Wednesday's news in under 5 minutes.

We’ve rounded up all the latest stories from Australia and around the world – so you don’t have to go searching.

1. Eight men executed in Indonesia.

The two Australians Bali Nine ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran along with six other prisoners were executed by firing squad in Indonesia at 3.25am AEST.

Over 100 shots were fired simultaneously to end the lives of the eight men.

The brother of Andrew Chan, Michael expressed his sorrow on social media saying “I have just lost a courageous brother to a flawed Indonesian legal system” I miss you already RIP”

One of the prisoners due to be executed, Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso received a last minute stay of execution after Indonesian President Joko Widodo asked the Indonesian Attorney General, H.M. Prasetyo to delay. It has been reported that the Filipino maid and single mother of two was spared after new information emerged about her case.

The Jakarta Post reports that Mary Jane was spared because the person who recruited her as a drug courier handed themselves in to the police in The Philippines.

For more on Mary Jane Velso read this post here.

Reaction to the executions has been swift with a cover from The Courier Mail indicating Australia holds the Indonesian President Joko Widodo responsible.

Supporters and family of many of the prisoners were in a waiting area on Nusa Kambangan. They were in the middle of Lord’s Prayer when the shots rang out. There were reports that there was wailing and anguish.

In their last few hours the men were said to have spent their time consoling their fellow death row prisoners.

“They were just amazing,” Myuran’s brother Chinthu told media after his final farewell that the two were  “strong and calm.”

Opposition frontbencher Tony Burke was one of the first politicians to react to the executions tweeting:

He was followed by the Opposition Leader Bill Shorten who released a joint statement with Tanya Plibersek saying ” Labor condemns the execution of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran in the strongest possible terms. We extend our heartfelt condolences to all who mourn the loss of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.

A decade ago, these two young men made a dreadful mistake. By all accounts they spent every minute since seeking to mend their ways and to steer others on the road to redemption. Proof the justice system could reform wrongdoers, not just punish wrongdoing.”

In other developments:

• Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said last night that there will be consequences over the executions should they go ahead.
• Candlelight vigils took place last night around Australia. Hundreds gathered in Martin Place, in Melbourne and around the country.
• The other prisoners executed were Martin Anderson from Ghana, Alias Belo also from Ghana,  Zainal Abidin from Indonesia, Raheem Agbaje Salami from Nigeria, Rodrigo Gularte from Brazil and Sylvester Obiekwe from Nigeria.
• International human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson has called for Australia to cut off aid to Indonesia and give the $600 million to earthquake-ravaged Nepal if the executions proceed.

For more on the executions of these eight men read this post here.

 2. Nepal earthquake: Death toll ‘could rise to 10,000.’

The death toll from the earthquake in Nepal could rise to 10,000. The Prime Minister of Nepal Sushil Koirala has called for more aid including tents and medication.

Overnight a 28-year-old man was pulled from the rubble of a collapsed building after spending around 80 hours trapped in a room with three dead bodies.

“It seems he survived by sheer willpower,” said Akhilesh Shrestha, a doctor who treated him.

All climbers stranded on the face of the mountain have now been airlifted to safety. A national three day period of mourning has now begun for the victims.

If you want to help:

UNICEF 

Save the Children

3: Nigerian army: Troops have rescued 200 girls, 93 women.

There are reports this morning that the Nigerian Army has rescued 200 girls. The army tweeted Troops this afternoon rescued 200 girls and 93 women from Sambisa Forest. 

It has happened during a military operation to claim back the Sambisa Forest from the Boko Haram Islamist militant group.

“We cannot confirm if the Chibok girls are in this group,’ they said. The troops claimed that they had also destroyed three camps run by the militants.

Boko Haram kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls near the northern village of Chibok in April 2014, sparking international outcry and the global hashtag #Bringbackourgirls.

 4. Has Kate Middleton gone into labor?

There is renewed speculation this morning about when the royal baby will arrive after a flurry of excitement that the Duchess of Cambridge had gone into labor when extra security guards and royal press officers were spotted at the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London overnight.

A German newspaper soon put the speculation to rest after they tweeted an image of the Duchess driving out of Buckingham Palace reportedly leaving George’s swimming class at the palace pool.

The Duchess is now five days overdue with her second baby. If the baby arrives today he or she will come on the fourth wedding anniversary of the Duke and Duchess.

While the royal couple have not given away what the baby’s gender is ( if in fact they know) the British press have been madly speculating with the latest being that a pastry delivery may have given away the baby’s gender.

The Independent reports that the royal couple organised for coffee and pastries to be delivered to the waiting fan and media pack and the colour of the ribbons they were wrapped in – a telltale sign.

 5. Baltimore begins clean up after riots.

Residents in the US city of Baltimore are facing a clean up after violence following the funeral of Freddie Gray, 25, who died in police custody.

A state of emergency was declared in the US city and more than 200 arrests were made.

President Obama called for soul searching on the way police forces deal with the public

“This has been going on for decades,” he said, “some [police] departments and communities need to do some soul searching.”

 6. Seven-year old boy dies after taking alternative remedies.

The Nine Network has reported that a seven-year old boy in Sydney has died after taking alternative Chinese remedies.

The young boy is reported to have died on Monday night at a hotel in Hurstville in the southern Sydney suburb of Hurstville. Paramedics arrived but were unable to revive the boy.

Police said initial inquiries found the boy had a “chronic medical condition”.

The Nine Network reported he suffered a cardiac arrest, had type 1 diabetes, and had undergone alternative therapies.

 7. Australian Oscar-winning cinematographer Andrew Lesnie dies.

Andrew Lesnie the Oscar-winning cinematographer of the Lord of the Rings films has died at the age of 59.

Lesnie won an Oscar in 2002 for his work on the first Lord of the Rings film. He is believed to have suffered a heart attack.

Russell Crowe who worked with him tweeted.

 8. Report highlights seriousness of financial abuse as a form of family violence.

A report released in Victoria has called for utility companies to help stop the economic abuse of women and better protect victims through widespread reforms.

While economic abuse is recognized as a form of family violence there are “too few provisions’’ for companies to deal with victims, the report said.

Restoring Financial Safety: Legal Responses to Economic Abuse report by Good Shepherd and Wyndham Legal Service says that in 50 per cent of family violence cases men are “wielding control” through financial means including withholding child support, denying their own kids food and clothes, refusing to pay bills and bankrupting their partners.

Watch today’s news in 90 seconds:

Do you have a story to share with Mamamia. Email us news@mamamia.com.au
[post_snippet id=324408]