Prince Harry and Meghan Markle return $12 million in wedding gifts

PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle are set to return ‘£7 million’ ($12 million) in free gifts they were sent for the royal wedding.

To celebrate the royal couple’s special day, Kensington Palace received gifts from various companies.

But there are strict rules surrounding what the couple can be sent and many companies gave them presents to promote their wares and get their publicity.

Essentially, plenty of people could be looking to exploit the royals and profit from it.

But royal officials are having none of it, with clear guidelines on what free gifts can and can’t be received.

The Express reports one such company is swimwear brand Bags of Love, who sold swimsuits with the royal couple’s faces on them leading up to the royal wedding.

Harry and Meghan requested fans and wellwishers give to charity instead of giving gifts.

It appears that hasn’t always been the case, as the Daily Star estimates that the free gifts Harry and Meghan are sending back are worth £7 million ($12 million)..

via Prince Harry and Meghan Markle return $12 million in wedding gifts | PerthNow

Evacuations ordered on Hawaii as volcano shows no signs of stopping

THE Hawaii community hardest hit by the Kilauea Volcano has been ordered sealed off under a strict new mandatory evacuation as the eruption marked its fourth week with no end in sight.

The Big Island’s mayor, Harry Kim, declared a 17-block swathe of the lava- stricken Leilani Estates subdivision off-limits indefinitely and gave any residents remaining there 24 hours to leave or face possible arrest. The mandatory evacuation zone lies within a slightly larger area that was already under a voluntary evacuation and curfew.

via Evacuations ordered on Hawaii as volcano shows no signs of stopping | PerthNow

Labor’s Darling Range by-election candidate announced as Tania Lawrence

LABOR has announced Tania Lawrence as the party’s new candidate for the Darling Range by-election.

Ms Lawrence is Labor’s second candidate for the seat after its first candidate, Colleen Yates, pulled out of the race last week after questions emerged over her claims about her academic qualifications she made online.

Ms Lawrence, who lives in Mundaring, works at Woodside and has also served in the public sector, in emergency response management and counter-terrorism roles.

She was also the first elected female president of Motorcycling Australia.

via Labor’s Darling Range by-election candidate announced as Tania Lawrence | PerthNow

Child porn ring member Leon Berger jailed for ten months. “I would do it with babies if I could,” Why not 10 years [or more]?

ONE of the members of a group of paedophile friends – which included former A Current Affair reporter Ben McCormack – has been jailed by a Perth judge.

Former bank employee Leon Mario Berger, 36, appeared in WA’s District Court earlier this year and admitted possessing child pornography. Berger was charged after he was caught along with two other WA paedophiles and McCormack following an interstate police operation.

While his lawyer pointed out that McCormack had not been sent to prison over his child pornography charges, Judge Patrick O’Neal said he was not satisfied that Berger had truly accepted his paedophilic disorder.

Berger was jailed for ten months but will be eligible for parole after five.

The court had previously heard how Berger was found with sickening imagery and a video, which included one photo of a six year-old boy being abused by an adult male – an act which Berger claimed he wanted to do himself.

In Skype chats and other messaging with McCormack and WA teacher Mathew Reale, who was also in touch with the disgraced former TV journalist, Berger revealed his own perversions, which included a fantasy about a drugging, kidnapping and raping a young male relative.

“I would do it with babies if I could,” was just one of the messages he sent.

via Child porn ring member Leon Berger jailed for ten months | PerthNow

#Perth weather: lightning strike leaves around 25,000 homes without power

At the peak 25,000 homes and businesses were affected but that number has already been reduced to under 12,000.

Technicians are currently trying to restore power to the homes.

“We would ask for customer patience as we safely restore the remaining homes,” Western Power said. “Some customers may take longer that predicted times on the Western Power website if damage is discovered.”

The affects suburbs are: Byford, Armadale, Brookdale, Seville Grove, Bedfordale, Hilbert, Serpentine, Mt Nasura, Mt Richon and Oakford.

If anyone sees a fallen powerline or damage to the network from storms they should make the Safe Call to Western Power on 13 13 51 and stay at least 8 meters away.

