Greg Inglis Calls Last-Second Field-Goal Shot In South Sydney's 8-6 Loss To Dragons 'a Brain Explosion'

Greg Inglis is one of rugby league's best players, but it appears his mathematics ability leaves a bit to be desired.

The Rabbitohs were trailing St George Illawarra 8-6 with just seconds left on the clock in a brutal encounter at a sodden SCG on Sunday when Inglis inexplicably decided a one-point field goal was his best option.

"Put that on the blooper reel, I will sit back at have a laugh at it," Inglis said.

"It was a bit of a brain explosion at the end there, not much else I can say about it."........ Read More

Sam Burgess stretchered off as South Sydney Rabbitohs lose to Dragons at the SCG

South Sydney lost a brutally physical clash with St George Illawarra at the SCG on Sunday afternoon, but the result of the game was secondary to concerns about superstar forward Sam Burgess.

With Souths trailing by two points, the 2014 Clive Churchill medallist took a hard run at the line in the 52nd minute, ducking his head into a tackle by fellow Englishman Mike Cooper.

The ball came loose and the Dragons started congratulating one another, but any jubilation quickly gave way to worry as Burgess' pain became clear.

Trainers worked to secure his neck and the television cameras flashed first to younger brothers George and Tom on the sidelines, before landing on their distraught mother, Julie, in the stands.

Burgess appeared to be moving freely while being seen to on the rain-soaked surface and was eventually taken away by a motorised medicab........ Read More

Melbourne Storm remain unbeaten with win over Warriors, St George Illawarra hold off South Sydney: as it happened

Sunday NRL action in round three kicked off with the Storm sinking the Warriors to go to the top of the ladder as the only unbeaten team in the league after three rounds.

South Sydney could have joined them with victory over the Dragons but, in abysmal weather at the SCG, the Dragons won a war of attrition 8-6.

Both teams suffered injuries, the worst of which was a frightening moment with Sam Burgess, who was taken from the field on a medicab after appearing to injure his neck in a second-half charge.......... Read More

Exiled Tibetans Vote to Elect Political Leader To Succeed Dalai Lama

Exiled Tibetans have started voting to elect a political leader for the next five years in a bid to help sustain their struggle to secure complete autonomy for Chinese-ruled Tibet.

Key points:

Tibetans in exile vote to elect diplomatic and political leader Comes after Dalai Lama's decision to relinquish political authority The Central Tibetan Administration is based in Dharamsala, India Men and women in colourful dresses formed long queues outside temporary polling booths in a Buddhist temple in Dharamsala, a town in India's Himalayan foothills where a community of Tibetans lives in exile with the Dalai Lama.

The second such election follows a decision by the Dalai Lama, the 80-year-old Nobel Peace Laureate, to relinquish his political authority and vest it in a democratic system that could outlast him.

China does not recognise the government that represents more than 100,000 exiled Tibetans living mainly in India, Nepal and Bhutan......... Read More

Mark Hunt KOs Frank Mir with one punch in UFC Brisbane

Australia's Mark Hunt has scored a stunning first-round knockout of two-time UFC Heavyweight champion Frank Mir in the UFC Fight Night at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

After a tentative opening the 41-year-old landed the decisive blow with the first real scoring punch of the fight, his right hand to the head of Mir ended the contest with one minute and 59 seconds remaining in the round, to the delight of the home crowd.

Mir shimmied to avoid a left jab from Hunt but did not see the follow-up right hand which sent him to the canvas and led the referee to wave the fight off, to give Hunt his ninth knockout in UFC.

Sydney's Super Samoan, who was ranked as the No.9 heavyweight contender will now climb the rankings and is one step closer to a shot at the heavyweight title he craves.

As for Mir (now 18-11), at 36 his dreams of equalling a record by winning the heavyweight crown three times appears in tatters.

In the main undercard attraction, number 9-ranked welterweight Neil Magny stopped Hector Lombard via technical knockout in the third round of their contest......... Read More

Queensland Referendum Closes In On A 'Yes' For Four-Year Fixed Parliamentary Terms

Queensland's political system is set for its biggest shake-up in decades as a referendum for fixed four-year terms looks likely to succeed.

