Good morning and welcome to the Morning Buzz for Monday, June 26. It’s set to be sunny today, with expected highs of about 18 degrees. Enjoy your day!
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Euthanasia survey hints at support from doctors, nurses and division
Most NSW doctors and nurses support a controversial medical euthanasia bill headed for Parliament, according to research that could prompt new debate about the medical fraternity's willingness to accept changes to assisted suicide laws.
A bill, to allow patients to apply for medically assisted euthanasia in specific circumstances when older than 25 (an age when informed consent is deemed reached), will be introduced to the NSW upper house in August for a conscience vote. Read more.
ATO scandal claims first scalp as controversial lawyer Sevag Chalabian quits the profession
Controversial lawyer Sevag Chalabian, who has been accused of involvement in a blackmail which resulted in $24 million going into his trust account, has quietly quit the legal profession.
Mr Chalabian, 47, was named in recent court documents in connection with what is alleged to be the nation's largest tax fraud. Read more,
Man charged after eight-hour standoff in Newtown
A man has been charged with a number of offences following an eight-hour standoff with police in Newtown on Sunday.
A 38-year-old man allegedly broke into a house on Church Street before climbing from a second-storey balcony on to the roof at around 9.15am. According to police, he then started throwing bricks and tiles at police, pedestrians and cars below. Read more.
German retailer Kaufland inks Australian land deals
German discount department store Kaufland has demonstrated its commitment to expanding in Australia by inking deals to buy land.
Kaufland is part of the Schwarz Group, one of the world's largest retailers, which also owns discount supermarket Lidl. Read more.
Woman screamed for help as she was dragged into car in Sydney's west
Police are appealing for people to come forward after a woman was allegedly dragged into a car on Saturday morning.
Witnesses have told police they saw the woman being dragged by a male into a white Holden Rodeo ute that was stopped at an intersection in Blackett, in Sydney's west. Police were alerted by residents who heard the woman screaming for help and beeping a car horn. Read more.
Police raise first AMBER Alert after introducing Facebook tool to find abducted children
Police have raised their first Facebook AMBER Alert to help locate missing girl Milena Malkic.
The first alert comes a day after the national roll-out of the system, which police describe as a vital tool to find and return abducted children.
Urgent information appears on a person's Facebook feed if they are within 160 kilometres of where the child goes missing or is suspected to be. Read more.
Group 4 league boss Mick Schmiedel talks tough about sport's future
A plain-talking country rugby league boss has bemoaned the dramatic drop in junior league players graduating to the senior ranks – and has laid the blame on "lazy" parents and "soft" children.
With the Group 4 rugby league competition in northern NSW in danger of becoming a wasteland in the under-16 and under-18 ranks, president Mick Schmiedel, a former long-standing player who is a veteran administrator and coach, said parents needed to get "off the couch" and get their kids involved in league.
"I put the blame, and they won't like this, squarely at mums and dads," he said. Read more.
Shane Flanagan fumes at ‘inexcusable’ Cronulla Sharks performance
It was billed as one of the games of the round. Two bitter arch rivals in front of a packed house for Sunday afternoon footy in the shire.
Unfortunately, the clash between the high-flying Sea Eagles and the reigning premiers was almost over before it began.
Manly ran in three tries in the opening quarter to blow Cronulla away at Southern Cross Group Stadium on Sunday, with the Sea Eagles eventually running out deserved 35-18 winners. Read more.
Dragons launch second half comeback to stun Newcastle
St George Illawarra produced 22 unanswered second half points as they launched a stunning comeback to score a 32-28 win over Newcastle.
The Dragons were booed off at half-time trailing 28-10 to the second-last placed Knights at UOW Jubilee Oval, Kogarah on Sunday.
But St George Illawarra produced their second best comeback in club history to snap a two-game losing run and strengthen their place in the top eight. Read more.
McVeigh pushing for recall as Sydney Swans near full health
Former captain Jarrad McVeigh is pressing hard for a senior recall with the resurgent Sydney facing several big selection calls as it pushes for a remarkable finals berth.
And youngster Isaac Heeney has a blunt warning for the Swans' next opponent, Melbourne: bring it on.
Rocked by injuries to their senior ranks early in the season, the Swans are closing in on a clean bill of health heading into Friday night's vital clash with the in-form Demons at the MCG. Read more.
