8.56am A little history lesson, courtesy of Kiama Library, this morning. Osama Bin Laden was killed on this day in 2011.

8.54am Speaking of weekend events ... with the Ride Around the Lake charity cycle ride on Saturday, plus the Wings Over Illawarra air show and Swisse Color Run on Sunday, there will be no shortage of outdoor activities in the Illawarra this weekend.

-We've got a full run-down on the weekend plus the very busy month of May here.

8.53am The Illawarra Autumn jazzfest is on this weekend.

8.52am My lovely friend Kylie Estreich was just on i98FM talking about her job as a play therapist at Westmead Children's Hospital. Go Kyles!

8.51am NATIONAL: Australian drinkers shouldn’t be forced to pay a minimum price for alcohol even though the move would probably reduce booze-fuelled harm, the National Preventive Health Agency (NPHA) says. (AAP)

8.50am Check out this picture by Kiama photographer David Finlay. Very clever!

8.48am MUSIC NEWS: A note police found in Nirvana singer Kurt Cobain's wallet after his 1994 suicide derided rocker-wife Courtney Love and offered a possible view into the singer's turbulent personal life. NB He labelled Love a "bitch with zits". Yowser.

8.46am Okay, so that took a little longer than 10 minutes.

8.30am Rushers, grant me a brief sojourn while I move my car. Talk amongst yourselves, I will return in 10 (ish) minutes.

8.28am In some truly ewwwwww news, there is a dead blue whale rotting along the shoreline of a Canadian town. There's a chance it might explode but it's more likely to deflate like a balloon. Ew. Just ew!

8.26am POLITICS: Up to 1.4 million taxpayers will be freed from the hassle of completing a tax return and will receive a "thank you" receipt from the Treasurer for paying their taxes from July 1 this year. The May budget is expected to include Treasurer Joe Hockey's plans to send each taxpayer a personalised receipt from the Australian Taxation Office showing where their tax dollars were spent.

8.25am CELEB GOSS ALERT: Nine News is reporting that Peaches Geldolf died of a drug overdose.

8.24am BREAKING: A mother and young child have been saved by a smoke alarm set off by a fire in their Melbourne home. The pair were awoken by the alarm and managed to evacuate safely after a fire in the roof of their Mill Park house early this morning. Fire crews quickly brought the blaze under control, with the damage estimated at more than $80,000. No one was injured and the cause of the fire will be investigated. (AAP)

8.23am Update on the pizza cake - fiancee has voted it down unless it's all meatlovers pizza. Interesting. Sounds like a challenge to me!

8.22am STRANGE BUT TRUE: In Maine, it is unlawful to tickle women under the chin with a feather duster. For that, and other whacky laws, read below.

8.20am LOCAL NEWS: They are car salesmen by day and artists by night. Three Wollongong workers from the Corban Automotive Group plan to launch their art exhibition on Friday, titled Three and a Half Men, after discovering each other's passion for art.

-Reporter Gemma Khaicy has the story here.

8.18am Tahoe the baby bear was abandoned in California. She was rescued & now she's one happy cub. Listen to her chortling. Awww, so freaking cute!!

8.16am BREAKING: Melbourne train services have resumed, following a blaze that threw services into chaos. New cabling has been installed by rail operator Metro and the four lines which were still experiencing major delays during Wednesday evening’s peak hour are back to normal. Fire near Richmond Station on Tuesday evening threw services into chaos for commuters, leaving thousands stranded in the CBD. (AAP)

8.14am CELEB GOSS ALERT: Oh J-Law. She's just admitted that she got so wasted at the Oscars that she vomited. Even Miley told her to "get it together". Gees!

8.12am Today is White Shirt Day, raising money for ovarian cancer. I am not wearing a white shirt but it's not too late for you if you haven't left the house yet!

8.10am LOCAL SPORT: Helensburgh BMX specialist Kai Sakakibara will rub shoulders with some of the best in the business at the national championships in Victoria on Saturday and Sunday.

8.08am STRANGE BUT TRUE: Only in the US - pink guns for kids. Because every child needs a firearm.

8.06am Acoustic duo The Hot Teas will be playing at the Grand Hotel Kiama tomorrow from 4pm-7pm. Entry is free.

8.04am NATIONAL: The young Sydney man who drove the getaway car after the murder of businessman Michael McGurk and then concealed the crime from police has been sentenced to at least five years in jail.

8.02am It's official! Sephora is opening in the Pitt St Mall in Sydney in December. Mark your calenders, grab a basket & shop!

8am So as many of you know, I'm planning a wedding. The wedding cake debate is a goodie - what kind, how many tiers etc? But how about the pizza wedding cake? Yep, tiers of pizza.

