Monday's news in under 5 minutes

1. Unborn baby taken

In the UK a pregnant woman has had her unborn baby girl forcibly removed by caesarean after social workers obtained a court order because she had suffered a mental breakdown. The girl who is now 15 months old is the subject of legal hearings into her care. The Italian woman had not even been warned that she would be given a forced caesarean. It is not believed a natural birth would have posed a risk to her or the child’s health.

To read more go to this post “Pregnant woman has unborn baby girl forcibly removed by caesarean”

2. More spying allegations

The Abbott Government is bracing for a new series of allegations of spying from the whistleblower Edward Snowden’s documents. The Australian reports that these will include details of Australia spying on China, fresh revelations against Indonesia and details of how intelligence agencies spied on Australian citizens.

3. Post birth selfie

A Norwegian fitness blogger, better known for being a footballer’s wife has been slammed after posting a picture of herself four days after giving birth.

Caroline Berg Eriksen gave birth on Monday and posted a selfie on Instagram dressed in nothing but underwear with the caption “I feel so empty, and still not … 4 days after birth.”

Blogger Suzanna Aabel wrote for Dagbladet newspaper, saying she was unsure Ms Berg Eriksen and her even “belonged to the same species”.

Other bloggers have come to her defense saying that she is being bullied for simply being proud of her body.

4. Bank class action

The largest consumer class action in Australian history begins in the Federal Court in Melbourne today as 38,000 ANZ customers appeal over the bank’s fees.

5. Train derailment

In the US overnight a commuter train bound for New York’s Grand Central Station has derailed in the Bronx with at least four people reported dead and over 40 reported injured.

6. Abortion law

In Victoria the Liberal state council has called on Parliament to change a section of the Abortion Law Reform Act that makes it mandatory for doctors with a ”conscientious objection” to abortion to refer women to medical practitioners with no such objection.

The move has triggered concern among women’s health advocates, who fear that people’s health will be put at risk if the law is changed.

But Premier Denis Napthine played down the development, and said while he welcomed the state council’s advice, its decisions were “not binding on the parliamentary Liberal Party.”

 7. Lostprophets band members

The former band-mates of Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins, who has pleaded guilty to a range of child-sex offences, say they were unaware of his behaviour, which has left them “heartbroken and disgusted”.

8. MP’s controversial post

Andrew Laming, a federal Liberal MP who is under fire for posting a question on Facebook as to whether a woman weighing 70 kilograms is overweight has responded saying he was not being judgmental, but simply wanted to spark debate about obesity. Laming is also a GP.

 9. Wendi Deng’s crush

The UK’s Mail on Sunday reported over the weekend that “a sensational note written by Rupert Murdoch’s ex-wife Wendi Deng” had been found and that it revealed she had a “crush’ on the former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who is godfather to one of Murdoch’s children with his ex-wife.

The newspaper said that the note was written before Murdoch filed for divorce when he discovered Deng had spent weekends with Blair at Murdoch’s homes.

 10. Young girls diet

A study has shown that one in five girls aged seven to 11 say they have been on a diet because they are “overly scrutinized and judged on their appearance”. The study from the UK charity Girlguiding also showed that ¾ of girls and young women aged 11 to 21 said sexism affects most areas of their lives, with many subject to sexual taunting or being at the receiving end of sexist jokes at school

 11. Worst baby device ever

Is this not the worst baby device you have ever seen?

Fisher Price have launched a “Newborn-to-toddler Apptivity Seat for iPad device”. This will allow your newborn (yes newborn – yesterday he was in the womb today he is on the iPad) to experience iPad learning from birth.

In Brief:

A two-year old boy is in a critical condition after being pulled from a backyard pool last night in Sydney.

Peter Slipper’s hearing over an alleged taxpayer-funded taxi tour of Canberra region wineries is in court today.

What news are you talking about today?