The man who murdered Queensland schoolboy Daniel Morcombe has been taken to hospital after a fellow inmate reportedly threw boiling water on him.
Brett Peter Cowan reportedly received burns to his head and chest after he got a “hot shower” – a prison term for pouring a bucket of hot water on someone.
Cowan, who was convicted in 2014 of murdering Morcombe after an eight-year investigation, is believed to be at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital receiving treatment for his burns.
Daniel Morcombe.
A Queensland Corrective Services spokesperson this morning confirmed there was an incident and a prisoner was taken to hospital.
“About 9.15am, correctional officers discovered that the 46-year-old male prisoner was injured and immediately contacted the Queensland Ambulance Service,” the spokesperson said.
“The prisoner was conscious and lucid and was conveyed to a Brisbane Hospital for treatment. An update on his condition is not known at this stage.
“Another prisoner is being interviewed in relation to the incident. The matter is being investigated by the Queensland Police Service’s Corrective Services Investigation Unit and the QCS’s Office of the Chief Inspector.
“As the matter is the subject of a police investigation, QCS can make no further comment.”
In February Cowan was integrated with other inmates after death threats kept him in isolation for nearly two years.
Earlier this year the Brisbane High Court refused to grant Cowan permission to appeal his murder conviction. He is serving a life sentence for killing the 13-year-old schoolboy.
Convenience store owner Adeel Ahmad Khan has been sentenced to 30 years in jail for the murder of Chris Nobel and manslaughter of Bianka O’Brien and her baby son Jude.
In September 2014, Khan deliberately set fire to his shop in Rozelle, in Sydney’s Inner West which led to a catastrophic explosion.
Three people died in the explosion; 27 year old Chris Nobel, who lived in the apartment above Khan’s store and Bianka O’Brien and her 11-month-old son Jude who lived in the apartment next to the Phone Life shop next door.
After the explosion, Khan was found buried under rubble and a commercial fridge. He said “I’m so sorry” to a paramedic who helped him, but denied repeatedly saying, “I didn’t mean it.”
When Khan was found guilty in June this year, Chris Nobel’s mother Liz said she was disappointed with the manslaughter verdict.
“What a dreadful waste of three young lives that should have been safe sleeping in their own beds in Rozelle, as they were 21 months ago; lives taken so callously by the act of a man focused only on his own perceived needs,” she told the SMH.
“Chris was loved by so many people. He was a great young man with a wonderful, fulfilling and happy future ahead of him.
We will miss everything about him every day for the rest of our lives.”
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Barack and Michelle Obama’s 15-year-old daughter has scored a summer job at Nancy’s, a popular seafood restaurant in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.
Sasha, who allegedly wears a badge adorned with her full name, Natasha, spends her four hour shift processing orders at the takeout window, while simultaneously waiting tables.
“She’s been working downstairs at takeout,” a Nancy’s staffer told the Boston Herald. “We were wondering why there were six people helping this girl, but then we found out who it was.”
The fellow employee was, of course, referring to the six Secret Service agents, who reportedly sit outside the café on the tables, or wait for the teen to finish her shift in a large SUV.
And while we’re sure that after eight years in the Whitehouse, Sasha is enjoying some time living and working like a normal teenager, the summer gig won’t last much longer.
According to the publication, the President’s youngest daughter is only rostered on to work until Saturday, when her parents are expected to arrive for their two-week vacation.
Along with Sasha’s first job, the Obamas have been celebrating another family milestone this week.
As the doting dad turned 55, his loving wife shared what could quite possibly be the sweetest tribute we’ve ever seen.
Sharing a candid snap of the two on Instagram, the First Lady wrote, “55 years young and that smile still gets me every single day. Happy birthday, Barack. I love you.”
Watch Barack Obama endorses Hillary Clinton for President in the video player below!
Experts are warning that cases of a flesh-eating ulcer have spiked in Victoria with 45 cases reported this year.
Doctors in the state diagnosing patients with the dangerous Buruli, or Bairnsdale ulcers have more than tripled in five years, with occurrences moving from coastal towns on the Mornington and Bellarine peninsulas, and Phillip Island, to the outer suburbs of Melbourne.
According to the World Health Organisation the Buruli ulcer is a chronic debilitating skin and soft tissue infection that can in extreme cases lead to amputation of affected areas.
