Launceston north of Tasmania News

Best fitness bands: Fitbit Charge 2, Samsung Gear Fit and more and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Sat, 05 Nov 2016 09:57:00 +0000

Best fitness bands: Fitbit Charge 2, Samsung Gear Fit and more
Fitness trackers are becoming essential aides for both amateur athletes and those just looking to get a bit more active. Consequently, a large marketplace has developed very quickly for these dedicated activity bands.You can get different trackers suited to different exercises and goals. The simplest devices only monitor how many steps you've taken in a day or how many calories you've burned, while others have GPS signals, heart rate monitors, waterproof cases and even sleep-tracking modes, so ..
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Gartner predicts 17% public cloud services growth

Gartner predicts that the worldwide public cloud services market will grow by 17.2% in 2016. This would put it at a total of US$208.6 billion, up from US$178 billion in 2015. The highest growth will come from cloud system infrastructure services (infrastructure as a service), which is projected to grow 42.8% in 2016. In addition, cloud application services (software as a service), one of the largest segments in the global cloud services market, is expected to grow 21.7% in 2016 to reach US$38..
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Optus follows Telstra with Microsoft-driven app store

Optus has taken a leaf out of Telstra’s book and launched its own apps marketplace to sell Microsoft Office 365 along with other business-centric apps, in a bid to help small business owners streamline their operations. Optus Smart Shop will offer small businesses a selection of apps, including Microsoft Office 365 and SharePoint, financial tracking software Sage One, accounts filing app Xpenditure and security solution MozyPro. The carrier will offer round-the-clock support, to simplify and im..
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Preview: Gears of War 4 is the couch co-op game this generation has been waiting for

Preview: Gears of War 4 is the couch co-op game this generation has been waiting for We go hands-on with Gears of War 4's many co-op modes. Not only is Gears of War 4 one of the few games this generation to offer proper couch co-op, it’s the only one that comes to mind that’s been designed, first and foremost, to be played that way. With the possibility to play the Campaign solo, splitscreen, online or – for the first time – online cross-play with one player on Xbox One and another on Windo..
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'Hissing' sound reported from some iPhone 7 and 7 Plus users

'Hissing' sound reported from some iPhone 7 and 7 Plus users Some users of the new iPhone 7 Plus say the device makes a "hissing" sound when under stress. The hissing sound has only been reported by a handful of users, with many others unable to reproduce the problem. The behaviour was first noted by blogger Stephen Hackett, who posted a video of the sound while his iPhone restored from a backup. "It seems to get worse if the iPhone is ..
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Internet Australia responds to ACCC Internet speed monitoring plan

“The internet is too slow” a recent iTWire article said, adding that Internet speeds offered by telcos, ISPs and RSPs are a theoretical maximum speed – more guidelines really and they are under no real obligation to provide even a fraction of the advertised speed. The iTWire article is a good read as a precursor to Internet Australia’s (IA) response reproduced below. One of the most significant speeches at the ACCANect conference last week was from Kate Carnell, small business and family ent..
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Next BMW 5 Series laden with autonomous technology

Set for launch at the end of 2016, the new BMW 5 Series will go on sale in the first few months of 2017. It’ll arrive initially as a saloon, with a Touring estate model following soon after. A spacious Gran Turismo (GT) model is also likely, while an extremely quick M5 saloon is also on the way. There’s been no confirmation as to whether an M5 estate will enter production. When it arrives, the new 5 Series will be taking on rivals like the all-new Mercedes E-Class, the recently revamped Jagua..
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Inscription could lead to wedding ring owner

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Niantic CEO Talks Upcoming Pokemon GO Features

A few days after talking about upcoming Pokemon GO features at the TechCrunch Disrupt event in San Francisco, Niantic Labs' CEO John Hanke revealed some more info about what can we expect next from the most popular augmented reality (AR) game ...
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Rugby league player Grant Cook dies in hospital after tackle during game .	Palentino leads the way for Weir quinella in Makybe Diva .
2017 Holden Trailblazer - Price And Features For Australia .	Review: 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 is the future of driving .

Adelaide's Cirio sidelined indefinitely - SBS and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 11:53:00 +0000

Adelaide's Cirio sidelined indefinitely - SBS

The A-League club said Cirio was "shockingly fouled" by Clisby in the opening 53 seconds of the Wanderers' come-from-behind 2-1 victory at Coopers Stadium on Friday. Spaniard Cirio tried to play on but was substituted after just 11 minutes, with scans later revealing an injury to the medial ligament in his right knee. Clisby escaped with only a yellow card, one of two possible red-card challenges overlooked by referee Shaun Evans on the night - along with a second-half incident involving match..
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Xavier Richards has requested a trade to a Melbourne based club

Mitchell traded to Hawthorn0:28AFL: Sydney have traded Tom Mitchell to Hawthorn. Xavier Richards will leave Sydney. Picture: Getty ImagesSYDNEY Swans grand final player Xavier Richards has requested a trade to a Melbourne club and his manager says the cost of living in Sydney is the key factor in his desire to move.The Swans lost their cost of living allowance (COLA) in controversial circumstances after they recruited Lance Franklin on a nine year $10 million deal on the back of signing Kurt Ti..
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AFL Trades 2016: Hawks build war chest as Jordan Lewis trade looms

Hawthorn's aggressive trades of their veteran champions could construct a million-dollar war chest to attack free agency at the end of next year if Jordan Lewis is to join Sam Mitchell in leaving the Hawks.The Hawks' decision to move on Mitchell and the looming trade of Lewis have not been a result of salary cap pressure to squeeze in new arrivals Ty Vickery, Tom Mitchell and probably Jaeger O'Meara but will instead create room for other potential recruits next year. The departure of Mitchell ..
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Dizzy in frame for selector role

Marsh has new injury concern0:28Cricket: Shaun Could miss the start of the cricketing summer. Jason Gillespie is coach of the Adelaide Strikers.JASON Gillespie has emerged as the pinnacle replacement for retiring national selector Rod Marsh, months after resisting a call to bolster Darren Lehmann’s Australian coaching set-up.Former Yorkshire boss Gillespie is “open to offers” including joining Mark Waugh, Trevor Hohns and Australia boss Lehmann on a four-man selection panel when incumbent chai..
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Winx? Been there, done that: Waller

Leading trainer Chris Waller believes his champion race mare Winx's main weapon in defending her title in Saturday's $3 million Cox Plate is her ability to absorb the incredible pressure the race creates. Speaking after French galloper Vadamos had worked impressively around the Moonee Valley circuit, Waller said that Winx had done it all before and been successful. Ben Cadden riding Winx in the shallow waters of Altona beach. Photo: Vince Caligiuri "I'm respectful of the French hor..
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Nick Kyrgios' season is over after ban, extra fine

Nick Kyrgios, the tormented tennis talent banned for eight tournament weeks by the ATP and fined an additional $32,000 on Monday for his appalling behaviour and lack of effort at the Shanghai Masters, has indicated he will agree to the psychological counselling provision that could end his suspension early.Either way, perhaps mercifully, his season is over. More Sport Videos Previous slide Next slide Djokovic weighs in on Kyrgios behaviour Djokovic falls to Ba..
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Messara retires from Racing NSW board, stands down as chairman

Racing NSW chairman John Messara has quit as the state's top thoroughbred racing official just 10 months into a three-year term.Messara tendered his resignation at a board meeting in Sydney on Monday in another shock to the country's racing administration, which is already reeling from Racing Victoria chairman David Moodie temporarily standing aside on the eve of the Caulfield Cup as he is probed for an integrity breach. Leaving Racing NSW board: John Messara. Photo: Louise Kennerley Mes..
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De Silva on the Roda to Socceroos recognition - SBS

After just eight appearances in his debut season for the Dutch club, which was also once home to compatriots Tomi Juric and Rostyn Griffiths, De Silva has already featured in six of Roda's opening nine league games. De Silva's talent was on display against Excelsior at the weekend when he provided the assist for David Boysen’s match-winning goal. Victory lifted Roda off bottom spot and the former Perth Glory prodigy showed in his 88 minutes on the field, playing on the left, that the promise wh..
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Bennett hands England captaincy to Burgess

New coach Wayne Bennett has capped Sam Burgess' return to rugby league by handing him the England captaincy ahead of the Four Nations Series. The announcement was made by Bennett at a press conference at the team's hotel in London on Monday. The 27-year-old South Sydney forward has been chosen, ahead of Canterbury skipper James Graham, as the successor to Wigan forward Sean O'Loughlin, who was last week ruled out of the Four Nations through injury. "Sam will be our captain," Bennett said. "He l..
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Clarke defends family of Phillip Hughes over questioning at inquest

Former Australian captain Michael Clarke has weighed in on the Phillip Hughes inquest, saying he wants it known that all the grieving family of the late batsman wanted out of the hearing was for no other players to ever be the victim of such a tragic accident.Clarke on Monday launched his autobiography at a function at a Sydney restaurant attended by ex-Test captain Mark Taylor, wicketkeeping great Ian Healy, his long-time Australian team physio Alex Kountouris and other friends and family. ..
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Cyanogen gets a new CEO, shifts away from selling a full mobile operating system .	Man dies after one punch attack in South Brisbane .
Melbourne Airport monorail idea not a priority, but worthy of discussion, Premier says .	Yes, they all apologised, but what else did we learn from bank CEOs .

Apple iPhone 7 is good, but OnePlus 3 is much more value for money and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 10:23:00 +0000

Apple iPhone 7 is good, but OnePlus 3 is much more value for money

Disclaimer: Before you read this piece -- which by no means should be confused with a comprehensive comparison -- there is something you should know. My primary phone, for all intends and purposes, is one that runs Android OS. And it is not the OnePlus 3.Also Read: OnePlus 3 review: Flagship killer that will make you want to settle Now that we have that out of our way, let's jump straight to what this piece is all about. It's about how the best of Apple, which in this case is the iPhone 7 (and ..
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Last-ever Ford Falcons makes $300000-plus for charity

The last-ever Ford Falcons have been sold at auction for more than $300,000 with all of the proceeds going to charity.A CYNIC MIGHT BE TEMPTED to suggest that Ford may have done better with the local Falcon to put them all up for auction, but as we all know, the last of the line is always going to be collectable.And so it proved when Ford, in a magnanimous gesture, auctioned the final saleable Falcon, Falcon Ute, Territory and Falcon XR6 Sprint (number 500 of 500 built).The last Falcon was a Kin..
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Westpac, IAG sign on as Hyper Anna gets funding from Reinventure, Airtree

Hyper Anna's co-founders and leadership team Sam Zheng, Kent Tian and Natalie Nguyen have built the company in less than a year. A Sydney-based start-up, which has created an artificial intelligence virtual data scientist to answer questions about information in corporate systems, has signed on financial services giants Westpac and IAG as customers and closed its first funding round.Hyper Anna is best described as being like Apple's Siri or Microsoft's..
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Volkswagen Polo beats edition rolls in

Volkswagen has taken its Polo light vehicle back to a time when "the stereo" mattered nearly as much as the auto that contained it...Each vehicle also comes with a set of red beats Solo headphones, which Volkswagen says "can be enjoyed when the Polo is parked".Volkswagen says its smallest auto (in Australia, as the up! is no longer in local showrooms) now makes "the biggest noise", packing a 300-watt premium sound system wearing the Beats logo.Extras include a 300-Watt sound system co-developed..
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Microsoft's Windows 10 Refresh Tool May Be The Solution To Your Junkware Problems: Here's How

Microsoft rolled out a Windows 10 update last week that included a new nifty tool that can help users solve their storage pile-up problem caused by junkware. After it was introduced for free earlier this year, Windows 10 received a lot of hate particularly from those who were deeply in love with previous versions of the operating system. In fact, Microsoft even got sued for automatically updating Windows users’ PCs to Windows 10 and paid $10,000 in damage costs. I'm really upset with the level ..
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Ford Escape Returns To Replace Ford Kuga From 2017

Min Price $5,000 $10,000 $15,000 $20,000 $25,000 $30,000 $35,000 $40,000 $45,000 $50,000 $55,000 $60,000 $65,000 $70,000 $75,000 $80,000 $85,000 $90,000 $95,000 $100,000 $105,000 $110,000 $115,000 $120,000 $125,000 $130,000 $135,000 $140,000 $145,000 $150,000 $155,000 $160,000 $165,000 $170,000 $175,000 $180,000 $185,000 $190,000 $195,000 $200,000 $205,000 $210,000 $215,000 $220,000 $225,000 $230,000 $235,000 $240,000 $245,000 $250,000 Max Price $5,000 $10,000 $15,000 $20,000 $25,000 $30,000..
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Will this plan really stop traffic congestion?

A new idea could solve traffic congestion in Melbourne. Picture: Rob LeesonTHERE’S a radical new idea to solve traffic congestion in Melbourne that may help drivers avoid a few red lights on their daily commute.Vehicle and mobility services provider Intelematics has devised a plan that will see motorists soaring through green traffic lights rather than waiting impatiently while they are red.Intelematics is designing an app with VicRoads, which will alert drivers to what speed they should be trav..
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Samsung Galaxy Note 7: airlines across Asia, the US and Europe ban exploding smartphone

Airlines around the world have now banned Samsung’s troubled Galaxy Note 7 smartphone over the fire risks posed by the device’s lithium-ion battery. Following a ban by the US Federal Aviation Authority, Japan’s transport ministry ordered airlines to completely ban the Note 7 from flights, including the country’s largest operators All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines. Travellers ignoring the ban will have their smartphones confiscated with the possibility of further punitive measures. South Kor..
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Driverless car technology 'too unsophisticated' to be safe, expert warns

Driverless car technology 'too unsophisticated' to be safe, expert warns Updated October 17, 2016 21:03:42 As global high-tech companies rush to be the first to develop fully autonomous driverless cars, an Australian expert has warned they might be moving too fast. Key points:Testing of driverless cars is proceeding too fast, expert warnsProfessor Ann Williamson says technology is not advanced enoughExperts say transition to driverless cars will be a dangerous time Fo..
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Google rewards news sites which stick to the facts in the post-truth era

A "Fact Check" label is coming to Google News as the search giant attempts to crack down on public comments which play fast and loose with the truth.Reliable facts have become an endangered species in an era of adversarial politics and media bias. Google News already uses labels like "Most referenced", "In-Depth" and "Highly Cited" to help readers find reliable news sources, but now it's adding "Fact Check" to the mix in an effort to highlight articles which try to avoid blindly regurgitating t..
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Cyanogen gets a new CEO, shifts away from selling a full mobile operating system .	Man dies after one punch attack in South Brisbane .
Melbourne Airport monorail idea not a priority, but worthy of discussion, Premier says .	Yes, they all apologised, but what else did we learn from bank CEOs .

