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A 28-year-old man has been charged with murder and attempted murder after three of his children died and four more were injured alongside their mother in a house fire in Sydney’s west.
Police will allege the doors of the Lalor Park home had been locked in order to prevent those inside from escaping. As a result, the police alleged officers had to force entry and “wrestle with this man”, freeing one of the children from his grasp in the process.
Two boys, aged six and two, were taken to hospital where they later died. A five-month-old baby girl was found dead inside the home.
Det supt Daniel Doherty said the mother has been discharged from hospital and was expected to attend a vigil on Thursday. The man remained under police guard in hospital with the matter due back in court on 6 September.
Top news
Religious group faces court over death of eight-year-old | A court has heard how Elizabeth Struhs lay dead in her house for 36 hours after the diabetic eight-year-old died before her father called triple zero. Fourteen adult members of a Toowoomba religious sect, the Saints, are on trial in the Queensland supreme court for the child’s alleged murder.
Authorities vow ‘big investigations’ into Derrimut chemical factory fire | Victoria’s Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has warned locals to avoid coming into contact with water in Cherry Creek, Andersons Swamp and Kayes Drain, in Melbourne’s west, after pollutants carried by firefighting water entered the waterways. They assured “no stone will be left unturned” in the investigation into the fire. One person died in a fire at the same site in October.
Cannabis still most popular illicit drug in Australia | A national wastewater drug monitoring program report ranks Australia third out of 20 countries for cannabis use, but other substances are at near-record highs with Australia ranked 20th of 32 countries for consumption of cocaine and 15th of 33 nations for consumption of MDMA.
Alice Springs curfew lifted | The Northern Territory police commissioner, Michael Murphy, said the curfew would conclude at 12.55pm today after police declared it had been effective but was “not a long-term solution”.
China a ‘decisive enabler’ of Russia’s war in Ukraine | Nato leaders have called China’s deepening ties with Moscow a cause of “deep concern”. The final communique, approved by the 32 Nato members at the summit in Washington, also highlights concerns about Beijing’s nuclear arsenal and its capabilities in space.
Swimmer rescued 80km off Japan coast | Thirty-six hours after she went missing, a 21-year-old Chinese national was finally spotted floating off the southern tip of Chiba’s Boso peninsula by a cargo ship. She was taken to hospital but not admitted as she was clear-headed and without life-threatening injuries.
Colombia into Copa América final | Colombia beat Uruguay 1-0 in their semi-final on Thursday despite being reduced to 10 men before half-time in a game that ended with ugly scenes as players entered the crowd to confront fans.
Ex-Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist sued for wrongful death | The lawsuit was filed Wednesday by Ashley Sanchez, the daughter of 47-year-old Israel Sanchez, who died after being hit by a black SUV with no licence plates, driven by Josh Klinghoffer, while walking on a pedestrian crossing east of Los Angeles.
Night owls’ cognitive function ‘superior’ | It turns out that staying up late could be good for our brain power, as research suggests that people who identify as night owls could be sharper than those who go to bed early.
In video
‘Africa’s most resilient lions’ make record-breaking swim across dangerous river
A record-breaking swim by two lion brothers across a predator-filled African river has been documented by a team led by a researcher from an Australian university.
What they said …
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“It’s not human any more after you’re controlled” – Fumiko (not her real name)
Having endured alleged abuse at the hands of her partner and a six-year custody battle for her son, Fumiko faces a cruel twist as family court proceedings end. Fumiko told her story to Guardian Australia’s Kate Lyons.
In numbers
After another moment of late drama at the Euros, England is off to the final. But not before manager Gareth Southgate and his team were questioned, written off, and even described in post-watershed terms by respected broadcasters. Read Barney Ronay’s analysis.
Before bed read
Trash talk: New York City has finally discovered the wheelie bin – and it only cost $1.6m
After decades of bags lining the streets, the mayor has proudly wheeled out a McKinsey-approved trash can. But four decades of using wheelie bins has taught Australians they’re not just a place to dispose of your waste, as Jordyn Beazley writes.
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: SOD. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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