RUSH HOUR: The stories you need to know today
A FRESH poll out this morning should put a smile on Malcolm Turnbull’s face and a grimace on Tony Abbott’s.
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● A new poll shows that Malcolm Turnbull is twice as popular as Tony Abbott
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10.05am
That’s it for our RUSH HOUR live news blog for this morning.
You can get across the stories you need to know today below.
10.01am
A wall collapse is believed to have killed a worker in Melbourne, radio 3AW is reporting.
High winds in the suburb of Brighton East caused the wall to fall at a building site.
9.45am
If you missed the debut of The Voice Kids last night, this is the kid everyone will be talking about today.
This Scottish youngster charmed the judges on the pint-sized version of the reality TV juggernaut, with his winning take on Train’s Hey Soul Sister and some lively banter with the judges.
Thirteen-year-old Robbie wrestled between joining the team of Spice Girl Mel B or Aussie songstress Delta Goodrem.
“I’m going to pick now because there’s going to be a cat fight soon,” the cheeky lad said before opting for Team Delta.
Check out our full recap here.
9.20am
BREAKING: The Israeli military says it has carried out air strikes on a number of targets inside Syria in response to an attack that left an Israeli teenager dead.
AP reports that nine targets were hit, including Syrian military headquarters.
“Yesterday’s attack was an unprovoked act of aggression against Israel, and a direct continuation to recent attacks that occurred in the area,” military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner said.
He said Israel “will not tolerate any attempt to breach Israel’s sovereignty and will act in order to safeguard the civilians of the state of Israel”.
9.15am
Melbourne is experiencing traffic headaches on a number of fronts this morning.
The Herald Sun reports that a crash on the Tullamarine Freeway is causing long traffic queues at Melbourne Airport.
There are also lengthy delays on the Werribee train line and reports of tram wires down outside Flinders St station.
We're hearing tram wires are down outside Flinders Street Station. Fire brigade in attendance.
— 3AW Melbourne (@3AW693) June 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: We're hearing tram wires are down outside Flinders Street Station. Fire brigade in attendance. & mdash; 3AW Melbourne (@3AW693) June 22, 2014
9.05am
A US student has given birth to his own international ridicule after a dare involving a giant vagina sculpture went wrong.
An exchange student in Germany had to call on emergency services after he became stuck inside a marble likeness of a vulva on the grounds of a university.
Twenty-two firefighters in five emergency vehicles were called on to release the man.
8.50am
A refugee has drowned in the waters off Nauru, along with a second local who was trying to rescue the person.
The refugee had been processed at the Nauru detention centre and resettled on the South Pacific island, the ABC reports.
A spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Scott Morrison told the ABC that the death appeared to be accidental and that Nauruan authorities were investigating.
The second victim is understood to be a Nauruan citizen.
8.30am
The upcoming season of The Block could be the toughest ever, with the show’s host, Scott Cam, saying “we have taken on too much”.
The Gold Logie winner has revealed that contestants are struggling big time with the latest Block challenge, converting a 1980s office in Melbourne’s Prahran into five split-level atrium apartments.
“Our contestants certainly struggle in the first four to five weeks and we’ve seen an unprecedented number of rooms just not finished in time for reveal day,” Cam said.
“I still think we have taken on too much, but I’ll be proved wrong come auction day when we have some of the most phenomenal luxury apartments we have ever seen in the heart of Prahran.”
The Block Glasshouse is expected to screen after The Voice finishes on Channel Nine.
8.15am
It could be harder to save Peppa Pig’s bacon after a review recommended the Abbott Government strip a further $40 million-$50 million from the ABC.
The federal Budget will cut $43 million from the ABC and SBS over the next four years through “efficiency dividends”, and now the Lewis efficiency review has proposed a further 4 per cent cut to the national broadcaster’s funding, The Australian reports.
ABC boss Mark Scott pulled out the big guns when discussing the impact of the budget cuts last month, when he told Senate estimates that the future of the children’s favourite program could be threatened.
“We have contracts to continue to deliver Peppa Pig, but of course the service we provide depends on the funding envelope provided,” Mr Scott said.
8am
They’re hardly the superstar teams, but Algeria and South Korea offered up a surprisingly entertaining match in the World Cup this morning.