Census Attacked By Traffic From Singapore, But 'Not Hacked' and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 13:06:00 +0000

Census Attacked By Traffic From Singapore, But 'Not Hacked'
The architects of the online census system which went into meltdown on August 9 have apologised for their mistakes, saying traffic from Singapore was behind the decision to take the website offline, but maintained that no personal data was at risk. Executives from IBM appeared before the Senate economics reference committee on Tuesday, fronting up for their first detailed public explanation of what exactly happened to force the website offline and leave millions of people unable to fill in ..
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Markets Live: ASX rallies as bluechips bounce

That's it for Markets Live today. Thanks for reading and your comments. See you all again tomorrow morning from 9. As briefly mentioned below, reports have only very recently emerged of an accident at Ardent Leisure's Dreamworld theme park on the Gold Coast. Four people have been critically injured at #Dreamworld. There is nothing further we can confirm at this stage.— QPS Media Unit (@QPSmedia) October 25, 2016 Ardent Leisure share plunged on the news and closed down 7.8 per cent after ear..
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Fortescue rally drives ASX higher

Ardent Leisure shares plunged almost 12 per cent in less than 30 minutes when reports emerged of deaths at its Dreamworld theme park on the Gold Coast in late trading.When the market closed at 4.15pm the stock had slumped 11.7 per cent to $2.35. A rise in Fortescue Metals' shares to their highest level since April 2014 helped bolster the local sharemarket on Tuesday. Photo: AP Elsewhere in the market a strengthening iron ore price, a slew of earnings updates and a buoyant Fortescue Meta..
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Joyce pushes for resolution of disrupted live cattle trade with Indonesia

Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce is pushing for negotiations over a proposed new rule disrupting the live cattle trade to Indonesia to be resolved as quickly as possible, warning any interruption to trade will hurt exporters, importers and Indonesian consumers.No cattle were exported to Indonesia in September due to permit delays amid negotiations over a proposed new policy requiring importers to bring in one cow for breeding for every five cows to be fattened for slaughter. More ..
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Sector suffers a health scare on concerns of weak outlook

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Sirtex upbeat as it waits on cancer trials

Lilly VitorovichAustralian Associated PressSirtex Medical is bullish about its future growth as the cancer treatment developer waits on the findings of three key clinical studies due in the first six months of 2017.The studies are among five into liver cancer and other cancers currently underway and involving about 2,340 patients.Chief executive Gilman Wong said the recruitment of so many patients was a "very significant" undertaking.Mr Wong, who has been at the helm since May 2005, said there w..
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Carbon footprint impacts shares: report

The size of a company's carbon footprint has an identifiable - and negative - impact on its share price, a study by global asset manager AXA Investment Managers has found. The study found that investors consistently implied a negative impact on share price due to the carbon dioxide output from a company, similar to other expenses. Analysis by AXA IM's quantitative equities manager Rosenberg Equities examined share prices of companies in relation to their carbon footprint to determine any contri..
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SCEE tumbles on forecast loss

Southern Cross Electrical tumbles on forecast loss Stuart McKinnon - The West Australian on October 25, 2016, 8:34 am UPDATE 1.35pm: Shares in Southern Cross Electrical Engineering (SCEE) have fallen sharply after the company disappointed investors with expectations of a first half net loss after tax of $2 million. The company, which is holding its annual general meeting this morning, attributed the lower forecast to a slower than expected ramp-up of work.The expec..
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Tabcorp investor backlash over pay and Tatts takeover

Tabcorp investor backlash over pay and Tatts takeover Updated October 25, 2016 15:42:19 Gambling giant Tabcorp is the latest big company to be hit by an investor backlash over executive pay during the annual general meeting season.Just over three-quarters of proxy votes cast at today's AGM in Sydney supported the company's plans to increase the pay packet of managing director David Attenborough and other executives, but about 22 per cent of votes were against the motion..
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Star Citizen's First-Person View Is Based On Birds .	The Chaser boys hold no punches hosting Aussie radio's night of ... .
The future of motorbikes .	Great Barrier Reef climate history unlocked as CSIRO maps offshore Queensland Basin .

Victory break Red hearts with last-gasp winner and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 12:49:00 +0000

Victory break Red hearts with last-gasp winner
LAWRENCE Thomas 188 days ago was made an honorary social media hero of SA and in particular Adelaide United.Because if it wasn’t for Thomas’ heroics for Melbourne Victory in a final round clash against Brisbane Roar, it would have been John Aloisi’s side walking away with the Premier’s Plate not the Reds.The Victory gloveman proved that his shining April night was not a flash in the pan.Reds fans saw why coach Kevin Muscat awarded the guy who was sitting in the wings for what seemed to be an ete..
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Steve Hansen accuses Michael Cheika of 'hijacking' press conference after clown cartoon rant

Auckland: All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has accused Michael Cheika of hijacking the post-match press conference by airing his grievances over being portrayed as a clown in a local newspaper and lingering animosity over the bugging scandal in the wake of New Zealand's world record victory. Seeing red after his side's 37-10 loss at Eden Park, which involved a controversial no-try to Henry Speight, Cheika unloaded after the match about a cartoon of him dressed up as a clown with a red nose that ap..
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Cox Plate 2016: Winx defends her crown with incredible victory

THE phenomenal Winx will be given the chance to join Kingston Town in the pantheon of Moonee Valley legends after her extraordinary demolition of quality Cox Plate opposition on Saturday.Trainer Chris Waller will resist the temptation to compete internationally with his wonder mare, declaring: “The world can come to us — if they’re good enough.”DON’T MISS YOUR EXCLUSIVE WINX POSTER IN YOUR SUNDAY HERALD SUNTrembling with emotion after Winx sauntered to an eight-length triumph — the largest in th..
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AFL: Former Sydney Swans midfielder Ben McGlynn becomes St Kilda assistant coach

Just-retired Swan Ben McGlynn is joining St Kilda as an assistant coach.McGlynn will work under senior coach Alan Richardson in a development role. Ben McGlynn will be an assistant coach at St Kilda. Photo: Getty Images In a statement released by his new club, McGlynn said he was excited about being in a new environment and meeting new people after seven years at Sydney."I've had some exposure to coaching, so I feel like the development role is a great fit for me and I'm looking forward ..
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Former Wallaby Rod Kafer slams referee Nigel Owens after controversial no-try call

FORMER Wallaby Rod Kafer said Nigel Owens should never referee a Test again after Henry Speight’s try was controversially disallowed in the Bledisloe Cup match at Eden Park on Saturday night.Speight crossed for what appeared to be a memorable try but, after consultation with Welshman Owens, South African TMO Shaun Veldsman ruled that Wallabies winger Dane Haylett-Petty had prevented New Zealand defender Julian Savea from being able to attempt a tackle and the try was disallowed for obstruction.S..
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Brisbane Roar beats Central Coast Mariners 1-0 in gritty response to difficult week

Brisbane Roar beats Central Coast Mariners 1-0 in gritty response to difficult week Updated October 22, 2016 19:53:12 A first-half strike from Thomas Kristensen has helped a wasteful Brisbane hold off Central Coast 1-0 and claim its first win of the A-League season.The loss keeps Central Coast without a win this season and extends its winless run to 13, however rookie coach Paul Okon will be buoyed by his team's effort.Playing in their first home game of the season, the..
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Today at 10:54 PM NRC

Perth Spirit have taken the 2016 Buildcorp NRC title, with a 20-16 win over the NSW Country Eagles forged on the back of an outstanding defensive and set piece performance. Here’s the word from both teams after the match. Heath Tessmann (Perth Spirit hooker and captain) “We don’t mind making it a little bit hard for ourselves. The last few weeks we’ve got away to some leads and let some teams back in, but yeah, couldn’t be happier with how we ended up closing that game out, and the boys have ..
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Online trolls attack Olympic champ Mack Horton after cancer scare

Angry critics have posted nasty comments to Olympic champion Mack Horton, after he used social media to thank a fan for seeing a suspicious mole on his chest.The swimmer this week used Twitter and Instagram to express gratitude to one of his eagle-eyed admirers who had emailed the swim team doctor to say Horton should get the mole checked."Good call. Very good call," Horton wrote, underneath a photo of him wearing a bandage on his chest near his neck and giving a 'thumbs up.' But some people ha..
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Bournemouth keep Spurs at bay in hard-fought draw - SBS

Having lost a match since their 4-0 defeat to Manchester City on September 17, the Cherries were looking to atone for their earlier loss against one title contender with a strong performance against another. Spurs meanwhile were looking to put themselves two points clear at the top of the league while continuing their unbeaten run to the season - what they found though was perhaps a tougher contest than they expected and they were arguably lucky to finish with 11 men on the field after a number..
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Great Barrier Reef climate history unlocked as CSIRO maps offshore Queensland Basin .	Launceston welcomes back banned Bomber .
Horror Stories From The Samsung Galaxy Note7 Flight Ban .	Kelly O'Dwyer accidentally endorses bill criticising Turnbull Government in procedural bungle .

Montara oil spill: Push to raise disaster at Bali summit as Julie Bishop visits Indonesia and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 11:09:00 +0000

Montara oil spill: Push to raise disaster at Bali summit as Julie Bishop visits Indonesia
Jakarta: An advocate for victims of the worst oil spill in the history of Australia's offshore petroleum industry is lobbying for the 2009 maritime disaster to be raised at a meeting in Bali to be attended by Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.Ms Bishop, who is in Indonesia for three days, met President Joko Widodo and Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi at the presidential palace in Jakarta on Wednesday, where they discussed the President's visit to Australia later this year and two events in Bali this ..
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Dreamworld ride's 'fatal flaw'

Queensland police update the media on the Dreamworld incident2:41Queensland Police want anyone who rode the Wild River Rapids rides on Tuesday or has any info to contact police. A member of the public lays flowers at a floral tribute today. Picture: Patrick Hamilton/AFPA FORMER Dreamworld employee who worked on the ride where four people were killed said he believed it had a “potentially fatal flaw.”Jon Armstrong worked as a ride operator on Thunder River Rapids on a casual basis for around six..
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Sophie Collombet murder: Benjamin Milward jailed for life for raping, killing French student in Brisbane

Sophie Collombet murder: Benjamin Milward jailed for life for raping, killing French student in Brisbane Updated October 26, 2016 17:03:17 Benjamin James Milward has been jailed for life for the rape and murder of French student Sophie Collombet, whose body was found in an inner-city Brisbane rotunda in 2014.Milward, who pleaded guilty to the charges in Brisbane's Supreme Court earlier this month, attacked the 21-year-old business student in South Brisbane on March 27, ..
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Man shot twice by police at Dandenong after fleeing traffic stop, trying to hijack car

Man shot twice by police at Dandenong after fleeing traffic stop, trying to hijack car Updated October 26, 2016 21:19:41 A man was shot twice in the body after a fleeing from police during a traffic stop at Dandenong in Melbourne's south-east.The 26-year-old man, who was known to police, was shot after pointing a weapon at officers in the area around Studd Road and Anne Road.The drama unfolded when police intercepted a car around 4:00pm and the man, who was a passenge..
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Family First senator Bob Day may face legal challenge to prevent his ABCC vote

Family First senator Bob Day could face a rare High Court injunction preventing him from supporting the Turnbull government's union-busting and same-sex marriage bills after he delayed his resignation to be present for the votes.If successful, that unprecedented legal course could be enough to stop the legislation dead, forcing the government to its plan B: a special post-double dissolution joint sitting to get the legislation through. More News Videos Previous slide Next slide ..
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Vatican finance chief George Pell questioned by Australian police in Rome over historic sex assault claims

Vatican finance chief George Pell has been interviewed by Australian police in Rome over sexual assault claims, authorities said Wednesday, but no charges have yet been laid. It follows explosive allegations against Pell, Australia's most senior Catholic cleric, aired by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in July, which he strongly denied. Victoria state police said in a statement that three officers "travelled to Rome last week where Cardinal George Pell voluntarily participated in an int..
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Rate of Aboriginal children being placed in out-of-home care 'concerning'

Rate of Aboriginal children being placed in out-of-home care 'concerning' Updated October 26, 2016 19:53:25 Systemic failures are contributing to a "concerning" rate of removal of Aboriginal children from their homes, a landmark Victorian inquiry has found. Key points:There was a 60 per cent increase in number of children entering care between 2013 and 2015Family violence, alcohol, substance abuse the main factors in a child entering careVictorian Government accepts re..
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WA poles and wires sale could net $16b

The debate in WA about whether to privatise its poles and wires network is shaping as the most important issue in next year's state election, with Treasurer Mike Nahan saying the economy won't grow unless Western Power is sold. The treasurer helped launched a report on Wednesday by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the WA Chamber of Commerce and Industry that predicted a full sale would command up to $16 billion for the state's coffers. Using that windfall to pay down debt and for new assets and proje..
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National compensation scheme needed for victims of forced labour and slave trade: new report

Forced labour, forced marriage and other forms of human trafficking and slavery should be compensated in Australia under a national scheme, according to a new report by legal and anti-slavery groups.Fiona McLeod, SC, president-elect of the Law Council of Australia, said a national compensation scheme for survivors of human trafficking and slavery was needed to fill the void in Australian law that provides inadequate redress for victims. More News Videos Previous slide Next slide ..
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An Unusually Large Iceberg Broke Off A Glacier And Nobody Noticed .	Star Citizen's First-Person View Is Based On Birds .
The Chaser boys hold no punches hosting Aussie radio's night of ... .	The future of motorbikes .

