Monday's news in under 5 minutes.

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

1. Five-year old girl fighting for life after stabbing.

A five-year-old girl is in a critical condition after being stabbed multiple times in Ballarat.

Police said the girl was stabbed outside an apartment building in Mitchell Park just before 3:00pm yesterday afternoon.

Police have arrested a 23-year-old Mitchell Park man, who is in custody.

The apartments are a low-cost residential facility on the site of a former Gold Sovereign Motor Inn.

The little girl was taken from the Learmonth Road complex in a critical condition to the Ballarat Base Hospital.

Ballarat Police Senior Sergeant Neil Robinson said the man and the girl were not related.

“There’s no know relation between the victim and the person we’re talking to,” he said.

He said the girl was stabbed with a “sharp-bladed instrument”.

Police say the interview with the man could take some time ‘because of exceptional circumstances’.

A neighbor told The Age she knew of the little girl “I felt sick and shaken,” she said.

“If it’s the girl I think, I’ve seen her and her mum ride past our house and back again.

“It doesn’t make you feel very safe.”

Her husband said many residents in the area “hadn’t wanted Centacare to open the apartments.”

“It was meant to be for short-term, low income people, but i don’t think that’s who’s in there,” he said.

Police urge any witnesses to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

2. Man arrested after baby boy burnt.

A Sydney man has been arrested after a baby boy suffered severe burns and was rushed to hospital yesterday.

Fairfax Media reports that the 23-year old man has been charged with inflicting injuries on the baby boy after an incident at a house in Penrith.

Ambulance paramedics called police to the home about 3.50pm where they were treating the 10-month-old.

Police say the boy had suffered significant burns to his head, neck, chest and back, and was also suffering significant head and facial injuries.

The baby remains in a critical condition.

The man will appear in court today after being refused bail.

3. Brussels in lockdown for second day over imminent attack fears.

The Belgian capital remains locked down for a second day after authorities review whether or not to extend a security alert imposed over fears jihadists planned similar attacks to those in Paris that left 130 people dead on November 13.

The city’s metro system and public buildings remain closed, along with shops and restaurants after the terror alert was raised to the highest level of four because of what officials said on Saturday was an “imminent threat”.

Schaerbeek Mayor Bernard Clerfayt told media “There are two terrorists in the Brussels region that could commit very dangerous acts.”

He said it was necessary to try to anticipate and prevent any such acts and their consequences, adding: “As long as this threat is present, we must be very attentive.”

There are reports that one of the wanted men has been in touch with police.

4. Australians fear terrorist attack.

A newspoll shows that more than half of Australians believe a large-scale terror attack similar to Paris is likely to take place in Australia and one-quarter are convinced it is inevitable.

The Australian report that the poll showed two-thirds of people believe the Muslim community is not doing enough to condemn terrorist ­attacks or to integrate into ­society.

76 per cent of Australians believe it is likely, very likely or inevitable that a large-scale terrorist attack will be ­carried out in Australia. 29 per cent agree a large-scale attack is likely, 23 per cent think it is highly likely and 24 per cent consider it ­inevitable.

Today the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull returns­ to parliament for the first meeting of the national secur­ity committee of cabinet since the Paris ­attacks. Australia’s terror alert level remains at high, where it was elevated in September.

5. Schoolgirl found 500km away from her home, after two months with a 42-year old “drifter”.

A 15-year old QLD schoolgirl missing for more than two months has been found safe on the NSW North Coast.

Emmadilla Peacock-Lewis was last seen leaving her father’s home on French Street in East Toowoomba, east of Brisbane, on September 28.

Yesterday Queensland Police confirmed she had been located on the north coast of New South Wales.

It was reported that Emmadilla may have travelled to Tasmania in the company of 42-year-old “drifter “Justin Bradburn.

Bradburn also listed as a missing person on October 31 after his family reported him to police.

Emmadilla’s mother Kathleen begged her daughter to come home saying “I love you sweetheart, and I’d like to see you come home.’

“There’s a lot of people, friends and family, who also feel the same way.”

She has now been reunited with her family.