On Sunday afternoon, just under half of the three million votes had been counted, the yes vote held a 53.16 per cent margin to the no vote's 46.84 per cent.

The Palaszczuk Government remained cautiously optimistic after driving the yes campaign with advertisements and a bipartisan promotional tour in the week leading into polling day.

Road Safety Minister Mark Bailey said Queenslanders had decided they wanted a stable government.

"I think Queenslanders are showing good sense in terms of having provisions that other states have had for a long time," he said.

Shadow Attorney-General Ian Walker said the result made sense........ Read More

Wombat Joey's Romp On Tasmania's Flinders Island A Hit On Facebook

A wombat joey named Derrick has caught the attention of thousands of social media users after he took a shine to a photographer on Tasmania's Flinders Island.

Sean Scott was working on the island when he was approached by the pint-sized animal.

"I met a lady who had Derrick and wanted to show me him, so I got a chance to have a bit of look at him," he said.

"I was down on the beach when I met him and he just popped out of the bag and followed me around."

The lady who approached Mr Scott with Derrick works with Kate Mooney, known as the wombat lady of Flinders Island for her work taking care of orphaned and injured marsupials.

Over more than a decade and a half, Ms Mooney has hand-raised more than 100 baby wombats which have been rescued from the pouches of road kill or otherwise orphaned....... Read More

Bus crash in Spain kills 13 people travelling between Valencia and Barcelona

Thirteen people have been killed and 44 injured when a bus carrying foreign exchange students crashed in north-eastern Spain.

All the dead were female, according to a regional government source who requested anonymity.

The students were on a European exchange program in Catalonia and were from 16 different countries including Britain, Ukraine, Switzerland, Sweden but also Japan and New Zealand, said regional government official Jordi Jane.

The casualties' nationalities was not immediately known, said Mr Jane, revising down an earlier death toll of 14.

The accident occurred just before 6:00am (local time) near the small town of Freginals, about 150 kilometres south of Barcelona as the bus was returning from a popular festival in Valencia.

The driver "hit the railing on the right and swerved to the left so violently that the bus veered onto the other side of the highway," Mr Jane said......... Read More

Barrier Reef Coral Bleaching Threat Level Increased, Greg Hunt Announces Funding For Survey

Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt says the coral bleaching threat level on the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park will be increased to its highest level.

Mr Hunt took a flight over Lizard Island in Queensland's far north to view the bleaching event, after researchers working on the island reported the worst level of bleaching in 15 years.

But Mr Hunt said it was not as bad as first thought.

"It is not as severe at this stage as 1998 or 2002, which were both El Nino-related events, it is however, in the northern parts a cause for concern,"' Mr Hunt said.

"The reef is 2,300 kilometres long and the bottom three-quarters is in strong condition, but as we head north, it becomes increasingly prone to bleaching.

"Essentially what you could see was patches of coral bleaching as you approached Lizard Island."........ Read More

Istanbul Bomber Identified As Turkish Member of Islamic State Mehmet Ozturk

A Turkish member of the Islamic State (IS) militant group was responsible for the suicide bombing in Istanbul that killed three Israelis and an Iranian and wounded dozens of others, Turkey's Interior Minister says.

Efkan Ala identified the bomber as a man born in the southern province of Gaziantep, adding that five people have been detained so far in relation to the bombing.

"We have determined that Mehmet Ozturk, born in 1992 in Gaziantep, has carried out the heinous attack on Saturday in Istanbul," Mr Ala said.

"It has been established that he is a member of Daesh," he added, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

Police were on high alert across Turkey on Sunday in the wake of the attack.

Streets across Istanbul — usually bustling with traffic and pedestrians on Sundays — were eerily quiet apart from the sound of police helicopters buzzing overhead. Television footage showed Istiklal Street virtually empty........ Read More

FlyDubai Plane Crash: Russia Opens criminal Case, Commemorates Victims

Russia has opened a criminal investigation into FlyDubai flight FZ981, which crashed during bad weather at Rostov-on-Don airport, killing 62 people.

