Monday update
15 Apr 2013
School funding changes unveiled as PM Julia Gillard vows to move forward with the plan. Meanwhile, all eyes are on North Korea as the country marks its founder’s birthday.
School funding unveiled
Prime Minister Julia Gillard will move ahead with plans to increase school funding even without unanimous support. Under the plan, $12 billion will be directed to public schools, Catholic schools will receive an extra $1.5 billion and independent schools $1 billion, with 65 per cent of the costs being contributed by the Commonwealth on the condition that the states and territories boost their spending by three per cent. ABC News has the full story.
All eyes on North Korea
The world faces a tense wait to see if North Korea marks Kim Il-sung’s birthday today with a missile launch. South Korean intelligence believes the North has two medium-range missiles ready to fire early this week. US Secretary of State, John Kerry, is currently touring the region. Sky News has the story.
Vietnam vet attempting to find Vietnamese remains
Brian Cleaver is hoping to mark the 45th anniversary of the battle at the Coral and Balmoral fire support bases by finding the remains of 42 North Vietnamese soldiers killed in action on 26 May 1968. Read more.
Plane misses runway in Bali
A plane carrying 101 passengers missed the runway at Bali airport, landing in the sea before breaking in half. Dozens were injured but there were no fatalities. The carrier, Lion Air, recently requested hundreds of new planes. It’s banned from US and European airspace over safety concerns. Read what passengers had to say on Yahoo Seven News.
Prisoner escapes French jail
Notorious armed robber, Redoine Faid, known for attacks on cash-in-transit vehicles, has escaped prison in Northern France after he briefly took four guards hostage. Faid used explosives to blast through prison doors. Read more.
Melting 10 times faster
A new report has found that the summer ice melt in the Antarctic is happening at a much quicker pace, 10 times faster than it did 600 years ago. Even the slightest increase in temperature is having a major impact on the melt. ABC News has more.
Mogadishu courthouse attack leaves dozens dead
Nine men burst into Mogadishu’s main court complex, some blowing up suicide vests and others spraying gunfire, killing 29 civilians. A separate bomb attack killed five more. The attacks have been linked to an Al-Qaeda-affiliated group that opposes the Somali Government. Read more.
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