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8.14am LOCAL NEWS: Elders of the Illawarra Koori Men's Support Group say the past should be "forgiven but not forgotten" as they commemorate the seventh anniversary of the Stolen Generation apology.
*Reporter Brianna Parkins has the story.
8.09am Haha I love this - Valentine's Day gifts from your cat. Furball anyone?
8.07am President Barack Obama has been spotted trying out the selfie stick.
8.05am POLITICS: Political chaos in the Abbott government has delayed crucial papers about tax reform and Australia's booming population - which could hit 38 million by 2050 - business groups, economists, Labor and the Greens say. Read more.
8am CELEB GOSS ALERT: So actress Uma Thurman forgot to wear mascara on the red carpet and the internet exploded. Seriously.
7.58am Good morning Illawarra! Welcome if you're just tuning in. We're in for another cloudy day with a top of 25. All good on the roads & rail
7.56am Chris Rock is heading to Sydney! He'll perform his Top Five show.
7.54am MUSIC NEWS: A former member of irreverent but defunct Australian rock band TISM says the group won't be fulfilling the wishes of petitioners calling on it to strive for the Eurovision finals in May. Remember these guys?!
7.52am OMG look at this little girl & her teacup piggy. AWWWWWWW.
7.50am LOCAL NEWS: Kiama Council has abandoned moves to off-load a parcel of community land in Blackwood Street, Gerringong, but plans to sell community land neighbouring the Gerringong Uniting Church will be considered.
*Reporter Alex Arnold has the story.
7.48am CELEB NEWS: Bobbi Kristina, Whitney Houston's daughter, was involved in a car accident days before she was found unconscious in the bath.
7.46am NATIONAL: Australian air strikes have killed "hundreds" of Islamic State fighters in a campaign that has stripped the militant group of many of its most experienced fighters, Australia's commander in the Iraq operation has said. Read more.
7.44am STRANGE BUT TRUE: Did you know you can set up a function on Facebook to ensure your "legacy contact" gets control of your account when you die?!
7.42am TV NEWS: House of Cards fans were treated to a sneak peek of the show's third season on Wednesday when streaming service Netflix accidentally released new episodes two weeks ahead of their scheduled debut. Oops!
7.40am I've found the cutest place for you to visit on your next o/s trip - the Sloth sanctuary in Costa Rica. These animals are SO CUTE!
7.38am Jennifer Hawkins led the Myer autumn/winter 2015 showcase last night. There's some beautiful clothes on offer for the cooler months.
7.36am NATIONAL: Labor foreign affairs spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek spoke of her brother's death and her husband's drug addiction in parliament yesterday as she explained her view on remorse and regret. Get the full speech here.
7.34am Don't forget the Bulli Farmers Markets are on this Sunday.
7.32am LOCAL NEWS: Aeronautical pioneer Lawrence Hargrave and his research into flying machines are the subject of a new film set to screen in the scientist's former homestead next month. Read more.
7.30am Want to impress your love this Valentine's Day? Why not whip up these teeny tiny lobster sandwiches? Delicious.
7.28am EDUCATION: The state's first public high-rise high school will be built in Parramatta to replace an ageing and overcrowded school that will be swamped with enrolments over the next two decades. Read more.
7.26am The guys over at Mudcat Cafe have captured this beautiful shot of this morning's sunrise. Gorgeous!
7.24am POLITICS: Prime Minister Tony Abbott has accused Labor of causing a "holocaust" of job losses but has quickly withdrawn the remark after immediate outcry. Really - this man needs a filter between brain & mouth.
7.22am Anybody else over this humid weather?! Seriously, it's so sticky.
7.18am Don't forget the Wollongong Sunset Cinema is on tonight & tomorrow. Rocky Horror is also screening at the outdoor cinema in Kiama tonight.
7.16am WORLD NEWS: Three people were injured in an explosion at a chemical plant in northern Spain yesterday. Authorities advised residents of several small towns near Barcelona to stay indoors as a large toxic cloud spread over the area. Yeesh!
7.14am Want to win tickets to the Pixar Film Festival at Greater Union Shellharbour? We've got tickets to give away. Enter here.
7.12am In a huge first for the fashion world - Jamie Brewer is the first woman with Down Syndrome to ever walk in a runway show. She walked at New York Fashion Week. Very cool.
7.10am TV NEWS: Still watching MKR? It was the girls from WA cooking last night. Here's a recap if you missed it.
7.08am LOCAL NEWS: Independent candidate Arthur Rorris has been hailed as a breath of fresh air by Mercury readers, but one of his young opponents has warned his election could keep the seat of Wollongong "Labor in all but name".
*Reporter Kate McIlwain has the story.
7.06am CELEB GOSS ALERT: Kim & Kanye's little girl North West has raised some SERIOUS eyebrows after she was snapped wearing a fur coat. Really!?
7.04am Was your baby featured in our Babies of 2014 lift-out? Check out all the cute bubs here - ready ... awwwwww.
7.02am NATIONAL: Australia's highest unemployment rate in over a decade has jolted the Australian economy, rocked the Abbott government, and increased the pressure on the Reserve Bank to order yet another interest rate cut when it meets in coming months.
7am Australian of the Year Rosie Batty has penned a heartbreaking letter to her son Luke, a year after his death.
6.58am Good morning Illawarra! Welcome if you're just tuning in. We're in for another cloudy day with a top of 25. All good on the roads & rail.
6.56am Did you catch Guy Sebastian at the WEC last night? He kicked off his national tour in Wollongong. Looks like it was a good night! We've got pics.
