8 Thursday news bites (20 October)

1. PM urged to ‘fix’ Qantas strike situation

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has been asked to intervene in the strike situation between Qantas and the unions before the stand-off destroys the travel industry. According to a report in the Daily Telegraph, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said the airline could be forced to terminate staff, including pilots and cabin crew who are not involved in the current industrial war.

Meanwhile our PM has caused an uproar amongst monarchists by declining to curtsy when greeting the Queen yesterday.  You can read about that here. (Mamamia has a special feature on the Queen’s arrival at 9am today).

2. Bali Bombings terrorist to perform re-enactment

He long ago admitted to being involved, now terror suspect Umar Patek will return to the Bali Bombing sites where he allegedly made the bombs that helped kill 200 people including 88 Australians. According to a report on News.com.au, “Patek will show police where and how he and his alleged co-conspirators put the finishing touches to the deadly devices used for the 2002 attacks, as investigators look to build a rock solid case against him.”

3. Doctors report spike in influenza cases

If you’ve been thinking we’ve had a particularly ferocious cold and flu season – you’d be right. Doctors have confirmed that reported cases of flu (or influenza) have soared across the country this year with 25,000 cases reported to health authorities. It is the highest number this decade other than swine flu two years ago.

4. Gen Y most at risk of identity fraud

If you’re Gen Y and male, then you’re most at risk of identity fraud thanks to your carelessness with your personal information, according to a new Galaxy survey.  While three million Australians fall victim to identity fraud each year, few of us realise that just three bits of information – your name, address and phone number – is all a crim needs to steal your identity.

5. Carla Bruni-Sarkozy gives birth to daughter in Paris

The former model and wife of the French President Nicholas Sarkozy gave birth on Wednesday. The child is the first born to a French Presidential couple still in office. Both have children from former relationships but this is their first together.

6. Lindsay Lohan cuffed in court

An angry judge in LA has revoked Lindsay Lohan’s probation and the actress has been taken into custody after she failed to turn up for her scheduled community service appointments at the Downtown Women’s Centre in Los Angeles. The actress was originally sentenced to 480 hours of community service after pleading no contest earlier this year to taking a $US2500 necklace from a Los Angeles boutique.

7. Mariah Carey shows of her twins for the first time

They were born in April and they’ve been kept under wraps ever since. But this week the world will meet Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon’s twin babies Moroccon and Monroe thanks to the airing of a celebrity interview special with journalist Barbara Walters.   In the interview Carey reveals that the twin pregnancy took a toll on her body. Check out the preview here

8. WTF News Item of the Day: Heather Mills sued over $5000-a-day hairdressing fees

Heather Mills – model, landmines campaigner, lover of expensive haircuts and second wife of Sir Paul McCartney –  has been hit with a lawsuit by her former hairdresser for US$80,000 in unpaid bills.  According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, hairdresser David Paul claims he was first hired by Mills in 2005 to keep her locks in top condition and she continued to use his expertise following her split from the Beatles legend in 2007.  When Mills found herself unable to pay Paul for her US$5000-per-day haircuts, she pledged to repay him once her $38million divorce settlement was finalised.  Paul says this never happened.

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