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RUSH HOUR: The stories you need to know today

PHOTOS of people getting semicolon tattoos are popping up all over social media. But the meaningful message behind the tattoo trend makes perfect sense.

NICK WHIGHAM and WIRES
10 min read
July 13, 2015 - 5:37AM

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.

10am:

That’s it for our live #RUSHHOUR news blog. You can get across the stories you need to know today below or go to news.com.au for the latest headlines.

9:50am:

Volcanic ash continues to disrupt flights in and out of Bali, leaving countless Aussie tourists stranded.

Virgin said the latest advice from its meteorologists and the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre was that conditions were not suitable to resume flights into and out of Bali’s Denpasar Airport this morning.

“We have been advised that Mt Raung continues to erupt and winds continue to blow in an unfavourable direction, and are forecast to continue to do so for the rest of the day,” the airline said

Jetstar is expected to advise customers about its Bali flight plans after 10am this morning.

Dozens of Australians remain stranded on the holiday island due to the volcanic ash cloud from Mt Raung, which can choke jet engines.

9:40am:

Australia coach Darren Lehmann has said the tourists are prepared to make changes for the second Ashes Test, amid speculation all-rounder Shane Watson is set to be dropped.

England won the series opener by a crushing 169 runs with more than a day to spare in Cardiff on Saturday.

The match saw Watson twice out in familiar fashion, lbw in both innings for modest scores of 30 and 19, while Australia captain Michael Clarke only utilised his medium-paced bowling for 13 overs in the match.

Will he be named for the second test?
Will he be named for the second test?

Watson has now fallen lbw 39 times during the course of a 59-match Test career repeatedly blighted by injuries, and has only passed 50 twice in his last 16 innings With fellow seam-bowling all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, 11 years Watson’s junior, waiting in the wings Australia do have a ready-made alternative and Lehmann indicated it was one the tourists were considering deploying at Lord’s, where the second Test starts on Thursday.

“At the end of day you don’t want to be getting out lbw all the time and you want to make more runs,” Lehmann said Sunday. “Shane would be disappointed, so are we.”

9:30am:

Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman has escaped from a maximum-security prison for a second time, sparking a massive manhunt.

The kingpin was last spotted by security cameras entering the shower area of the Altiplano prison, 90km west of Mexico City, on Saturday night before disappearing, the National Security Commission said.

An alarm was issued after “he was not visible” for a while and his cell was empty, the commission said in a statement.

Mexican drug trafficker Joaquin Guzman Loera aka
Mexican drug trafficker Joaquin Guzman Loera aka "el Chapo Guzman".
The end of the tunnel through which he could have escaped.
The end of the tunnel through which he could have escaped.

Guzman, 58, whose Sinaloa cartel shipped narcotics across the globe, was considered the world’s most wanted drug lord before his arrest.

His first break from prison was in 2001, when he slipped past authorities by hiding in a laundry cart. He had been arrested in Guatemala in 1993.

Read more here.

9:20am:

A member of the Welsh government has delivered a huge smack-down to an opposition politician by responding to questions about reports of UFO sightings by using Klingon language.

The Klingon language is the official dialect of the Star Trek universe and was presumably employed by the government politician to mock the bizarre line of questioning.

The response by the Welsh government was as follows: “jang vIDa je due luq. ‘ach ghotvam’e’ QI’yaH-devolved qaS.”

Which according to Ars Technica, roughly translates to: “The minister will reply in due course. However this is a non-devolved matter.”

Picture of the Welsh parliament.
Picture of the Welsh parliament.

Mr Miller, the shadow Health Minister who presented the UFO questions told BBC; “I’ve always suspected that Labour ministers came from another planet. This response confirms it.”

9:05am:

Three teenagers have been charged over two house fires which were lit within 48 hours of each other on Hobart’s outskirts, causing $200,000 of damage.

The youths aged 15, 17 and 18 are accused of lighting the fires in Fairfax Terrace at New Norfolk, on Friday and Sunday morning. Both properties were vacant at the time and no one was injured, police said.

-AAP

8:55am:

A British woman identified as Jennie has posted a brutally honest advert on Gumtree in an effort to rent out her apartment.

If her refreshingly candid offer is anything to go by, the buyer will have to be OK with mould, funny smells, anti-social neighbours and a window view of an incinerator.

Picture of the apartment on Gumtree.
Picture of the apartment on Gumtree.

Among some of the gems include:

- “Double glazing has split on a few windows so a lovely condensation look compliments your viewing pleasure.”

- “Children are guaranteed hours of fun with disintegrating mattresses, sofas, beer cans and the occasional bong.”