The Boeing 777-800 was carrying 55 passengers and seven crew when it crashed at 3:40am Saturday local time (11:40pm AEDT).

The plane, which crashed during its second attempt to land, had been in a mid-air holding pattern for more than two hours, the US-based Flight Safety Foundation said.

Russia's Investigative Committee opened a criminal case and said poor conditions, pilot error or a technical failure may have caused the crash, the state-run RIA Novosti news agency said.

FlyDubai's CEO Ghaith al-Ghaith said it was "too early" to determine the cause, but ruled out speculation a bomb was onboard...... Read More

Chelsea Bonner On The Size of Beauty: Why Are Models So Skinny?

Chelsea Bonner is on a mission. She wants the fashion industry to change the way beauty, size and body image are represented.

While Australian women have gained weight over the past few decades, the female ideal has largely stayed the same: tall, skinny — and usually young.

In the last five years alone, the waist measurement of the average Australian women has stretched by two centimetres. That puts the average Australian woman at a size 14 or 16.

But while Australia's women have expanded, the average size of our models has remained at a 6 to 10.

This means there is a large and growing gap between the average woman and the woman depicted in the pages of fashion magazines...... Read More

Company Tax Cuts to Benefit Workers, Economy, Arthur Sinodinos Says

Federal Labor has called on the Coalition to reveal its plans on company tax, after a senior Turnbull Government minister spelled out the case for reducing the burden on business.

Key points:

Arthur Sinodinos says cutting corporate taxes has positive flow on effects He says it encourages investment from overseas He maintains it leads to higher wages for workers, higher employment The Government has backed away from delivering personal tax relief in the May budget, but the option of corporate tax cuts remains.

Cabinet Secretary Arthur Sinodinos said cutting corporate taxation would benefit workers along with the economy.

"Putting money into the hands of consumers obviously encourages more spending and disposable income and has good incentive effects. But cutting company taxes also has good effects," Senator Sinodinos said.

"It can encourage investment, it can encourage higher productivity.

"There are lots of studies that show that that ultimately leads to higher GDP in the economy and higher wages for workers."......... Read More

Madonna Exposes Fan's Breast Onstage During Concert

(CNN) - For pop provocateur Madonna, it's no longer enough to flash some nudity. She's now exposing other people's body parts, too.

The singer startled audience members by inviting a 17-year-old fan onstage during her concert Thursday night in Brisbane, Australia, and then tugging down the teen's corset top to briefly reveal her left breast.

"She's the kind of girl you just want to slap on the a** -- and pull," Madonna told the crowd before exposing the young fan. "Sorry ... sexual harassment. You can do the same to me. Good luck."......Read More

Six Nations 2016: England win Grand Slam with France victory

England have their first Grand Slam in 13 years after holding out to secure a historic victory in Paris.

First-half tries from Danny Care and Dan Cole had given them a five-point half-time lead, only for the relentless penalty precision of Maxime Machenaud to keep France within touching distance.

But a third try in three matches from Anthony Watson calmed rising nerves before a brace of late penalties from Owen Farrell allowed the travelling support to sing their heroes home......Read More

Puerto Rico's Miss Universe Title Holder is Out; She Doesn't Like Cameras

(CNN) - There's a new Miss Universe Puerto Rico after this year's title holder got her crown stripped.

She just wasn't a good fit, according to Desiree Lowry, an organizer of the Puerto Rico franchise of Miss Universe.

There were several incidents during the four-month reign of Kristhielee Caride, but the final straw was what she told the national media.

"When I'm listening and she says, 'I don't like the camera,' I say that is a big problem," Lowry said at a Thursday news conference. "Miss Puerto Rico is a public figure and part of your job is to be in front of the camera."......Read More

Paris Attacks: Salah Abdeslam 'Changed Suicide Bomb Plan'

Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam has admitted he wanted to blow himself up but then changed his mind, a French prosecutor says.

