We’ve rounded up all the latest news from Australia and around the world – so you don’t have to go searching.
1. Zahra Baker’s stepmother to appeal against her conviction for murder and dismemberment of Zahra.
The woman accused of murdering and dismembering her 10-year-old stepdaughter has revealed she will appeal against her conviction.
In 2010 Zahra Baker was found murdered and dumped in North Carolina’s Hickory foothills.
Her Australian father Adam Baker had taken Zahra to live in the US after meeting Elisa Baker online.
He moved there with his daughter, a cancer survivor who had a prosthetic leg and was deaf. Adam Baker reported her missing on October 11, 2010 from the family’s Hickory home and her dismembered remains were found scattered in bushland soon after.
Elisa Baker, 47, who pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of Zahra and was given an 18-year sentence, has told The Courier Mail she was pressured and rushed into signing her plea deal and she will mount an appeal.
“There’s things in the works, yes. It’s the understanding that they think I have a very good case,”
Baker who actually led police to the dismembered remains of Zahra said she was only given 15 minutes to sign her plea deal and all her options were not properly explained to her. She told News Limited she still keeps a photo of Zahra inside her locker.
An investigation in 2014 found that Zahra was abused four times in the nine months before her murder and dismemberment. State Child Fatality Review by the North Carolina Division of Social Services said there were a number of flaws in the system that failed to save 10-year-old Zahra.
Zahra’s father Adam was investigated at the time, but not charged. He was deported back to Australia with her remains.
2. Unborn baby among six killed on Australia’s roads over Easter weekend.
An unborn baby is among the lives lost on Australia’s roads this long Easter weekend.
Mandy Davies, 31, from Ballarat North, was seriously injured and airlifted to hospital after a car turning on to Victoria’s Midland Highway in Bannockburn crashed into the side of her car. She was rushed to hospital but her 31-week-old unborn child coukd not be saved.
Her other children aged eight and ten were also trapped in the car but were saved when passers-by rushed to their aid.
Her brother Jeff Davies told 9NEWS they wanted to thank those who rushed to her aid.
“I just want to say thank you, for the people that had gone to help her. We’re very grateful for everything they’ve done, especially helping the kids.”
The Easter road toll is the lowest in years.
3. Man accused of murdering ‘home invader’ due to appear in court today.
A man accused of murdering another man who was allegedly found near his daughter’s bedroom will appear in court today.
Yesterday, Ben Batterham was refused bail in Newcastle Local Court after being charged with the murder of father-of-three Ricky Slater-Dickson.
It is alleged that Slater-Dickson had broken into the home of Batterham at 3:30am on Saturday morning.
Police allege Batterham, 33, and another man chased down Slater-Dickson and tackled him to the ground outside the Newcastle home in the early hours of Saturday. He sustained injuries after a struggle and later died in hospital.
Beryl Dickson, Ricky Slater-Dickon’s mother yesterday told media that while her son had a troubled past, he was on the straight and narrow.
“He might have done his time but he was a good boy,” she said. “He was dedicated to his family. He loved us all and we all loved one another.”
“They’ve lost their father, their beautiful father that they haven’t seen for years because he was in jail, which has nothing to do with this case,” Ms Dickson said.
“And he got out, and back with his family, travelling between all of his family and my family.
“Just to think those little kids are going to grow up without a dad now.”
According to ABC, other relatives claimed Slater-Dickson had not broken into the house but was attending a party there.
Batterham did not enter a plea. He is due to appear in court today.
4. Shooting at US Capital Visitors Center in Washington.
The White House is in lock down after a shooting at the U.S Capital Vistors Centre early this morning.
According to the Associated Press, one U.S. Capitol Police officer has been shot, but not seriously, and a shooter is in custody.
People were told if outside, they should seek cover.
5. Calls for nurse safety changes.
Following the murder of a South Australian nurse killed during a call-out, there have been calls to make it mandatory for all remote area nurses to work in pairs.
