8 news bites in one quick hit for Thurs, June 23

It’s Thursday! Which traditionally doesn’t really mean much but that’s OK. Things are looking up. There’s been a few bizarre things happening in the news, that’s for sure.

Not least of all, this:

1. Someone stole the Bananas in Pyjamas.

Not. Even. Kidding. Some louts broke into the ABC Adelaide studios and stole two, large Bananas – otherwise known as B1 and B2 – during the raid. Madness! Do they have any idea how expensive bananas are at the moment? Police have already made some arrests.

2. State of Origin tussle reaches Federal Parliament.

Sigh. Yes, Rugby League’s State of Origin between Queensland and New South Wales is a very serious affair. It’s bigger than a swollen forehead, really. And when one of Queensland’s star players Jonathan Thurston was charged with tackling the referee in the last game, things got even more serious. Queensland reckons it’s a stitch-up and Federal Independent MP Bob Katter agrees, talking about the incident in Parliament late yesterday. Really Bob, really? For the record, Thurston was exonerated last night.

3. Plans for a new Indigenous intervention in the Northern Territory.

Julia Gillard yesterday announced plans for a new take on the Indigenous intervention in the Northern Territory first implemented by the Howard Government in 2007. The laws expire in August 2012 and Gillard said she wanted a new way to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians. Though she did admit the Intervention had made improvements, so far. “A lot more needs to be done, I saw very clearly,” she said. Gillard committed in the press conference to listen to and include the views of Indigenous people and that the laws would comply with the Racial Discrimination Act. This is a long, complex and tough issue and we’re preparing a cheat sheet on the matter as we speak. Watch this space.

4. Major defence review says bases should be moved

The biggest review in the status quo of Aussie defence force bases has recommended bases from the southern states of New South Wales and Victoria be moved to places like Perth, Darwin, Cairns and Townsville to protect Australian resources against, well, China.

5. Australians are tech-enabled workaholics.

Well, that’s not really a surprise. Aussies need to get a life, new research shows, because we’re too busy checking our smartphones, taking our laptops on holiday and friending our colleagues on Facebook. The HR company that commissioned the research said ‘three quarters’ of people who were putting in extra hours in places like the commute didn’t even want to be doing them. What say you?

6. Public Service Announcement: George Clooney is single again.

Run, don’t walk.

7. Is Rihanna back in touch with Chris Brown?

It was another tweet that was meant to be sent in private, but ended up public. From Chris Brown, the man who physically assaulted her when they were together, and it said: “@Rihanna you got that pic I sent you?” Rihanna responded to criticism of talking to Chris on Twitter saying it was ‘Its fucking Twitter, not the alter! calm down!’ [sic]. Oh…

8. Man live updates his Facebook while in stand-off with the police.

“They shut our phones down but were okay, everyones comments mean alot. But how this ends is on the cops now. And my HOSTAGE as they call her is perfectly fine and holding it down wit me.” Well, it was only a matter of time.

And that’s the news so far today. Anything grab your attention? Why?