Abdeslam has been charged with terrorism offences in Belgium a day after he was seized in a dramatic raid.

Abdeslam will fight extradition to France but has been co-operating with police, his lawyer says.

The Paris attacks in November left 130 people dead and dozens injured.

The so-called Islamic State (IS) group said it was behind the bombings and shootings...... Read More

Flydubai Plane Crashes in Russia; 62 Aboard Reported Dead

(CNN) - A passenger jet circled a southern Russian airport in high winds and poor visibility before making a second, fatal attempt at landing Saturday, killing all 62 people aboard.

The flydubai Boeing 737 jet crashed at the Rostov-on-Don airport after traveling from Dubai, Russia's Southern Regional Emergency Center said Saturday.

All those on board died, authorities said.

Officials believe bad weather, which kept the plane from reattempting landing for more than two hours, likely caused the crash......Read More

Stephen Curry is making NBA history the new way -- by having a blast

(CNN) - As the Golden State Warriors plow through their history-making season, superstar point guard Stephen Curry is having the time of his life -- and there's nothing wrong with that, says CNN's lead NBA analyst Steve Smith.

"It is business, and he's making it look fun," says Smith, who earned a championship ring with the 2003 San Antonio Spurs and played against the 1996 Chicago Bulls, whose 72-10 record Golden State is chasing......Read More

Migrant Crisis: Turkey and EU Leaders Close in on Deal

European Union negotiators and Turkey have agreed a draft deal over the migrant crisis, which must now be approved by the 28 EU leaders.

Under the scheme, migrants arriving in Greece after midnight Sunday will be sent back to Turkey if their asylum claim is rejected.

In return, EU countries will resettle thousands of migrants from Turkey.

Both the Czech and Finnish leaders have indicated they and their counterparts will accept the deal......Read More

World Twenty20: Shahid Afridi Stars As Pakistan Crush Bangladesh

Pakistan cruised to victory in their opening match of the World Twenty20 as they crushed Bangladesh by 55 runs.

Batting first in Kolkata, Pakistan built a huge total of 201-5, with Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad both making brisk fifties in a stand of 95.

Captain Shahid Afridi then added late impetus with a brilliant cameo of 49 from 19 balls.

In reply, Bangladesh mustered only 146-6, as Afridi and Mohammad Amir took two wickets apiece.

The Tigers entered the tournament with high hopes following a strong performance at the Asia Cup, where they beat Pakistan en route to the final, but they appear no closer to shaking off the tag of perennial also-rans at global tournaments..... Read More

Merrick Garland Profile of US Supreme Court Hopeful

Veteran appeals court judge Merrick Garland will be President Barack Obama's nominee to the US Supreme Court, US media report. If successful, he would replace conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in February. Who is Merrick Garland?

Judge Garland, 63, is the chief judge of the Washington appeals court and a former prosecutor.

He was appointed by Democratic President Bill Clinton in 1997, winning confirmation in a 76-23 Senate vote. Prior to that, he served in the Justice Department during the Clinton administration....... Read More

Six Nations 2016: Warren Gatland Sorry For 'Banter' Comment

Wales head coach Warren Gatland has apologised for referring to an abusive comment aimed at prop Samson Lee by England's Joe Marler as "just banter".

Marler apologised to Lee for calling him a "Gypsy boy" during Saturday's Six Nations match at Twickenham.

Gatland made his comment on Tuesday, but, in a statement on Wednesday, said: "I don't condone racism of any kind."

Lee added: "I personally believe the comments to have been intended as banter and accepted Joe's apology."

Marler faces a hearing on Wednesday after being cited for allegedly elbowing another Wales prop, Rob Evans, in England's 25-21 victory..... Read More

US Election 2016: Fall of Republican Saviour Marco Rubio

It was a night when Donald Trump, John Kasich and Hillary Clinton gave victory-style speeches, and Marco Rubio bowed out in defeat.

The Republican field narrowed on so-called Super Tuesday II with the departure of Mr Rubio but it now becomes a three-way fight between Mr Trump, Mr Kasich and Texas Senator Ted Cruz.