7.58am LOCAL NEWS: You do not need two good boobs to be a mayor, according to Joanna Gash. The Shoalhaven Mayor has been diagnosed with breast cancer.

-Reporter Alex Arnold has the full story.

7.56am CELEB GOSS ALERT: Hottie McHot Zac Efron has opened up about his battle with drugs & alcohol. Oh Zac.

7.54am BREAKING: A deadly explosion has rocked a train station in Urumqi in China, the capital of the restive far-western Xinjiang, on the same day Chinese President Xi Jinping completed a high-profile four-day tour of the region. 

7.52am Good morning! Welcome if you're just tuning in. Here's the latest weather & traffic.

WEATHER The temperature has definitely dropped out there. We might be in for a sunny day but the mercury is only set to hit 19 degrees. Expect some light winds this afternoon. Right now, it's 10 degrees in Albion Park and 13 in Bellambi - hello winter!

TRAFFIC All looks fine on the region's roads. Don't forget those road works at Gerringong & the Picton Rd on-ramp. There's an accident at Heathcote (Princes Hwy @ Short St) - traffic is affected in both directions so just be careful.

TRAINS There is a good service on the South Coast line.

7.50am CELEB GOSS ALERT: People, we have a celeb love triangle! I bring you the Justin Bieber - Selena Gomez - Kendall Jenner triangle.

7.48am WORLD NEWS: A group of men strangled an Indian teenager and hung him from a tree after he embarked on a relationship with a girl from a higher social caste, police say.

7.46am Yay, it's time for "anywhere but here". Today, I'd rather be swimming through this clever underwater park in Austria. If I close my eyes, I can almost see the scuba gear.

7.44am LOCAL NEWS: Michael James Quinn stabbed his girlfriend to death on the front lawn of his parents' Farmborough Heights home last year after she tried to break off their relationship and confessed to seeing another man, a court has heard.

-Court reporter Shannon Tonkin has the full report.

7.42am MOVIE NEWS: Check out the hilarious trailer for Amy Poehler & Paul Rudd's rom-com spoof. It's set to be released in the US on June 27.

7.40am NATIONAL: Australia's indigenous population is set to increase by a third to top 900,000 by 2026, according to new projections from the Bureau of Statistics.

7.38am MUSIC NEWS: She may have come in like a Wrecking Ball but she's staying in a hospital bed. Miley Cyrus is under doctor's orders to stay in bed - her Bangerz tour will not resume in the US tomorrow.

7.36am Don't forget the Arcadian Children’s Theatre's present Gladiators this weekend. It’s on at the Miner’s Lamp Theatre.

7.34am So, my fiancee (ooo nearly wrote husband then!) loves camping. I'm more of a five-star, butlers kinda girl but I'm all about compromise so I went on a camping trip earlier this year. And I really enjoyed it! But I think this camping arrangement would have made me MUCH happier.

7.32am CELEB GOSS ALERT: E! News is reporting that Kim Kardashian has found her wedding dress. Watch this space...

7.30am LOCAL SPORT: A Decimated Dapto Dandaloo squad are preparing for the worst on the injury front after a last-gasp Waratah Cup loss left coach Norm Boardman thin on numbers for the weekend's visit by Bulli.

7.28am STRANGE BUT TRUE: This story is NOT for the faint-hearted. Actually, it's not really great if you're eating either. Ready ... okay ... this man ate his wife's placenta in a smoothie & then cooked it in a taco. Bleurgh. Eww gross!

7.26am Musical theatre lovers are celebrating - it's Tony Awards season time! Have a look at the full list of nominees here.

7.24am WORLD NEWS: As a ferry with 476 passengers was badly listing off the southwestern coast of South Korea two weeks ago, one of the students on board asked, "Are we becoming a Titanic?" Ouch.

7.22am Keen to have breakky with the PM? Bit of bacon, some eggs, nice cuppa? Great - $11,000 please. Yep, I'm not joking.

7.20am Mother's Day is Sunday, May 11. I know, not long now! Stuck for gift ideas? Check out this gift guide - there's some great presents in here.

7.18am Today is National Best Friend Day. Awww. Quick, grab your bestie & celebrate.

7.16am SPORT: The NSW Waratahs have recruited a 120 kilo winger from the Wests Tigers who, besides having the speed and power required to score Jonah Lomu-like tries, was blessed with the ice-cool nerves and safe hands needed to deliver a baby. Read the full story here.

7.14am LOCAL NEWS: A Bellambi man who bit part of another man's ear off during a violent kidnapping incident has been jailed for 10 years.

-Court reporter Shannon Tonkin has the full report.