An Unusually Large Iceberg Broke Off A Glacier And Nobody Noticed and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 08:33:00 +0000

An Unusually Large Iceberg Broke Off A Glacier And Nobody Noticed
This past summer (winter in Australia), a massive chunk of ice slipped away from a glacier in British Columbia, but no one was there to notice. Using satellite images, a scientist from NASA has now spotted the unusually large iceberg — and he suspects it’s the largest ever seen in North America. Glaciologist Mauri Pelto noticed the iceberg while analysing space-based photos of Porcupine Glacier in northern British Columbia. In late August 2016, an iceberg detached itself from the glacier and d..
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Top Secret Mission: Mystery Space Plane Has Been Orbiting Earth for 500 Days -- But Why?

Oct 14, 2016 04:42 AM EDT A mystery space plane has been orbiting earth for 500 days and up to now, nobody knows what exactly is it doing up there. IFL Science said that the 8.9-meter-long (29.3 feet) secretive vehicle by the US Air Force, was built with the help of Boeing and was launched into orbit by a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Space.com notes that the vehicle, tagged as X-37B space plane is now on its fourth mission. It was launched May last year from Cape Canaveral in Florid..
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Dinosaurs likely didn't roar, new research suggests

What sound did a dinosaur make? While you might imagine them screeching or roaring like they did in the Jurassic Park movies, scientists haven't been able to figure out the noises they actually made when they roamed the Earth. But new research is bringing us closer to understanding how they might have sounded. As CBC Radio science columnist Torah Kachur explains, a study published in the journal Nature looks back to the age of dinosaurs to offer some insight into the evolution of the voice box..
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International coral reef leaders take part in Australian program to improve reefs in developing countries

International coral reef leaders take part in Australian program to improve reefs in developing countries Posted October 14, 2016 16:44:58 Coral reef leaders from developing countries have gathered in north Queensland to help improve the conservation of reefs worldwide.Over the next three weeks, more than 20 people from abroad will be taking part in the 2016 International and Coral Reef Management and Leadership Program in Townsville, north Queensland. It is an Austra..
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International science community puts pressure on Russia to support Antarctic marine protection plan

International science community puts pressure on Russia to support Antarctic marine protection plan Posted October 14, 2016 10:17:32 Russia is now the only country holding back support to create marine protected areas (MPA) in Antarctica, and is facing international pressure to agree to the plan.A meeting of 24 countries is underway in Hobart, and members are set to spend the next fortnight deciding if they should protect the waters of the Ross Sea and East Antarctica..
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What do these prehistoric footprints tell us about our ancestors?

In 2008, when conservationist Jim Brett came across a set of footprints on a mudflat in Tanzania, he knew he had stumbled upon something valuable. The footprints turned out to be the best-preserved and largest set of ancient human footprints ever discovered in Africa, covering an area around the size of a tennis court. Mr. Brett immediately notified Cynthia Liutkus-Pierce, a geologist at Appalachian State University."The first time we went out there, I remember getting out of the vehicle, and I..
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Levitating display features pixels you can touch

We've already seen sound waves being used to levitate small numbers of foam balls, drops of liquid and even bits of lab-grown cartilage. Scientists at the Universities of Sussex and Bristol, however, have recently taken things a step further. They've created a low-res "display" in which the pixels are actually physical, tangible spheres, that float and can be individually rotated in mid-air. The technology is known as JOLED, and it utilizes an array of expanded polystyrene spheres/pixels tha..
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Ancient Stars Spotted In The Center Of The Milky Way For The First Time (Video)

First Posted: Oct 14, 2016 03:27 AM EDT At the heart of the Milky Way are a dozen of ancient stars known as RR Lyrae that were spotted for the first time. (Photo : NASA/Handout/Getty Images) Scientists discovered ancient stars in the center of Milky Way using the ESO's infrared VISTA telescope. They are known as RR Lyrae, which exist in ancient stellar populations for more than 10 billion years old, and were seen for the first time. The research will be printed in the Astrophysical Journa..
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Turns out spiders can hear you from across the room

A new study has just revealed that spiders are even more impressive - or terrifying, depending on your point of view - than we'd ever imagined. Arachnids don't have ears, but it turns out spiders can hear you talking from metres away - despite the fact that many researchers previously assumed they couldn't hear at all. "Surprisingly, we found that they also possess an acute sense of hearing," lead researcher Paul Shamble from Cornell University told Hannah Devlin from The Guardian. "They can h..
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Melbourne Airport monorail idea not a priority, but worthy of discussion, Premier says .	Yes, they all apologised, but what else did we learn from bank CEOs .
West Launceston, Riverside and Trevallyn primary schools partner ... .	Gun found under patient's pillow at South Australian mental health facility .

Star Citizen's First-Person View Is Based On Birds and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Mon, 24 Oct 2016 15:31:00 +0000

Star Citizen's First-Person View Is Based On Birds
Star Citizen’s first-person view isn’t like other games, where you’re essentially in control of a floating camera. That approach is tried and true, but not wholly realistic. In the preposterously ambitious space game, your view and your body are one-in-the-same, just like in a real human body. Problem: Turns out, human bodies have a lot going on. As we (and now, in a truly mammoth feature, Kotaku UK) have reported on multiple occasions, Star Citizen might be too ambitious for its own good. Thi..
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Fears Latrobe Valley will turn into a ghost town as news of Hazelwood power station's closure spreads

They knew it was coming. Yet another big employer was soon to close in the already disadvantaged Latrobe Valley. But it was a blow for valley residents to wake up to news on Saturday morning that the Hazelwood power station would almost certainly close in April. The Hazelwood Power Station could be closed as soon as April. Photo: Chris Hopkins They say they are angry at the Andrews government, which they believe hasn't done enough to create new jobs for the up to 1000 workers who will be..
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Apollo 11's Buzz Aldrin to present Canberra with plan for putting humans on Mars

Most people Buzz Aldrin's age are ensconced in a nursing home, their travels limited perhaps to an easy visit to the grandkids.But it should come as no surprise that the second man to walk on the moon is a little different. Former astronaut Buzz Aldrin will share his plans for colonising Mars in Canberra on November 7. Photo: Buzz Aldrin Enterprises He has had trips to the Rio Olympics and the Everest Space Centre in Nepal since the start of August, and in December makes his first visit ..
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Analysts expect Salesforce (CRM) to hit $94.50 Price Target in next 52-weeks

Cisco (CSCO) and Salesforce (CRM), the Consumer Success Platform and the world’s #1 CRM company, reported a planned alliance to enable business users to be more helpful than ever before. The two companies will together develop and market solutions that join Cisco’s collaboration, IoT and contact center platforms with Salesforce Sales Cloud, IoT Cloud and Service Cloud. New integrations will include: Collaboration: Cisco and Salesforce will natively integrate Cisco Spark and WebEx into Sales Clo..
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Hubble Spies NGC 2440: The 'Last Hurrah' Of A Distant Sun-Like Star

A star’s demise is always a spectacular event, and thanks to the Hubble Space Telescope, we have, for the past several years, been able to study several of these in unprecedented detail. On Friday, NASA released another such image captured by the telescope — a planetary nebula named NGC 2440 located roughly 4,000 light-years from Earth in the direction of the constellation Puppis.Despite its name, a planetary nebula has nothing to do with planets. It is, as NASA said in a statement accompanying ..
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Earth Continues To Lose Oxygen, And Scientists Are Stumped

The oxygen levels on earth continue to drop, and scientists are struggling to find an explanation. There’s no cause for alarm yet, as the steady decline has been going on for roughly 800,000 years. However, a new study on the phenomenon conducted by Princeton University researchers is creating considerable interest within the scientific community and raising questions about the possible effects of fossil fuel usage, according to a report from Gizmodo. “We did this analysis more out of interest ..
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Tasmanian tiger believers share images of sightings

Extinct or just in hiding?EIGHTY years ago, almost to the day, a Hobart zookeeper locked up for the night, his mind most likely on getting home in time for dinner.Benjamin – the last known thylacine on earth – was locked out of his shelter, and not for the first time. As the mist rolled down from Mt Wellington and settled over the city on the bitterly cold evening, nobody heard Benjamin’s whimpers as he shivered on the concrete floor of his cage. By morning the creature, malnourished and long-ne..
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Conference to protect endangered species

A key conference has opened in Johannesburg to discuss eventual changes to trade controls on some of the world's most endangered animal species, ranging from elephants to sharks.More than 2000 delegates from 183 countries were attending the 17th meeting of the Convention on Illegal Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), which runs through October 5.In force since 1975, CITES provides protection to more than 35,000 plant and animal species.The Johannesburg conference will co..
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Book Review|The Story Behind This Week's Best Sellers

Photo Peter Wohlleben Timber: “I speak for the trees,” the Lorax proclaimed. But maybe trees can speak for themselves, if we’d just shut up and listen. That’s the premise of a book by the German forest ranger Peter Wohlleben, “The Hidden Life of Trees,” that debuts at No. 5 on the hardcover nonfiction list and explains — in strikingly anthropomorphic terms — how trees protect their young, communicate through underground networks and develop sophisticated social communities, among other thin..
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'Destiny: Rise of Iron' first impressions .	Sore foot distracted Palmer on Qld Nickel .
Queensland extends reef invitation to Leonardo DiCaprio .	2017 Mazda6 Atenza REVIEW \| A Freshened Flagship To Challenge Prestige Players .

The Chaser boys hold no punches hosting Aussie radio's night of ... and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Mon, 24 Oct 2016 12:14:00 +0000

The Chaser boys hold no punches hosting Aussie radio's night of ...
The Chaser stars Chris Taylor and Andrew Hansen won plenty of laughs as hosts of the 2016 ACRA awards in Melbourne. Picture: Andrew JarvieIT’S Australian radio’s biggest — and unruliest — night of the year. And the gloves were off when The Chaser stars Chris Taylor and Andrew Hansen opened the Australian Commercial Radio Awards in Melbourne taking swipes at everyone from Eddie McGuire and Kyle Sandilands to Tara Brown and the Budgie Nine.Triple M breakfast host Eddie McGuire was absent from the ..
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Australian Diamonds ready for fierce Constellation Cup netball ...

Australian Diamonds ready for fierce Constellation Cup netball series against New Zealand's Silver Ferns Updated October 08, 2016 12:35:43 This Sunday, netball's greatest rivalry takes place again.Sydney plays host to the first match of this year's Constellation Cup series, a relatively new instalment in the 78-year battle across the trans-Tasman.At the 2015 World Cup, the Diamonds secured victory with a narrow three-point win over New Zealand's Silver Ferns in front of..
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Heritage up in flames

A BLAZE that destroyed an 82-year-old museum and community house at Rossarden, south of Launceston, yesterday is being treated as suspicious by police.Police are investigating the cause of the fire, which burnt the Rossarden and Storys Creek Museum on Schell St about 11am.The museum is in the former Rossarden Primary School, which was first opened on January 31, 1934. The school closed in 1992 and the site was leased by Rossarden Progress Association. It contained the history of the once thrivin..
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Salt of the earth

HE has survived three wars and numerous death threats, but it was a dodgy hot water system that nearly spelled the end for Tasmanian gardening guru Peter Cundall last month.Cundall was, as usual, enjoying a near-scorching shower when he suffered a severe jolt as he reached for the tap. Startled, he reached out to put the soap on its holder and received another electric shock.The culprit, it was eventually discovered, was the bulky hot water cylinder attached to the side of the house Cundall shar..
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NT petrol cheapest in Australia

DARWIN is the only capital city in Australia where the overall price of unleaded petrol is decreasing, according to fuel firm Informed Sources managing director Alan Cadd. “It’s a downward trend,” Mr Cadd said. “The trend is definitely upwards in other states.”Yesterday, Darwin had the lowest price for unleaded fuel in the nation. Mr Cadd said the price of unleaded petrol in Darwin decreased by 9c/l over the past two months.He was unsure why Darwin was bucking the national trend, but said lower ..
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Circus faces torrent of abuse, threats

As ringmaster of Stardust Circus – one of about half a dozen traditional big top travelling circuses in Australia – Adam St James has a professional obligation to look happy.Out of the spotlight, however, the mask slips. Trainer Matthew Ezekial of Stardust Circus with a lion. Photo: Wolter Peeters "It's very disheartening," he says. "The family that owns Stardust has been running the circus since 1893. Fifteen to 20 years ago the protests started, but in the last three to four years i..
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Sydney Kings comeback not good enough as Brisbane Bullets cap perfect weekend

The Brisbane Bullets ruined the Sydney Kings' season-opener and capped a perfect start to their own NBL campaign with a tense 77-73 win last night at Qudos Bank Arena.Brisbane led at every change, surviving Sydney's fourth-quarter fightback to secure their second victory of the weekend. Scramble: Anthony Petrie of the Bullets competes for a rebound at Qudos Bank Arena. Photo: Getty Images Daniel Kickert led the Bullets with 17 points and Shaun Bruce and Tom Jervis added 12 apiece, while ..
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Sydney FC smash Western Sydney Wanderers to continue A-League derby dominance

Sydney FC withdrew another three points from the bank of Western Sydney after smashing their hapless rivals to continue their derby dominance over the Wanderers. Of all their seven wins against their rivals, Sydney saved their most impressive for the biggest occasion by strolling to a 4-0 rout in front of nearly 62,000 fans. It was a display of class from the Sky Blues as captain Alex Brosque, Brandon O'Neill and marquees Bobo and Filip Holosko scored to claim the biggest-ever win in a Sydney d..
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Buzz on Bec: 'She was pioneering'

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Winx raises tempo after slow start to win Caulfield Stakes in a crescendo

The expectation with Winx is that she should win. She did that again in the Caulfield Stakes, which started as a Saturday stroll and worked to a crescendo, exactly what Hugh Bowman and Chris Waller had wanted.The victory moved her record to 12 straight wins, eight of them group 1s, but her biggest test waits in two weeks in the Cox Plate and Bowman was mindful of that. More Sport Videos Previous slide Next slide Winx secures 12th straight win Winx extends winn..
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Socceroos chasing three points from World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia in Jeddah .	Portrait exhibition features Launceston locals living with a disability .
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Likens Self To Hitler, Causes Controversy Anew .	Southern Stars extend world No.1 ranking .

