We’ve rounded up all the latest stories from Australia and around the world – so you don’t have to go searching.
1. DNA tests show twins born with different dads.
A couple who feared that one of their twins may have been swapped at birth because the babies looked so different have been surprised to hear that their twins have different fathers.
The twins are the same sex, born on the same day, just a few hours apart, but look completely different, CNN reports.
The father was pressured into testing the children by family members, who believed their appearances – one has thick curly hair, the other has fine straight hair – was cause for concern. He underwent DNA testing to try and prove the hospital had given them the wrong baby – but the results proved the opposite.
The baby was indeed one of his twins, but he wasn’t the father.
The babies, born in Vietnam two years ago, are bi-paternal twins – sharing the same mother, but different fathers, CNN reports.
Scientists at the Center for Genetic Analysis and Technologies in Hanoi believe it is the country’s first case of the “extremely rare” phenomenon.
Le Dinh Luong, president of the Genetic Association of Vietnam, said the family have been surprised by the news, but are looking at the best way to deal with the situation.
There are thought to be about 10 sets of bi-paternal twins across the world, including one in Poland, one in Spain, two in India and two in the US
Last year a US man was ordered to pay child support for one girl in a set of twins, after genetic tests showed he was not the father of the other.
Dr. Keith Eddleman, director of obstetrics at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York told CNN that a woman’s egg has a life span of 12 to 48 hours, and a sperm is viable for seven to 10 days, so there’s about a week’s time for potential overlap and the fertilization of two eggs by two sperm from separate sexual encounters.
2. Mum who dumped newborn in drain pleads guilty.
A NSW mother who dumped her baby in a 2.5 metre drain beside the M7 Motorway in Quakers Hill in November 2014 has pleaded guilty to exposing the infant to danger and risk of death but prosecutors withdrew a charge of attempted murder.
The baby was found by motorists cycling on the busy road.
It’s believed he was placed inside the drain one day after his birth on November 17, and he lay there for five days before he was found.
David Otte was with his daughter when he found the newborn.
“We actually thought it was a kitten at first, but when we went down there we could hear exactly what it was, you could definitely tell it was a baby screaming,” Mr Otte told The Daily Telegraph at the time.
The mother will appear court again on Friday.
3. No jab no pay laws increase vaccination rates.
The Federal Government’s no jab no pay laws that came into effect on January 1 have led to increased vaccination rates reports The Herald Sun.
Families who do not vaccinate their kids now can not be paid family tax benefits and childcare subsidies.
92.28 per cent of kids were fully immunised as at December last year.
That compares to the previous December, where 90.69 per cent of children were fully immunised.
In Victoria, the percentage of children of all ages with a “contentious objection’’ listing from their parents was 1.19 per cent, down from 1.59 per cent the previous year.
Social services minister Christian Porter said the figures were welcome news.
“They show that the message is getting through and that the policy had an impact as soon as it was announced,’’ The Herald Sun reports he said.
“Before No Jab No Pay began we knew that in some specific regions there were some good outcomes and some very disappointing ones.
“The low-vaccination hot spots that we identified before this policy began were cause for concern, and represent terrible outcomes for the children in those communities.
4. National suicide rate at 10 year high.
Australia’s suicide rate has risen to a disturbing 10 year high according to figures released by Bureau of Statistics yesterday – and it is being driven higher by the increased suicide rate of young women.
The number rose to 12 per 100,000 people in 2014 the highest level since 2001, when it reached 12.6 per 100,000.
The rate of suicide in women aged 15-24 jumped by 50 per cent over the same period, compared to a 2 per cent increase for men.
Director and chief scientist at the Black Dog Institute Helen Christensen told Fairfax Media increased “risky behaviour among young women” could have contributed to the rise in suicide rate.
“Young girls are becoming more assertive and less risk-averse. They’re drinking earlier, smoking earlier … all those associated behaviours might lead to more impulsivity, which might lead to more risk-taking, more injury, more suicide risk.” she said.
Yet men still made the majority in the 15-24 year old age group with three-quarters of the 362 suicides by 15-24 year old by young men in 2014.