PHOTO: Wikipedia.
Globally, there is no solid evidence of how the disease is transmitted, but experts suspect the Victorian cases have been spread through contact with bodies of water, mosquitos and even possums.
“It’s possible that there’s some kind of shuffle going on between the possums and the humans via mosquitos or other biting insects,” said Professor Paul Johnson, from the infectious diseases unit at the Austin Hospital, in Melbourne, told the ABC.
“I think the big question now is why has it moved from one area to another.”
According the ABC, “there were 32 cases in Victoria in 2010 but the numbers grew to 106 cases in 2015 and 45 cases have been diagnosed so far this year.”
This year Dr Jan Smith of the Mornington Peninsula had an ulcer that went misdiagnosed for a month before the gangrenous flesh-eating wound on her ankle was properly diagnosed and treated.
“The longer the bacteria go, the more of your flesh they eat, the more capillaries they destroy and the more they suppress your immune system,” Dr Smith told the ABC.
“They go in deeper. Mine went to the bone.”
The 72-year-old mother-of-three believes she contracted the disease from working in her garden and was facing surgical removal of the dying flesh but is now being treated with strong antibiotics.
“I’m now able to walk and do the dressings myself and the skin’s growing back,” she said.
“There may be plastic surgery further on down the track.”
In 2014, 2200 new cases were reported by 12 of the 33 countries with known cases, most of those infected are children, says the WHO.
Victoria is the only non-tropical climate that has recorded cases of the Buruli ulcer.
According to the WHO as there is “no knowledge of how Buruli ulcer is transmitted, preventive measures cannot be applied” but health officials in Victoria have previously warned people to avoid touching possum faeces because of the risk of being exposed to the ulcer-causing bacteria.
Of course, Sarah Jessica Parker looks stunning on the cover of the September Issue of Marie Claire, but it’s the star’s controversial comments on today’s real issues that has fans getting very carried away.
When asked whether she identifies as a feminist, the mother-of-three says, “I am not a feminist. I don’t think I qualify.”
Explaining her reasoning why, she added, “I believe in women and I believe in equality, but I think there is so much that needs to be done that I don’t even want to separate it anymore. I’m so tired of separation.
“I just want people to be treated equally.”
Just so we’re all on the same page, the Oxford Dictionary’s definition of the word feminism is “The advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes.”
Just saying…
The star’s latest show Divorce premieres in October.
Sarah also had something to say about the gender pay gap – where in Australia alone women are generally paid 17.3% less than men for performing the exact same job.
“I would like all of that nonsense to end,” she says. “I would like women to get paid for the value of their contributions, not by old-fashioned ideas about gender.”
Watch Sarah Jessica Parker surprise brides with shoes in the video player below. Post continues…
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But despite the comments, that left many scratching their heads, the 51-year-old wants her fans to know that she does, however, support the many Hollywood names who proudly declare themselves feminists.
“Listen, Jennifer Lawrence deserves every bit as much as her male counterpart. It’s indisputable. Emma Watson is an amazing young woman, and it’s important for her to talk about women’s issues,” she said of the actress and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador.
“She isn’t concerned about herself. Women are paying the bills, getting it done, getting the kids here and there. The more we address that, we are all going to be better.”
“I think it is right that socially, I am afforded the same respect as men,” said UN Women Global Goodwill Ambassador, Emma Watson, while former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell seems to think otherwise, saying, “For me feminism is bra-burning lesbianism.”
SJP isn’t the only Hollywood A-lister to eschew the term.
In 2007 Geri Halliwell, who proudly once preached the words “Girl Power” throughout her career, dispelled that motto when she told The Guardian, “For me feminism is bra-burning lesbianism. It’s very unglamorous. I’d like to see it rebranded. We need to see a celebration of our femininity and softness.”
Upon receiving the Billboard award for Woman of the Year in 2012, Katy Perry announced, “I am not a feminist, but I do believe in the strength of women.”
And perhaps even more confusing were the words spoken by Miss Independent singer, Kelly Clarkson, who famously rejected the feminist label for being “too strong.”
“I think when people hear feminist it’s just like, ‘Get out of my way I don’t need anyone.’ I love that I’m being taken care of, and I have a man that’s an actual leader.”