The African side led 3-0 at the midway point, but South Korea fought back valiantly in the second half racking up two goals.
Ultimately, Algeria held onto their lead, finishing ahead 4-2.
Catch up on all the latest from the World Cup with our live blog.
7.45am
Australian journalist Peter Greste will learn his fate today when an Egyptian court delivers its verdict.
Greste and two other reporters for Al Jazeera English are on trial for spreading false news and supporting former prime minister Mohamed Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood.
Tony Abbott is attempting to contact Egypt’s new president Abdul Fattah al-Sisi to lobby for the journalist’s release, AAP reports.
If convicted, the Greste faces at least 15 years in jail.
7.30am
There is further evidence this morning that Harrison Ford is a little too old for his action man screen roles.
The Hollywood veteran has been spied using a wheelchair after breaking his leg on set of the new Star Wars sequel.
There are reports the actor will be out of action for up to six months after his leg was crushed by the door of a spacecraft prop during the filming of Star Wars: Episode VII in England earlier this month.
7.10am
The Iraqi uprising is continuing to gather pace, with jihadist militants seizing more towns in the country’s west.
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) took the towns of Rawa and Ana on Sunday, gunning down 21 local leaders.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State John Kerry has begun a tour of the Middle East and Europe in an effort unite Iraq’s fractious leaders and repel the militants.
“We must urge Iraq’s leaders to rise above sectarian considerations ... and speak to all people,” Kerry said in Cairo, adding that Washington was not responsible for the crisis.
6.55am
The Baden-Clay murder case will step outside the bounds of the courtroom today.
Jurors in the trial of former Brisbane real estate agent Gerard Baden-Clay will visit the site where his wife’s dead body was found, AAP reports.
The jury of 15 will be taken to the Kholo Bridge at Anstead in Brisbane’s west this morning to inspect the creek bank where the body of Allison Baden-Clay was found by a kayaker in 2012.
The jury will also tour the former Baden-Clay family home, which is now part of a childcare centre.
Brisbane readers should take note that police are expected to close the Kholo Bridge to traffic this morning to accommodate the jury’s visit.
Keep up to date with the trial with The Courier-Mail.
6.45am
A contestant on The Voice has opened up about what the show’s superstar judges are like when the cameras stop rolling.
Jackson Thomas said that his coach Ricky Martin was just as friendly and charismatic behind the scenes as he was on air, The Daily Telegraph reports.
“After the camera stops, he goes ‘Are you guys hungry? I’m taking you to get the best hamburgers in New York’,” Thomas said of Team Ricky’s recent trip to the Big Apple.
He wasn’t as complimentary to Joel Madden, saying that the rock star coach was less likely to say hello to contestants who weren’t part of his team.
The Voice live finals kick off tonight on Nine at 7.30.
6.15am
JAMES Packer’s ex-wife Jodhi Mears could be facing jail time after her top-of-the-line four-wheel drive was involved in a multi-car crash in Sydney on Saturday night.
Bystanders pulled the 43-year-old model and fashion designer from her Range Rover after it allegedly smashed into at least three parked cars in the eastern suburbs, The Australian reports.
Police said that Mears, who is engaged to former Noiseworks frontman Jon Stevens, allegedly recorded a 0.181 blood-alcohol reading, which is almost four times the legal limit.
If found guilty of drink-driving charges, she could be sentenced to 18 months’ jail when she faces court in August.
6.01am
A FRESH poll out this morning should put a smile on Malcolm Turnbull’s face and a grimace on Tony Abbott’s.
The Communications Minister is twice as popular as the Prime Minister, according to a Fairfax-Nielsen poll of 1400 voters taken over the weekend.
Mr Turnbull is the preferred Liberal leader among 40 per cent of voters, while Mr Abbott languishes at 21 per cent.
The good news for the Coalition is that it has picked up three percentage points in the two-party preferred stakes at 47 per cent, but Labor holds the lead at 53 per cent, dropping three points.
6am
Good morning, and welcome to our “headlines in a hurry” news coverage. We’ll be bringing you the morning’s biggest stories so you can get across the news quickly.
Originally published as RUSH HOUR: The stories you need to know today
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