news

Wednesday's news in under 5 minutes.

1. Search for MH370

Desperate families have waited now for over 10 days

 

 

 

 

New evidence overnight has strengthened the belief that the missing aircraft MH370 turned west and travelled back into the Indian Ocean.

The Thai military has confirmed it detected an unknown signal, possibly flight 370, heading the opposite direction from its flight path.

Malaysia says the evidence gathered so far suggests the plane was deliberately flown off course.

In other developments:

  • The total area now being searched is 2.24 million square nautical miles, Hishammuddin Hussein, the Malaysian defense and transport minister, said at a news conference overnight.
  • China says it has found no evidence that any of its citizens on board the missing plane were involved in hijacking or terrorism.
  • The New York Times has reported that the aircraft’s first turn to the west was carried out through a computer system that was most likely programmed by somebody in the cockpit.

2. Supermarket refuses to sell formula

An Albury woman has complained that Woolworths refused to sell her baby formula stating that new mothers “should breastfeed anyway”.

The mother’s complaint has gone viral.

For more, read this post here “She was told new mothers should breastfeed anyway.”

3. PM’s Racial Discrimination Act reforms

WA-based MP Ken Wyatt is threatening to cross the floor if the Federal Coalition proceeds with the proposal to repeal a section of the Racial Discrimination Act.

The proposal – to repeal Section 18c, which criminalises acts which were “reasonably likely… to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate another person or group of people” – has been a key promise of Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

4. Rolling Stones cancel concerts

The Rolling Stones have cancelled their Australasia tour after the suicide of L’Wren Scott.

Mick Jagger has posted a tribute to the woman he calls his best friend and lover on the group’s Facebook page.

He said: “I am still struggling to understand how my lover and best friend could end her life in this tragic way.”

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If you or anyone you know needs help, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

5. Putin signs treaty with Crimea

A shooting has occurred hours after President Putin signed the treaty

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a treaty making Crimea part of Russia again.

Shortly after he signed the bill, Ukraine’s military said an officer was killed in an attack on a base in Crimea.

Ukraine has now authorised its troops to fire in self-defence.

6. Cyclist ‘dooring’ incident

A cyclist in Melbourne has captured the moment when she was ‘doored’ by a businessman exiting a taxi.

The footage shows the businessman refusing to give her his details. Later, he and a group of other men abused the woman.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvTeYNpPrUE

7. Australian soldier dies in Syria

News Limited has revealed the identity of a Sydney man who became the first soldier from a western country to die fighting in the Syrian civil war.

The man, 22-year-old Caner Temel, is a former Australian Defence Force soldier who went AWOL in 2010. He is believed to have become radicalised and died fighting with jihadists in January.

8. Young mother found dead in river

QLD police are investigating the death of a young mother of three boys who was found dead in the Macintyre River in Goondiwindi on Sunday morning.

Alexis Jeffery’s former partner told The Courier Mail that he is yet to tell her three sons their mother has died.

The police believe she was attacked – the young mother was last seen alone in a park, walking towards the pathway to the Goondiwindi cultural centre between 3am and 3.30am Sunday.

Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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9. Mobile phone ban

What do you think of this sign?

A café on the NSW Central Coast has claimed it is sick of rude customers speaking on their mobile phones while they are at the counter ordering. Bella Natural Food has taken the unusual step of imposing a surcharge on customers using their phone.

The café told Mamamia that it has imposed the 50c surcharge many times. In some instances, the customers were too busy on their phones to even notice the surcharge has been placed on their bill.

Customers seem overwhelmingly in favour of the 50c fee.

 10. QLD mother banned from school

A QLD mum has been banned from her son’s former school for punching the principal in the head over issues with her son’s laptop, and threatening to have him killed.

The Courier Mail reports that the Department of Education, Training and Employment banned her from entering the school for one year.

11.Ten-year-old girl bitten by ‘large fish’

A 10-year-old girl has been rushed to hospital after being bitten on the hand by what was thought to be a shark or a “large fish” at Lennox Head yesterday afternoon.

12. Warning on supplement

St John’s Wort warning

A health warning has been placed on the supplement St John’s Wort, which could be causing your contraceptive to be ineffectual.

In the UK, a study has shown that since 2000, the UK regulatory agency has logged 19 suspected interactions of St John’s Wort with hormonal contraceptives – 15 resulting in an unplanned pregnancy.

The risk applies to the combined and progesterone-only pill and contraceptive implants, like Implanon.

 

What news are you talking about today?