Proud feminist Chris Hemsworth uploaded this image on International Women’s Day with the touching caption: “Happy #internationalwomensday to my mum, daughter, wife and all the other incredible, strong , amazing , intelligent women out there.”
While the above comments may induce a disappointed sigh, you can be sure that there are plenty of names in the spotlight that are standing up for gender equality in their industry, and in every other.
Chris Hemsworth, whose role as a male receptionist in the female-led remake of Ghostbusters was considered to be a game changer, recently declared himself a proud feminist when speaking to RadioTimes.
“Oh yeah, for sure,” the father-of-three replied when asked if he identified with the label. “My mum’s a big feminist. I think that my views on things, as far as respect for women and so on, came from my mum.”
“My dad has a very balanced and respectful view on a lot of things too. They were huge positive influences in my life,” he continued.
The Aussie actor also expressed his sincere hope that one day both males and females will be respected in every industry equally.
“I think the balance has been tipped for a long time heavily in the men’s direction,” he said.
“But it’s a funny conversation to even have, because of course it should be that way. Of course it should be equal.”
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry sadly won’t be attending this year’s Rio Olympics but the royals have recorded a special message to the British athletes to wish them luck on their quest for gold.
The trio sent their best via a video message released on their official Twitter account on Thursday which introduced Team GB’s mighty hashtag for Rio, #BringOnTheGreat.
Narrated by Kate, William and Harry the 1 minute 20 second video is aimed to uplift both competitors and spectators with emotive scenes of cheering crowds and shots of athletes being awarded medals.
“London 2012 saw this country come alive with a passion for sport. It saw people of all ages and from all walks of life join together to support Team GB,” declares Prince William.
Harry continues: “Each member of Team GB will have a unique journey, but they all share the same aim – to deliver the best performance they possibly can.”
And Kate warmly adds: “London 2012 showcased the best of British sport, and we are all so excited to see what can be achieved in Rio.”
Watch the Duke, Duchess and Prince Harry wish all the Team GB athletes good luck here. Post continues after.
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The highest profile royal representative of Great Britain during the Rio Olympics is the Queen’s daughter, Princess Anne.
The 65-year-old joined Team GB at a pre-Olympics event two days out from the opening ceremony and was nearly jabbed in the eye by the nation’s official flag bearer, Andy Murray.
The nimble royal giggled as she managed to dodge Andy’s terrible flag carrying skills. Even Kensington Palace poked fun at the tennis super star with a video tweet that read: “We’re sure @Andy_Murray’s racket handling skills are better than his flag bearing ones!”
Andy later told reporters at press conference the confusing directions were to blame for the humours hiccup.
“I’m going to blame the photographers for what happened last night, because I was being given directions and then ended up putting the flag in Princess Anne’s face. I didn’t know what to do to be honest,” Murray said.
“The flag’s huge, so as soon as I took the flag it was covering someone’s face. Last night didn’t go so well. But I see the funny side of it and try and get a bit of practice before tomorrow night.”
Asked what Princess Anne had told him, Murray said: “I think she said ‘just make sure you don’t poke my eye out,’ or something along those lines.”
When parenting blogger Mel Watts wrote a Facebook post about the reality of ‘parent sex’ she was hailed a hero by sympathetic mums and dads.
But as the post went viral, that praise turned to a barrage of on-line hate, with commentators lining up to attack Watts, her family, her marriage and her parenting skills.
In her original post “Did we just have a quickie” Watts explained that she had been turnimg down her husband for “long enough” and knew that it would only “take a few minutes”.
“[I’d] had dad sex jokes thrown at me all morning. Packages dropped on my shoulder, dry humping my leg and asking if I want sausage to eat. I would hardly say it was romantic. I may have to admit it was quick and slightly obligated,” she wrote.
The post attracted a barrage of abuse with comments that personally attacked Watts and called the the story “humiliating”, “degrading” and “insulting”. One user wrote, “why are you posting this sh*t online?” Another wrote “and you wonder why spouses stray.”
Taking the trolling even further, some started to attack the Central coast mum with insulting comments. She was called a “basic low-income woman” and men would “hate to have a child” with her.
“I’ve seen huge amount of resources and money go into teaching our children about bullying. The actual problem isn’t our children, it’s the parents,” she says.
