News: UN report says asylum seeker numbers are falling.

Arrivals down, according UN refugee group.

A UN report has found the number of asylum seekers arriving in Australia has fallen by 10 per cent over the past year. The United Nations’ High Commissioner for Refugees found Australia’s numbers dropped, despite a 20 per cent increase in the number of people looking seeking asylum in the 44 industrialised nations. “This report shows clearly that the numbers of asylum-seekers coming to Australia are modest – and certainly manageable – when compared to many other industrialised countries,” UNHCR regional representative Richard Towle said.

The UNHCR attributed the falling numbers to a reduction in the number of people arriving by boat, which could be put down to the Government’s proposed Malaysia Solution. Following the report’s release, Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said “The Malaysia Arrangement is the best way to do this and Tony Abbott should get out of the way and allow the Government of the day to implement its border protection policies.”

Jenny Craig CEO to speak at a school conference

A petition is underway to try and force the Alliance of Girls’ Schools to dump Jenny Craig CEO Amy Smith as the keynote speaker at a conference for their educators in May. So far, 1200 people have signed the petition after it was posted at change.org by Lydia Jade Turner from eating disorder clinic BodyMatters Australasia. ”Global giant Jenny Craig thrives on women’s body dissatisfaction and the idea that their bodies are not good enough,” the petition reads. ”It beggars belief how Jenny Craig’s CEO could possibly be seen as an appropriate choice for educators of young girls.”

Speaking on ABC Melbourne, Amy Smith – as an “old-Grammarian girl”- who was “asked as a favor” to speak at the conference, which she denied was marketing for the Jenny Craig brand.

“I’ve written a presentation about leadership and the things that I’ve learned and particularly targeting women in business – or women leaders because that was the subject I was given.”

The alliance’s chief executive Jan Butler said: ”The choice of Amy Smith as a speaker at the conference relates to her long-standing support of women and their status and her work as an advocate for change. In no way will Amy Smith be talking about dieting or even mentioning Jenny Craig.

Environmentalists take on Clive Palmer.

An environmental campaigner says he is planning to sue mining magnate Clive Palmer after he accused environmental groups of having links to the CIA last week. Campaigner Drew Hutton – who is undertaking the legal action – said Mr Palmer has “basically admitted” to making up the the conspiracy. “I was quite prepared to drop this whole business about him seriously defaming me, [but] I am just appalled, and consequently I have asked my lawyer to draw up a letter of intent to send to Clive,” Mr Hutton said. “This is a leading person in our society; this is a man with immense amount of wealth and immense influence and he is carrying on in this way,” he said.

Mr Palmer said he made the comments to take the focus off Campbell Newman in the lead-up to the Queensland election. He said he doesn’t regret the statement – but he wouldn’t take it back either.

Muslim woman beaten to death in xenophobic attack.

An Iraqi-born mother of five living in the US had died less than a week after being brutally beaten in a suspected hate crime. Thirty-two-year-old Shaima Alawadi was found in her family’s Californian home by her daughter, 17-year-old Fatima. Fatima found her mother in a pool of blood, next to a note which read: “Go back to your country. You’re a terrorist.”

In this interview with a US reporter (which was filmed before Shaima passed away) Fatima asks “why, why did you do this? She’s a housewife. She’s innocent. She hasn’t hurt anyone.”

No arrests have been made.

Do you trust these brands?

Google. Apple. Ikea. They’re the brands people trust, according to the latest Brand Asset Valuator report. Those three brands, plus PayPal, YouTube, Microsoft and Vegemite are among the most popular with consumers and are seen to have a strong future.

Qantas, Dairy Farmers, Kodak and Dymocks on the other hand – have lost the trust of consumers over the past five years. ”Trust in brands has declined 22 per cent in the last two years with financial services, insurance, retailers and utilities bearing the brunt of consumer anger in response to constant price hikes, confusing offers and lack of customer service,” BAV director Keith Newtown said.

What brands do you trust?

North Korea’s plans to launch a long-range missile… close to Australia.

Julia Gillard has called on China to put an end to North Korea’s plans to launch a missile close to Australia. North Korea has announced its plan to launch a long-range rocket next month, claiming it’s in preparation for a satellite launch. The missile is expected to land somewhere between Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Alhough there is a low risk that any debris will reach Australia, PM Gillard said “North Korea needs to take a step back from this proposed launch.” She said firing the missile would be in breach of United Nations resolutions. Speaking at a press conference for Nuclear Security Summit in South Korea, where Julia Gillard is also in attendance, US President Barack Obama also warned North Korea that “bad behaviour will not be rewarded”.

Australians are misinformed about fertility.

A survey has revealed many Australians don’t know basic information about fertility. The Fertility Coalition research found 20 per cent of men could name the age that a woman’s fertility starts to decline (it begins to diminish in their early 30s) and that many men did not know their own fertility starts to drop around the age of 40. Spokesman Professor Rob Norman said:  “We do know that as a man gets older that their fertility drops off and also the chance of some abnormalities in their babies increase as well.” But he said many men think their fertility is eternal.

Is there anything you’ve noticed in the news that you want to talk about?