8 Monday news bites (12 Sep)

President Obama pays his respects at the 9/11 memorial

1. The world remembers 9/11

Thousands of people who lost loved ones have turned to a memorial in lower Manhattan to try to draw comfort from the September 11 attacks.

The simple ceremony was free from political speeches and consisted of the reading of the names of the almost 3000 who were killed. The Obama and Bush families entered together in a display of bipartisanship and unity.

Snipers took positions around Ground Zero, which 10 years on is still a construction zone as five new towers are built to replace the two that originally stood on the site.

In Australia, Prime Minister Julia Gillard and the US Ambassador to Australia Jeffrey Bleich held emotional ceremony on the shore of Canberra’s Burley Griffin Park yesterday afternoon. They each spoke about how that terrible day had such an indelible impact on the lives of Australians as well as Americans.

In addition to remembering the 10 countrymen and women among the almost 3000 victims of the attacks, Ms Gillard spoke of the unbreakable bond between the two nations: “On this day, on behalf of millions of Australians, I say this: We do not forget. We never forget. United always in remembrance. United always in our resolve,” she said.

2. Labor could win if Kevin Rudd returns

Speculation of a change in the federal Labor leadership has increased in recent weeks as polls have started reflecting that labor could turn a landslide election defeat into a winning position by bringing Kevin Rudd back as prime minister. According to the latest Fairfax/Nielsen poll, Labor is still trailing the coalition 42 to 58 per cent on a two-party preferred basis, unchanged from last month. But that would change to 52 to 48 per cent in Labor’s favour if Mr Rudd replaced Ms Gillard as leader, according to the poll published in Fairfax newspapers today.

Just over a year after she rolled him as leader, Mr Rudd is preferred as Labor leader by 44 per cent of voters compared to Ms Gillard’s 19 per cent.

3. Sam Stosur wins US Open final

First she became the first Aussie woman since 1977 to make the final against Serena Williams this morning and now, as of a few minutes ago, she’s won it 6-2, 6-3. Nice job!

4. Tsunami to hit Australian real estate, forecaster Harry Dent says

Australia’s love affair with property is about to turn sour as an “economic tsunami” looks set to hit world markets, American economic forecaster Harry Dent says.

Mr Dent, who arrived in Australia yesterday, predicts the world will experience a second, deeper downturn, which will arrive between the beginning and the middle of next year. Starting in Europe, the downturn will spread to the US, China and eventually Australia, he said, and at the centre of the coming debt crisis is real estate.

“Outside Hong Kong and Shanghai, Australia is the most expensive real estate market in the world compared to income.” Mr Dent said, adding that Australia’s house prices would return to late 1990s or early 2000 levels.

5. Malaysia asylum seeker deal back on table

Prime Minister Julia Gillard is seeking to win party approval today to revive the Malaysia deal because the majority of Labor MPs are now likely to back laws for a new offshore processing regime for asylum seekers.

And the Opposition is moving closer to supporting the government in getting it through parliament, if it also opens the legal door for its own policy of re-starting processing in Nauru.

A plan for complex changes to the Migration Act which will circumvent the High Court decision two weeks ago to strike down the Malaysia deal will be taken to cabinet before a 9am caucus meeting. The amendments are believed to be broad-ranging enough to give effect to a general offshore processing policy by giving ministerial discretion for the decisions on third country processing.

6. Ban Coco Pops monkey and Paddle Pop lion, Cancer Council says

Cancer Council NSW, backed by the Obesity Policy Coalition and The Parents’ Jury, are seeking a ban on promotional characters, movie tie-ins and the athletes who promote foods high in sugar, fat and salt.

Cancer Council nutritionist Kathy Chapman said regulations around the marketing of foods to children were urgently needed. “What we’d like to see is the removal of these promotional characters – whether they’re cartoon characters, sporting celebrities or movie tie-ins – from all foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt,” she told The Sunday Telegraph.

Research by Cancer Council NSW and the University of Sydney‘s Prevention Research Collaboration found that nearly 74 per cent of promotional characters on Australian food packets promote products to children that would fail healthy nutritional standards.

7. Beyonce reveals bizarre pregnancy cravings

Singer and actress Beyoncé has revealed her pregnancy cravings have already kicked in, after announcing her pregnancy at the MTV awards last month. Her food of choice includes Oreo biscuits and gherkins, Bounty ice creams with hot chilli sauce and bananas dipped in ketchup. And for breakfast, croissants with melted Dime bars inside.

Vegemite chips

8. Vegemite flavoured chips to hit supermarket shelves

Speaking of strange food combinations – after nine months of secret taste testing, flavourists from Smiths Chips and Kraft have created a crinkle-cut chip that tastes just like the national spread – only crunchy. The companies believe the odd pairing, which creates a buttery-tasting chip with a tangy Vegemite aftertaste, could be a winner when it goes on sale next month.

Would you try them?

Today’s news bites were brought to you by Nat.

Here’s Mia on What’s Making News this morning…