Weather forecasters say Perth is set for a very stormy Thursday with up to 10mm of rain expected to fall in parts of the metro area and a chance of a thunderstorm later in the afternoon.

via Perth weather: lightning strike leaves around 25,000 homes without power | PerthNow

Victoria Police officers fake more than 250,000 roadside breath tests, investigation reveals

Victoria Police officers have falsified more than 250,000 roadside breath tests in the state over a five year period, an internal investigation has revealed.

The force said it was made aware of reports that officers were placing a finger over the straw entry hole of breath testing equipment, or blowing into the straw themselves last year before an investigation was launched.

After reviewing 1,500 preliminary breath test (PBT) devices and more than 17.7 million tests conducted over five years it found more than 258,000 PBTs, or 1.5 per cent of all tests, had been falsified.

Professional Standards Command assistant commissioner Russell Barrett said the findings were disappointing.

“This conduct will not be tolerated, any member found engaging in this practice from today has been put on notice they will be investigated,” he said in a statement.

via Victoria Police officers fake more than 250,000 roadside breath tests, investigation reveals – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Bibra Lake business owners carry out citizen’s arrest as duo allegedly try to flee crash scene

A GROUP of business owners carried out a citizen’s arrest in Bibra Lake this afternoon after two men allegedly tried to flee the scene of a car crash.

Witnesses say a white station wagon crashed into an oncoming SUV on Port Kembla Drive about 12.30pm.

When the two men inside the station wagon then allegedly ran from the vehicle, a number of people from nearby businesses intervened.

Locals stayed with the duo until the police arrived and put them in the back of marked cars.

Witness Joanne Potts said it was a collaborative effort from people in the area to help conduct the citizen’s arrest.

via Bibra Lake business owners carry out citizen’s arrest as duo allegedly try to flee crash scene | PerthNow

Ben Simmons, Kendall Jenner dating: Aussie NBA star linked with US model Kendall Jenner

Man pulled from car, beaten unconscious in Northbridge #PERTH attack

A 22-YEAR-OLD man says he was pulled from his car and bashed by a group of strangers in Northbridge.

Todd Allsop was taken by ambulance to Royal Perth Hospital with suspected spinal injuries after being beaten unconscious at a busy intersection on Saturday night.

Mr Allsop was on his way home with his mum and twin brother after a night out when he says a woman walked in front of their car here at the intersection of Aberdeen and William streets.

via Man pulled from car, beaten unconscious in Northbridge attack | PerthNow

Brabham supercar/racing car will be put through its paces at The Bend Motorsport Park in Tailem Bend, South Australia, with the car officially launched in Australia

The new Brabham racing car will be put through its paces at The Bend Motorsport Park in Tailem Bend, South Australia, with the car officially launched in Australia on Tuesday night.

The Brabham BT62, which was unveiled at Australia House in London on May 3, was spotted at The Bend nearly a week ago by car enthusiasts in its new livery.

The 7.77-kilometre Tailem Bend track has now been named as the official Australian testing facility for the car.

via Australia’s new supercar to be tested in Adelaide – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Gunman shoots police in Liege, leaving four dead and two injured

A gunman has killed two police officers and a passer-by before being shot dead in the centre of the Belgian city of Liege, as investigators work to establish a motive.

A crisis centre official in Belgium said the situation around the shooting site was fully safe, and added there is no reason to increase the terror threat level.

But the crisis centre confirmed it was looking into whether terrorism might have been a motive, and an official at the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office told The Associated Press “there are indications” that the shooting could be a terrorist attack.

The gunman fled the scene, taking a female cleaner hostage at a nearby school before he was shot, the La Libre Belgique newspaper said.

A passenger in a car driving by was killed.

Other police officers were wounded in the exchange of fire, Michel Firket from Liege city hall said.

via Gunman shoots police in Liege, leaving four dead and two injured – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them. #DalaiLama #KindnessMatters 😍❤️👍

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Secret Harbour crash driver who killed two teenage friends jailed for three-and-a-half years

The driver of a vehicle that crashed in Secret Harbour last year, killing two teenage passengers and seriously injuring another, has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison.

