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Good morning, we're back with Melbourne Express bringing you regular updates for the commute, breaking news, weather and what's on around town until 9am. Please share any comments or tips here using the comments button, or email Timna at timna.jacks@theage.com.au or tweet @theage - cheers.
Areas of fog this morning and a sunny afternoon. Patchy fog returning tonight and light winds. A top of 20 degrees.
Making headlines this morning, fresh details of a secretive $250,000 payment to controversial unionist Kathy Jackson from the Peter MacCallum cancer hospital are revealed; Federal Court documents shows AFL intended to use the interim Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority report to punish Essendon over its supplements program; Prime Minister Tony Abbott is found to have skipped an annual black tie dinner held for government senators when he attended a party fund-raiser in Melbourne on Monday night and fighting in Eeastern Ukraine rages on after the Russian and Ukrainian presidents hailed "positive" peace talks.
Heavy fog descended on Melbourne yesterday evening and could hang around for days, the weather bureau reports. Senior forecaster Richard Carlyon said perfect conditions of high humidity and light wind meant the fog had crept north on a sea breeze from Port Phillip Bay. By 6pm it had settled in over Melbourne's CBD but was expected to expand further north overnight, and recur for the next three mornings. We will be checking in the bureau and the Melbourne Airport this morning to gauge the impact today's fog may have on the rest of our week and flights coming in and out of the city.
Another eerie, fog bound start to the day in Melbourne. #7NewsMelb pic.twitter.com/ntfFmGjV3S — NickMcCallum7 (@NickMcCallum7) August 27, 2014
The fog in Melbourne is crazy thick now.... #fog #melbourne pic.twitter.com/Qd62gzmZ8U — Syam A Yusof (@syamsinator) August 27, 2014
Dead dogs don't often make for great art. But artist Malcolm Whittaker is hoping to change that this weekend, when he turns the suburban dog walk into a melancholic performance of "disenfranchised grief", Clay Lucas reports. My Best Friend, a free walking performance in memory of deceased pet dogs, will be staged this weekend through North Fitzroy's Edinburgh Gardens. FULL STORY HERE.
Police have arrested a 42-year-old man following a shooting in Melbourne's south-east late Wednesday afternoon, Carolyn Webb reports. Police and ambulance were called to a house at Heyington Circle in Narre Warren about 5pm where there was a 37-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the lower body. An ambulance spokeswoman said the man had lower leg injuries. He was taken to The Alfred hospital and was in a stable condition. The injuries were non-life threatening. Police searched the area and arrested the 42-year-old man, who was later being questioned.
Travellers by road and air could face delays as a thick cloud of fog continues to linger over Melbourne. Flights were affected at Melbourne Airport late Wednesday night as thick fog reduced visibility to 100 metres, but cleared to mist by midnight, with visibility improving from five kilometres by the early hours of the morning. Weather bureau senior forecaster Scott Williams said the fog was likely to remain in Melbourne this morning and tomorrow morning, with thicker fog likely to linger in the eastern suburbs until lunchtime, before clearing for a warm weekend. A VicRoads spokeswoman has asked drivers to commute with caution and to expect some delays. "Slow down, wait for the fog to lift ... turn your lights on and leave plenty of space between you and the car in front, and adjust your speed." Melbourne Airport spokeswoman Anna Gillett said flights had not yet been affected by fog this morning and she did not know whether this would change. "I don't have a weather crystal ball and I'm not going to attempt to make a forecast on the weather."
Heavy fog @Melair, expect flight delays. #melbfog #fog #melbourne @JimmyTraffic @tripplemhotbreakfast pic.twitter.com/3xkt6b7bAg — Nigel Coon (@Nigel_Coon) August 27, 2014
The moon as it was setting over the Tullamarine airport tonight. Just before the fog rolled in.… http://t.co/pEspkKCNo2 — karlow (@Karlow75) August 27, 2014
Three homes on a Thomastown street were pelted with petrol bombs early this morning, Patrick Hatch reports. Emergency services were called to Victoria Drive about 2.30am after reports of explosions and fires. There were people at home in each of the properties, a Victoria Police spokeswoman said. One house's outside awning was damaged, another received smoke damage and the third was not damaged, according to the spokeswoman. A similar attack happened on the same street about six weeks ago and detectives are investigating if the attacks are linked.
VicRoads warns drivers to steer clear of the fog this morning. If you have to drive into work, drive slow and turn your headlights on.
Rise and shine Victorians...maybe not shine. Another foggy morning.Slow down & keep your lights on. Take care of u & others on the roads. — VicRoads (@VicRoads) August 27, 2014
Treasurer Joe Hockey will attempt to deliver more persuasive speeches with the assistance of the renowned Australian author David Hunt appeared to unravel yesterday. It is unclear whether it was the author or the government that got cold feet, but the plan looks to have been mothballed. And Mr Hockey may be about to lose another staff member with policy adviser Belinda Pola, who has served the Treasurer for several years, poised to leave Mr Hockey's office in a promotion to the Prime Minister's Cabinet Policy Unit. Mr Hockey lost two of his most senior staff – deputy chief of staff Creina Chapman moved to the corporate sector while long serving economics adviser Tony Pearson also left – in the months immediately after the budget. A third staffer, Tony Ritchie, left at the end of 2013. FULL STORY HERE.
