News: Bali Boy, Iraq troops, Madonna and Turkey quake

1. US troops will leave Iraq this year says Obama

President Barack Obama announced the planned withdrawal of the remaining 40,000 US troops in Iraq, saying they would be ‘home for the holidays’. The war has resulted in the death of thousands of troops (4400 from America alone, 3 Australians). The deaths of Iraqi civilians and insurgents is estimated to be at least 100,000. The cost of the war? Some say it’s a one trillion dollar war.

2. Bali drug charge teen avoids Kerobokan jail

The 14-year-old on marijuana possession charges in Bali – who has not been convicted – has been moved to a cheap motel room immigration detention instead of the tough Kerobokan jail after an apparent intervention by the nation’s President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. His law and human rights minister said that Kerobokan prison did not have adequate juvenile facilities and that this needed to change, not just for the Australian boy but for all juveniles there.

3. Police raid OccupySydney/Melbourne camps, national protests continue

Sydney police yesterday raided the Martin Place camp of more than 100 Occupy Sydney protestors who had been there for more than eight days as a sign of ‘solidarity’ with their Wall Street (America) counterparts. Protestors claimed police burst in at 5am and manhandled them, but police said protestors were warned of the raid and refused to leave. 40 protestors were arrested. 100 protestors were arrested in a similar raid in Melbourne with violent clashes caught on film.

4. The iPod is now 10-years old

That came around fast. The music player that saved Apple as a company was released to intrigue and excitement in October, 2001 and featured the scroll wheel, black and white backlit screen and the capacity to store 1000 songs – a mammoth amount on such a small device. It was released to a wider audience of Windows users in 2002 and went on to make Apple billions upon billions in revenue and pave the way for the iPhone, iPad and other iPod variations. Neat.

5. Earthquake in Turkey, death toll could be 1000

A 7.3 magnitude earthquake which struck in the nation’s East overnight has razed buildings and killed at least 50 people. But the country’s own seismology centre has warned the death toll could climb to 1000 due to the power of the quake and the lack of earthquake proof buildings. In 1999, two earthquakes killed nearly 20,000 people in Turkey.

6. Aldi will sell $1 beer from 2012

The discount supermarket chain has won approval for 34 of its New South Wales stores to begin selling beer for $1 a can – 80 cents if it’s light – and wine from $2.25 a litre. The Casino Liquor and Gaming Control Authority signed off on the plan and is considering another 20 stores. Critics say Aldi should not be allowed to sell cheap liquor in remote and regional areas where there are demonstrated alcohol abuse problems.

7. Shark kills man, authorities hunt shark

As the family of  32-year-old Texan man, George ‘Thomas’ Wainwright, mourn his death following a shark attack off the West Australian coast, the WA Fisheries Minister has instructed his department to hunt and kill the great white believed to be responsible. Mr Wainwright was attacked while diving from a boat about 1.30pm Saturday. So, is hunting the shark really going to achieve much?

8. Madonna’s brother is homeless

The pop star’s second eldest brother, Anthony Ciccone, 55, has been living on the streets and collecting cans for money ever since he lost his job at the family vineyard more than a year ago. While Madonna, 53, enjoys a lifestyle in the lap of luxury. No telling what family rifts may have led to this – if any – but Anthony says: “”My family turned their back on me, basically, when I was having a hard time. You think I haven’t answered this kind of question a bazillion times – why my sister is a multibazillionaire, and I’m homeless on the street? Never say never. This could happen to anybody.”

9. Today is Pink Ribbon Day, for breast cancer

You may remember some posts we’ve run on Mamamia in the past. Like Mia’s friend Jackie Cross who had both her healthy breasts removed to help save her life down the track. There are some families out there like the Toscanos who have an 80% chance of developing breast or ovarian cancer due to a genetic mutation of the BRAC1 gene. With the news that Giuliana Rancic has just been diagnosed, now is as good a time as  any to be aware of the threats. The only way to know for that gene mutation? Get it tested. And in the meantime, check yourself. Here’s the light-hearted way to be in the know which we’ve run before:

News brought to you by Rick this morning.