The future of motorbikes and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Mon, 24 Oct 2016 08:03:00 +0000

The future of motorbikes
The self-balancing BMW Motorrad Vision Next 100 concept motorcycle. Picture: David McnewTHE motorcycle of the future is so safe riders can cruise sans helmet — all of the thrills with none of the danger — according to BMW.The German automaker unveiled Tuesday its Motorrad Vision Next 100, a sleek, self-balancing prototype the company released as part of its 100th anniversary celebrations.The zero-emissions bike has self-balancing wheels designed to stand upright even at a complete stop, stabilit..
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Tinder can now automatically figure out your hottest photo to get you more matches

Tinder is launching a new feature called “smart photos” which will figure out your most attractive photos and reorder your profile so you’re more likely to get matches. The feature works by continuously varying which of your photos appear first, then examining the results. This constant testing means that the app can figure out which photo is the most likely to result in a right-swipe, Tinder’s version of a like. Tinder says smart photos has been in testing and resulted in a 12% increase in mat..
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Report blows whistle on cybersecurity

A recent report on cybersecurity from the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) has warned that Australia could expect a major cyber-attack within three years. According to the report, authorities have investigated 1,095 cyber security incidents over the past 18 months — the work of hacktivists, cyber criminals and foreign States. Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Cyber Security, Dan Tehan said the threat of a cyber-attack from terrorists was currently ranked low in Australia. "Islami..
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Apple responds to pic-sharing claims

Apple store staff sacked after photo scandal0:26Four Queensland Apple store staff have been sacked after stealing explicit photos off customer's phones. Courtesy: 7 News The Apple Store at Carindale Shopping Centre in Brisbane.STAFF at a Brisbane Apple store have been fired after they were caught stealing and rating customers’ pictures as part of a photo-sharing ring.Dozens of photos were taken of female staff and customers while others were lifted from some Apple customers’ phones, it has emer..
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Hands on: Motorola Moto Z first impressions review

Hands on: Motorola Moto Z first impressions review Motorola made mobiles mainstream with the RAZR back in the day. Today, it wants you to make your own phone with the modular Moto Z.There was a time that Motorola ruled the mobile world. It was a simpler time, a time before Steve Jobs had announced the iPhone, but the name Motorola was synonymous with mobiles. The company has been bought and sold by Google since those days and is now owned by Lenovo, but Moto is hoping that its new modular ecosy..
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2016 HYUNDAI ELANTRA SR TURBO LAUNCH REVIEW

Paul Murrell’s first drive 2017 Hyundai Elantra SR Turbo review with pricing, specs, ride and handling, safety, verdict and score.In a nutshell: Hyundai’s Elantra is a very competent small sedan, but the SR Turbo makes it more appealing to driver’s who still enjoy driving.HYUNDAI ELANTRA SR TURBOPricing – from $28,990 (+ORC, 6-speed manual), $31,290 (+ORC, 7-speed DCT auto) Warranty – 5 years, unlimited kilometres Engine – 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol Power/Torque – 150kW/265Nm T..
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Consortium announces first 'space nation'

A plan to create a new nation in space could blast off in the next 18 months.A GROUP of scientists, engineers, businessmen, and lawyers has unveiled plans for the “first nation state in space” in an ambitious bid to become the guardians of Earth. Dubbed Asgardia after a mythical city in the sky ruled by Odin in Norse mythology, the country will consist of at least one satellite launched into orbit as early as next year, according to those aiming to create the world’s newest member.The project’s ..
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PlayStation VR: should you buy it?

The Sony PlayStation VR headset started shipping to Australians today. New shipments are expected to arrive on November 3. Picture: AP Photo/Eugene HoshikoJennifer Dudley-NicholsonNews Corp Australia NetworkTETHERED to my space ship, inspecting the dials and gripping the controls, I readied myself for battle. My flight crew regaled me with stories of my last death as the machine burst forward, barrelling down a tunnel and ejecting into space.Joysticks moved me left, right, twisted my ship on its..
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Samsung's Galaxy Note7 recall puts consumer watchdog under scrutiny

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Yes, they all apologised, but what else did we learn from bank CEOs .	West Launceston, Riverside and Trevallyn primary schools partner ... .
Gun found under patient's pillow at South Australian mental health facility .	Revealed: The curious stats from Wallaby losses in 2016 Test season .

Great Barrier Reef climate history unlocked as CSIRO maps offshore Queensland Basin and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 17:15:00 +0000

Great Barrier Reef climate history unlocked as CSIRO maps offshore Queensland Basin
Great Barrier Reef climate history unlocked as CSIRO maps offshore Queensland Basin Updated October 15, 2016 16:38:18 Scientists from the CSIRO are using cutting-edge technology to map the seafloor of the Queensland Basin to understand how the Great Barrier Reef responded to past climate change events.While the reef is one of the world's most studied ecosystems, its depths could still hold many surprises, including how resilient it might be in the future.Scientists on t..
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'Half a degree avoided': Breakthrough in talks to limit global warming

Nearly 200 nations hammered out a legally binding deal to cut back on greenhouse gases used in refrigerators and air conditioners, a Rwandan minister announced to loud cheers on Saturday, in a major step against climate change.The deal, which includes the world's two biggest economies, the United States and China, divides countries into three groups with different deadlines to reduce the use of factory-made hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) gases, which can be 10,000 times more powerful than carbon dioxi..
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London Zoo gorilla escapes

London Zoo gorilla escapes
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Trump calls accusers 'sick' liars as new sexual assault claims surface

Donald Trump calls accusers 'sick' liars as new sexual assault claims surface Updated October 15, 2016 15:57:04 US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has called the women accusing him of sexual misconduct "sick" liars who are seeking fame as part of a plot to discredit him, after two more came forward with allegations he had groped them. Key points:Two new accusations cite incidents in 2007 and early 1990sTrump says women are 'sick', 'some are probably doin..
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Donald Trump mocks women who accused him of assault

Donald Trump has sarcastically dismissed women accusing him of sexual misconduct -- even as two more came forward with lurid accounts -- and denounced what he called an international political and media plot against him.President Barack Obama warned meanwhile that America's very democracy is at stake in the November 8 presidential election because of the Republican presidential candidate. As Trump spoke at a rally, Summer Zervos, an ex-contestant on his reality TV show "The Apprentice" came f..
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Attacker in clown mask stabs man

Creepy Clown Sightings Go Global2:55The creepy clown phenomenon started in the U.S. in August with reports of clowns trying to lure children into the woods in South Carolina. Now dozens of incidents are being reported in England and Australia. Mark Kelly reports. Image: Matthias Oesterle/Zuma Press Not funny. Police say a man was stabbed by an attacker dressed in a clown mask in Sweden.Staff writer and AFPNews Corp Australia NetworkA MAN in Sweden has been stabbed by an attacker wearing a clown..
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The death of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Australians told to behave in Thailand after death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The 88-year-old king's death after a long illness on Thursday afternoon has plunged the south-east Asian country of 64 million people into a period of intense mourning and uncertainty. Follow us on Twitter and check out our photography club Clique
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Middle East powers able to resolve crisis in Syria: Pundit

Powerful states in the Middle East are more capable than the United States and Russia to find a solution to end the five-year-old crisis in Syria, says an activist and political commentator.“It is probably more of the work of the Organization of Islamic [Cooperation] or the Arab League or the immediate partners like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iran and Syria and also Turkey in order to find one way out” of the conflict, Hazem Salem told Press TV’s "The Debate" program.On Saturday, a new round of Syria..
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Melbourne Airport monorail idea not a priority, but worthy of discussion, Premier says .	Yes, they all apologised, but what else did we learn from bank CEOs .
West Launceston, Riverside and Trevallyn primary schools partner ... .	Gun found under patient's pillow at South Australian mental health facility .

Launceston welcomes back banned Bomber and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 15:30:00 +0000

Launceston welcomes back banned Bomber

LAUNCESTON will announce its senior coach for the 2017 TSL season today, with former Essendon player Sam Lonergan to return to the role after his 12-month ban.Lonergan, who played 79 games for Essendon, was set to coach and play for the Blues this year. But along with 33 of his former Bomber teammates, he was banned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport from January 13 to November 13 as a result of the club’s supplements scandal.Launceston’s assistant coach for the past two years Chris Hills too..
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Launceston Male Choir sings for charity

Soaring harmonies and toe tapping tunes will entertain audiences at the Launceston Male Choir’s annual concert on October 2. IN TUNE: Launceston Male Choir members John Baily, Roy Mason, Glenn Gilpin, Peter Hunt, Murray Earnshaw, Alan Telford warm up for their annual concert on October 2. Picture: Piia WirsuSoaring harmonies and toe tapping tunes will entertain audiences at the Launceston Male Choir’s annual concert on October 2. “We sing a variety of songs to try and please every..
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Launceston singer in silent opera

Launceston opera singer, Samuel Dundas, is performing in an opera world first – a silent opera. SILENT OPERA: Launceston based opera singer Samuel Dundas will be performing in a world first silent opera, Sydney Opera House – The Opera (The Eighth Wonder) in October. Picture: Phillip BiggsLaunceston based opera singer, Samuel Dundas, is performing in an opera world first – a silent opera. Sydney Opera House – The Opera (The Eighth Wonder) will be performed on the steps of the opera..
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It's where the art is

ARTISTS have always been a part of architect Jack Birrell’s life. As a 20-year-old newly qualified builder, he built an art studio in a rainforest above a waterfall for close family friend and acclaimed Australian figurative painter Charles Blackman.“I would sit down and have coffee with him and I think he got me to see why you might do something creative,” says Birrell, co-owner with his wife Rebecca of Launceston’s Hatherley House, which they’ve transformed into a haven for art lovers.“I went ..
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Launceston Airport prepares for second x-ray machine

A second x-ray machine arriving at the Launceston Airport in time for summer is expected to cut travellers waiting time significantly. Virgin Australia has also launched a freighter service at Launceston Airport. A second x-ray machine arriving at the Launceston Airport in time for summer is expected to cut travellers waiting time significantly, the airport’s general manager believes. Launceston Airport general manager Paul Hodgen said the order had been placed for a second x-ray ..
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TasWeekend: It's where the art is

ARTISTS have always been a part of architect Jack Birrell’s life. As a 20-year-old newly qualified builder, he built an art studio in a rainforest above a waterfall for close family friend and acclaimed Australian figurative painter Charles Blackman.“I would sit down and have coffee with him and I think he got me to see why you might do something creative,” says Birrell, co-owner with his wife Rebecca of Launceston’s Hatherley House, which they’ve transformed into a haven for art lovers.“I went ..
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Funding package a game changer

The $100 million investment package was cautiously welcomed by stakeholders in the state's North. The City of Launceston and Launceston Chamber of Commerce have cautiously welcomed the state government’s announcement of a $100 million investment package.On Thursday treasurer Peter Gutwein said the government would bring forward a targeted economic stimulus package in an effort to create much-needed jobs for the region.Launceston Chamber of Commerce executive Jan Davis said it was ..
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Swim lane hire on agenda

The council will discuss proposed changes to the fee structure at its meeting on Monday. LANE CHANGES: A swimmer at the Launceston Aquatic Centre.Lane hire charges at the Launceston Leisure and Aquatic Centre is back on the City of Launceston agenda for its Monday council meeting.The council will consider changes to the fee structure after a request was put forward by the Launceston Aquatic Club regarding a reduction in off peak lane hire and a change in off peak timings. Accordin..
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Prologue to challenge riders

A new Prologue for the National Road Series Spirit of Tasmania Tour of Tasmania is set to challenge riders more than ever before. CHALLENGE: The new Prologue for 2016 is set to challenge riders more than ever before at the Tour of Tasmania event. A new Prologue for the National Road Series Spirit of Tasmania Tour of Tasmania is set to challenge riders more than ever before.The 2016 event will feature a new Prologue location which will now start in Brisbane Street West in Launcesto..
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Last Post, September 26

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'Destiny: Rise of Iron' first impressions .	Sore foot distracted Palmer on Qld Nickel .
Queensland extends reef invitation to Leonardo DiCaprio .	2017 Mazda6 Atenza REVIEW \| A Freshened Flagship To Challenge Prestige Players .