Five big states cast votes and Mrs Clinton has won four of them so far, cementing her lead over Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

So what did it all mean? BBC reporters give their views on some of the candidates.... Read More

China Opens A New University Every Week

China has been building the equivalent of almost one university per week.

It is part of a silent revolution that is causing a huge shift in the composition of the world's population of graduates.

For decades, the United States had the highest proportion of people going to university. They dominated the graduate market.

Reflecting this former supremacy, among 55 to 64 year olds almost a third of all graduates in the world's major economies are US citizens.

But that is changing rapidly among younger generations. In terms of producing graduates, China has overtaken the United States and the combined university systems of European Union countries........ Read More

Whale Missing Tail Fins Spotted Off New Zealand

A humpback whale missing most of its tail has been spotted off New Zealand.

The whale was first seen on Monday off the coast of Kaikoura on the north-east coast of South Island.

It was not clear how it came to lose its flukes, said local Department of Conservation ranger Mike Morrissey, but "it could have been the result of entanglement" in fishing nets.

But despite what looks like a severe injury, the whale seemed to be doing fine, he told the BBC.

"It appeared to be in good health and it's bending in the water and using its pectoral fins to spin around," Mr Morrissey said. Whales are sometimes caught in fishing gear, which can injure or kill them..... Read More

BBC Trending

A group of Twitter accounts seems to be designed to pump out crude Iranian propaganda aimed at an English-speaking audience - but the people behind it and their true motivations are a mystery.

Dozens of accounts tweet to thousands of followers in waves every few minutes throughout the day using the hashtag "Powerful Iran". Their profile pictures are Hollywood celebrities or stock photos, but their tweets almost always include pictures of Iranian military equipment along with random and sometimes seemingly irrelevant hashtags:......... Read More

Rare Act Of Dissent At China's Annual Parliament

After 11 days of interminable speeches, followed by ritualistic voting to approve everything put before it, China's annual parliamentary gathering will, once again, leave little worthy of note in its wake.

That is precisely the intention of course because it is not meant to hold power to account.

That is kept tightly in the hands of the ruling Communist Party, and the key policies have long been decided in advance.

Nonetheless, every year, the meetings do provide an occasional glimpse of something meaningful for those watching closely.

Here then are two of them for 2016; the first, a rare act of dissent that could not be stifled and the second, paradoxically, an all-too-common act of obeisance that was mysteriously hidden from view.

Much has already been written about Jiang Hong........ Read More

Migrants Find New Routes As Old Ones Close

The Balkan route may officially be closed, but the Asylum Information Centre in Belgrade is very much open - and doing a roaring trade.

The location is central but insalubrious - squashed between fast-food shops at the scruffy end of Nemanjina Street, within sight of the city's main railway station.

The hubbub around the door and signs in the window handwritten in Arabic script indicate that arrivals from the Middle East are still coming to Serbia's capital.

Inside, there is organised chaos. On the ground floor, young men lounge awkwardly in hard-backed chairs, waiting for their turn on the computers lined up on one side of the room. Those in front of the machines don headsets and hold ebullient Skype conversations.......... Read More

US Election 2016: Winners And Losers On Super Tuesday II

In a golf tournament, the day before the final round is called "moving day". It's when the leaders pull away from the rest of the pack.

A rookie or little-known duffer may have strung together a few good holes or even posted a nice round, but time and pressure expose their flaws.

Tuesday was such a moment in the US presidential nomination season.

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton came into the day with hopes of extending their leads in the all-important delegate count. They did that and more, taking big steps towards a showdown in the autumn general election.....Read More

Viajosola: Women Defend Solo Travelling In Wake of Backpacker Murders In Ecuador

The murder of two Argentine girls backpacking through South America has prompted women all over the world to defend solo travelling by females.

Maria Coni and Marina Menegazzo, 22 and 21, were found dead in Ecuador's pacific coast region in February and two men were later charged with their murder, the Ecuadorian Government said.

