Cambodia:

Jailed filmmaker’s emails to Rainsy raise more questions about spying claims
Emails sent to self-exiled former opposition leader Sam Rainsy, among others, were trotted out during the court’s questioning of Australian James Ricketson yesterday, though advocates questioned how the missives justified the “espionage” charges levelled at the 68-year-old filmmaker. Read full story.

 

 

Australian nurse denies charges as surrogacy trial kicks off
An Australian nurse denied she was the chief orchestrator of a number of surrogate pregnancies at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday in the opening of Cambodia’s first-ever surrogacy trial.
Tammy Davis-Charles, 49, Ministry of Commerce employee Penh Rithy, 28, and nurse Samrith Chakriya, 34, were arrested in November last year, just two weeks after the Ministry of Health quietly banned commercial surrogacy in a directive. Read full story

 

 

 

Alleged mob murder of a 15-year-old boy leaves a village on edge
Alongside a makeshift dump of coconut husks and plastic bags, a village in Stung Meanchey commune in the capital’s Meanchey district has struggled to sleep for the past week. They fear the presence of a ghost.
In this village on July 8, 15-year-old Phal Narou was allegedly caught red-handed stealing from his neighbours. His hands were tied behind his back, and he was beaten. Police yesterday said they are investigating Narou’s untimely death after his body was dredged up from a nearby lake last Monday. Read full story.

 

Bendigo:

The indelible mark of violence against women
New findings from peak prevention organisation Our Watch have found more than a quarter of young people hold attitudes that put them at risk of perpetrating or tolerating violence against women. Read more from the campaign.

 

 

Tamworth:

‘We don’t want this’: Barnaby Joyce’s warning in wake of leadership spill motion
EXCLUSIVE: Member for New England Barnaby Joyce has warned the Nationals may walk away from the Coalition in the wake of an upcoming spill next Tuesday. News of the spill broke this afternoon when Western Australian Liberal MP Luke Simpkins confirmed he will seek a leadership spill against Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
“What I say to my colleagues in the Liberal party is this: we didn’t want this. We gave you fair warning,” Mr Joyce told the Leader. “Do not consider that the National party support is without question.” Read the full story.

 

From Iran with love – young asylum seeker claims Mackellar prize
A young asylum seeker who has been learning English for only nine months had a shock win in the Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards, announced this morning  in Gunnedah. Maryam Sathat Sobhani took out first place in the Learning Assistance and Special Education Primary category.
The 12-year-old fled Iran with her parents Sayed and Roya two years ago. They arrived in Indonesia before boarding a boat destined for Australia but were intercepted by the Australian Navy and sent to Christmas Island. Read the full story.

 

 Sick kids ‘lottery’: Paediatric clinic says don’t call us, we’ll call you
A crippling shortage of paediatricians at Tamworth hospital is leaving sick children waiting on a “lottery” phone call for appointments, a local parent claims. Belinda Jachim, whose nine-year-old son Aidan needs regular appointments for his rare genetic disorder, said she had pressed the paediatric clinic for an appointment and was informed they were “no longer taking bookings”. Instead, they were taking names and numbers and ringing patients on a week-by-week basis, due to a shortage of doctors, Mrs Jachim was told.
“If you’re lucky you might get to see them that week,” Mrs Jachim said. “This is disgusting that our children are being forced to wait for a phone call to see if they won the lottery for an appointment.” Read the full story.

 

 CWA backs medical cannabis
The NSW Country Women’s Association gave medical marijuana its stamp of approval at the annual state conference in Tamworth yesterday. The state CWA passed two motions – one supporting the use of the drug, and the other in support of the legalisation of growing, manufacturing and distributing marijuana for medicinal purposes. Read the full story.