WA Brekkie Blog | Thursday, December 22, 2016

AUSTRALIND: South West Detectives are seeking information to assist with their investigation into two incidents in Australind where a shot was fired. Read more. 

MANDURAH:  When it comes to fighting for justice, victim of crime Debbie Tippett only wants one thing; to be afforded the same courtesies as those extended to her attacker. Disgusted by the recent Supreme Court decision to overturn Grant Collard’s murder conviction, Ms Tippett has once again spoken out on inequities in the justice system and her personal fight for closure. Read more.

MARGARET RIVER: Two South West men are being investigated, with a view to prosecution, for alleged offences related to recreational abalone fishing off the coast, just north of Margaret River. Read more.  

MANDURAH: Police are on the hunt for an arsonist in Mandurah following two suspicious fires in Coodanup over the past two days. Read more. 

ORANGE | Orange High School gets on the front foot, demanding students following uniform requirements despite outrage online

Orange High School will be keeping a close eye on their students’ soles next year.

From 2017 the school will demand students step up and comply with uniform requirements for black, leather lace-up shoes. More here.

NEWCASTLE | Jockey Samantha Clenton on her long, uncertain road to recovery after lucky escape

JOCKEY Samantha Clenton is unsure if and when she will ride again but counts herself as a “very, very lucky girl” to be walking after sustaining shocking spinal injuries from a second major fall inside five months. More here.

GUILDFORD | Father of Guildford baby bashing accused says: 'we're heartbroken'

Most people would find it difficult to fathom how a person could bash a baby to death.

The father of a man accused of carrying out such an act says he can't either. More here.

National news

SOUTH AUSTRALIA | HIV sufferer Brandon James Wilkins continued relationship with underage girl, despite ban

A 20-YEAR-OLD HIV and hepatitis C sufferer who broke a child protection order banning him from contacting his teenage girlfriend because he was in love has avoided an immediate jail term. More here.

'Do Turnbull a favour': Windsor urges Bernardi to defect and says PM should 'piss or get off the potty'

The retired Independent Tony Windsor has launched an extraordinary spray, daring the conservative Cory Bernardi to do Malcolm Turnbull a favour and quit the Liberal party while urging the Prime Minister to "piss" and kick the outspoken Senator out of the party or "get off the potty." More here.

ACT | Van drove into Australian Christian Lobby's Canberra headquarters and 'exploded'

A van reportedly carrying gas cylinders was driven into the Australian Christian Lobby headquarters in Canberra on Wednesday night, causing an explosion. More here.

JAKARTA | Three alleged terrorists shot dead in Indonesia

The Australian government has issued an updated travel warning to Indonesia as three suspected terrorists were killed after a bomb was thrown at police officers during a raid of a house in South Tangerang, about 25 kilometres south-west of Jakarta. More here.

BEIJING | China on second red alert as smog smothers cities, stops flights, closes roads

Hazardous levels of smog covering an area more than twice the size the state of Victoria has blanketed northern China, prompting dozens of cities to issue pollution "red alerts" shutting schools, factories and disrupting flights. More here.

GERMANY | Berlin attack: the heart of European unity may skip a beat but won't break apart

While little has been confirmed by Berlin police, the likelihood of an accident appears remote and the similarity to the Nice attack is glaring. Trucks look to be a new weapon of choice and we can expect to see more of them used. More here.

1969 - Diana Ross gave her last performance as a member of the Supremes on "The Ed Sullivan Show." 

1988 - In Lockerbie, Scotland, 270 people (including 11 on the ground) were killed when a New York-bound Pan-Am flight exploded due to a terrorist bomb.

1895 - German physicist Wilhelm Röntgen made the first X-ray, of his wife's hand. 

1941 - British Prime Minister Winston Churchill arrived in Washington for a wartime conference with U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt. 

1961 - James Davis became the first U.S. soldier to die in Vietnam, while U.S. involvement was still limited to the provision of military advisers. 

For 54 years watchmaker and jeweller Elio Cocilova has made it his life’s work to make and repair beautiful things.

But after living and breathing his craft for so long he still can’t seem to stop despite announcing his reitrement. More here.