Gayle Ms Woodford, 56, was found in a shallow, roadside grave a short distance from the remote community of Fregon on Saturday, four days after she was last seen on Wednesday night.
A Mimili man, 36, was charged with her murder on Sunday.
A petition urging Federal Health Minister Susan Ley to make it mandatory for all remote area nurses to work in pairs has now gained over 50,000 signatures.
Independent South Australian Senator Nick Zenophon said he would be taking the issue up with Deputy Leader of The Nationals and Minister for Rural Health, Senator Fiona Nash.
6. Crackdown on egg labelling standards.
State and federal ministers will meet on Thursday in a bid to form a national information standard for egg labelling.
There has been growing uncertainty about the definition of free-range eggs with many free-range brands costing double the amount of caged eggs.
An analysis of free-range products by CHOICE last year showed stocking densities ranged from seven hens per hectare to 10,000 hens per hectare.
Consumer advocate group CHOICE said it was time the free-range rip-off stopped reports Sky News.
“A standard for free-range eggs has been a long time coming, with our estimate that over 213 million eggs were sold in 2014 alone that fell short of Australians’ expectations,” Tom Godfrey from CHOICE said.
Egg Farmers of Australia spokesman John Coward said with lower densities would come with higher costs.
7. First funerals held for victims of Easter suicide bombing in Pakistan.
The funerals of at least four of those killed in the Easter Sunday bombing in Pakistan have taken place.
At least 70 people, mainly women and children, were killed in the blasts at a play park in the city of Lahore. Another 340 were injured in the attack.
The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack and said the target was Christians.
It was the deadliest attack in Pakistan since the December 2014 massacre of 134 schoolchildren at a military-run academy in Peshawar.
The country’s Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif has vowed to “avenge every drop of blood” in the bombings.
“My brothers and sisters, today again I am here to renew my commitment that we will avenge every drop of the blood of our martyred people and we are doing that, and we will not rest until we have accounted for everything to the end.” he told a televised address.
“We will not let them raise their heads again, we will not allow them to play the lives of the people of Pakistan. This is my resolve, this is my government’s resolve and this is the resolve of the 200 million people of Pakistan.
God willing, no terrorist can put a dent in our resolve.”
8. Girl, 7, dies after jumping castle blows away at fair.
Two people have been arrested and a seven-year-old girl has died after a jumping castle blew away at a funfair in the UK.
Summer Grant, 7, from Norwich died of multiple injuries after the jumping castle she was playing on lifted off the ground and blew 150 metres away at an Easter fair.
A man, 27, and a woman, 24 who worked for a family-run jumping castle company were arrested by police on suspicion of manslaughter by gross negligence.
Cara Blackie, Summer’s mother told media they were heartbroken. “Words just can’t explain how I am feeling right now, life is just truly cruel.”
“Summer was a bright, beautiful and most loving little girl. It’s so unfair that you have been taken.
It just doesn’t make sense, I’m truly heartbroken.”
9. Islamic State reduced Palmyra museum to rubble.
The first images have emerged of the historic city of Palmyra, Syria after it was recaptured from Islamic State by Syrian and Russian forces.
The New York Times reports that the Palmyra museum has been reduced to rubble.
A row of arches called the Arc of Triumph was reduced to a rock quarry.
The fighters also damaged the 2,000-year-old Temple of Baalshamin, parts of the Roman Temple of Bel and three ancient tombs, one dating to 44 A.D.
The government’s antiquities chief said that the damage Islamic State militants inflicted could take about five years to repair.
“With the help of the international community, we can restore Palmyra’s ruins in five years,” Maamoun Abdulkarim said.
Do you have a story to share with Mamamia? Email us news@mamamia.com.au
Top Comments
The sad story of the little girl playing on the bouncy castle&being killed is just awful&every parents nitemare... My sympathies go out to the parents&family of Summer Grant.
That dispicable woman deserves nothing and that poor girls father is just as culpable as she and should be serving time