7.12am Anyone else experiencing a SERIOUS case of post-Easter chocolate skin? My chin has resembled a pimply school boy's face for about a week. Want to give your skin a reboot? Read on...

7.10am A state funeral for former NSW premier Neville Wran will be held at Sydney’s Town Hall at 11am today.

7.08am MOVIE NEWS: Disney's Frozen was released on DVD in Aus yesterday. I STILL haven't seen it, but I can't get that flipping Let It Go song out of my head. Catchy!

7.06am Don't forget that Romeo & Juliet kicks off at Roo Theatre tomorrow night. It's on until May 10.

7.04am The weather is cooling down, which can only mean one thing - it's soup time! Lower East have a DELISH soup on their menu. It's a mushroom & sage soup with herb & cheese croutons. Yum, yum, yum.

7.02am MUSIC NEWS: The ABC launched its newest radio digital station, the reborn Double J — a Triple J for grown-ups — at midday yesterday with a reel of greatest hits from on-air moments at Double J and Triple J over the last 39 years, a nod to the station's nostalgic bent. NB Did you tune in?

7am STRANGE BUT TRUE: This is a bizarre story - an Australian woman apparently found a desperate plea for help from a Chinese factory "slave" in ... wait, for it ... a Saks bag. Crazy!

6.58am BREAKING WORLD NEWS: Northern Ireland police say they have arrested Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams on suspicion of involvement in the Irish Republican Army's 1972 abduction, killing and secret burial of a Belfast widow.

6.56am LOCAL NEWS: Nearly 60 workers at Wollongong's Stellar call centre have been left without a job after Telstra decided not to renew its long-term contract with the operator. Here's the full report.

6.54am Good morning! Welcome if you're just tuning in. Here's the latest weather & traffic.

WEATHER The temperature has definitely dropped out there. We might be in for a sunny day but the mercury is only set to hit 19 degrees. Expect some light winds this afternoon. Right now, it's 9 degrees in Albion Park and 12 in Bellambi - hello winter!

TRAFFIC All looks fine on the region's roads. Don't forget those road works at Gerringong & the Picton Rd on-ramp. There's a clear run to Sydney & Nowra too.

TRAINS There is a good service on the South Coast line.

6.52am Can you believe today is May 1? Where the hell did the first half of the year go?! That was just an FYI.

6.51am Ladies, I have found the world's most comfortable high heels. Yep, the shoes' designer promises they are THE MOST COMFORTABLE. If you're not convinced, they come with a 1000-year guarantee.

6.50am NATIONAL: Thousands of Australian disability pensioners are receiving taxpayers’ money to live overseas, many in places best known as holiday destinations. Australians are paying $100 million a year to fund 7300 recipients of the disability pension living overseas. Official figures show the greatest number, more than 1200, live in Greece, while hundreds more live in Turkey, Croatia, Thailand and New Zealand. (AAP)

6.48am Those cheeky dolphins have been out & about off the South Coast again! A large pod was spotted at Callala Bay yesterday & a humpback whale was sighted near Point Perpendicular. What a treat! I was lucky enough to see dolphins while on holidays - such a special experience.

6.46am Tomorrow is Harry Potter Day @ UOW's UniBar. Awesome!

6.44am CELEB GOSS ALERT: Amal Alamuddin has won the heart of George Clooney (tear, tear!) - now check out her engagement ring. What a sparkler!

6.42am POLITICS: New state Environment Minister Rob Stokes shares a passion for the ocean with Premier Mike Baird and has vowed to enhance protection of marine areas during his tenure. 

6.40am I'm starting to see a trend on FB - adults recreating photos from their childhood. Several friends have done it with some great snaps - although I worry about those standard "bath-time" snaps being recreated!

6.38am It's that time in the morning when a funny animal pic is needed. I like this one - it appeals to my inner love of rivalry between cats & dogs.

6.36am LOCAL NEWS: Residents living near Lang Park in Wollongong are "fearing what will happen next" after a 46-year-old homeless man was stabbed late on Tuesday afternoon.

-Police reporter Dominic Geiger has the full story.

6.34am This one comes courtesy of my beloved fiancee - it's a "great" invention (so I'm told!) called the "stubby strip". Basically, it's a strip that holds seven beers & keeps them cold. Here's a video about it - you be the judge!

6.32am BREAKING: British actor Bob Hoskins, who starred in films such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit, has died of pneumonia at the age of 71, his family said on Wednesday. NB I loved him in Hook. RIP.

6.31am A little Thursday funny for you - this is a goodie. Dog humour, classic!

6.30am LOCAL SPORT: Wollongong Hawks coach Gordie McLeod has been given the green light to speed up the player recruitment process for the 2014-15 NBL season.