Calls to crisis support service Lifeline reached a record high of 1 million last year.
Lifeline chief executive Pete Shmigel told Fairfax Media it was a “national emergency”.
More than 60 per cent of callers to the service were women and nearly 80 per cent of chat service users were women, mostly younger women.
The wife and two daughters of Western Australian Liberal MP Luke Simpkins and the husband of Northern Territory Country Liberal Natasha Griggs were flown to and from an “unspoilt paradise” in the Indian Ocean, for a weekend stay – all at the expense of the taxpayer.
The families were flown to the islands last year while the MPs attended two public hearings in April.
The Canberra Times reports that Mr Simpkins and Ms Griggs claimed the expenses under the “family reunion” entitlements scheme.
Travel records show, according to the report that both had spent the previous week in their electorates.
Ms Griggs’ husband Paul flew from Darwin to Cocos via Perth and Christmas Island at a cost of $4385.
Mr Simpkins’ wife Kelly and their two daughter flew from Perth via Christmas Island at a cost of $5100.
The two MPs claimed a total of $5756 in travel allowances during their time on Cocos Island for the hearings into the parliamentary inquiry into Australia’s administration of its Indian Ocean territories.
Ms Griggs told The Canberra Times “all travel was within parliamentary travel guidelines”.
6. Horse that killed Olivia Inglis put down.
Equestrian Australia has announced the horse that fatally crushed the 17-year-old daughter of a well-known racing family has been put down.
Charlotte and Arthur Inglis witnessed their daughter, Olivia’s death when her horse tripped and fell during a jump at the Scone Horse Trials in the Upper Hunter region on Sunday. She was fatally crushed.
The chairwoman of Equestrian Australia Judy Fasher said that Olivia’s death was the result of her horse’s error.
“Unfortunately, Olivia’s horse made a mistake and hit the obstacle, which meant the horse fell and landed on her,” Ms Fasher said.
“Unfortunately, Olivia’s much loved horse Coriolanus has suffered injuries much worse than originally reported,” a spokesperson for Inglis said in a statement.
“X-rays revealed he was suffering from a displaced fracture in his neck,” the Inglis spokesperson said in their statement.
“He was a talented competitor and loved family member and will be sadly missed,” they said.
7. Girl, 15, raped and set on fire in India.
A 15-year-old girl is in a critical condition after being raped and set on fire on the rooftop terrace of her family’s home.
Police say the girl, from Tigri village, near the New Delhi suburb of Noida in India was found by her parents with severe burns, after they heard her screaming from the rooftop terrace.
The girl later told police that she was raped, beaten and then set on fire by a man who she said had been stalking her for months.
Police have now arrested a 20-year-old man for allegedly raping and attempting to burn the girl to death.
8. Nike, Tag Heuer and Porsche distance themselves from Maria Sharapova following drugs test.
Three major sponors have suspended their deals with Maria Sharapova after her revelation yesterday she had tested positive for a banned substance at the Australian Open in January.
Yesterday the five-time Grand Slam tennis champion admitted she failed a drug test.
Ms Sharapova said she had been taking meldonium since 2006, on the advice of her family doctor.
Nike has suspended its relationship, while Tag Heuer has cut its ties.
German carmaker Porsche said it was “postponing planned activities” with Ms Sharapova until the situation became clearer.
Nike said it was “saddened and surprised” at her admission that she tested positive.
She is one of the highest paid female athletes with earnings of over $30m last year from winnings and endorsements.
9. Woman kills swan so she can take a selfie with it.
A woman has unintentionally killed a swan after dragging it out of the water for a selfie. The woman, in Macadonia, can be seen in photos grabbing the swan’s wing and dragging it up onto the shoreline of Lake Ohrid. She then reportedly took a picture and left the animal there.
Macedonia Online reports that the swan “remained motionless after the encounter.”
A similar incident made headlines recently when tourists allegedly pulled a Franciscan dolphin out of the ocean to take pictures with it in Argentina, though a photographer at the site refuted this claim.
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