So why is there so much fog? Weather bureau senior forecaster Scott Williams said Melbourne's clear skies, light winds and relatively high humidity are ideal conditions for fog. "When there are stable weather conditions, with not much wind, a clear sky and enough moisture in the air, we see fog," he said. Send us your images of the low cloud this morning.
The Fog of 2014 #Melbourne #Westside @ Westside http://t.co/mZNezwhgRk — Timothy Joseph (@Epictiag) August 27, 2014
Dat fog doe. #Melbourne http://t.co/ApouRNq7A7 — Preved Medved (@DLKTDR) August 27, 2014
A council has begun negotiating with trucking tycoon Lindsay Fox about controversial bollards installed on a prime stretch of Portsea beach he now owns, Henrietta Cook and Steve Lillebuen report. Mornington Peninsula Shire is investigating whether state government zoning changes will empower it to order Mr Fox to remove a new row of bollards erected at the front of his waterfront property. But frustrated locals have criticised the council for not doing enough and accused it of being frightened of Mr Fox. FULL STORY HERE.
A Melbourne art expert has been charged by Victorian police after an investigation into suspected forged Brett Whiteley paintings. It is alleged in one charge that Muhammad Aman Siddique obtained a $2.5 million financial advantage by deception for himself and others by producing a purported Whiteley painting - Lavender Bay - and then fraudulently selling it as a genuine work. He is also charged having committed the same offence for $1.1 million involving another purported Whiteley painting, Orange Lavender Bay. READ FULL STORY HERE.
Making headlines around the world, Der Spiegel reports Scotland is divided over the independence vote; the Guardian reports England's deputy children's commissioner highlights "willful blindness" by police and social services as reason for large scale of sex abuse; the New York Times leads with an apparent stealth invasion led by Russia into eastern Ukraine; Singapore's Straits Times reports Middle East analysts believe Gaza ceasefire has "no winners and leaves much unresolved"; therapy is on offer for Japanese struggling to adjust to life in the UK - that's in the Japan Times; the Daily Mail leads with police raids led by a "very curious dog".
A woman who flattened a street sign and crashed into a power pole in Beveridge was five times over the legal blood alcohol limit, police say. Police were called to the single-vehicle crash on Mandalay Circuit about 4.30pm Wednesday, Patrick Hatch reports. The 43-year-old driver was taken to a local police station where she returned a blood alcohol reading of .265 per cent, a police spokesman said. She is expected to be charged with drink driving and other traffic offences, the spokesman said.
A thick cloud of fog engulfing Melbourne Airport last night and delaying flights has been reduced to mist. The weather bureau warns there is still a chance of two to three hours of fog this morning, but will likely clear by 10am. It could take until midday for the fog to clear in Melbourne's outer eastern and southern suburbs.
Motorists being urged to take care, with reduced visibility on the roads due to thick fog clearing #9Newscomau #9News pic.twitter.com/0SnueJGZYU — Nine News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) August 27, 2014
Take a look inside the kitchen of artist, designer and zero-waste king Joost Bakker... FULL STORY HERE.
Getting some excellent shots of the fog last night and this morning. Send through your pics to: @timnajacks
Amazing fog that hit @Melbourne tonight! #melbweather pic.twitter.com/uu6cVUBE9e — Eureka Skydeck (@Eureka_Skydeck) August 27, 2014
Melbourne morning fog pic number 7634 http://t.co/ZwvCaSmPJj pic.twitter.com/0LfztpVOdS — Sean O'Callaghan (@shyseaninabox) August 27, 2014
#fog in #melbourne pic.twitter.com/9WSXWzPmLG — Bob Shea (@bobkshea) August 27, 2014
In finance today, local stocks are expected to open lower as momentum faded in both Europe and Wall Street. The dollar is at 93.36 US cents. Gold and oil are up. Iron ore is down.
Today's Odd Spot: Customers have rallied to 12-year-old TJ Guerrero's aid because a neighbour wants his lemonade stand shut. Doug Wilkey, 61, of Dunedin, Florida, told the local council he wants the stand shut because it was causing excessive traffic, rubbish, illegal parking and noise. TJ made $US600 in two hours after news of the stoush broke.
Eight-minute delays for services arriving at or departing Werribee due to a faulty V/Line train at Werribee.
How on earth could you not see this? DETAILS HERE.
Updating the headlines this morning and a man will appear in court after The X Factor star Redfoo was glassed in a pub early this morning; Australia's defence chief warns the brutal Islamic State group will have to be defeated ''on the battlefield'' as the United States was reportedly preparing to ask Australia for help with air strikes in Iraq; fresh details of a secretive $250,000 payment to controversial unionist Kathy Jackson from the Peter MacCallum cancer hospital are revealed and fighting in Eastern Ukraine rages on after the Russian and Ukrainian presidents hailed "positive" peace talks.