Daily News Roundup

 

THURSDAY SEPT 24

Former Telstra technician Bradley Robert Edwards has been found guilty of the murders of two young women in Perth almost 25 years ago but acquitted of a third 

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Hall today found Edwards, 51, wilfully murdered 23-year-old Jane Rimmer and 27-year-old Ciara Glennon after taking them from the streets of Claremont late at night in 1996 and 1997.

But he was acquitted of the murder of 18-year-old receptionist Sarah Spiers, who was the first of the three women to vanish and whose body has never been found.

The verdicts follow more than 20 years of mystery and speculation over the so-called Claremont serial killings and close the most expensive and longest-running murder trial in WA history.

Edwards had maintained his innocence ever since he was arrested and charged in December 2016.

His seven-month judge-only trial heard from more than 200 witnesses who gave evidence in person and via video link over 95 sitting days, plus scores more whose statements were read into the court.

Those who testified included Edwards’s former wives, friends and work colleagues, as well as friends of the murdered young women who had been with them on the nights they vanished, police and a swathe of expert scientific and technical witnesses.

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Victoria has recorded 12 new coronavirus cases and two further deaths, as Premier Daniel Andrews confirms the state is “well on track” to ease some restrictions from next week.

Mr Andrews said this was “another strong number”, and with just 12 positives results among them, he said it showed the “strategy is working”.

“Sunday will not be a day of massive steps, the roadmap does not speak to that,” Mr Andrews said.

“It is not a day when we essentially throw the doors open. It will be, however, steady and safe steps, and that sense of gradual, continual progress is what we are able to do because we have a gradual and continued decline in these numbers.”

Melbourne’s 14-day rolling average is now down to 26.7.

Today’s numbers are a further decline on yesterday’s figures, when the state recorded 15 new cases and Melbourne’s 14-day average was 29.4.

Mr Andrews said while today’s numbers were “another very good day” they were still too high for the state to take any “big steps”.

The threshold the Government set for Melbourne moving to the second step was a 14-day rolling average of between 30 and 50 new cases.

This is the second consecutive day Melbourne has been below 30.

The NSW Premier says one case of locally acquired COVID-19 is under investigation, after two days without any local infections.

One case has been confirmed in the past 24 hours, in a person who is in hotel quarantine.

Gladys Berejiklian said another infection had emerged since 8:00pm last night, with a possible link to a known case.

The patient, who is in his 50s, lives with two other people in supported accommodation but they have both been cleared of the virus.

Chief health officer Kerry Chant said the man had underlying health conditions and has been admitted to Campbelltown Hospital where he is in intensive care.

This morning the Premier announced a wide range of relaxed restrictions around weddings, community sport and schools.

“We’re freeing up so many new activities today still I ask people to exercise caution so we can have a fabulous spring and an even better summer,” Health Minister Brad Hazzard said.

In Queensland visitors will be allowed in aged care homes and hospitals across Brisbane, Ipswich and Logan from Friday, the Health Minister Steven Miles has announced.

The announcement coincides with another day of no new cases in Queensland, and marking 14 days since the last suspected infectious case in the community.

From 1:00am tomorrow private gatherings will also increase from 10 people to 30.

The easing of rules will also come into effect in Redlands, Moreton Bay, Lockyer Valley, Scenic Rim and Somerset council areas.

“People can go ahead and organise that house party for Friday night,” Mr Miles said.

The easing of restrictions coincides with the lifting of the ACT as a hotspot and comes a week ahead of the extension of the border bubble to residents in five new local government areas, including Byron Bay, Ballina and Glen Innes.

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Donald Trump has refused to commit to a peaceful transferral of power, should he lose the upcoming presidential election to Democratic nominee Joe Biden, reports news.com.

For months, the US President has been predicting that an increase in the number of Americans choosing to vote by mail due to the coronavirus pandemic will lead to widespread voter fraud.

He has told his supporters the Democrats will try to “steal” the election from him.

Mr Trump’s critics fear he is pre-emptively deligitimising the election result in case he loses to Mr Biden.

At today’s White House media briefing, a reporter asked Mr Trump point blank whether he would yield power.

“Win, lose or draw, will you commit here today for a peaceful transferral of power after the election?” they asked.

“Well we’re going to have to see what happens,” Mr Trump responded.

“You know that I’ve been complaining very strongly about the ballots. And the ballots are a disaster.”

“But people are rioting. Do you commit to making sure there is a peaceful transition of power?” the reporter interjected.

“Get rid of the ballots and we’ll have a very peaceful – there won’t be a transfer, frankly. There’ll be a continuation,” said Mr Trump.

“The ballots are out of control. You know it, and you know who knows it better than anybody else? The Democrats.”