1. Obama reacts to Steven Sotloff beheading

Obama reacts to the latest beheading.

US President Barack Obama has reacted strongly to the beheading of Steven Sotloff saying “The bottom line is this: Our objective is clear and that is to degrade and destroy ISIL so it is no longer a threat.”

The President’s words followed the U.S. authentication of the video that showed the journalist being executed by a masked man.

Meanwhile the Prime Minister Tony Abbott confirmed last night that Washington has made a “general request” to Australia for more military help in Iraq.

2. Ashya King latest

As Ashya King’s parents, Brett and Naghmeh, prepare to be reunited with him in the next few hours, the hospital in Prague they were planning on taking him to has confirmed they are ready for the little boy and that the therapy his parents hoped for him to receive – proton beam treatment is appropriate for Ashya.

Brett and Naghmeh King have spoken to the media saying “They treated us like terrorists. They handcuffed me and my wife,” “I don’t know why they did this. From the beginning, Southampton [General hospital] knew I was going abroad. They knew I wasn’t happy with the treatment.”

The Guardian reports that before Ashya can receive the therapy he must return to the UK for two cycles of chemotherapy.

3. Sydney explosion

A body of a man has been found in the rubble of the convenience store that exploded in Sydney’s inner-west overnight.

Three people were injured after the store in Rozelle’s Darling Street collapsed, and two, including a mother and a baby are still missing.

Superintendent Paul Johnstone of the SES told the ABC that they plan on working through the night to find the mother and the baby. “We’re not giving up hope and whilst we are in that situation we’ll still be removing brick-by-brick as fast as we can,” he said.

4. School kids tip a plane out of balance

A Qantas plane became “nose-heavy”

A miscalculation by Qantas staff meant that a plane became “nose-heavy” during take off from Canberra Airport in May.

The incident released by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau occurred when sales staff over-estimated the weight of a large group of primary school children on board by several tonnes.

The group of 87 school children were accidentally classified as adults meaning they were assigned weight for an adult of 87 kilogram instead of 32 kilograms for a child.

Fairfax Media reports that during takeoff, the plane then appeared nose-heavy, forcing the pilot to apply back pressure to ease the aircraft into the air.

5. Joan Rivers update

Joan Rivers has been moved out of intensive care according to a statement released by Melissa Rivers.

“My mother has been moved out of intensive care and into a private room where she is being kept comfortable,” said Melissa Rivers

“On behalf of my mother and our family, we are extremely grateful for all the love and support we’ve received. I know my mother would be overwhelmed by the continued outpouring of kindness and I want to thank everyone for keeping us in their prayers.”

6. Jackie Lambie’s maiden speech

Jackie Lambie

Jackie Lambie has delivered her maiden speech beginning by paying respect to her heritage

“I acknowledge and pay my respects to Australia’s Aboriginal traditional owners. I share their blood, culture and history through my mother – Sue Lambie’s family.”

And then turning to the “outrageous, stinky, filthy injustice” she says there is for Tasmanians with the high cost of shipping goods across Bass Strait.

“If the powers that control the Treasury benches in this place don’t want an army of Jacqui Lambie’s in this place speaking uncomfortable truths and challenging them in the future, then fix the Bass Strait transport cost crisis.” reports The Australian. 

7. Rotherham report

Repercussion are being felt in the UK with 12 new victims coming forward to say they were raped and abused in the UK town of Rotherham in Southern Yorkshire, England.

A report released last week revealed more than 1,400 teenage girls had been raped and sexually abused over a 16-year period.

For more read this post here.

8. Palace guard dance

A Buckingham Palace guard spinning, dancing and testing out his slow-mo method of walking has been captured on a video that is going viral.

The British Ministry of Defence said they were investigating the Grenadier Guard who was filmed dancing outside Buckingham Palace by a tourist.

The London Evening Standard reports that the guards are expected to stand still for hours at a time as a part of their duties.

9. Malaysia Airlines marketing balls-up

Malaysia Airlines has come under controversy with a competition asking customers to list the things they would most like to do before they die.

The “My Ultimate Bucket List” campaign called on Australian and New Zealand residents to write their own bucket list and enter it into a competition to win flights to Malaysia and iPads.

Social media swiftly mocked the idea. “I’ll tell you what’s NOT on my bucket list – flying on Malaysia Airlines” wrote one.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that they have now withdrawn the competition online page.

10. Program teaching kids manners

Ipads are causing kids to become out of control.

A pilot program in preschools is teaching children what many feel should be taught at home – manners.

And the reason why this now needs to be taught in preschools is simple – because too many parents rely on iPhones and ipads as electronic babysitters.

Fairfax Media r eports that Diane Mirabito who runs the program says the mobile phone and the iPad have become very convenient babysitters.

“As soon as the device is taken away, the kid looses it. They cannot sit and control themselves. They do not know how to behave.”

The program includes worksheets to take home for parents to help teach their children to say please and thank you.

11. Uni bans hoodies

The University of Western Sydney has banned a student ritual that involves wearing hoodies emblazoned with “mott names”.

Fairfax Media reports that the University has remove residential students from campus for wearing jumpers displaying the nicknames they say are associated with bastardisation and hazing rituals.

“Mott names” are nicknames assigned to first-year students by older students.

They can range from Aussie, to something like Otter, Dyson, Boy or Lighter.

A student told Fairfax Media the new rules were an overreaction. “Motting is basically an old tradition where the third-years had total and utter rule over the first-years,” she said.

“But that’s not what it is in today’s environment. We’re not putting anyone under pressure to do anything they don’t want to do.”

The deputy vice-chancellor, Rhonda Hawkins however said the names were often a form of bullying. “Quite often there’s an ugly other way of looking at those names that is exceptionally demeaning to women,” she said.

12. Bed rest during pregnancy can harm baby

Bed rest can cause complications.

A traditional method of combating high blood pressure, premature contractions, or their waters breaking early has been proved to be potentially dangerous for pregnant women.

The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine in the U.S warns that bed rest can lead to muscle and bone loss, blood clots, diabetes, depression or anxiety and could affect a baby’s birth weight, resulting in smaller newborns.

The Daily Mail reports that the study shows in women already experiencing early labour or at risk of it, bed rest is not proven to reduce the chance of premature delivery.

In fact women out on bed rest were more likely to have their baby prematurely.