Everything you need to know that happened on Thursday, April 3, 2014.
Ugly battle erupts over Bonds baby contest.
The iconic Bonds Baby competition has turned nasty, with parents openly criticising some of the finalists online. Comments on the shortlist include descriptions such as, “plain and weird” and “hideous”. Parents have openly blasted the selection, saying there are better-looking kids than some of them and “a lot of babies deserved it more”. The annual campaign has always been passionately contested, with hundreds of mums and bubs lining up at shopping centres nation-wide hoping their child will take out the crown.
However, this is the first time it’s become so nasty. Two of the finalists have Down Syndrome and even they haven’t been spared criticism. It’s thought the comments have come from parents of children who were submitted through the Bonds Baby Search Facebook page, by parents who entered their kids but they didn’t make the cut. Bonds moderators have had to repeatedly remind users “to be positive, be respectful and that all bubs deserve to be celebrated”.
(Pictured: Sadie & Olive 10 – 36 months & Wonder Category Winner).
Woman taken by shark off NSW south coast.
Should singles pay more tax than families?
Slate, "Joe Hildebrand apologises to Rosie Batty.
Channel Ten's Studio 10 personality, Joe Hildebrand, has apologised to bereaved mother Rosie Batty for yesterday's emotional exchange. Yesterday, Batty appeared on the morning breakfast show to discuss Victoria's domestic violence laws. She broke down over the panel's 'misguided' comments about the proposed law changes made by Hildebrand in particular. “I have said and will happily say again that I'm terribly sorry to cause [Ms Batty] any distress. God knows she's suffered enough,” he said. “Rosie Batty has been incredibly brave. This is a subject that is intensely personal to her, and not one ... that we intended to raise in her presence or involve her in at all, but of course when she did want to respond, we gave her every opportunity to." But Hildebrand stood by his view that partners should leave abusive relationships: “It is the role of every adult who is aware of children being sexually abused to blow the whistle on it; it is their job to raise the alarm.”
Nigella banned from USA for drug confession.
Nigella Lawson has been stopped in Heathrow Airport and banned from boarding a flight to LA after confessing in court last year that she took cocaine. Lawson confessed under oath last year that she had snorted cocaine seven times and smoked cannabis in front of her children. Despite Scotland Yard not acting on her confession, the US authorities have refused her entry into their country. The US have the right to refuse entry to foreigners who have committed drug offences without being formally charged. While Lawson can apply to have this ban lifted, it is reported to take months. Airport onlookers reported that Lawson was clearly unhappy. Lawson is a judge on US talent show The Taste.
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