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Friday afternoon's news in under 5 minutes.

 

We’ve got the biggest news stories from Australia and around the world so you don’t have to go searching.

If you’re looking for this morning’s news, see this post.

1. Three bodies found on a property in NSW.

The bodies of two men and a woman were discovered on a property in the central NSW town of Hermidale, near Nyngan, today.

Police were called to the rural property around 8.30am after a member of the public spotted a dead man in the driveway of the residence.

Police later found another man and woman on the property, which is located in a farming community about 200km from Dubbo.

One was located inside a caravan that had sustained fire damage, a police statement reports.

A crime scene has been established at the property which is being examined by specialist forensic officers.

Police are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

Police are urging anyone with information in relation to this incident to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page.

2. Rebecca Hannibal receives sentence for supplying deadly ecstasy pills to Georgina Bartter.

The woman who supplied the ecstasy pills that killed Georgina Bartter has been served a good behaviour bond.

Rebecca Hannibal, 19, pleaded guilty to giving her friend the illicit drugs and was sentenced at Downing Centre court in Sydney today.

Rebecca Hannibal (left) was sentenced today for supplying deadly ecstasy pills to her friend Georgina Bartter (right). Image: Facebook.

Bartter, 19, died after taking the pills at Harbour Life festival in November last year.

Related: Could Georgina Bartter’s death have been avoided?

Both she and Hannibal took one and a half pills each, although Bartter suffered an allergic reaction to the drugs — causing her organs to fail.

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“Two young women, close friends go out to enjoy a music festival. They make a foolish decision to buy and consume drugs. Only one comes home,” Judge Henson told the court today upon handing down Ms Hannibal’s sentence.

Fairfax Media reports Ms Hannibal wailed after her hearing, upon learning she will have a criminal record.

3. New research says you can die of a broken heart.

Losing a loved one can double your chance of a heart failure or stroke, a new study has found.

The study of 30,000 British people aged 60 to 89 found that people who have experienced loss are more likely to suffer these illnesses within a month of the death.

old people holding hands
Image: iStock.
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Researcher Sunil Shah from the University of London explains there could be multiple reasons for this finding.

“There is evidence, from other studies, that the bereavement and grief lead to a range of adverse physiological responses including changes in blood clotting, blood pressure, stress hormone levels and heart rate control,” Dr Shah told Mail Online.

“All these will plausibly contribute to an increased risk of events such as heart attacks and stroke after loss of a partner.

“We have found, in another study, that in the first few months after bereavement, individuals may not consistently take their regular preventive medication, such as cholesterol-lowering drugs or aspirin.

“Sudden short-term interruption of such regular medication may also contribute to the increased risk of cardiovascular events.”

4. Saved By The Bell star sentenced for stabbing.

The actor who played Screech on 90s sitcom Saved By The Bell has been sentenced to four months in prison for stabbing a  man on Christmas last year.

Dustin Diamond, sentenced to four months in jail.

Dustin Diamond, 38, was convicted of disorderly conduct and for carrying a concealed weapon, ET News reports.

“I sincerely apologize to everyone involved,” Diamond told the courts. “This was the single most terrifying experience of my life … This is all I’ve been able to think about for the last six months.”

During a three-day trial earlier this year, Diamond said he unintentionally stabbed the man during the fight.

The wound was not fatal.

5. Melbourne to become Australia’s biggest city.

A record number of Australians have been migrating to Victoria recently — causing analysts to believe Melbourne will usurp Sydney as Australia’s biggest city.

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Melbourne
Melbourne. Image: iStock.

New Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) results show Victoria gained an extra 9,300 people who relocated from other states last year alone.

ABC News reports that a third of these people came from NSW, while over 2,000 moved from South Australia.

If the interstate migration continues at this rate, Melbourne will be Australia’s most populated city by 2056.

Do you have a news tip? Email us at news@mamamia.com.au.
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