Horror Stories From The Samsung Galaxy Note7 Flight Ban and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 15:26:00 +0000

Horror Stories From The Samsung Galaxy Note7 Flight Ban
On Saturday the federal flight ban on Samsung Galaxy Note7 phones went into effect in the United States. All four major Australian carriers have also banned the phone. We asked our readers how this was working out around the globe and from the replies we’ve received, it’s safe to say that, so far, this sucks. The US Transportation Department’s decision to ban the Note7 from all flights came just days after Samsung announced that it was killing the phone for good. That short window left little ..
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Google Pixel: Australian Review

Google built a phone. For real this time. AU Editor’s Note: Since Google’s Daydream View VR headset won’t be available in Australia until November, we’ve kept any mention of it out of this review entirely. Stay tuned for a proper review of Google’s own VR headset in the days before you can actually buy it. Also, throughout this review, I’ll be talking about the Pixel and Pixel XL interchangeably since apart from their screen sizes and resolutions (5 inches, 1920×1080 pixels / 5.5 inches, 2560×1..
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Infertility Treatment Breakthrough as Scientists Build Embryos From Stem Cells

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.Scientists have for the first time shown that fully mature egg cells can be grown in the lab, raising hope for new infertility treatments.Until now, researchers have only been able to produce cells that resemble sperm or eggs, but which can rarely produce live offspring because of abnormal organisation of their genetic material. But a team at Kyushu University, Japan, has now turned stem cells from mice into mat..
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The OmniWear Arc is a haptic neckband for serious gamers

Haptic feedback -- using vibration to enhance a virtual experience -- is nothing new in gaming world. The past two decades have brought us products like the Rumble Paks for Nintendo 64 and DS and Sony's line of DualShock controllers for the PlayStation. But the majority of titles use haptics as an add-on, making an impact feel a little more real or to startle you during an intense moment. Even if the haptics were keyed to the appearance of an enemy, they didn't offer much in the way of informat..
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NBN claims "lightning speeds" over copper with XG.FAST

The NBN has deemed its trials of XG.FAST a success after achieving speeds of 8Gbps over copper lines in the lab.The emerging technology could be deployed in a number of settings, the NBN said, including multi-dwelling units (MDUs) in a fibre-to-the-building (FTTB) scenario or via a distribution point unit (DPU) in a fibre-to-the curb (FTTC) based network.The lab trials, conducted with vendor Nokia, achieved speeds of 8Gbps over 30 metres of twisted-pair copper cable – the kind typically used be..
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Dolphin calf spotted off Cairns wrapped in marine debris

Marine experts fear for a dolphin calf with marine debris wrapped around its body spotted off Queensland's coastline two weeks ago.James Cook University's Dr Isabel Beasley was conducting marine survey work when she spotted the calf with a pod of dolphins near Yorkey's Knob on September 30. Dr Beasley hasn't seen the dolphin for more than two weeks. Photo: Isabel Beasley "The calf looked healthy, in good condition, and was swimming normally, however, it appears the marine debris is wrapp..
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Australian Scientists Just Made Quantum Computing 10 Times More Stable

Australian engineers have created a new quantum bit which remains in a stable superposition for 10 times longer than previously achieved, dramatically expanding the time during which calculations could be performed in a future silicon quantum computer. Please enable JavaScript to watch this video. VIDEO The new quantum bit, made up of the spin of a single atom in silicon and merged with an electromagnetic field — known as “dressed qubit” — retains quantum information for much longer that an “..
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Thousands of critically endangered 'scrotum frogs' found dead in Peru's Lake Titicaca

Thousands of critically endangered 'scrotum frogs' found dead in Peru's Lake Titicaca Updated October 18, 2016 21:47:27 Authorities in Peru are investigating the deaths of more than 10,000 critically endangered Titicaca water frogs, whose bodies were found floating in the waters of Lake Titicaca.The Committee Against Pollution of the Coata River reported the deaths, blaming pollution in the river that feeds into the lake, according to the BBC.Peru's environmental agency..
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Samsung 960 Pro review: The fastest consumer SSD you can buy

Edward Chester reader comments 35 The all new Samsung 960 Pro, released today, is the follow up to last year's 950 Pro. It offers the same core set of features, with an M.2 form factor, four-lane PCIe 3.0 interface, NVMe communication standard, and 3D V-NAND. But the 960 Pro isn't just a minor spec bump. Samsung has seriously cranked up the speed (and capacities) of its flagship drives to the point where such ludicrous performance may be lost on all but the most demanding of users. These a..
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Baby NZ seals take RAAF flight to freedom

Baby NZ seals take RAAF flight to freedom
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Kelly O'Dwyer accidentally endorses bill criticising Turnbull Government in procedural bungle .	Cyanogen gets a new CEO, shifts away from selling a full mobile operating system .
Man dies after one punch attack in South Brisbane .	Melbourne Airport monorail idea not a priority, but worthy of discussion, Premier says .

Kelly O'Dwyer accidentally endorses bill criticising Turnbull Government in procedural bungle and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 15:39:00 +0000

Kelly O'Dwyer accidentally endorses bill criticising Turnbull Government in procedural bungle
Kelly O'Dwyer accidentally endorses bill criticising Turnbull Government in procedural bungle Updated October 12, 2016 21:06:59 The Federal Government has been embarrassed by a procedural bungle in Parliament, after accidentally endorsing a bill amended by Labor, which criticised the Government.Minister for Revenue and Financial Services Kelly O'Dwyer was seeking to pass the International Tax Agreements Amendment Bill 2016 through the House of Representatives.But Ms O'D..
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HSC 2016: 77000 students to sit first exams across NSW

More than 77,000 NSW high school students will sit their first HSC exams this week as one of the final cohorts to sit the test before the NSW government enacts sweeping reforms across the state. More News Videos Previous slide Next slide Matthew's keeping his head above water Two men arrested by counter-terrorism police Shark attacks surfer near Ballina Don't ease alcohol-sale restrictions: St Vincent's There's life after Year 12..
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Elderly man dies after vehicle smash

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Gable Tostee trial: Murder accused ordered pizza after Warriena Wright's fall, court hears

Gable Tostee trial: Murder accused ordered pizza after Warriena Wright's fall, court hears Updated October 12, 2016 20:49:12 Gable Tostee ordered a slice of pizza while walking alone around Surfers Paradise shortly after Warriena Wright fell to her death from his apartment balcony in 2014, a Brisbane court has heard.Tostee, 30, pleaded not guilty to murdering the 26-year-old New Zealand tourist, whom he met that night via dating app Tinder.The pair's exchange on Tinder ..
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Gillard's threat warning to public women

Threats of abuse towards female politicians are "just not on", government minister Mitch Fifield says, after Julia Gillard warned some women in public life have to deal with almost daily rape threats. The former prime minister, speaking at a memorial service for British MP Jo Cox, said threats of violence have become increasingly prevalent for women in public life. Ms Cox was shot and stabbed to death in her constituency in northern England earlier this year. "'As a woman in public life, the vi..
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Natural disasters are costing more but killing less

Radical change is needed in the way natural disasters are managed as they become bigger and more frequent due to climate change, the Red Cross warns.Disasters killed 32,550 people last year, including 16 Australians, and affected 108 million people across the globe, the organisation's annual World Disasters Report says. More News Videos Previous slide Next slide Haiti desperate for help No Brexit blues for UK tourism Pick-up truck ploughs into Native..
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Moderate Liberals say Tony Abbott's party democracy push will backfire

Like other Liberals in the dominant "moderate" faction, Trent Zimmerman worries that plebiscites would lead to branch stacking. Andrew Meares Winning the endorsement of regular Liberal Party members for a federal seat shouldn't have been hard for Trent Zimmerman.After all, he was a popular local councillor and man about town, had worked for the even more popular outgoing MP, and happened to be the acting president of the NSW division of the Lib..
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Baird backflips on sharks a day after dogs

Gemma NajemAustralian Associated PressMike Baird has performed a second policy backflip in as many days, announcing he will pursue a six-month trial of shark nets along NSW's north coast after another shark attack.After resisting calls to install nets, which kill other marine life, the premier announced the policy change on Wednesday, a day after he reversed a ban on greyhound racing.The premier says he will lobby the federal government to install shark nets along the state's north coast after a..
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'I beg you, do not just put it in the filing cabinet', witness pleads at NT Royal Commission

The survival of Indigenous people in the Northern Territory depended on the outcome of the Royal Commission into Child Protection and Detention, a witness told the commission hearing in Darwin.Pat Anderson, co-author of a 2007 report on protecting young Indigenous people from sexual abuse titled Little Children Are Sacred, begged commissioners to be firm saying the issues they were considering had been talked about many times before. Commissioners Mick Gooda and Margaret White AO. Photo: G..
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Boy terror suspects' 'beheading plot'

ONE of two schoolboys arrested as they were allegedly preparing to behead someone in Sydney’s southwest is the son of a convicted terrorist.Police swooped on the 16-year-olds in a laneway behind a Bankstown mosque about midday, hours after the pair allegedly bought two bayonets at a gun shop.The threat of an attack was considered imminent and police wearing protective vests descended on the prayer hall after officers received information about the alleged purchase of the knives.media_cameraPoli..
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Gun found under patient's pillow at South Australian mental health facility .	Revealed: The curious stats from Wallaby losses in 2016 Test season .
Socceroos chasing three points from World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia in Jeddah .	Portrait exhibition features Launceston locals living with a disability .

Cyanogen gets a new CEO, shifts away from selling a full mobile operating system and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Sun, 16 Oct 2016 12:29:00 +0000

Cyanogen gets a new CEO, shifts away from selling a full mobile operating system
Cyanogen, a startup behind its own, alternative version of the Android operating system, now has a new CEO. In the wake of reports that the company exaggerated its success in terms of active users, layoffs, and difficulties scaling, Cyanogen’s co-founder and CEO Kirt McMaster will be transitioning into an “Executive Chairman” role, while Lior Tal, previously COO, will now assume the CEO position. In addition, Steve Kondik, Cyanogen’s co-founder and CTO, will be taking on a new role as Chief Sc..
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"Space brain" could make manned trips to Mars rather forgettable

If getting to Mars isn't hard enough, scientists at the UC Irvine say that cosmic radiation could cause astronauts on deep space missions to develop symptoms of dementia. Rodent tests indicate that exposure to high-energy particles produce cases of "space brain" marked by long-term neurological damage, cognitive impairment, and diminished judgment. Radiation has long been recognized as a constant and very real threat to space travelers, which is the reason why crews on the International Space St..
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Smartphones and watches 'banned from Cabinet over hacking concerns'

Tuesday 11 October 2016 Cabinet ministers have been warned not to wear the devices in meetings in case they are hacked by Russian spiesAppleCabinet ministers in the UK are banned from wearing Apple Watches and similar devices during meetings amid concerns they could be hacked.ADVERTISEMENT Ministers have reportedly been told they cannot wear the smartwatches in Cabinet meetings after concerns they could be hacked by Russian spies and used as listening devices. However, this is a Cabinet-wide p..
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Sony gears up for virtual Christmas with PlayStation VR

Sony gears up for virtual Christmas with PlayStation VRVirtual reality is about to go mainstream for Christmas courtesy of Sony PlayStation VR. It’s the one VR platform whose purpose is crystal clear — gaming. Every kid will want one. If they don’t want it yet, they will once they see the neighbourhood kids playing VR games.PSVR launches globally on Thursday and some stores will open at midnight. The event will be anticlimactic for some because Sony’s system is sold out at launch. The only peopl..
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Apple Watch Series 2: Apple Inches Closer To Perfection

The Apple Watch Series 2 came out a couple of weeks ago, and so far, the response has been mostly positive. The Daily Express claims that with the Watch Series 2, it is finally time to buy a smartwatch. “The Apple Watch 2 is finally here bringing a host of new features and improvements to the world’s most popular smartwatch and this is why you should finally consider buying one,” says critic David Snelling, who adds that the water-resistant design and GPS make it ideal for fitness fans. The App..
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It's Over: Samsung's Galaxy Note7 Is Dead

It’s over. Samsung has stopped production of its troubled Galaxy Note7 smartphone completely, and will not build or sell any more. Bloomberg Technology reports that a statement from Samsung confirms that production of the Note7 will not restart. According to Bloomberg, “production will stop, Samsung said in a statement Tuesday” in Korea. From Samsung, in a statement obtained by Al Jazeera: “We recently readjusted the production volume for thorough investigation and quality control, but putting ..
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Facebook Workplace proves a space age hit for Australia's NBN

Facebook Workplace proves a space age hit for Australia’s NBNNBN generated 1400 posts during the launch of Sky Muster II which offers fast broadband for around 400,000 Australian homes and businesses.The Australian3:43PM October 11, 2016Save NBN says it was the first large Australian corporation to sign up to Facebook’s newly minted Workplace service.Facebook’s Workplace service is a variation of regular Facebook and is designed for business communications.Karina Keisler, NBN executive general m..
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Aussies want driverless cars for when they're tired, bored or drunk

Australians like the idea of driverless cars, but first they want to take a look under the hood. Preliminary results from a national study undertaken by the Australian Driverless Vehicle Initiative (ADVI) suggest Australians are fairly keen to give up the steering wheel. The survey of more than 5,000 Australians over the age of 18 found that a majority liked the idea of using a driverless vehicle when they were tired, when driving was "boring or monotonous," or if they had consumed alcohol or d..
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WA man on lawnmower drink driving charges

Australian Associated PressA Perth man has been charged with driving a ride-on lawnmower on a footpath while intoxicated.The 44-year-old man was travelling along a footpath in suburban Bennett Springs on Sunday afternoon when officers noticed him.Police say the lawnmower was not capable of being registered and not suitable to be ridden on the road.They will also allege the man, whose licence had been disqualified, provided a breath test reading of 0.106, more than double the limit.He has been ch..
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Sony Xperia XZ gets Australian launch details

Sony has announced that its recently-unveiled flagship phone, the Xperia XZ, will be available in Australia on October 20 with pre-orders opening today.The XZ continues the Japanese company's strategy of frequent, iterative phone releases, supplanting the Xperia X Performance which was just released in June. The new Xperia XZ. With curved glass and a subtly colour-changing metal body made with a proprietary alloy called ALKALEIDO, the XZ is a 5.2-inch phone that looks like a mix between ..
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Revealed: The curious stats from Wallaby losses in 2016 Test season .	Socceroos chasing three points from World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia in Jeddah .
Portrait exhibition features Launceston locals living with a disability .	Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Likens Self To Hitler, Causes Controversy Anew .

Man dies after one punch attack in South Brisbane and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Sat, 15 Oct 2016 09:48:00 +0000

Man dies after one punch attack in South Brisbane
A 48-year-old man has died in hospital after a one-punch attack in South Brisbane on Saturday morning.The victim died from his injuries in the Princess Alexandra Hospital on Monday afternoon and detectives were still searching for his attacker. Police have released an image from CCTV footage of a man they want to speak to. Photo: QPS Media Police released vision of a man who might be able to help with the investigation. He was described as about 170cm with short dark hair, wearing black ..
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NT to wait two more years for PET scanner

Lucy Hughes JonesAustralian Associated PressTerritorians suffering cancer have been told they'll have to wait up to two years to get a PET scanner, six years after its was first promised.Incoming NT Health Minister Natasha Fyles revealed the new timetable on Monday, saying she was confident it would arrive despite being promised by both sides of federal politics since 2010.Positron emission tomography (PET) scans are used to detect and track cancer, heart disease, epilepsy and other neurological..
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Same-sex marriage: Labor MP Susan Lamb makes emotional call for legislation in maiden speech

Same-sex marriage: Labor MP Susan Lamb makes emotional call for legislation in maiden speech Updated October 10, 2016 19:31:27 A federal Labor MP has fought back tears while calling for same-sex marriage during an emotional maiden speech to Parliament.Susan Lamb defeated former Coalition minister Wyatt Roy to win the seat of Longman in Queensland.She reflected on becoming a mother while still a teenager and praised her family — including her four sons — in the speech.B..
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Gable Tostee: Mobile phone records argument between Warriena Wright and accused murderer

Gable Tostee: Mobile phone records argument between Warriena Wright and accused murderer Updated October 10, 2016 20:33:34 Part of a recording between Gable Tostee and the woman he is accused of murdering, detailing alleged moments of violence and expletive-ridden conversations before her fatal fall from his Gold Coast apartment balcony, has been played to a court.Tostee today pleaded not guilty to murdering New Zealand tourist Warriena Wright on the Gold Coast in Augus..
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Revealed: The curious stats from Wallaby losses in 2016 Test season .	Socceroos chasing three points from World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia in Jeddah .
Portrait exhibition features Launceston locals living with a disability .	Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Likens Self To Hitler, Causes Controversy Anew .