- “Each room lovingly decorated but unfortunately mould seems to prevail every month or so.”

8:40am

A woman accused of being involved in a crime spree targeting members of the Brisbane Broncos has been arrested.

The 19-year-old woman was allegedly caught on Saturday joy riding in a $100,000 Audi stolen from Darius Boyd’s Brisbane home on June 21.

Darius Boyd’s stolen car was found spray painted.
Darius Boyd’s stolen car was found spray painted.

The woman will appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court today on several charges including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and stealing.

The incident came as three other Broncos players — Ben Hunt, Corey Oates and Lachlan Maranta — became victims of property theft over the same period. Police are investigating the woman’s potential involvement.

Read more at The Courier Mail.

8:25am:

Earth faces a new “mini ice age” in the next 15 years, bringing year-round snowfields and turning normally ice-free waterways to sleet, scientists predict.

Solar researchers from the University of Northumbria in the UK say solar activity is set to plummet by 60 per cent in the 2030s.

Research lead Professor Valentina Zharkova said fluid movements within the Sun, believed to create 11-year cycles in the weather, will cancel each other out, triggering a dramatic temperature drop.

This will lead to a weather phenomenon known as a “mini ice age” which previously hit between 1645 and 1715.

Solar activity is set to plummet by 60 per cent in the 2030s.
Solar activity is set to plummet by 60 per cent in the 2030s.

The findings are based on a new model which scientists claim produces “unprecedentedly accurate predictions of irregularities” within the Sun’s “11-year heartbeat”.

Read more here.

8:10am:

Eurozone leaders have set Greece brutal take-it-or-leave-it conditions for a desperately needed bailout deal as an exit from the single currency loomed ever larger. Hawkish Germany on Sunday pushed for a Greek “time out” from the euro if leftist Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras fails to agree terms for a three-year rescue plan worth up to 86 billion euros ($A127.4 billion).

Athens faces demands to push through new reform laws next week to win a third bailout since 2010, with the government in a tight corner as the cash-starved country’s banks look set to run dry in days.

“There will be no agreement at any price,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said as she arrived for a summit of 19 eurozone leaders, complaining of a loss of trust in Athens and warning of “tough negotiations” ahead.

Tsipras, who was elected on an anti-austerity platform in January, insisted a deal was possible “if all parties want it” and added that he was ready for an “honest compromise”.

-AFP

8am:

It may be a tactic used by Aussie tourists to scare good looking and unsuspecting tourists into the safety of their own company, but it turns out Colorado is the real home of the “drop bear”.

For the second time in a three years, students at the University of Colorado were witness to the rather spectacular sight of a bear falling from a tree.

The animal climbed up a tree and made itself comfortable for approximately four hours before wildlife officials were called in. The officials then tranquillised the young bear before catching it in a net.

Unsurprisingly, plenty of people were on hand to snap the incredible sight.

7:45am:

Australia’s first royal commission into family violence will begin in Melbourne today.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews first promised the royal commission in the lead-up to the 2014 state election after the murder of 11-year-old Luke Batty by his father at cricket training. Luke’s mother, Rosie Batty, created a campaign against domestic violence, spurred by the tragedy, that led her to being named Australian of the Year in January.

At the time of Luke’s death, Mr Andrews said domestic violence was Victoria’s most urgent law-and-order emergency.

“I can’t promise to keep every woman and child safe but I am prepared to try,” he said.

“The whole system is broken. It doesn’t protect the vulnerable, it doesn’t punish the guilty and more of the same policies will only mean more of the same tragedies.” The royal commission will start with opening addresses from Commissioner Marcia Neave and counsel assisting the commissioner, Mark Moshinsky SC.

7:35am:

A British woman has gone to the unbelievable effort of changing her name in order to regain control of her Facebook account.

After the social media company locked her out, citing the account as existing under a fake name, she legally changed her name by deed poll to her “ridiculous” Facebook pseudonym in an effort the get it back.

Jemma Rogers, 30, a holistic therapist, from London says she set up the account in 2008 under the pseudonym in order to avoid getting too many friend requests.

After Facebook locked her out she sent them e-mails explaining herself, but to no avail.

“I know I’ve been a complete moron, but Facebook are being ridiculous. I’ve been locked out of my account for five weeks now and have lost all of my photos, messages and precious memories,” she said, reports the UK Telegraph.

However since taking the drastic measure of changing her name, she is still yet to be granted access to her account.

7:20am:

Aussie terrorist Abdullah Elmir has reportedly married a teenage British runaway girl in Syria and made more threats about terrorist attacks on the West.