The girls had run out of money while travelling and got in touch with a friend who then organised a place for them to stay with two other men, Ecuador's state prosecutor Eduardo Gallardo Roda said.

The two men sexually assaulted the girls and then murdered the pair before dumping their bodies, according to authorities.

In the wake of the tragedy, many pointed fingers at the girls for travelling unaccompanied by a man and even questioned their parents for letting them travel independently.

One of the most controversial opinions was offered by Argentine psychiatrist Hugo Marietan who said the girls "took a risk" and labelled them "scapegoats"........... Read More

Pakistan: Bus Bomb Explosion Kills 15 in Peshawar

At least 15 people travelling on a bus have been killed by a bomb in the north-western Pakistani city of Peshawar, officials say.

The vehicle was carrying government employees from nearby areas to the city.

An improvised device apparently inside the bus caused the blast, police say.

There has been no claim of responsibility, but Peshawar has frequently been targeted by the Pakistani Taliban.

Around 30 others were injured, and many were in critical condition, a medical source told Reuters news agency.

Television pictures showed the vehicle partially destroyed and some of the wounded being taken to a hospital.

The bomb went off as the bus passed a main road busy with morning traffic.... Read More

US Student Otto Warmbier Given Hard Labour In North Korea

US student Otto Warmbier has been given 15 years hard labour in North Korea for crimes against the state. Warmbier, 21, was arrested for trying to steal a propaganda sign from a hotel while visiting North Korea in January.

He later appeared on state TV apparently confessing and saying a church group had asked him to bring back a "trophy" from his trip.

North Korea sometimes uses the detention of foreigners as a means of exerting pressure on its adversaries.

The BBC's Stephen Evans in South Korea says the 15-year sentence is high compared to those given to foreigners in the past.

This could be due to the particularly high tensions at the moment between North Korea and the US, he says.... Read More

Brussels Raid Over Paris Attacks: Dead Gunman Was Algerian National

A terrorism suspect shot dead in a raid in a Brussels suburb on Tuesday has been identified as Algerian national Mohamed Belkaid, officials say.

He was killed by snipers while trying to fire at police from an apartment window in the suburb of Forest. Four officers were wounded in the raid. Police are still hunting two suspects who were in the apartment.

The raid was linked to an investigation into the jihadist attacks in Paris that killed 130 people last November.

The so-called Islamic State (IS) militant group said it carried out the attacks.

According to the prosecutors' spokesman, an IS flag was recovered from the apartment raided on Tuesday, along with Salafist (ultra-conservative Islamic) literature and Kalashnikov ammunition..... Read More

Four Corners arrests: Julie Bishop Says High Commissioner In Malaysia In Contact With ABC Crew

Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop says Australia's High Commissioner in Malaysia is in contact with an ABC journalist and cameraman who are being blocked from leaving the country.

Key points

Journalist, cameraman told they must remain in Malaysia until Attorney-General decides if they should face charges They were questioned in a police station for six hours ABC News director says "we are doing everything we can to resolve this situation" Four Corners reporter Linton Besser and cameraman Louie Eroglu have been told they must remain in Malaysia until the nation's Attorney-General decides if they should face charges over an attempt to question Prime Minister Najib Razak over a corruption scandal.

Ms Bishop said the men were receiving consular support.

"I'm always concerned when there are instances of a crackdown on freedom of speech — in democracies particularly," she said.

"I'm also concerned about the freedom that journalists have to carry out their work."

The pair were arrested in the city of Kuching on Saturday night, after approaching the Prime Minister during his visit to a mosque...... Read More

Senator Eric Abetz warns Greens Preference Deal Will Cost The Government Votes

Former Senate leader Eric Abetz is rallying against a Liberal Party plan to preference the Greens in key seats at the federal election.

Media player: "Space" to play, "M" to mute, "left" and "right" to seek. 00:00 00:00 AUDIO: Listen to Michael Brissenden's interview with Eric Abetz (AM) The conservative Liberal senator has written to party president Richard Alston and the federal executive opposing any plan to preference the Greens.