Melbourne Airport monorail idea not a priority, but worthy of discussion, Premier says and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 09:36:00 +0000

Melbourne Airport monorail idea not a priority, but worthy of discussion, Premier says
Melbourne Airport monorail idea not a priority, but worthy of discussion, Premier says Updated October 09, 2016 13:59:00 A plan for a monorail to Melbourne Airport is not high on the list of priorities but is worth discussing at some point in the future, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrew says.A private consortium held discussions with some members of the Government over a $1.2 billion plan for a fast monorail to the airport.The Government is facing pressure to improve tra..
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Qld govt invokes special power for Adani

The Queensland government has invoked special powers to ensure the controversial Carmichael coal and rail project starts next year. The combined mine, rail and associated water infrastructure have all been declared critical infrastructure - the first time this has happened in seven years. As well, the development's special "prescribed project" status has been renewed and expanded to include its water infrastructure. State Development Minister Anthony Lynham says the decision will mean less red ..
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Driverless bus a weirdly normal experience

Angus LivingstonAustralian Associated PressIs it weird sitting in a driverless shuttle bus as it slowly drives you along a Melbourne road?No. In fact it's almost unsettling how quickly normal it seems.The Transdev shuttle humming through Albert Park on Sunday is already in full use in Europe, moving at a top speed of 40km/h.If you've ever been a passenger in a bus or even in a theme park ride, the experience is similar.There's an emergency stop button and an automated ramp that slides out when n..
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'Striking' Sydney property owners 'too scared to sell' trigger market angst

An investor bought this one-bedroom unit at 6/45 Gipps Street in East Melbourne for $1,015,000 at auction on the weekend. Supplied Weekend capital city property auctions saw some properties fetch prices far above reserve, with buyers outstripping sellers in 'abnormal' market conditions.A one bedrooom apartment in East Melbourne, a leafy upmarket postcode one parkland away from the CBD, sold for a record $1.015 million.The 76 square metre ground..
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Can we rely on renewables?

SA blackout 'due to weather, not renewables'1:42SA Premier Jay Weatherill says last week's blackout was caused by severe weather, not renewable energy. South Australia’s newest wind farm at Hornsdale was switched on to the electricity grid on July 7.WHEN an entire state went dark last week, rightly or wrongly, people started questioning whether renewables were reliable.The huge storm that swept through South Australia produced a tornado and brought down 23 transmission towers eventually leading..
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Ford Falcon's emotional send off

Last Ford Falcon rolls off the line0:45The last Ford Falcon rolled off the line at the Broadmedows plant today. The last Ford made in Australia, ending 91 years of local manufacturing for the US giant. Picture: Supplied.Joshua DowlingNews Corp Australia NetworkTHE Ford Falcon got an emotional send-off as Broadmeadows ended 91 years of manufacturing in Australia for the US car giant yesterday.From 1925 til then Ford Australia built more than 5.9 million vehicles — more than 4.3 million of them a..
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Mark Bouris: why home ownership is one of the best investments you can make

Australians are always on the lookout for a good investment and an opportunity to make their income work harder.But remember one of the best financial opportunities is the Aussie family home. Yes, you may have to take on a large debt to buy it, but the family home also becomes your biggest asset, which is why it accounted for 43 per cent of Australian household assets in 2014. Home ownership is a good foundation for building wealth. Before looking elsewhere for investment opportunities, ..
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Barrick Super Pit sale draws local, foreign bidders

Barrick Gold's stake in the Kalgoorlie Super Pit mine – Australia's largest open-cut mine – has drawn interest from a range of local and overseas miners in a deal that could raise as much as $US1billion.Australian producers Newcrest Mining, Northern Star Resources and Evolution Mining are also reviewing data on the mine ahead of possible indicative bids, which are due by the end of October. Chinese companies including China National Gold Group and Shandong Gold Mining are also considering offer..
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Socceroos chasing three points from World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia in Jeddah .	Portrait exhibition features Launceston locals living with a disability .
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Likens Self To Hitler, Causes Controversy Anew .	Southern Stars extend world No.1 ranking .

Yes, they all apologised, but what else did we learn from bank CEOs and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 14:06:00 +0000

Yes, they all apologised, but what else did we learn from bank CEOs
Shane Wrightand Phoebe Wearne, Canberra - The West Australian on October 8, 2016, 12:25 am Over three days, they talked about unscrupulous financial advisers, big fees, enormous profit margins and whopping executive salaries. The Turnbull Government’s three-day banking inquiry, which closed on Thursday, saw a disparate group of 10 MPs work through a series of the issues with the big four banks’ powerful bosses.But what did we actually learn?Bankers know how to apologiseEach ..
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Fair Trading tells people to avoid Shark Tank-backed online business Her Fashion Box

It started out as a Shark Tank-backed success story of a young woman with $200,000 from high-profile investors Janine Allis and Andrew Banks, but a year later, Her Fashion Box founder Kath Purkis is fending off a warning from NSW Fair Trading that people should avoid her online fashion subscription business. Fair Trading commissioner Rod Stowe said his company had received several complaints about herfashionbox.com and had difficulty making contact with Purkis. As a result, they issued a “do n..
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Did the parliamentary hearings into the big four banks do their job?

In the bowels of Parliament House, the Commonwealth Bank's chief Executive Officer Ian Narev strode confidently into the main committee room and took his seat.Just beyond him, cameras clicked and flashed. Beyond the cameras, members of parliament took their own seats, ready for a showdown. More Business Videos Previous slide Next slide Fab four's greatest hits 'Flash crash' decimates pound sterling All eyes on Chinese inflation and currency ..
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CFMEU seeks tougher building safety code

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The truth about interest rates and bank funding costs

So you've heard the big four banks' explanations for why they couldn't pass on to mortgage holders all of the Reserve Bank's cuts to the cash rate.Do you believe them? More Business Videos Previous slide Next slide Glenn Stevens: The future of property All eyes on Chinese inflation and currency Ex-Ford workers to become 'pastors, scuba instructors' Google won't bid on Twitter: reports Jetstar mid-air punch up Fab four's..
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Ford Falcon's emotional send off

Last Ford Falcon rolls off the line0:45The last Ford Falcon rolled off the line at the Broadmedows plant today. The last Ford made in Australia, ending 91 years of local manufacturing for the US giant. Picture: Supplied.Joshua DowlingNews Corp Australia NetworkTHE Ford Falcon got an emotional send-off as Broadmeadows ended 91 years of manufacturing in Australia for the US car giant yesterday.From 1925 til then Ford Australia built more than 5.9 million vehicles — more than 4.3 million of them a..
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Wall Street off as pound crashes; jobs data keeps Fed on track

NEW YORK: US stocks slipped on Friday as a drop in the British pound injected unwanted volatility to financial markets, while a weaker-than-expected jobs report was not enough to derail expectations for a rate hike from the Federal Reserve before the end of the year. Major indexes posted their first negative week in four. The pound lost 1.4 per cent to the dollar on Friday, and at one point earlier it had tumbled as much as 10 per cent over just a few minutes, a "flash crash" that fu..
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Socceroos chasing three points from World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia in Jeddah .	Portrait exhibition features Launceston locals living with a disability .
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Likens Self To Hitler, Causes Controversy Anew .	Southern Stars extend world No.1 ranking .

West Launceston, Riverside and Trevallyn primary schools partner ... and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 12:27:00 +0000

West Launceston, Riverside and Trevallyn primary schools partner ...
Students from across Launceston put their heads together and got creative at Riverside on Thursday. WORKING TOGETHER: Angus Purtell, Ryan Moreton, Maisie Burns and Amelia Hanson work on their creative writing skills at The Write Road workshop. Picture: Michelle Wisbey Students from across Launceston put their heads together and got creative at Riverside High School on Thursday. Grade 5 and 6 pupils from West Launceston, Riverside and Trevallyn primary schools have spent the past f..
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Office of the Children's eSafety Commissioner holds forum on cyber ...

Students and teachers came together to make the online world a safer place on Thursday. With almost 20 per cent of Australian young people being bullied online, parents and teachers are coming together to make the online world a safer place. SAFETY: Office of the Children's eSafety Commissioner senior trainer Greg Gebhart holding a forum on how to prevent cyber bullying. Picture: Scott Gelston The Children’s eSafety Workshop was held in Launceston on Thursday and aimed to teach ed..
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Benefits still flowing from Sally's Ride

A fundraiser Sally Fletcher started 14 years ago continues to build resilience and improve the mental health of young people. A fundraiser Sally Fletcher started 14 years ago continues to build resilience and improve the mental health of young people. She listened to the ways Sally’s Ride still benefits programs assisting young people on Thursday at a luncheon in Launceston. THUMBS UP: Troy Roberts, John Clements from City Mission, Sally Fletcher, Andrea Tiffin from Longford Prima..
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Alps to conquer mountain

THIS year’s Freycinet Challenge women's favourite Sally Alps will compete on a borrowed bike. FOCUSED: Launceston multi-sport athlete Sally Alps is hoping to go one better this year and take out the Freycinet Challenge this weekend. Picture: Scott GelstonTHIS year’s Freycinet Challenge women's favourite Sally Alps will compete on a borrowed bike.A thief plucked the 43-year-old Launceston businesswoman’s mountain bike off the back of her car last Friday – just one week out from the..
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Diamonds fall to NZ 53-51 in netball Test

Australia has faltered in game two of the Constellation Cup netball series, falling in a thriller 53-51 to New Zealand in their Test in Launceston.Australia have faltered in game two of the Constellation Cup netball series, falling in a thriller 53-51 to New Zealand in their Test in Launceston. After a crushing 68-56 victory in the first Test in Sydney, the Diamonds couldn't handle a lift in defensive pressure by the Kiwis. With the remaining two matches in New Zealand, starting with Auckland on..
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COMMENT: Why Mitchell trade a no-brainer for Eagles, Hawks

Shayne Hope, Melbourne - The West Australian on October 13, 2016, 9:46 am Sam Mitchell’s imminent move to WA is an absolute no-brainer for the West Coast Eagles. But what about for Hawthorn? That depends on whether you believe Hawks list manager Graham Wright.Wright told Hawthorn’s website that Mitchell’s exit wasn’t critical to their pursuit of young midfield pair Tom Mitchell and Jaegar O’Meara.Sam Mitchell is firming for a move to West Coast next season.But the fact the H..
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Longford Show set up | Photos | Video

The 160th Longford Show will be held at the Longford Showground on Saturday October 15. SHOWTIME: Longford Show Society secretary Kristy Springer is preparing for Saturday's 160th show at Longford Showground. Picture: Melissa MobbsFamilies have been enjoying a day out at the Longford Show for 160 years.With more than 7000 people through the gates each year, organiser’s of the 2016 event are expecting it to be another big show.“It’s a very family friendly show, the kids always love..
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Cancer Council Tasmania offers Seize the Day scholarships to ...

Cancer Council Tasmania's Seize the Day scholarship applications are open. WINNER: Seize The Day scholarship winner Cassie Ross receives her award from Nicholas D’Antoine from the Cape Hope Foundation. Picture: SuppliedWhen Cassie Ross, of Launceston, was in year 12 in 2013, her mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She died the same year. “My experience with cancer has influenced my life in both a negative and a positive way,” Ms Ross said. Inspired by her mum, Ms Ross decide..
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My dream time

PAM McClelland is a single mum with two daughters but tonight she’ll be living her dream as she fights on Daniel “The Real Deal” Geale’s undercard in Tasmania.It’s a long way from Buff Point to Geale’s hometown of Launceston.The committed boxer has switched gyms. She now travels down to the southwestern fringe of Sydney to train out of Geale’s Grange Old School Gym in Smeaton Grange.“Bam Bam” will take on Georgia Bailey and will be followed by her idol Geale, who takes on Aussie and IBO Internat..
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Shrewd trainer with a 100-1 “good thing”

Vern Poke. (Pic: Tasracing) Ahead of Wednesday night's eight race card at Launceston, trainer Vern Poke was talking the talk. The Spreyton handler was adamant his galloper Before All, a 100-1 shot, that hadn’t won at his past 41 runs and had just two victories in 82 starts to his name, was a “good thing” in Race 2 - a 1220m Class 2. And at 7pm (AEDT), Before All walked the walk, the eight-year-old breaking through for his first win since February, 2015, thanks to a superb ride from apprentice Je..
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Gun found under patient's pillow at South Australian mental health facility .	Revealed: The curious stats from Wallaby losses in 2016 Test season .
Socceroos chasing three points from World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia in Jeddah .	Portrait exhibition features Launceston locals living with a disability .