6. Violence against women costs the nation #21.7 billion a year.

A report has shown that family violence is costing the Australian economy $21.7 billion a year.

The report, prepared for domestic violence prevention agency Our Watch and VicHealth, shows the economic burden of violence against women has risen by $8 billion since similar estimates were made just six years ago. It shows that one million Australian women have endured physical or sexual violence, emotional abuse or stalking in the last year alone.

The modeling by PwC shows that the costs associated with victims of pain, suffering and premature mortality totals more than $10.4 billion a year.

Women who experience physical or sexual violence or emotional abuse by a partner will each incur an average cost of about $27,000.

The PwC modeling predicts that if no further action is taken to prevent violence against women costs will accumulate to $323.4 billion over a thirty-year period from 2014-15 to 2044-45.

7. Fourteen arrested at schools celebrations.

In South Australia’s schoolies celebrations in Victor Harbour a wild brawl has marred schoolies celebrations with fourteen people have been arrested for bad behavior.

Only four of those charged were school leavers, with police concerned it’s once again ‘toolies’ causing most of the trouble.

Two of those arrested were also charged for drug trafficking, after they were allegedly caught trying to sell ecstasy just outside the festival.

The arrests come a day after four people including a school leaver have been arrested after more than 260 ecstasy tablets were seized during Schoolies celebrations.

Operation Schoolies commander Inspector Gus Sickerdick said the majority of school leavers were well behaved.

“It’s very disappointing to find out that people who are non-school leavers, who are coming down here, are still trying to flout the law,” he said.

8. Two bomb threats against planes.

Both a Turkish Airlines flight and a Singapore Airlines flight have been the subject of bomb threats.

The Turkish Airlines Airbus A330 flying from New York City to Turkey has been diverted to Halifax, Canada after a threat. The plane landed safely.

A second plane, a Singapore Airlines flight landed safely in at Singapore’s Changi Airport after a bomb threat.

“We regret we are unable to provide details as it concerns security,” the airline said in a statement.

The airline did not provide any details of how the threat came to light or what action was taken to ensure the flight’s safety. It said the matter had been referred to aviation authorities.

9. Warnings over leaving babies strapped in to car seats while they sleep.

Parents are being warned not to leave their babies asleep in their cars seats after the death of 31 babies asphyxiated by their car seats.

Many parents bring baby capsules inside after a car journey believing their child will be safe to be left sleeping inside the car seat.

But a study published in the Journal of Pediatrics, reviewed deaths of children under the age of two that occurred between April 2004 and December 2008.

Out of 46 deaths of children under two from asphyxia associated with sitting and carrying devices, 31 involved car seats. The study child specialist Dr Erich K. Batra, found that in 16 cases, the child had been strangled by the straps of the car seat.

Dr Batra said “many parents use sitting or carrying devices, not realising that there are hazards when they do this.”

“When the baby is asleep, and you don’t have eyes  on the baby, they should be ‘ABC,'” meaning they should be alone, on their backs, and in a crib[cot]”

Experts recommend babies are put to sleep on their back in a cot. Once they are old enough to roll, the baby can find their own sleeping position.

10. New Zealand considering $1000 fine for dropping rubbish in the street.

Dropping a cigarette butt in the streets of Auckland could cost locals $1000 if new proposed laws to increase litter fines are passed.

The New Zealand Herald reports on MP Nikki Kaye, said the move would be a good step toward cleaning up the country’s biggest city.
“I have long been concerned about the amount of waste in the CBD, and litter on our streets. I spent a morning working as a rubbish collector a few years ago, and in just three hours I collected over three tonnes of rubbish from the CBD,” she said.

“If the bill is passed into law I would advocate for Auckland Council to impose the maximum fine possible for littering. We are a world-class city, the first stop for many international tourists and our city streets should reflect this.

“The message is simple – put your litter in the bin or take it home. Treat our city like you would treat your home or backyard. We all want a city we can be proud of – one that is clean and free of litter.”

Do you have a story to share with Mamamia? Email us [email protected]
[post_snippet id=324408]