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RUSH HOUR: The stories you need to know today

OH DEAR. It was a strange night on social media last night, but the most notable post comes from a frisky Tracy Grimshaw, who made things a little awkward ...

Matt YoungMatt Young
@MattYoung
7 min read
July 17, 2014 - 6:05AM
At Least 20 Dead in Moscow Subway Crash

TODAY:

• Was Tracy Grimshaw feeling frisky last night? See what she tweeted.

• Lego slammed for ‘sexist’ female characters. See the pics.

• China underwater. See the “water town” that’s evacuated 120,000 tourists.

• Will.i.am posts “insane” tweet. Read what he had to say.

• Two metro workers detained over devastating subway crash in Moscow.

• Loom band dress sells for ridiculous amount of money.

• By far the SWEETEST story of the day.

• Tasteless Sunrise interview and we’re not talking about Geoff Edelsten's jacket.

10:00am

That’s it for our live #RUSHHOUR news blog. It’s been a pleasure bringing you the news of the day, you can get across the stories you need to know below or go to news.com.au for the latest headlines.

9:35am

Julian Assange should be “man enough” to face the sexual assault allegations against him, the federal government says.

A Swedish court on Wednesday upheld an arrest warrant against the WikiLeaks founder. The warrant was issued in 2010 over allegations of rape and sexual molestation which Assange has denied, reports AAP.

The court’s decision is another setback for the 43-year-old Australian, who has been holed up at the Ecuadorian embassy in London for more than two years in a bid to avoid extradition to Sweden.

Assange says he fears that if he goes to Sweden he will be extradited on to the United States to face charges for publishing classified material.

But Attorney General George Brandis says Assange should face the claims.

“I think Mr Assange should be man enough to face the allegations against him of being a sexual predator,” Senator Brandis told ABC radio on Thursday.

George Brandis: What a mighty fine man.
George Brandis: What a mighty fine man.

9:05am

There is so much wrong with this Sunrise interview, and no, we’re not talking about Geoffrey Edelsten's suit jacket (although it's just as tasteless).

Edelsten and his new, younger flame Gabi Greko appeared on the breakfast program today to promote Greko’s appearance on the cover of Maxim magazine.

Greko even took the time to reflect on Australia's opinion of her, telling the Sunrise team: “I think Australia has a bad taste in their mouth about me. I hope they change their minds”.

In this humble journalist’s opinion, you’ve got a bit of work ahead of you yet, Greko.

8:50am

Sydneysiders, avoid the m4 if possible this morning.

Traffic reports warned motorists at approximately 6am when a car rolled and flipped, blocking one lane heading city bound.

Traffic reports state the incident has cleared, but earlier congestion means it’s one freeway you want to stay away from, especially in peak hour.

8:35am

It’s been a slow ride on the Monash Freeway this morning, after a truck with a load full of apples crashed into a glass soundwall at approximately 4am.

No one was injured and the lanes have been reopened, but social media users are having a field day with a punnet of puns. Get it? Ha.

8:20am

Those crazy Russians are at it again.

Disturbing footage has emerged of a road rage accident that took a turn for the worse.

The video, shot on Monday at approximately 3:30pm, captures the moment a motorist deliberately drives his car into an elderly man after an incident went horribly wrong.

The man had gotten out of his car, apparently to scold the driver after he tried a sneaky merge.

As the elderly man walks away, the motorists sees his chance to wedges him between the cars.

The motorists then stops, checks his car for damage, and drives off.

What a stand out citizen, eh?

Police have apparently identified the man and claim he is now a fugitive, reports The Independent.

8:15am

Britain’s Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has been praised for this cheeky tweet. We couldn’t help but chuckle, too.

7:55am

We can’t help but give this little girl a shout out. Cutest. Thing. Ever.

Four-year-old Annabelle Earl was so determined to be a flower girl she marched to the City Clerk’s office in Manhattan, dressed for duties and a sign to match.

“She was too adorable to say no to, and we thought it would be fun to make her day as well as ours,” a willing bride told NBC News.

20,000 New Yorkers get hitched every year in the simple ceremony that costs $25.

Annabelle's golden last words? “Is there cake?”

7:40am

What was once considered child’s play is now serious business.

Helen Smith is now AU$310,000 richer after selling a dress made up of 24,000 loom bands on eBay. Yes, someone paid $310,000 for a freaking loom band dress. Who would’ve thought?

The creation was put on eBay for 50 pounds.
The creation was put on eBay for 50 pounds.
But someone paid $310,000. We’re still in shock.
But someone paid $310,000. We’re still in shock.

“We’re not a rich family. I’m not complaining with what I have at all, but this could be a great change in fortunes for us. These things never happen to people like us,” Mrs Smith told Metro.

7:35am

I don’t love beer but even I can appreciate this.

Read all about beer vending machines right HERE. Oh yes, that’s right. They’re a real thing.

