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Wednesday 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. Georgina Bartter’s friend pleads guilty to supplying the ecstasy pill that killed her.

Sydney teenager Georgina Bartter passed away last year after voluntarily taking an ecstasy pill at a popular music festival.

Today, one of her closest friends pleaded guilty to supplying her with that pill.

Georgina Bartter died after suffering an allergic reaction to an ecstasy pill given to her by her friend, Rebecca Hannibal. Image: Facebook.

Ms Bartter, 19, suffered an allergic reaction to the “purple sneaker” pill that was given to her by friend, Rebecca Hannibal, also 19.

Ms Hannibal originally pleaded not guilty for the one count of drug supply, but has today changed her plea.

Related content: She’s charged with giving her best friend the pill that killed her. Does she need to be punished again?

It is alleged she bought a number of pills off Matthew Forti, before giving one to Ms Bartter.  Mr Forti is also facing charges for supplying drugs, to which he has pleaded not guilty.

The tragic reaction suffered by Bartter could not have been predicted and is estimated to affect 1 in 10 million.

Ms Hannibal will be sentenced in June.

2. Virgin Australia to feed us for free on domestic flights.

Virgin Australia is stepping up its efforts to conquer Australian air travel — by offering free food and checked baggage on all domestic flights.

Virgin Australia has introduced free food and checked baggage on all domestic flights. Image: Facebook.

The airline currently offers free food on some flights, mostly between Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, but as of today, will extend this to all domestic services.

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Meals will vary depending on the time of day, and could include sandwiches and muffins, Fairfax reports. The in-flight menu is designed by celebrity chef, Luke Mangan.

The move is a step toward transforming Virgin Australia from a budget airline to a full-service carrier to rival Qantas.

3. Childhood obesity is on the rise, and parents aren’t helping.

A new study conducted by VicHealth and the Centre for Physical Activity at Deakin University has suggested children are becoming overweight and obese partly because of their parents’ disciplinary methods.

The study found some forms of discipline were counterproductive to good health, including having a television in the bedroom, Guardian Australia reports.

A new report suggests rewarding your kids with screen time is actually damaging their health.

Head researcher Anna Timperio, said some parents might allow children to eat in front of the TV or use secreen time as a reward for good behavior — which doesn’t promote physical activity.

The report also found parents who ate breakfast, exercised, or had meals as a family tended to have children who ate more fruit and vegetables and were more physically active.

The report predicts one in three children will be overweight or obese by 2025, as opposed to one in four at present.

4. Victorian’s new smoking bans are now in force.

As of this week, smoking has been banned on or within four metres of the entrance of schools and child care centres in Victoria.

Smoking will be banned in and near all schools in Victoria.

The bans introduced by the Victorian government also include children’s indoor play centres, public hospitals, community health centres and some Victorian Government buildings.

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Related content: WATCH: the rest of the world is so far behind Australia’s tobacco laws.

The new laws aim to protect the community from second hand smoke and “de-normalise” smoking by reducing the visibility of people smoking in public places.

Under the Tobacco Act 1987, breaking these laws could earn you a $147 fine.

5. Dr Karl backs away from his endorsement of the intergenerational report.

Australia’s most famous doctor has backed away from endorsing the government’s Intergenerational Report.

ABC science commentator, Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, appears on television, radio and print advertisements promoting the report — but has since described it as “flawed”.

The report provides a snapshot of the nation in 40 years’ time, including population size and characteristics, and the state of the economy.

georgina bartter guilty plea
Dr Karl presenting the Intergenerational Report. Image: Screenshot via YouTube.
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However, Dr Karl has since admitted he did not get a chance to read the full document prior to agreeing to appear in the ads, as parts were under embargo. He also told ABC radio the report appears to have some political bias.

“I did it on the grounds that it would be not for any political party but for the Government of Australia as a non-political, bipartisan, independent report,” he said.

“I thought that people would know the difference between a report and a policy document… And this actually, as a report, seems to have some policy in it.”

He is specifically concerned with the lack of emphasis on climate change in the report.

“How can you possibly have a report that looks at the next 40 years and doesn’t mention climate change?” he told ABC News 24.

In spite of this, Dr Karl welcomed the attention the report had received via the ads.

Do you have a story for Mamamia News? Email us at news@mamamia.com.au.

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