The much-derided “ginger jihadi”, who has appeared in two propaganda videos for the so-called Islamic State death cult since he fled Sydney a year ago, told a UK journalist posing as a wannabe jihadi bride he had married Amira Abase.

Islamic State Radical Image. Bankstown butcher Abdullah Elmir who now jokingly calls himself the
Islamic State Radical Image. Bankstown butcher Abdullah Elmir who now jokingly calls himself the "Ginger Jihadi"

Ms Abase, 16, and two friends made headlines around the world when they fled the UK for Syria to become jihadi terror brides.

Elmir, 18, who worked as butcher at Bankstown, said an attack on ­British soil was imminent as he had “brothers that I know there (who) are itching to do an attack”.

Read more at The Daily Telegraph.

7:05am:

The federal government will give itself the option of calling a double-dissolution election with legislation cracking down on union corruption.

Two bills which restore the powers of the Australian Building and Construction Commission and place greater penalties on dodgy union bosses will be sent to the Senate when parliament resumes in August, The Australian Financial Review reported.

Both could become triggers if rejected by the upper house again.

-AAP

6:55am:

A British man has been arrested after trying to sell a baby in a stroller at a Manchester shopping centre on Sunday afternoon.

The 28-year-old man reportedly wandered around the mall with the three month old girl and walked up to a stranger and offered to sell the baby for £1,000 (A$2,000).

Photo of the man tweeted by Greater Manchester Police.
Photo of the man tweeted by Greater Manchester Police.

Reports of the man’s actions resulted in a frantic police search.

“This is extremely unusual and at this time we are trying to establish the full circumstances of the situation, but most importantly check on the welfare of the child,” said Sergeant David Henshall, reported Sky News.

The man was held for questioning and the baby is reportedly fine.

6:40am:

Residents of Australia’s eastern parts have taken to social media to share their delight at the unusual dump of snow over the weekend.

Dubbed the “Antarctic Vortex”, areas across New South Wales and Victoria experienced considerable snowfall and many went online to share photos as well as a sense of delight and disbelief.

6:30am

Homicide detectives have made an arrest in relation to a fatal stabbing at a house in Melbourne’s west​ overnight.

Scenes at a fatal stabbing in Essex Street, Sunshine North.
Scenes at a fatal stabbing in Essex Street, Sunshine North.

Police spokeswoman Belinda Batty said police were interviewing a person over the murder of a man in his 30s.

The body was found in a home in Essex St, Sunshine North, and emergency services were called to the scene about 9.15pm on Sunday.

Ambulance spokesman John Mullen said people at the scene started CPR on the victim before paramedics arrived. Paramedics continued to work on him, but he could not be resuscitated.

The man killed is the fourth stabbing victim in a deadly week across Melbourne.

Read more at The Herald Sun.

6:15am

Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after winning the Final Of The Gentlemen's Singles against Roger Federer.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after winning the Final Of The Gentlemen's Singles against Roger Federer.

Novak Djokovic snared his ninth major, and third at Wimbledon, with a gripping 7-6 (7-1) 6-7 (10-12) 6-4 6-3 success to the obvious disappointment of an unashamedly pro-Federer crowd.

The Serb punched the air repeatedly after ripping a winner into open court, looking skywards in tribute to his former coach Jelena Gencic before plucking and eating a piece of centre court grass.

Djokovic said his ability to compose himself during a third-set rain after failing to convert seven set points in an epic second set was critical.

“Second set tiebreak, yeah, it was frustrating obviously not to be able to close it out,” he said.

Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates.

Djokovic’s serve repeatedly kept Federer out of the offensive strike zone he used to shred Andy Murray in the semi-finals.

And his defensive tenacity deprived the grand slam record-holder of free points.

Federer lamented not building impetus after leading for much of the first set, only to lose it.

“A pity I couldn’t make more of the momentum, I guess,” he said

Read more here.

6am:

A tattoo trend known as Project Semicolon has been trending all over the world as people are getting the grammatical device tattooed on their body to show support for those suffering from depression.

The online group which started the initiative describes itself as “a faith-based non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and love to those who are struggling with depression, suicide, addiction and self-injury.”

The tattoo trend for a good cause.
The tattoo trend for a good cause.
A permanent mark of support.
A permanent mark of support.

The semicolon is intended to represent a symbol of perseverance for those struggling with mental health issues. “A semicolon is used when an author could’ve chosen to end their sentence, but chose not to. The author is you and the sentence is your life;” the website states.

In a show of solidarity, photos have been popping up all over social media over the past week with people sporting their new semicolon ink.

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/national/rush-hour/rush-hour-the-stories-you-need-to-know-today/news-story/61b4829eda368c7f9885728a89d27f35