7:25am

Russian investigators say they have detained two metro workers over the devastating crash in a Moscow subway that killed 22 people.

Disaster struck on Tuesday when a train braked sharply and three carriages derailed between the recently built Park Pobedy station, the deepest in the ornate marble-clad system, and Slavyansky Boulevard in western Moscow.

The health ministry said 22 people have now died and that of 150 people hospitalised, several dozen were in a serious condition, reports AFP.

Teams worked around the clock to clear away the debris, while investigators said they had arrested two metro workers for alleged safety breaches.

Rescuers work in a tunnel after a train derailed between two subway stations in Moscow, Russia.
Rescuers work in a tunnel after a train derailed between two subway stations in Moscow, Russia.

A special investigative committee, which reports directly to President Vladimir Putin, said it was holding maintenance foreman Valery Bashkatov and his assistant Yury Gordov.

“The detained men have already been questioned,” the committee said, adding that they would soon be formally charged with safety breaches.

The committee said work had been under way at the spot since May to install a set of points, a section of track allowing trains to change lines, which had been overseen by the suspects.

“A set of points was fixed in place with a piece of ordinary three-millimetre wire which snapped,” it says, adding that higher-ranking officials could also be held responsible, as it intended to probe “absolutely everyone involved in this tragedy”.

At Least 20 Dead in Moscow Subway Crash

7:05am

Off the back of awkward tweets last night (see Tracy Grimshaw’s odd tweet, below), The Voice Australia judge will.i.am post his own weird and wacky version - problem is, it fell flat.

The singer posted this confusing corker, but lost all cred when he couldn’t spell FREQUENCY. Sorry, we mean FREQUINCY.

WTF, will.i.am?
WTF, will.i.am?

The error didn’t take long to fix, but it didn’t stop the online commentary.

Piece of advice, Will. Sometimes, it’s better to just say nothing.

6:50am

One of China’s renowned ancient towns was under water overnight as heavy rain hit the centre of the country, with tens of thousands of people evacuated from the area.

The old town district of Fenghuang nestles on the banks of a winding river in a picturesque, mountainous part of Hunan province, and boasts stunning Qing and Ming dynasty architecture dating back hundreds of years, reports AFP.

It can attract 30,000 visitors a day and has applied for world heritage status recognition from UNESCO, but pictures showed it inundated, with the central span of a bridge poking up through the waters.

A bridge submerged in floodwaters in the ancient town of Fenghuang, central China's Hunan province.
A bridge submerged in floodwaters in the ancient town of Fenghuang, central China's Hunan province.
A woman makes her way through floodwaters in the ancient town of Fenghuang.
A woman makes her way through floodwaters in the ancient town of Fenghuang.

Reports said electricity had been cut off and more than 120,000 tourists and locals had been evacuated from Fenghuang and the surrounding county.

According to China’s official Xinhua news agency, the Tuojiang river in the town had reached 1.1 metres above its previous highest recorded level, and several bridges had been damaged or destroyed.

More than 1,200 rescuers were working to evacuate residents and tourists, according to Xinhua, and some 4,000 shops had been affected, with water flooding into hotels, bars and restaurants.

“Torrential downpours have led to Fenghuang old town becoming a water town,” said a posting on a discussion page on the topic set up on Sina Weibo, a Chinese version of Twitter.

6:20am

“It’s like they used Photoshop for plastic”.

Uh oh. Apparently even Lego is sexist. The toy brand is set to launch a female-only “Research Institute” featuring three scientists - an astronomer, a chemist and a palaeontologist - at work.

But bloggers have been calling Lego out for the figurines defined, or “tightened” waists.

Everything is awesome...or is it?
Everything is awesome...or is it?

“Even Legos must be perfectly hourglass-shaped, it seems. It’s like they used Photoshop for plastic,” writes Jezebel’s Kelly Faircloth.

Forget the waistline though, we’re more concerned about the ladies’ facial expressions. Agree?

See what I mean?
See what I mean?

6:15am

Olympic swimmer Eamon Sullivan hung up his budgie smugglers yesterday, retiring from competitive swimming due to an ongoing shoulder injury. Here’s what he had to say about it.

And then there’s this, because it’s funny.

6:10am

Oh dear. There was something strange in the air on social media last night.

A Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw must have been feeling frisky, after she posted this vintage video of a naked man riding a horse with this ... ahem ... interesting caption.

And just when you thought it couldn’t get more awkward ...

But it gets better. Comedian Josh Thomas saw the post and decided to share in his shock.

But Grimshaw was having none of it.

We welcome a response on why Grimshaw thought compelled to post the video at all. Tweet me @MattYoung.

6:00am

Good morning, and welcome to our morning news coverage. We will be bringing you the best of what’s happening this morning, so you can get across the news quickly.

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/national/rush-hour-the-stories-you-need-to-know-today/news-story/0d899a05f026b983c9182da3a7a73d3d