"The way that you allocate preferences says a lot about what you, as a party, stand for and what matters to you," Senator Abetz told the ABC's AM program.

"It's this sort of transactional allocation of preferences that has brought the crossbench into such disrepute."

Senator Abetz said there would be backlash from the party's conservative members if it preferenced Greens candidates, particularly in regional areas...... Read More

Ankara bombing: More than 30 Killed, 125 Injured In Blast In Turkish Capital

Kurdish militants are being blamed for a suicide car bomb attack which left 34 people dead and injured more than 100 in the heart of Turkey's capital Ankara.

The explosion in Kizilay Square, a key commercial and transport hub close to the city's embassy area, reduced several vehicles including a bus to burnt-out wrecks.

Security sources said the bomb had been packed into a BMW which had a man and a woman inside.

One official said the car was driven from Viransehir, a town in the largely Kurdish south-east, and that the Kurdish PKK and the affiliated Kurdistan Freedom Hawks (TAK) appeared to be responsible...... Read More

Facebook Suspends Users Over 'Nude' Photo of Aboriginal Women In Traditional Dress

Facebook has suspended the profiles of people who shared an article about Aboriginal feminism, because it contains a photograph of two Indigenous women in traditional attire.

Facebook does not allow bare breasts in posts.

Celeste Liddle, a feminist and freelance author, gave the keynote speech at the Queen Victoria Women's Centre's annual International Women's Day address, and a version of her speech was published by online publication New Matilda.

"The main focus for the entire thing was the intersection between feminism and Indigenous rights," she said.

When New Matilda published the speech, the outlet included a photograph of two women who were participating in a ceremony wearing traditional body paint and with bare chests..... Read More

South African Prosecutor Seeks to Extradite Australian Flight Attendant Over 1999 Murder, Kidnapping

South African authorities will try to extradite an Australian flight attendant accused of involvement in a high-profile kidnapping and murder, after three men were convicted over the killing.

Johannesburg-based prosecutor Herman Broodryk confirmed to the ABC he would seek the extradition of former Jetstar air hostess Monique Neeteson-Lemkes, 38, who was the alleged mastermind behind the grisly torture and murder of South African woman Betty Ketani in 1999.

Mr Broodryk also said he would ask Australia to extradite former Queensland policeman Mark Lister, who was allegedly involved in the kidnapping of Ms Ketani. Mr Lister has denied any involvement in the kidnapping or murder.

Ms Ketani, a mother of three, was working in a Thai restaurant owned by Ms Neeteson-Lemkes' father in South Africa when she went missing..... Read More

WA Labor leadership: Stephen Smith Told to Back Down as Shadow Cabinet Supports Mark McGowan

West Australian Labor's shadow cabinet has expressed its "unanimous confidence" in Mark McGowan and urged Stephen Smith to withdraw his bid for the leadership, with some frontbenchers accusing him of a "vanity project".

A former defence, foreign affairs and trade minister, Mr Smith announced on Sunday he had been approached by a number of Labor MPs to lead the party to the 2017 election, and would take over if the majority wanted him to.

However after meeting on Monday morning, Labor's shadow cabinet issued a statement urging Mr Smith to back down.

"All members of shadow cabinet express their unanimous confidence in Mark McGowan as leader, today and going forward to the election in March 2017," the statement said..... Read More

WA fires: Blaze Threatens Lives, Homes At Meelon, South of Perth

An out of control bushfire is burning in dense bushland in the tiny community of Meelon in the Shire of Murray, south of Perth.

A bushfire emergency warning has been issued for people in Meelon, including those near Murray Hills Estate and Nicholson Road.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) has warned homes and lives are at risk.

Residents in Valley View Road, Coolup Road East, Ridgeview Road, Nicholson Road and Murray Hills Estate are in immediate danger and must act urgently to survive, DFES warned.

The bushfire is moving slowly in a south westerly direction towards Murray Hills Estate and is unpredictable.

Winds in the area have strengthened, spot fires are burning ahead of the blaze and flames are up to four metres high.