Gun found under patient's pillow at South Australian mental health facility and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 11:58:00 +0000

Gun found under patient's pillow at South Australian mental health facility
Gun found under patient's pillow at South Australian mental health facility Posted October 06, 2016 13:53:59 Police have seized a gun found under a patient's pillow in a mental health ward at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in Adelaide.SA Police said the small, unloaded firearm was found in the Cramond Clinic mental health facility in the city's western suburbs on Wednesday."The firearm was not pointed or directed at any other staff or patients, and no threats were..
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More young girls asking GPs about genital cosmetic surgery, study finds

A world-first study has found that girls as young as 15 are asking their GPs about genital cosmetic surgery, and are increasingly concerned that their genitals don’t look “normal”. Lead author of the study, Dr Magdalena Simonis from the University of Melbourne’s department of general practice, said she was compelled to conduct the survey after her own patients began asking about labiaplasty, a surgical procedure that removes tissue from the labia. “I felt underprepared to respond to those reque..
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Surgeons remove 'tail' from Indian teen

A teenager in India has had an 18cm “tail” removed from his lower back after hiding the unusual growth for his whole life. A team of neurosurgeons operated on the 18-year-old on Sunday and removed what they say is the longest recorded growth of its type, the Asian Age reports. Dr Pramod Giri, who headed the surgery, said the boy was born with the condition but he and his family had hidden it from others because of fears over the social stigma attached to it. Over the years it continued to grow...
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Coroner clears doctor over baby's death after home birth

A coroner has cleared a doctor of wrongdoing in the death of a baby girl who died minutes after he delivered her at her parents' home.Martha Alice Fraser was born three days after she was due at her parents' Collingwood home on May 30, 2011. A coroner has said parents of a newborn who died shortly after birth were subject to a a "tragic misunderstanding". The baby was in a more risky breech position in the womb, which meant she was naturally born feet first, rather than head first.Her fa..
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Mozzies could thrive after SA floods

The mosquito population could take off in South Australia as receding floodwaters and warmer weather create ideal breeding conditions, health authorities warn. SA Health will work with local council staff in flood-affected areas over the coming weeks to control mosquito breeding on public lands. "As flood waters recede, pools of water left behind may create perfect breeding sites for mosquitoes,"" SA Health's director of health protection Dr Chris Lease said.
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Stillbirths set to cost economy $681.4m

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North Queensland toddler fighting meningococcal

A 15-month-old boy is in a north Queensland hospital battling meningococcal disease.The toddler's mother took him to a Mackay emergency department on Wednesday after he showed symptoms of the potentially fatal disease. Townsville Hospital confirmed the boy was in a stable condition in their intensive care unit. Photo: Gabriele Charotte He was rushed to Townsville Hospital and the hospital has confirmed he's now in a stable condition in their intensive care unit.Townsville Hospital's Dr S..
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Woman awarded more than $300000 after garden chair collapse at Kmart

Before the accident, Kmart staff were fully aware customers were taking plastic, green chairs from the gardening section and using them in the photo lab area, a court has found. Customers would do this because there were not enough steel chairs for people to sit on while they were processing their photos on touch screen computers. A woman has been awarded $300,000 in damages after she fell off a chair at Kmart. The $8 plastic green chairs were only 50 metres away from the photo processi..
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New rules to ensure decontamination of SA properties that concealed clandestine drug labs

New rules to ensure decontamination of SA properties that concealed clandestine drug labs Posted October 06, 2016 06:40:23 Ensuring that homes used to hide drug labs are properly decontaminated before being reoccupied is the aim of new guidelines coming into effect in South Australia today.Health Minister Jack Snelling said there was currently a "lack of clarity" in determining what happens to homes that have been used to conceal clandestine drug labs.Dr Chris Lease f..
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Labor rejects Telstra-run cancer register

Federal Labor is demanding a string of changes to the way Australia's new cervical cancer screening program is to be rolled out, insisting it's been "bungled" by the government. From May 1, the two-yearly Pap test will be replaced by an improved five-yearly cervical screening test administered by one national register, along with the bowel cancer screening program. Telstra Health has won the contract to run the register but Labor and doctors' groups are concerned about a for-profit company havi..
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Southern Stars extend world No.1 ranking .	Abarth 124 Spider from $42K .
In the designer latte age, sheep results still matter at the Show .	After the Nauru files, how can Australia go about ending offshore detention? .

Revealed: The curious stats from Wallaby losses in 2016 Test season and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 08:12:00 +0000

Revealed: The curious stats from Wallaby losses in 2016 Test season
THE Wallabies are just two from eight in the 2016 Test season.But Fox Sports Lab has uncovered some curious stats that show they’re not such a bad team — at least not in some statistical attacking categories.Sunday’s 18-10 defeat to South Africa in Pretoria was the third time the Wallabies have lost this season despite scoring more tries than their opposition.Prop Scott Sio crossed the chalk at Loftus Versfeld for his first Test try while the Springboks’ points all came via the boot of five-eigh..
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Sydney FC, Western Sydney Wanderers fan A-League derby flames ahead of opening-round showdown

Sydney FC, Western Sydney Wanderers fan A-League derby flames ahead of opening-round showdown By Frank Ienco Updated October 05, 2016 17:51:48 Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold and captain Alex Brosque have added further fuel ahead of an explosive opening-round Sydney derby.Western Sydney will host Saturday night's fixture at Sydney's Olympic stadium in front of an anticipated A-League record crowd that could eclipse the 55,436 that attended the 2007 grand final in Me..
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NBL bosses hail Australian first as all games live streamed into China

Every NBL game will be live streamed into China this season.NBL managing director Larry Kestelman and general manager Jeremy Loeliger announced the deal on the eve of the new season, which tips off on Thursday night. NBL games will be live in China this year. Photo: Getty Images Kestelman made it priority No. 1 for the league to extend its digital reach as far as possible this season and his persistence will see Ali Sports, owned by e-commerce giant Alibaba Group and Sina Sports, show e..
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Ex-Tottenham youngster wins $11.7 million in damages - SBS

In 2006, scans showed the then 17-year-old had an abnormal heart yet he was allowed to sign a professional contract before collapsing and suffering a cardiac arrest in his next appearance. The young striker's father claimed the injuries were a result of the negligence of Spurs' sports physicians, prompting a 10-year court battle. Hamed was finally granted compensation in the region of $11.7 million on Tuesday, with a solicitor, working on behalf of his family, then issuing a statement outside t..
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Argentinian Isa target for Wallabies

The Wallabies would be ‘silly’ not to target Argentinian number 8 Facundo Isa, if he lines up for the Pumas on Sunday morning (AEDT), forward Dean Mumm says. Isa suffered a leg injury in the back end of Argentina’s most recent defeat to the All Blacks, leaving him in doubt for this weekend’s twickenham clash, but if he plays, he will be enemy number one. The 23-year-old has been a revelation for the Pumas through the Rugby Championship, leading the tournament in carries (85) and making the seco..
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Fremantle, GWS Giants discuss Cam McCarthy, trade updates on Daniel Wells, Lin Jong — AFL Media Watch

FREMANTLE remains in the box seat to secure GWS’ Cam McCarthy, but both clubs are yet to come to an understanding on the forward’s value, despite recently entering “good faith discussions”.And AFL list guru Terry Wallace believes the two clubs are “a million miles apart”.The 21-year-old didn’t play for the Giants in 2016 and spent ample time in his home state of WA as he dealt with mental health issues.The Dockers tried valiantly during last year’s AFL exchange period to secure McCarthy, who sti..
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NBL season preview 2016-17: Melbourne United tipped to win it all

The NBL season tips off on Thursday night when the newly-returned Brisbane Bullets host the Perth Wildcats in Brisbane. Here's an in-depth preview of all eight teams.ADELAIDE 36ers Last season: 14-14, 5th place.Coach: Joey Wright.Likely starters: Jerome Randle (import), Terrance Ferguson (i), Mitch Creek, Eric Jacobsen (i), Daniel Johnson.Bench: Brendan Teys, Nathan Sobey, Majok Deng, Matt Hodgson, Anthony Drmic, Adam Doyle, Sam Johns, Nelson Larkins. The star: Randle was a scoring sensation la..
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Senior Kangaroos back Andrew Fifita, Semi Radradra axe, says Johnathan Thurston

Kangaroos great Johnathan Thurston says senior players not only supported the decision to omit Andrew Fifita and Semi Radradra, but drove the values that saw the controversial duo banished from Mal Meninga's Four Nation's squad.The ARL Commission delivered the news that Fifita and Radradra were judged unfit for duty in green and gold, with Fifita under investigation from the NRL for his support of convicted killer Kieran Loveridge and Radradra facing domestic violence charges. More ..
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Melbourne Cup winner Michelle Payne banned by Racing NSW over dual licence

Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne has expressed disbelief and frustration after being told she will not be able to ride in NSW because she holds a dual training-and-riding licence in Victoria."Are they serious?" she asked in a tweet after the ruling. More Sport Videos Previous slide Next slide Plays of the Week 2016/17 A-League season promo debuts Celtic U-20s debut 13-year-old Lyon backs Aussie series win Luongo backs ..
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Southern Stars extend world No.1 ranking .	Abarth 124 Spider from $42K .
In the designer latte age, sheep results still matter at the Show .	After the Nauru files, how can Australia go about ending offshore detention? .

Socceroos chasing three points from World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia in Jeddah and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 12:04:00 +0000

Socceroos chasing three points from World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia in Jeddah

SOCCEROOS boss Ange Postecoglou has declared that he wants three points from his sharp and confident team’s trip to Saudi Arabia on Friday.Thrilled that most of his European-based players have made an early-season impact, Postecoglou has predicted selection headaches come November when the A-League season will be in full swing.The Socceroos are virtually full-strength for the Saudi Arabia and Japan double-header with keeper Mat Ryan to join the squad after returning to Valencia training last Mon..
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Berdych retains Shenzhen tennis title

Defending champion Tomas Berdych retained his Shenzhen Open tennis title to move a step closer to a place at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. Top seed Berdych beat Richard Gasquet 7-6 (5) 6-7 (2) 6-3 and moves to within 330 points of Rafael Nadal, who currently holds the eighth and final place in London. Berdych dropped his serve in the opening game but immediately broke Gasquet back and claimed the set in the tie-break on his first set point. The Czech served for the match in the second set..
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Football Federation Australia aims for TV soccer bidding war

Football Federation Australia is set to formally test the market on broadcast rights to a suite of its "products" now that its exclusive period of negotiations with current broadcaster Fox Sports is over.The FFA will be hoping that free-to-air networks Seven, Nine and Ten, are interested in bidding for the A-League and other games which it holds the rights to, such as the W-League and Socceroos friendlies. Banking on it: Officials hope Tim Cahill will drive up A-league interest. Photo: Get..
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Dogs' party rolls on

Thousands flock to Whitten Oval as weary Dogs' party rolls on Dinny Navaratnam October 2, 2016 3:21 PM Doggies fans party, pick one on table Nat Edwards presents Footy Feed from Whitten Oval THEY gathered in their thousands at Whitten Oval, some nursing sore heads, most still shaking theirs in disbelief. The party to end all parties rolled on into Sunday as more than 20,000 fans packed out Whitten Oval to celebrate the Western..
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'No other player could have done that'

Cameron Munster 7.5 Faultless at the back and did everything he could to spark his side. FULLBACK Ben Barba 7.5 Prominent first half with clever try and threatened whenever he got involved. Suliasi Vunivalu 7 Wasn’t afraid to take the tough hit-up and threatened late in the game. WING Sosaia Feki 7 Played like an extra forward and did a good job until injury slowed him up. Will Chambers 7.5 Scored a try and was dangerous bu..
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Formula One: Ricciardo breaks through for season-first win in Malaysian GP

Daniel Ricciardo won Sunday'sÂ Malaysian Grand PrixÂ after aÂ sensational start, a touch of luck, a winningÂ joust with hisÂ teammateÂ and a rareÂ engine failure from Mercedes.Â âThe Australian'sÂ first win of the seasonÂ was long overdue,Â after recent missesÂ including a strategy letdownÂ at the Spanish Grand PrixÂ and a pitstop blunder when leading in Monaco.Â More Sport Videos Previous slide Next slide Ricciardo wins Malaysian Grand Prix Cronulla Sharks..
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NRL grand final 2016: After 50 long years, it really is 'Up, Up Cronulla'

Something didn't seem quite right, and it wasn't that at the official kick-off time of the 2016 NRL grand final, the middle 30 was being patrolled by Richard Wilkins and a Bon Jovi covers band.Nor was it that two of the best seats in the house were occupied by the one-time deputy mayor of Auburn, Salim Mehajer, and a pneumatic mannequin, both in Melbourne Storm colours. An instant team for an instant celebrity. As not-right as that was, that wasn't the thing either. More Sport Video..
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NRL grand final 2016: How the Melbourne players rated

1. Cameron MunsterPretty quiet game by his standards – no mistakes but not a great deal of offensive involvement outside of kick returns. 6/10 Melbourne's finest: Jesse Bromwich played well in a beaten side. Photo: Getty Images 2. Suliasi Vunivalu Prolific rookie season, but struggled to get involved here. The winger was almost completely starved of quality ball. 4 3. Will Chambers Solid defensively and struck with venom with his one chance in attack. Did what was asked of him, but was a..
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Cancer survivor Lewis earns top honours

CANCER survivor Luke Lewis franked his magnificent NRL career by claiming the Clive Churchill Medal in Cronulla’s historic 14-12 grand-final defeat of the Storm.It is some measure of Lewis’ longevity that the 33-year-old was best-on-ground on Sunday night _ 13 years after appearing in Penrith’s premiership defeat of the Roosters in 2003.Back then, Lewis was a lean winger with spiky blond hair, his speed and nerveless panache playing a key role in the Panthers’ 18-6 upset of the Roosters at ANZ S..
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AFL Premiership 2016: Eager Western Bulldogs fans win a joy ride

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In the designer latte age, sheep results still matter at the Show .	After the Nauru files, how can Australia go about ending offshore detention? .
Tomic and Kyrgios solidify bratty status at US Open .	Vodafone says sorry with free data .

Portrait exhibition features Launceston locals living with a disability and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 07:24:00 +0000

Portrait exhibition features Launceston locals living with a disability

Portrait exhibition features Launceston locals living with a disability Posted September 27, 2016 16:24:55 There was some nervous energy at the opening of an art exhibition in Launceston featuring people living with a disability.As people wandered around the room taking in each image, the subjects and photographers nervously watched the reactions.One of the subjects on the wall of the Launceston gallery is Justin Nilon who had one thing that he wanted to get across to..
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Blues secure Lonergan in three-year deal

AFTER 12 months of pain, Launceston is hoping to return to TSL finals territory after securing the services of former Essendon player Sam Lonergan as its senior coach for the next three years.Yesterday the Blues announced that Lonergan would be their senior playing coach — a position he was set to take up this year — on a three-year contract after his 12-month ban for being involved in Essendon’s supplement scandal expires on November 14.media_cameraFormer Essendon footballer Sam Lonergan is Lau..
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Stimulus package: council loans to boost development, create 800 ...

