Good morning and welcome to the Morning Buzz for Wednesday, July 26. Today will be a mostly sunny day, with expected highs of about 22 degrees. Enjoy your day!
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RSPCA at Rouse Hill hits a milestone
A rabbit has hopped in to his fur-ever home and become RSPCA’s Rouse Hill Care Centre’s 5000th adoption.
Jasper the rabbit was only in the care centre for a few hours after arriving from the Yagoona shelter before he was adopted by university student Kathryn Cox on July 13. The Castle Hill resident, who has two dogs, was at the store to buy pet treats when she laid on eyes on Jasper. Read more
New levy on 70,000 homes around Parramatta to pay for parks, schools, transport
Another 70,000 homes will be built across a stretch of central Sydney in the next 20 years from Westmead through Parramatta and Olympic Park to Strathfield, the NSW government announced on Tuesday morning.
While much of the area has already been subject to intense development and development speculation, Planning and Housing Minister Anthony Roberts said the combined area would be co-ordinated through one 20-year plan, which would also result in the creation of 110,000 jobs. Read more.
A new school in Gledswood Hills by 2020
Plans for a public primary school in Gledswood Hills are moving along nicely with students expected to enrol in 2020.
Camden MP Chris Patterson said he was pleased with the progress, despite original projections suggested the school would be open by 2019 or earlier. Read more.
Woolworths putting cap on Coca-Cola Amatil's Mount Franklin water
Coca-Cola Amatil has had more bad news from the aisles of Woolworths with the revelation that the supermarket giant will ditch much of the drinks maker's Mount Franklin water product from its shelves.
Just weeks after Woolworths confirmed it would not stock Coca-Cola's new Coke No Sugar product, partly citing surging demand for bottled water, the supermarket has informed suppliers it would start stocking only the two most popular Mount Franklin products in its aisles from August. Read more.
Why extreme El Nino events are shaping as double trouble
Extreme El Nino events will more than double in frequency, even with the most ambitious goals to curtail global warming, exposing large regions to severe droughts and placing coral reefs in peril, a team of scientists including Australians say.
In 2015, almost 200 nations signed the Paris Climate accord, agreeing to curb greenhouse gas emissions to prevent global temperatures warming more than 1.5-2 degrees compared with pre-industrial times.
National pledges so far point to warming of closer to 3 degrees. Read more.
Jean Claude Perrottet, brother of NSW Treasurer, on trial for sexual assault
The Sydney University student was dancing with friends and kissing a man at the St John's College end-of-year formal.
The next thing the woman remembered was being in a leafy area with overhanging trees on the grounds of the college with the man, Jean Claude Perrottet on top of her, the NSW District Court heard.
Mr Perrottet, 20, the younger brother of NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet, is charged with three counts of having sexual intercourse with the 19-year-old woman without her consent in the early hours of October 18, 2015. Mr Perrottet has pleaded not guilty. Read more.
No funds for basics in the Blue Mountains
Parking at Blaxland station and congestion studies at Springwood and Katoomba are some of the issues that the state opposition believes the recent NSW budget has overlooked.
Blue Mountains MP, Trish Doyle, on Monday took shadow treasurer Ryan Park on a whistlestop tour of a number of areas of concern. When they arrived at Blaxland station shortly after 9am, Mr Park could see that the commuter carpark was full. Read more.
Police seize trail bike and charge man at Cranebook
A man has been arrested and his trail bike seized after he allegedly attempted to run from police at Cranebrook.
A police trail bike unit was patrolling Greygums Road near McHenry Road about 2.40pm on Monday, July 24 when they spotted two trail bike riders, according to a police spokesman. Read more.
Man rescued after car goes into water at Dolans Bay
Emergency services are responding to reports of a car that went into water at Dolans Bay on Tuesday morning.
Police remain at Wally’s Wharf near Port Hacking Road where it’s believed the car entered the water just before 11am.
Vision from a Sydney News helicopter show the car fully submerged.
A NSW Ambulance spokeswoman said two men were rescued from the water. Read more.
More than 40 per cent of NSW school students nominate 'no religion'
More than 40 per cent of the 795,000 students in NSW's public schools do not list any religion on their enrolment form, according to new data that comes as parents and teachers push for an overhaul of the strict rules that leave students with "dead time" if they do not attend scripture.
All schools must set aside at least 30 minutes each week for special religious education (SRE) but the data, released under freedom of information laws, shows that in more than 50 per cent of schools, most students do not nominate a religion. Read more.
Man, 77, charged over Bexley North break-ins
An elderly man will face court over a string of burglary offences after allegedly breaking into a number of homes in Sydney's southern suburbs.
Police allege the 77-year-old man broke into a home on Carrisbrook Avenue, Bexley North on Tuesday, stealing several pieces of jewellery.
The man was allegedly spotted inside the home by a witness who contacted police.
The septuagenarian fled to a nearby home where a resident also called police. Read more.
Zachary Attard selected for NextGEN AUSComGames Squad
Zachary Attard has been identified as part of the future of Australian swimming.
The Castle Hill 18-year-old was selected in the 2017 NextGEN AUSComGames Squad program after making the World Junior Championships team for 100m and 200m freestyle.
It’s a dream come true for Attard after he narrowly missed out on making the squad last year. Read more.
Raiders lock Sia Soliola suspended for five matches for hit on Billy Slater
Sia Soliola's season is not over just yet after the Canberra Raiders lock was suspended for five weeks for a high shot on Melbourne Storm fullback Billy Slater.
Soliola pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous contact before he arrived at NRL headquarters on Tuesday evening and was ultimately handed down a five-week ban after a long hearing, meaning he will available for the Raiders' last match of the season on September 2 at AAMI Park. Read more.
Benefit night raises $50,000 for the Dunley family
More than 300 people attended a benefit night on Friday to raise money for the family of East Campbelltown Eagles player Wayde Dunley, who lost his life after a rockfishing incident earlier this month.
The 28-year-old had been fishing at Big Marley Beach in Bundeena when he fell about 15 metres from a cliff.
He was airlifted to St George Hospital but he did not survive. Read more.
David Warner, cricketers united in 'fair share' for new pay deal
Australia's cricketers have resolved to continue their fight for a "fair share" of pay and conditions after a two-hour meeting in Sydney on Monday.
Australian Cricketers Association chief Alistair Nicholson flew to Sydney to meet with the Test squad set to tour Bangladesh next month. Players who were not in Sydney joined via telephone hook-up. Read more.
Wanderers sign second Spanish marquee attacker Alvaro Cejudo
Western Sydney have signed veteran Spanish attacker Alvaro Cejudo as the club's second marquee A-League recruit.
The 33-year-old winger is a former teammate of the Wanderers' other marquee man, striker Oriel Riera, with the two having spent a season together at Osasuna in 2013-14.
Their chemistry will be crucial as the new-look Wanderers seek to become an A-League force again after crashing out of the finals series at the first hurdle. Read more.