Joel John Payne, 19, was speeding when he lost control of his six cylinder turbo-charged car and hit a tree on Secret Harbour Boulevard south of Perth.

Callum Mummery, 16, and Mason Hooton, 17, were killed and another young man suffered serious injuries in the crash in October last year.

Payne pleaded guilty in the Perth District Court in February to two counts of dangerous driving causing death and one count of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm.

via Secret Harbour crash driver who killed two teenage friends jailed for three-and-a-half years – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Fremantle beaches suffer further erosion in weekend storms that hit Perth and WA

Weekend storms have caused severe beach erosion at Fremantle’s Port Beach, with the ocean taking large chunks out of a car park, collapsing walkways and sand dunes and exposing potentially hazardous metal and wooden poles at the water line.

Industrial debris and rocks — dumped there from port-related infrastructure over the decades — lies in the shallows along the reclaimed coastal stretch.

Fremantle Mayor Brad Pettitt said the council, which is responsible for the land to the high water mark, was working with the Port Authority and several government departments to solve the problem.

“This is the worst … certainly in my living memory,” Dr Pettitt said.

“And it’s a real problem in the sense that we’re starting to get key infrastructure eaten away into.”

The council has closed Port and Sandtracks beaches in the short-term to keep people safe from the uncovered debris.

via Fremantle beaches suffer further erosion in weekend storms that hit Perth and WA – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Baltimore community devastated after ‘once every 1,000-year’ flooding, had two of them in two years

Flash flooding has caused major damage in Baltimore, sending cars floating down streets.

Key points:
Authorities aren’t aware of any fatalities or missing people
In July 2016, Ellicott City received 17 centimetres of rain over a two-to-three-hour period
Only two weeks ago the state and county was awarded over $US1 million for flood prevention
After floods caused chaos in the Main Street of historic Ellicott City, Maryland, local officials said they were heartbroken to see the community so severely damaged again less than two years after a devastating flood killed two people and caused millions in damages.

As the flood waters receded late on Sunday (local time), officials were just beginning the grim task of assessing the destruction.

During an evening news conference, Howard County executive Allan Kittleman said authorities were not aware of any fatalities or missing people.

But first responders and rescue officials were still going through the muddied, damaged downtown, conducting safety checks and ensuring people evacuated.

Mr Kittleman said the damage was significant and appeared to him to be worse than the flooding two summers ago.

He said residents and business owners “are faced with the same daunting task again”.

“We will be there for them as we were in 2016,” he said.

via Baltimore community devastated after ‘once every 1,000-year’ flooding – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Hundreds of sheep killed and farming land destroyed in Stirling Ranges blaze caused by escaped national park burn

Farmers on Western Australia’s south coast are still coming to terms with the extent of losses after devastating bushfires tore through the region last week.

An escaped burn in the Stirling Range National Park resulted in 17,200 hectares being burnt, with about one fifth occurring on private property.

* This story contains images some readers may find distressing.

Mixed farmer Mal Thomson grows crops and runs sheep next to the Stirling Ranges.

He lost nearly 400 pregnant sheep and their lambs when a bushfire ripped through his property early Friday morning, fanned by intense wind.

“There was a mob of ewes in the first paddock we were at … there were about 460 twin-bearing ewes,” he said.

“They had started lambing … three days prior to the fire. They just had nowhere to go.”

via Hundreds of sheep killed and farming land destroyed in Stirling Ranges blaze caused by escaped national park burn – ABC Rural – ABC News

Shoey time! #F1 #MonacoGP Well Done; #Perth’s Daniel Ricciardo Wins with ‘Broken’ Engine🏁🏁🏁😍 😍

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#F1 #MonacoGP Well Done; #Perth’s Daniel Ricciardo Wins with ‘Broken’ Engine🏁🏁🏁😍 “This is right up there with Schumacher in 1995,” Horner tells Ricciardo – referring to Schumacher being stuck in 5th gear at the Spanish GP

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