Thursday afternoon's news in under 5 minutes.

We’ve rounded up all the latest stories from Australia and around the world – so you don’t have to go searching.

1. Families not notified of MH370 discovery first.

The families of victims aboard MH370 have expressed their disappointment they were not told today’s news regarding the plane debris before the media reported the story.

Earlier today, the Malaysian government confirmed that the wing of a plane that washed ashore on Reunion Island indeed belonged to the missing Malaysian Airlines flight.

Sara Weeks, the sister of MH370 victim Paul Weeks, told SBS she and her family were not notified by the Malaysian government prior to them telling the media.

“I’m always disappointed at how I find things out, and in general how the whole family has found things out,” she said.

Weeks learned of the identification of the wing when a reporter called her for comment.

“I guess in the end we all know that something’s happened, you have to have that confirmation to carry on and move on,” she told Fairfax.

“Any time anything happens, it takes you right back to the beginning, the same feelings, same everything, but again this time it has been a week of turmoil and that’s going to continue for some time.”

Related: Malaysia confirms plane wing is from MH370.

Paul is also survived by his wife, Danica, and their two sons who reside in Western Australia.

SBS reports Danica was notified directly by the Malaysian government.

2. Baby pillows linked to infant deaths.

A coroner is campaigning against ‘baby support pillows’ after the items recently caused the death of three children.

BabyCenter reports United States Coroner Graham Hetrick is warning parents should not use the pillows, intended for breastfeeding, as sleeping pillows.

Hetrick states the cushion can lead to ‘posture asphyxiation’.

“If parents use the pillows to prop up babies and his head slips down, the roundness of the pillow can push the chin towards the chest, obstructing breathing,” Hetrick told BabyCenter.

“I can’t confirm this is the cause of death in each case, but three deaths within a six-month time period with a particular type of pillow found in each case, that’s not typical,” Hetrick says. “Use caution with that type of pillow. It’s not for sleeping.”

3. Sex discrimination commissioner says dads need to be more present at home.

The path to gender equality doesn’t necessarily mean making work-life balance easier for women. In fact, a large part of this responsibility will fall upon fathers, according to sex discrimination commissioner Elizabeth Broderick.

Ms Broderick, told Fairfax Media her goal is to achieve “better sharing of paid and unpaid work between men and women”.

Part of this, she says, is up to fathers becoming more hands-on caregivers.

“When men step up and work differently … it says you can be a serious player at work and an engaged dad,” Broderick told Fairfax.

“That role modelling, that sharing of yourself, your personal experience, your personal challenges is so important and it’s what I call courageous leadership.”

4. Adam Goodes’ “imaginary spear” is up for sale.

Sydney Swans AFL player and former Australian of the Year Adam Goodes caused waves earlier this year with the performance of an Aboriginal war dance at a football match.

As part of the dance, Goodes mimed throwing a spear.

That ‘imaginary spear’ recently turned up for sale at the online auction site eBay — where, according to SBS, bids on on it reached over $20,000 before eBay removed the satirical listing.

The listing reportedly said the spear was “capable of terrifying an entire small-minded crowd with an implied lob in their direction.”

EBay said it did not support listings that “don’t offer anything for sale”.

Do you have a news tip? Email us at news@mamamia.com.au. 

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