Stimulus package: council loans to boost development, create 800 jobs in northern Tasmania Updated September 27, 2016 12:45:35 Councils will be able to get interest-free loans as part of a $100 million package to stimulate economic activity and create 800 jobs in Tasmania's north and north-west. Key points$60m in loans available for councils$40m fast-tracked from state budgetPackage to create 800 jobs across north The Government has unveiled a stimulus package which w..
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Canberra Long Weekender: What's on September 30-October 3

Fashfest returns on September 29-October 1 with two runway shows each night. Photo: Graham Tidy All weekendNIGHTFEST Floriade lights up after dark for five nights of music, food, comedy and entertainment. September 28-October 2, 6.30-10.30pm. Commonwealth Park. $12-$27 from floriadeaustralia.com/nightfest/. FLORIADE The month-long floral festival and celebration of spring is on with more than 1 million blooms, workshops, cooking demonstrations, children's activities, gardening ti..
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Sharni growing on international stage

The 28-year-old heads into next month’s four-game Constellation Cup series against New Zealand’s Silver Ferns on the back of three solid performances in the recent Netball Quad Series. With Layton in the starting seven for all three of the Diamonds’ hit-outs, the co-hosts scored good wins over South Africa (68-43), England (66-46) and New Zealand (60-55). Australia will open its Constellation Cup campaign against New Zealand at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on October 9. Their October 12 match-up ..
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Football memories for four surviving Westbury players from the 1948 ...

There are only four surviving members of Westbury Football Club’s 1948 state premiership side. There are only four surviving members of Westbury Football Club’s 1948 state premiership side.HISTORIC: The Westbury Football Club's 1948 state premiership team which defeated New Town in the state grand final.Sid West, Alan Mitchelson, Kenny Knowles and Vince Mehegan, are in their 80s these days but can still remember the day they beat New Town at York Park to win the state premiership...
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Rollercoaster ride cures kidney stones

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Breathing easy: farm upbringing best defence against allergies

Protection against allergies and asthma in children who grow up on farms extends into their adulthood and may be linked to other health benefits, a new study reveals.A long-running international analysis, led by Australian researchers, also found that women who lived on farms as small children had stronger lungs than those raised inner city. Dust from dairy farms could be the key to an asthma vaccine. Photo: Louie Douvis The research published in The BMJ's Thorax journal today studied mo..
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Majority of dating app users looking for long-term love, research shows

Majority of dating app users looking for long-term love, research shows By Edwina Seselja Posted September 27, 2016 19:23:26 Dating apps may not be the end of monogamous long-term relationships, researchers have revealed, after the majority of surveyed users flagged finding love as their main motivation for using the technology.The University of Sydney's Mitchell Hobbs conducted a study, published in the Journal of Sociology, that looked at the online dating ha..
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Black lung battle has just begun: expert

The battle against black lung in Australia has only just begun as scientists remain very much in the dark on the disease , Melbourne experts warn. Since May last year, Queensland has confirmed 15 cases of Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis (CWP), or black lung - a fatal, incurable disease of the lungs thought to have been eradicated 30 years ago. A man who worked in underground longwall mines for 36 years, most recently at the Carborough Downs in Central Queensland, where four other black lung cases ..
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Tomic and Kyrgios solidify bratty status at US Open .	Vodafone says sorry with free data .
Man shot in face in Launceston .	'Destiny: Rise of Iron' first impressions .

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Likens Self To Hitler, Causes Controversy Anew and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 11:13:00 +0000

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Likens Self To Hitler, Causes Controversy Anew
If you are going to compare yourself to any historical figures or world leaders, then there are probably other less controversial ones out there besides Adolf Hitler. On Friday, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte made comments comparing himself to the infamous leader of the Nazi regime, saying he wants to kill millions of drug addicts, just like how Hitler exterminated millions of Jews during the Holocaust. “Hitler massacred three million Jews. Now there is three million, what is it, three mi..
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Donald Trump accuses beauty queen and Miss Universe Alicia Machado of sex tape when she was on reality TV show ...

Trump vs. Miss Universe: When Will It End?5:19Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump continued his attack on former Miss Universe Alicia Machado with a series of tweets early Friday morning. WSJ national politics editor Aaron Zitner joins Lunch Break to discuss how Trump's supporters might feel it is best for Trump to move on from the attacks. Photo: AP Venezuelan Alicia Machado, former Miss Universe 1996, is seen here in 2006 near her Playboy cover. Picture: AFPDONALD Trump’s Twitter tir..
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Germany accepted some 200000 fewer refugees than amount previously reported

Germany accepted some 200,000 fewer refugees than amount previously reported LONDON — 1.1 million. The number has been featured in numerous headlines and discussed in German parliamentary sessions as the number of refugees and migrants the country said it had accepted last year. In reality, Germany never accepted that many. On Friday, the German Interior Ministry corrected one of 2015's most widely discussed numbers by 200,000. The current official tally is about 890,000 entered t..
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Bulgaria the latest European country to ban the burqa and niqab in public places

Sofia: Bulgaria's parliament on Friday banned the wearing of face veils in public in a move tha drew immediate criticism from Amnesty International.The "burqa ban" law, pushed by the nationalist Patriotic Front coalition echoes similar measures in western European countries such as France, the Netherlands and Belgium, which all have laws banning the wearing of either niqab full-face veils or burqas in some public places. More News Videos Previous slide Next slide Burkin..
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BBC newsreader moved to tears by video of Syrian baby rescue

A BBC newsreader has been moved to tears after covering a story about an orphaned baby pulled from the rubble after a building was bombed in Idlib, Syria. The news story showed a rescue worker weeping after pulling the 30-day-old girl from the rubble. When the BBC News cut back to anchor Kate Silverton, her eyes had welled with tears and her voice cracked as she introduced the next story. "To all of you sending thoughts – thank you – no words really – my job to be inscrutable & impartial bu..
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Report: Shots fired at Abbas's home day after PA president attended Peres funeral

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's Ramallah home was reportedly struck by gunfire Saturday morning, a day after attending former president Shimon Peres's memorial service at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, according to Channel 2 citing Palestinian media reports.Israeli senior officials, however, denied that such an incident took place. "It never happened," Israeli authorities told Channel 2 Saturday.They added that it was most likely due to a Palestinian civil..
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Bombs cripple Aleppo's largest hospital

Hospital destruction brings new crisis for Aleppo wounded0:51After air strikes hit two hospitals in Aleppo this week, the United Nations is expressing fears for the fate of more than 600 wounded residents who need medical attention. In this photo provided by the Syrian Civil Defense group known as the White Helmets shows a destroyed ambulance outside the Syrian Civil Defense main center. Picture: APAFPNews Corp Australia NetworkTHE largest hospital in rebel-held east Aleppo was bombed on Saturd..
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Prince George and Princess Charlotte have wowed Canada but exposed challenge of royal parenting

It was highly anticipated as the tour that would see Prince George and Princess Charlotte take Canada by storm. And when they came out to play in front of the cameras at a party for military families there is no doubt that they did. The extremely rare and fleeting glimpse into the Cambridges' family life was every bit as illuminating as fans - and even the mildly interested - could have hoped for. From Charlotte battering balloons in delight and bouncing on a dog, to George blowing bubbles at h..
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Cop smashes windshield with man's face

Cop shatters windscreen with man's face0:25An Ohio police officer slams a handcuffed black man?s face into the windshield of a police cruiser so hard that the impact cracks the glass. Courtesy: Live Leak The dashcam video shows the windshield cracking after Pele Smith’s head was slammed into it.Staff writersNews Corp Australia NetworkPOLICE brutality against black Americans has been highlighted — yet again — by a video showing a cop breaking a car windshield with a handcuffed man’s face.While t..
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After the Nauru files, how can Australia go about ending offshore detention? .	Tomic and Kyrgios solidify bratty status at US Open .
Vodafone says sorry with free data .	Man shot in face in Launceston .

Southern Stars extend world No.1 ranking and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 16:41:00 +0000

Southern Stars extend world No.1 ranking

The Southern Stars, Australia's women's cricket team, have increased their lead atop the ICC's world rankings. Australia's women's cricket team have extended the gap between them and the rest of the world. The International Cricket Council's annual rankings update was released on Tuesday and the world No.1 Australia have opened up a six point gap ahead of nearest rivals England, who they previously led by four rankings points. New Zealand are a further four points back in third, with I..
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Football: David Gallop trumpets expansion at A-League launch - The West Australian

Emma Kemp - AAP on October 4, 2016, 4:22 pm Football Federation Australia chief executive David Gallop has promised to expand the A-League to 12 teams, potentially in as few as two years, with promotion and relegation the long-term goal. But he would not say exactly when - and where - this would occur.Until very recently, growth was off the agenda for the next four years as FFA prioritised stabilising the 10 existing teams.But calls for wholesale change have been gaining tra..
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New A-League advert hits the mark with 'you've got to have a team' slogan

EXPANSION, promotion and relegation to get the converted excited, and to show theyâre listening. And a 10-year-old boy called Yoshi, to spread the gospel.In the space of a few minutes on Tuesday, Football Federation Australia laid out two pretty clear ambitions for the game as they launched the A-League season, readying for 60,000 fans or more at the Sydney derby in round one this weekend.David Gallop pitched expansion of the A-League, and eventually, the “ultimate prize” of promotion and rele..
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Emily Seebohm has her medical records hacked by Fancy Bears

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Hotel maid stroked my arm: Andy Murray

Tennis champion Andy Murray has revealed he was stalked around Europe by a hotel maid who once woke him by entering his bedroom and stroking his arm. The Wimbledon and Olympic champion believes the uninvited guest followed him to two tournaments after she was spotted at his hotels. Despite having a 'do not disturb' sign on his door in the first incident, Murray said the maid let herself in and approached his bed before perching by his side and touching him. The 29-year-old described the behavio..
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The great injustice of AFL and NRL grand finals

So it came to pass; the two sentimental favourite teams won the AFL and NRL grand finals after long periods without success. As my ‘Grand final convergence theory’ article demonstrated, they were also teams playing in only their third official grand final, and were teams of three colours playing against teams who’d last one the competition in 2012. It was meant to be! But was it fair? There was another, more significant commonality between the Western Bulldogs and Cronulla last weekend: both w..
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Socceroos defender Matthew Spiranovic could tackle Saudi spitter

Matthew Spiranovic is set for a showdown with the controversial Saudi Arabian striker who spat at him in the bitter aftermath of Western Sydney's AFC Champions League final victory.The Socceroos defender could well find himself toe-to-toe with Nasser Al-Shamrani, the Al-Hilal frontman who is in the Saudi squad for Thursday's World Cup qualifier (Friday morning AEDT). More Sport Videos Previous slide Next slide Plays of the Week Socceroos embrace hostile crowds..
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Andrew Fifita Four Nations ban: Crackdown on player misbehaviour will also affect Origin

Rugby league has declared a "zero tolerance" selection policy on alleged bad boys and the governing body says it expects the decision to exclude Andrew Fifita and Semi Radradra from the Kangaroos' Four Nations campaign will have a flow-down effect into State of Origin next season.After naming coach Mal Meninga's 24-man squad on Tuesday morning, ARL Commission chairman John Grant said omitting Fifita and Radradra from the Four Nations squad was a "positive statement" for the game, saying: "Rugby..
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Brisbane Lions turn to Tasmanian talent to turn around fortunes

Brisbane Lions turn to Tasmanian talent to turn around fortunes Posted October 04, 2016 18:38:14 Two Tasmanians have been tasked with turning around the fortunes of the Brisbane Lions in the AFL.Chris Fagan has been announced as senior coach, taking over from club legend Justin Leppitsch.Alongside him in the coaches' box will be fellow Tasmanian David Noble, who joins the club as football operations manager.Fagan, 55, is sixth coach to come off the Hawthorn production..
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Transfer news: Reds capture FFA Cup star - Hyundai A

Adelaide United have announced the signing of Blacktown City FC winger Danny Choi as an injury replacement for Marcelo Carrusca. 21-year-old Choi has played a starring role in Blacktown City’s National Premier League side during 2016 and also its charge in the Westfield FFA Cup. Choi scored 13 goals in 23 matches in this season’s NPL. The South Korean forward, who now resides in Australia, has signed a short-term deal with the Reds to replace the injured Marcelo Carrusca. United’s H..
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Abarth 124 Spider from $42K .	In the designer latte age, sheep results still matter at the Show .
After the Nauru files, how can Australia go about ending offshore detention? .	Tomic and Kyrgios solidify bratty status at US Open .

Launceston north of Tasmania News

Best fitness bands: Fitbit Charge 2, Samsung Gear Fit and more and other top stories.

Best fitness bands: Fitbit Charge 2, Samsung Gear Fit and more

Gartner predicts 17% public cloud services growth

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Adelaide's Cirio sidelined indefinitely - SBS and other top stories.

Adelaide's Cirio sidelined indefinitely - SBS

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Apple iPhone 7 is good, but OnePlus 3 is much more value for money and other top stories.

Apple iPhone 7 is good, but OnePlus 3 is much more value for money

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Census Attacked By Traffic From Singapore, But 'Not Hacked' and other top stories.

Census Attacked By Traffic From Singapore, But 'Not Hacked'

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Victory break Red hearts with last-gasp winner and other top stories.

Victory break Red hearts with last-gasp winner

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Cox Plate 2016: Winx defends her crown with incredible victory

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Former Wallaby Rod Kafer slams referee Nigel Owens after controversial no-try call

Brisbane Roar beats Central Coast Mariners 1-0 in gritty response to difficult week

Today at 10:54 PM NRC

Online trolls attack Olympic champ Mack Horton after cancer scare

Bournemouth keep Spurs at bay in hard-fought draw - SBS

Montara oil spill: Push to raise disaster at Bali summit as Julie Bishop visits Indonesia and other top stories.

Montara oil spill: Push to raise disaster at Bali summit as Julie Bishop visits Indonesia

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An Unusually Large Iceberg Broke Off A Glacier And Nobody Noticed and other top stories.

An Unusually Large Iceberg Broke Off A Glacier And Nobody Noticed

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Star Citizen's First-Person View Is Based On Birds and other top stories.

Star Citizen's First-Person View Is Based On Birds

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