-Basketball writer Tim Keeble has the full story here.

6.28am STRANGE BUT TRUE: This story is the best - Bondi Vet Dr Chris Brown has been offered a role on ... The Bold & the Beautiful. Arrr, too funny.

6.26am NATIONAL: Lawyers acting for asylum seekers who say they witnessed the killing of Reza Barati at the Manus Island detention centre in February have launched a High Court action to have them placed in protective custody in Australia.

6.25am MOVIE NEWS: Can you believe it has been 10 years since Mean Girls was released? That's so fetch!

6.24am Keen for a taste of the arts? Beneath the Soulskin opens at the IPAC tonight. It's on in the Bob Peet Studio until Sunday. Tickets: $20 + booking fee from www.merrigong.com.au.

6.22am Don't forget we're crossing every hour to Pulse 94.1FM with the latest from the Rush.

6.20am WORLD NEWS: What was supposed to be the first of two executions in Oklahoma in the US was halted when prisoner Clayton Lockett began to twitch and gasp after he had already been declared unconscious and called out "man" and "something's wrong", according to witnesses.

6.18am TV NEWS: Everyone is talking about the missing scene from the How I Met Your Mother finale - including Alyson Hannigan who was disappointed it didn't make the final cut. Read on for serious spoilers...

6.16am LOCAL NEWS: Wollongong District Court judge Paul Conlon has lashed out at the NSW government’s proposed mandatory minimum sentencing for violent drunks, saying it could prevent courts handing down ‘‘just’’ sentences in some cases.

-Court reporter Shannon Tonkin has the full story here.

6.14am FASHION NEWS: So not paying your taxes is NOT in, according to authorities. Designers Dolce & Gabbana each copped a suspended sentence for failing to pay millions in taxes. Ooops.

6.12am NATIONAL: A two metre-wide sinkhole, which is thought to be growing, has opened up on one of Queensland's main highways, closing it for at least the night. The sinkhole, which is on the Bruce Highway between Bowen and Proserpine near the Whitsundays, opened about 7:15pm on Wednesday. Check out the full story here.

6.10am TV NEWS: The Simpsons is preparing to kill off a "great character" in its 25th season. Producers won't reveal the character's identity but it's sure to be v sad for fans. NB I still miss Maude.

6.08am CELEB GOSS ALERT: Ladies, what are we to do - all our favourite celeb bachelors sre settling down! First George, now Leo - well, kind of. He's moved in with his GF Toni Garrn.

6.06am And now for the national headlines (courtesy of the SMH):

*Tony Abbott’s Commission of Audit has recommended massive cuts to the size of government, with whole agencies to be abolished, privatised or devolved to the states.

*An Australian-led team has for the first time regenerated heart muscle in several primates, by grafting specialised tissue grown from human embryonic stem cells, a procedure that could be trialled in humans with heart failure in a few years.

*The NSW government will tip more than $1bn into its infrastructure fund Restart NSW from the privatisation of the Port of Newcastle, leaving it with a potential $2bn war chest before next year’s election.

*Tony Abbott has been forced to scale back the paid parental leave scheme, but still faces a Senate fight to introduce the package with the Greens, signalling further changes will be needed before they will support it.

6.04am Here's what's making news in your Mercury today:

*Lake Illawarra police have swooped on an alleged drug dealing ring, seizing motorbikes, cars and cash under proceeds of crime legislation. For the full story, click here.

*A mere 4.3 per cent of Illawarra rental homes are considered appropriate and affordable for families on government income support payments, an Anglicare Sydney report has found.

*A Wollongong girls school teacher who privately cultivated a collection of child pornography, wept into his hands and hugged his wife, telling her "I'm so sorry", as he was led to the cells on Wednesday to spend at least 12 months behind bars.

*A Belfield man accused of shooting at an employee during an armed hold-up at the Kiama Bowling Club two weeks ago has been formally denied bail. Read more here.

6.02am Grab a cuppa and join me as we check out the latest weather & traffic.

WEATHER The temperature has definitely dropped out there. We might be in for a sunny day but the mercury is only set to hit 19 degrees. Expect some light winds this afternoon. Right now, it's 9 degrees in Albion Park and 12 in Bellambi - hello winter!

TRAFFIC All looks fine on the region's roads. Don't forget those road works at Gerringong & Picton Rd on-ramp. If you're heading to Sydney, there is an accident @ Mascot (in the Airport Tunnel) - one northbound lane is closed so just be careful there. 

TRAINS There is a good service on the South Coast line.

6am Hello Rushers! Welcome to Thursday - my, my, this week is just flying by! Stay with your host, Emma Spillett, this morning for all the latest news et al.