1. An American father has reportedly been reunited with his daughter – 10 years after she was kidnapped by her mother. Brozzi Lunetta has been on a public search for his daughter Reya in the years since she disappeared from the United States with his Norwegian ex-wife Camilla Ellefsen Lunetta. That search recently brought Mr Lunetta to Sydney where he was told was living with their now 11-year-old daughter.
Today Tonight, who have been following the story, are reporting that Mr Lunetta has been reunited with Reya and Camilla, but that the three of them have now gone into hiding. “We’re trying to negotiate with the Norwegian Government, to try and find her a safe haven and find some legal remedy to get Camilla and Reya back to Norway, instead of a huge convention, which sends Camilla back to LA where she will go to jail,” he said.
2. As many as 1000 people are feared dead after a factory building collapse in Bangladesh. Two hundred and sixty people have been confirmed dead and thousands have been injured. The building – which houses mostly female workers – collapsed on Wednesday and it’s been reported that rescuers can still hear the cries of survivors. The owners of the building were apparently warned of cracks in the structure the day before it collapsed – but they ordered their staff to work anyway.
3. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee will release its findings on the controversial abortion drug RU486 today. It’s findings could lead to the drug being added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in which case it would cost to as little as $12 .
4. The body of a man who was wrongly accused as a suspect of the Boston bombings has been found in a river in the US state of Rhode Island. Last week, Sunil Tripathi’s name circulated around Twitter and Reddit after the FBI released images of the suspects. The man in the images turned out to be Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who is now under police guard in hospital. Tripathi’s family released a statement on Facebook saying: “As we carry indescribable grief, we also feel incredible gratitude… To each one of you – from our hometown to many distant lands – we extend our thanks for the words of encouragement, for your thoughts, for your hands, for your prayers, and for the love you have so generously shared.”
Meanwhile, there have been reports the bombings suspects also planned to attack New York’s Times Square.
5. The Herald Sun is reporting that Tony Abbott would shift the election date to August 3 if he successfully proceeds with a no-confidence motion against the Gillard government. The election is currently scheduled for September 14.
6. US President Barack Obama has reportedly told his daughters: “If you get a tattoo, I will to”. He told US Today Show hosts: “What we’ve said to the girls is, ‘If you guys ever decide you’re going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will get the exact same tattoo, in the same place, and we’ll go on YouTube and show it off as a family tattoo’.”
7. And finally, many big corporations have reportedly “encouraged” their staff to take today off work as an annual leave day and make the most of the unofficial Anzac Day long weekend. Companies such as Westpac and NAB use the volunteer tactic to discourage people from taking “sickies” and to increase productivity in the workplace.