DFES said the fire front was more than 19 kilometres long...... Read More

Rio Olympics: Mayor Eduardo Paes Asks Australians Not to Come to Brazil With Unrealistic Expectations

"Peace and love, Australia, please!"

Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes flashes a peace sign at the camera, and with that he both pleads for a fair go, and signals his exasperation with Australian Olympic officials, and all pre-Games critics.

Mr Paes is Rio's ultimate salesman and he is on the front foot about those people — especially Australians it seems — who misjudge his city.

His strong personality has made him one of the most popular political figures the country has seen and his attention has been aimed squarely at the Olympic Games during his eight-year term...... Read More

Experts Explain Why It's Better Not To Sleep In Your Underwear

Apparently, sleeping in your underwear is quite a divisive issue. Or so we were led to believe, based on the arguments that broke out in our office over the hot topic.

So, what's the deal? Is it better to go to bed in panties or fall asleep commando?

"I often tell my patients to sleep without underwear," Dr. Alyssa Dweck, co-author of V is for Vagina, told Shape. "If [the area] is constantly covered -- especially by a fabric that’s not moisture-wicking or absorbent -- moisture collects, [creating the] perfect breeding ground for bacteria or yeast,” she continued........ Read More

Selena Gomez Stuns In Sheer Plunging Black Dress

The singer wore the look this past Wednesday in Paris to a Louis-Vuitton-hosted dinner.

Amid her travels, Gomez kept up with fans via Snapchat, where she has been increasing her presence as of late......Read More

At Least 6 Killed in Avalanche in Italian Alps

(CNN) - A massive avalanche struck Saturday morning in the Italian Alps, sweeping away and burying about a large group of people -- killing at least six of them, state news reported.

The snow and ice began crashing down Monte Nevoso, or Snowy Mountain, around 11:15 a.m. (5:15 a.m. ET), according to Italy's official ANSA news agency. .......Read More

South Korea, U.S. deter North Korea with 'largest ever' military drill

Pohang, South Korea (CNN) - Amid blasts of explosives and camouflaging smoke, U.S. and South Korean marines and sailors stormed a beach aboard assault vehicles Saturday in a mock amphibious landing.

The carefully choreographed drill begins a much larger, eight-week series of annual joint military exercises between the U.S. and South Korea......Read More

Taroko Gorge: Touring Taiwan's spectacular marble mountains

Taiwan (CNN) - With soaring cliffs, plunging canyons and a base of colossal marble slabs spliced by a torrential river, Taroko Gorge is one of Taiwan's most popular tourist attractions.

The 19-kilometer area, part of Taroko Gorge National Park, features canyon cliffs that can soar up to 100 meters high.......Read More

Diego Costa: Chelsea Striker Says He 'did not Bite' Gareth Barry

Striker Diego Costa has denied biting Gareth Barry during Chelsea's 2-0 FA Cup quarter-final defeat at Everton.

The Spaniard was sent off following the clash with the Everton midfielder in the 84th minute at Goodison Park.

A Chelsea spokesman said: "Diego spoke to club officials and expressed regret over his reaction to the challenge from Barry that led to his red card...... Read More

Sharapova Fights Back Over 'Distorted' Reporting of Doping Case

(CNN) - Maria Sharapova denies she had been warned five times about the impending ban on meldonium and says she will "fight back" after criticizing elements of the media who "distort, exaggerate and fail to accurately report the facts."

The Russian, 28, admitted Monday to taking the illegal substance, but wrote a letter to her fans on Facebook Friday to saying she makes "no excuses for not knowing about the ban", which came into effect on January 1.......Read More

MH370: Another Possible Piece of Debris Found in Mozambique

(CNN) - A South African teen may have discovered a piece of the missing MH370 plane while strolling at a beach in Mozambique.

Liam Lotter said he found the piece during a family vacation in the east African nation in December.

"We stumbled across what seemed like a curved sort of gray object," the 18-year-old told CNN by phone. "We didn't know what it was at first."......Read More