“All I did was write an opinion, and everyone is saying horrible things about me that aren’t true,” she says. “You either like it or you don’t, if you don’t have anything nice to say then scroll on, you don’t troll.”
After blocking some of the trolls on Facebook they started to contact her on other platforms.
“They started personally messaging me. I’ve had numerous people try and contact me in other ways, and write horrible things,” she says.
“It’s not called for. They go write nasty things so everyone else has a sh*t day, and I have to sit here and feel like I am the one who is failing.”
In the video, a tearful Watt defends herself she is a “good wife, really good mother, and most of all a really good friend” and the abuse was not necessary.
“You don’t know me. Would you stay this stuff to me in the street? People need to know there is someone else behind that screen,” she says.
Since posting the video to her Facebook page, hundreds of fans have given her support.
One commenter wrote: “Stay strong , dont let anyone change your mind about anything you believe. You are a human being that deserves as much of this world as anyone , keep your head up high smile it’s a new day tomorrow.”
Barack and Michelle Obama’s 15-year-old daughter has scored a summer job at Nancy’s, a popular seafood restaurant in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.
Sasha, who allegedly wears a badge adorned with her full name, Natasha, spends her four hour shift processing orders at the takeout window, while simultaneously waiting tables.
“She’s been working downstairs at takeout,” a Nancy’s staffer told the Boston Herald. “We were wondering why there were six people helping this girl, but then we found out who it was.”
The Obamas are regulars at the popular food hub.
The fellow employee was, of course, referring to the six Secret Service agents, who reportedly sit outside the café on the tables, or wait for the teen to finish her shift in a large SUV.
And while we’re sure that after eight years in the Whitehouse, Sasha is enjoying some time living and working like a normal teenager, the summer gig won’t last much longer.
According to the publication, the President’s youngest daughter is only rostered on to work until Saturday, when her parents are expected to arrive for their two-week vacation.
This week, the First Family also celebrated the 55th birthday of the President.
Along with Sasha’s first job, the Obamas have been celebrating another family milestone this week.
As the doting dad turned 55, his loving wife shared what could quite possibly be the sweetest tribute we’ve ever seen.
Sharing a candid snap of the two on Instagram, the First Lady wrote, “55 years young and that smile still gets me every single day. Happy birthday, Barack. I love you.”
Watch Barack open up about what he and Michelle fight about in the video player below!
An emotional Caitlyn Jenner has confessed she seriously thought about ending it all when she was going through her transition.
The reality TV star addressed her struggles when she sat down for an interview with Bill Simmons on his show Any Given Wednesday.
Caitlyn said she always hated her Adam’s apple and had a procedure to have it shaved.
The 66-year-old says when word of her operation got out, she was extremely distressed.
Caitlyn was extremely open about her struggles in the interview.
“I could not sleep that night,” she confessed.
“I’m up at 3am. walking up and down my hallway, thinking, ‘Damn, all this s–t is going to come out tomorrow and it’s going to be horrible’,” she recounted.
“And I said, ‘You know what? Easy way. Go in the other room. You got a gun. Let’s just end it right here.'”
Caitlyn said her life used to be extremely complicated.
The I Am Cait star admitted she had told family and friends about the moment, which she says was one of the worst in her life.
Watch Caitlyn talk about how joyous her life has become since going public with her transition in the clip below. Post continues.
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The reality TV star, pictured with Katy Perry, is a lot more comfortable in who she is now.
She continued: “That’s, like, the easy way out. No more pain, no more nothing. I don’t have to deal with the tabloids any longer,” she said. “I don’t have to deal with any of this. And that was probably the lowest I’ve ever gotten.”
Caitlyn says it was only when she awoke the next morning and went for a walk to clear her head that everything fell into place.
The Kardashian/Jenner clan has been extremely supportive of Caitlyn’s lifestyle change.
She thought about the her almost-actions of the night before. “Wasn’t that, like, the stupidest thing you’ve ever done?” she said to herself at the time.
“I thought, ‘What a terrible way to end your life’s story!’ I don’t want my story to end that way, on a negative note,” she said.
“That was the beginning of me turning my thinking around to say, ‘OK, I think I can do this.'”
If you, or anybody you know needs support or information about suicide prevention contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit Beyond Blue
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