6.54am A little Valentine's Day funny for you. Enjoy.
6.52am LOCAL SPORT: Hawks player Adam Ballinger is packing away his celebrated jump-shot and calling it a day. The Wollongong forward will draw the curtain on his 12-year NBL career when the Hawks host Adelaide in the final game of the regular season on Sunday week. Read more.
6.50am CELEB GOSS ALERT: Ryan Reynolds & Blake Lively have revealed the REAL name of their new baby girl. It's not Violet but ... James.
6.48am Don't even think about rolling in the QANTAS club lounge in your tracksuit - from April 1, the airline will enforce a minimum smart casual dress guideline in its major Australian lounges. What the hell is smart casual? I think no thongs, singlets, logo t-shirts or joggers.
6.46am WORLD NEWS: Taiwanese rescuers have recovered the remains of the last missing passenger in last week's TransAsia plane crash, bringing the death toll to 43 in the airline's second fatal accident in seven months.
6.44am LOCAL NEWS: A long, bitter dispute between Kiama Municipal Council and Kiama Tourism has reached a conclusion with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two organisations.
*Reporter Alex Arnold has the story.
6.42am Gents, don't forget - tomorrow is Valentine's Day.
6.40am CELEB GOSS ALERT: Gwyneth Paltrow has revealed she & hubby Chris Martin actually split a full year before they announced their plan to "consciously uncouple" to the world.
6.38am NSW: The parents of Courtney Topic have released one of their favourite photos of their daughter two days after she was shot dead by police outside a western Sydney Hungry Jack's.
6.36am MOVIE NEWS: So Fifty Shades of Grey was released in cinemas yesterday. The verdict? Not good - Nine Network presenter Lisa Wilkinson called the film "domestic violence dressed up as erotica" and "quite simply the worst film I've ever seen". Ouch! Read more.
6.34am Good luck to all those involved with shows opening at Roo, Phoenix Theatre & Wollongong Workshop Theatre tonight. Get tix & support local shows.
6.32am TIARA ALERT: Pippa Middleton has stepped out in a gorgeous red dress with two gents by her side. Ooo.
6.30am Have you been snapped out & about this week? Check out this week's gallery of social pictures - you never know who you might spot.
6.28am HEALTH: Sydney doctors have repaired leaking valves on two hearts that were still beating in a pioneering procedure that will save the lives of people at risk of heart failure. Very cool.
6.26am Looking for somewhere to go for a drink tonight? Alibi is offering a free cheese board with any bottle of wine purchased during happy hour on Thurs & Fri nights. Nice!
6.24am EDUCATION: Too many teaching degrees are mired in theory, lack practical training and are not equipping new teachers with the skills to teach students maths and science, a federal government review into teacher education has found. Read more.
6.22am Arr cask wine - the fodder of uni students & oldies alike. Well the humble wine in a box turns 50 today. Happy birthday!
6.20am The Wollongong Hawks are taking on the Sydney Kings this Sunday at 2pm. Good luck boys!
6.18am I just started following a Facebook page called Pugs. Fittingly, it's got lots of pictures of pugs - my favourite!
6.16am LOCAL NEWS: The Greens are backing the hunting of deer on the Illawarra escarpment as part of a move to eradicate the pest animals.
*Reporter Ben Langford has the story.
6.14am MOVIE NEWS: Pixar's long-awaited sequel to Finding Nemo is deep into production. Titled Finding Dory, it has the forgetful blue tang Dory (voiced again by Ellen Degeneres) searching for her family. The film starts in Sydney but moves to other waters.
6.12am Did you watch the storm as it hit over the Illawarra last night? Crazy! Check out this lightning over Woonona.
6.10am WORLD NEWS: Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine have agreed on a deal that offers a "glimmer of hope" for an end to fighting in eastern Ukraine after marathon overnight talks. Read more.
6.08am In the spirit of Friday the 13th, check out this floating kitty, oooo. Actually it's just a cat sitting on a sky light but still!
6.06am And in national news, via the SMH:
*Bali nine ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran could be transferred as early as today to the penal island dubbed "Indonesia's Alcatraz" ahead of their executions.
*Labor's Sam Dastyari is being called on to explain to the Senate about his knowledge of or involvement in irregularities in the 2013 ballot that installed Bill Shorten as federal Opposition Leader.
*A western Sydney student accused of planning a terrorism act in Sydney allegedly knelt before an Islamic State flag and pledged to stab the kidneys and necks of Australians.
6.04am Here's what's making news in your Mercury today:
*An aged care resident in the Illawarra has died and nine others have been hospitalised after an outbreak of an unusual strain of salmonella in 10 aged care homes Illawarra Retirement Trust either operates of supplies with meals.
*The Liberal candidate for the seat of Wollongong has thrown his support behind the campaign to install lifts at Unanderra train station. Read more.
*Warilla business owners are locking their doors between customers after a series of armed robberies in the area. Read more.
6.02am Let's kick things off with the latest weather & traffic.
WEATHER We're in for another cloudy day with a top of 25 degrees. Expect some fog this morning & a high chance of showers & a storm this arvo. The weekend will much of the same - cloudy & 26 on Sat & 27 on Sun.
TRAFFIC All looks good on our roads & for the drive to Sydney or south.
TRAINS There is a good service on the South Coast line.
6am Good morning Illawarra & happy Friday! So glad it's the end of the week! Stay with your host Emma Spillett for all the latest news etc. Oooo and it's Friday the 13th - creepy!