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Friday's news in 5 minutes.

1. Bombs hit popular Thai beach resort.

Two bombs have exploded in the Thai resort of Hua Hin, killing at least one woman and injured 10 people.

The blasts took place at night in the resort town, which is located nearly 200km from the capital of Bangkok. It is understood the double explosion took place after the devices were hidden in plant pots and detonated remotely using mobile phones.

Nine News reports that one of the bombs exploded near a bar at about 10.20pm local time, killing a Thai woman and injuring eight foreigners and one other Thai person, local deputy police chief Samer Yousamran said.

The woman who died was a local food vendor who sold papaya salad. Other witnesses have reported that children were injured.

2. Teenage girl at skate park had hair set alight by attackers – one aged just 12.

 

A 15-year-old girl has had her hair set alight after being repeatedly attacked – allegedly by a group of youths at a skate park in Melbourne’s outer south-east.

The teenager was kicked in the face and body when seven teenagers set upon her at the Frankston Skate Park last Friday.

The attackers – boys and girls aged between 12 and 14.

The girl was lured to the park around 9pm, there the gang threw chocolates at the victim, before a girl pushed her to the ground and punched her, Frankston detective Senior Constable Ryan Collins said.

The Age reports the girl was repeatedly kicked in the face and body while she lay cowering on the ground, then one teen used his cigarette lighter to set her hair alight.

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Police have arrested and charged the seven offenders four are 14 years old, two are 13 and one is 12.

The 13-year-old boy has been charged with armed robbery, assault and breaching bail he has been remanded in custody.

The 12-year-old alleged offender also remains in custody.

Senior Constable Ryan Collins said the act of setting the girl’s hair on fire was a “concerning and an aggravating factor”

3. The Latest from Rio: More Gold Medals on offer.

It’s been a great night for the Aussies with the Australian men’s quadruple sculls rowing crew winning an Olympic silver medal and Jessica Fox winning a bronze medal in the Women’s K1 canoe slalom event

Today Cate and Bronte Campbell are going head-to-head in the final of the women’s 100m freestyle.

Mitch Larkin is in the 200m backstroke, which will be held at 11:26am AEST, while Taylor McKeown is a shot at a medal in the women’s 200m breaststroke at 11:17am AEST.

In Basketball the Opals face Japan this morning while the Hockeyroos play Argentina.

Medal Tally:

USA:        12 GOLD   11 SILVER    10 BRONZE

CHINA:    10 GOLD   6 SILVER   9  BRONZE

JAPAN:      6  GOLD   1 SILVER   11  BRONZE

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AUSTRALIA:    5 GOLD   3 SILVER  6   BRONZE

KOREA :    5  GOLD  2  SILVER   4  BRONZE

4. Teenager who allegedly refused to get help for toddler Mason Lee applies for bail as he says he is ‘petrified’ of jail.

A 17-year-old charged with the manslaughter of Queensland toddler Mason Jet Lee, has said he is ‘petrified’ of jail and worries about being assaulted as he applies for bail for the second time in two weeks.

Ryan Robert Barry Hodson, 17, is charged with the manslaughter of the 21-month-old, along with Mason’s mother Anne Maree Lee and stepfather William Andrew O’Sullivan, reports The Brisbane Times.

The court heard that Hodson refused to get medical help for Mason multiple times, allegedly telling one person who suggested they call a doctor to assist the dying toddler “f**K your mouth up, it’s not our business, it’s not our problem”.

The little boy was found dead at his stepfather’s home in Caboolture, north of Brisbane, in the early hours of June 11, covered with injuries.

In documents filed to the Supreme Court ahead of a bail application the 17-year-old said he was petrified about going to jail,”

“I am informed and verily believe that there have been Facebook messages that people are waiting to assault me in jail.”

The court heard that while he was living in the same house as the tiny boy Hodson allegedly told Mason “you walk like a spastic, hurry up and grab your f—ing bottle” and “shut up c— or I’m going to hit you in the head”.

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Hodson has indicated he will plead not guilty to the manslaughter charge.

5. Scientific breakthrough helps paralysed patients regain feeling.

Eight people with spinal cord injuries have regained some feeling in their legs after training with brain-controlled robotics, in a result that stunned everyone involved –  even the lead neuroscientist.

The clinical results of the program in Sao Paulo, Brazil, show the participants have some sensations and muscle control in lower limbs.

Researchers believe it could offer hope to people who have suffered spinal cord injuries, strokes and other conditions where they will need to regain strength, mobility and independence.

Scientists, led by neuroscientist Miguel Nicolelis, of Duke University in North Carolina, US, used a virtual reality system which worked with the patients’ own brain activity to simulate control of their legs during the long-term training program.

6. North Korea ‘feeding workers methamphetamine to speed up skyscraper project.

North Korean workers, under pressure to finish a major skyscraper are being given methamphetamines in the hope it will speed work.

The Telegraph reports that hundreds of thousands of North Korean citizens have been brought in to finish the project, which consists of a 70-floor skyscraper and more than 60 apartment blocks.

A construction source in Pyongyang told Radio Free Asia “Project managers are now openly providing drugs to construction workers so that they will work faster.”

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Phil Robertson, Asia director for Human Rights Watch, said: “It’s going to be hard to verify that this is happening, but if it is confirmed then we utterly condemned it.

“The North Korean government wants to finish these buildings to somehow prove that they are a developed country. But this kind of forced labour has been unilaterally condemned by the international community.”

North Korea  produces methamphetamine in state-run facilities by underpaid chemists that is  sold both domestically and internationally.

7. Say it aint so: Scientists find that dogs actually aren’t man’s best friend.

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“Dogs only like objects that dogs like." Image via IStock.

In a study that will have dog lovers howling but scientists have found that dogs are actually selfish creatures who will play with owners, but not help them.

Researchers  from the University of Portsmouth in the UK studied family dogs to see how useful they were to their owners, finding that they were more interested in themselves than coming to the aid of a human.

Scientists found that although dogs ‘sometimes’ helped their owners, it was "mainly self-interest that was driving the dogs’ behaviour."

Lead researcher Patrizia Piotti of the University of Portsmouth said: "We assessed whether dogs would abandon an object that they find interesting in favour of an object useful for their human partner, a random novel distractor, or an empty container.

"Results showed that it was mainly self-interest that was driving the dogs’ behaviour."

Clive Wynne at Arizona State University in Tempe, said it was a clear cut result “dogs only like objects that dogs like."

 

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· Feature Image via https://www.flickr.com/photos/martinohlsson/