

Malcolm Turnbull believes the coalition is likely to grant MPs a conscience vote if a gay marriage private member’s bill comes before federal parliament.

Mr Turnball, a supporter of gay marriage said he believed if the coalition had allowed a conscience vote when the issue was debated in the last parliament it would have made no difference to the outcome.

8. Saudi worker beating

A video that appears to show a Saudi man beating a migrant worker is causing growing outrage in Saudi Arabia. A male worker in an orange jumpsuit tormented by another man whom it is believed is Saudi. The abuser begins slapping his victim as he continues questioning him, demanding to know why the worker would dare contact his wife.

The screams of “no” are bloodcurdling, the Saudi man asks the worker if he wants to die. Many are asking if the beating went on and what happened to the victim afterward. Officials aren’t sure where it happened, but they say they are looking into it.

Warning: this video contains violent images

9. Obesity Epidemic over

There is good news in health circles with experts saying that the childhood obesity epidemic has been overstated, with the rate plateauing more than a decade ago after parents started heeding the health warnings.

Statistics reveal children cut back on soft drinks and started eating more fruits and vegetables. Obesity expert Professor Tim Olds says the relentless scaremongering about overweight children is not based on the evidence. It seems that parents are winning the war against obesity.

10. Cervical cancer vaccine

A third of teenage girls haven’t had the free cervical cancer vaccine – many because they didn’t get the permission note home to their parents. A study of the coverage rates for the human papillomaviruses (HPV) published in the Medical Journal of Australia found only 70 per cent of girls aged 12-17 were fully vaccinated at the end of a catch-up program run in 2007. While 83 per cent of girls received the first dose, only 78 per cent received the second dose and just 70 per cent received the third dose.

In Brief:

NSW householders who want to break their electricity supply contract will be charged $130 by retailers, $110 more than Victorian residents.

Catholics will be surveyed about their opinions on contraception, same-sex marriage and adoption, divorce and living together before marriage in a worldwide poll to be conducted.

In Egypt Former President Mohammed Morsi, will go on trial today. Morsi, who was ousted by the army on July 3 is due to appear in court on charges of inciting violence.

At least six people have died as an overcrowded ferry sank near the tourist resort of Pattaya in eastern Thailand.