A group of Russian diplomats and family members used a hand-pushed rail trolley to leave North Korea this week, amid Pyongyang's strict anti-coronavirus measures, which include blocking most forms of passenger transport across the border.North Korea has not reported any confirmed cases of the coronavirus but has imposed crippling border closings, banned most international travel, and severely restricted movement inside the country."Since the borders have been closed for more than a year and passenger traffic has been stopped, it took a long and difficult journey to get home," Russia's...…A group of Russian diplomats and family members used a hand-pushed rail trolley to leave North Korea this week, amid Pyongyang's strict anti-coronavirus measures, which include blocking most forms of passenger transport across the border.North Korea has not reported any confirmed cases of the coronavirus but has imposed crippling border closings, banned most international travel, and severely restricted movement inside the country."Since the borders have been closed for more than a year and passenger traffic has been stopped, it took a long and difficult journey to get home," Russia's...WW…

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has warned of an attempted military coup against him after the army demanded he and his government resign.Mr Pashinyan has faced protests and calls to resign after what his critics say was the disastrous handling of a six-week conflict between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh in November last year.He has rejected calls to step down, saying he takes responsibility for what happened but now needs to ensure his country's security.The immediate trigger for the standoff was Mr Pashinyan's decision to oust the first...…Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has warned of an attempted military coup against him after the army demanded he and his government resign.Mr Pashinyan has faced protests and calls to resign after what his critics say was the disastrous handling of a six-week conflict between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh in November last year.He has rejected calls to step down, saying he takes responsibility for what happened but now needs to ensure his country's security.The immediate trigger for the standoff was Mr Pashinyan's decision to oust the first...WW…

Hopes for greater acceptance of gay rights in the mostly Muslim country of Malaysia have risen after a landmark court challenge against an Islamic ban on sex "against the order of nature".A Muslim Malaysian man in his 30s brought the challenge to court after he was arrested in the central Selangor state in 2018 for attempting gay sex, which he denied.Same-sex acts are illegal in Malaysia, although convictions are rare.The country, which has 13 states, has a dual-track legal system with Islamic criminal and family laws applicable to Muslims running alongside civil laws.LGBT+ advocates say...…Hopes for greater acceptance of gay rights in the mostly Muslim country of Malaysia have risen after a landmark court challenge against an Islamic ban on sex "against the order of nature".A Muslim Malaysian man in his 30s brought the challenge to court after he was arrested in the central Selangor state in 2018 for attempting gay sex, which he denied.Same-sex acts are illegal in Malaysia, although convictions are rare.The country, which has 13 states, has a dual-track legal system with Islamic criminal and family laws applicable to Muslims running alongside civil laws.LGBT+ advocates say...WW…

Rescue workers are searching for at least five miners buried on Indonesia's Sulawesi island, after an illegal gold mine collapsed on Wednesday killing at least three people. A search-and-rescue effort has already retrieved at least three bodies and pulled 15 survivors from debris, officials said on Thursday.The collapse of the mine came after a landslide in the village of Buranga after days of heavy rain.Officials said makeshift wooden structures in the mine collapsed late Wednesday due to unstable soil, burying people in the mine pit.Teams comprised of police, military and the local...…Rescue workers are searching for at least five miners buried on Indonesia's Sulawesi island, after an illegal gold mine collapsed on Wednesday killing at least three people. A search-and-rescue effort has already retrieved at least three bodies and pulled 15 survivors from debris, officials said on Thursday.The collapse of the mine came after a landslide in the village of Buranga after days of heavy rain.Officials said makeshift wooden structures in the mine collapsed late Wednesday due to unstable soil, burying people in the mine pit.Teams comprised of police, military and the local...WW…

Queensland's multi-million-dollar coral trout fishery is in jeopardy after the country's biggest live-fish exporter failed to have its export licence renewed in China.The lucrative live 'red fish' trade is the latest casualty of simmering tensions between the Australian and Chinese governments, which has already claimed , and exports.Australian Reef Fish Traders — which last year accounted for 70 per cent of all live exports — said it could not explain the decision to end a 20-year trading relationship.CEO Barry Dun said the "serious disruption" came off the back of sending a record monthly...…Queensland's multi-million-dollar coral trout fishery is in jeopardy after the country's biggest live-fish exporter failed to have its export licence renewed in China.The lucrative live 'red fish' trade is the latest casualty of simmering tensions between the Australian and Chinese governments, which has already claimed , and exports.Australian Reef Fish Traders — which last year accounted for 70 per cent of all live exports — said it could not explain the decision to end a 20-year trading relationship.CEO Barry Dun said the "serious disruption" came off the back of sending a record monthly...WW…

The huge parachute used by NASA's Perseverance rover to land on Mars contained a secret message, thanks to a puzzle-lover on the spacecraft team — and space lovers solved it within hours.Engineers wanted an unusual pattern in the orange and white stripes of the 21-metre nylon parachute so they'd be able to see how it was oriented .Systems engineer and crossword hobbyist Ian Clark came up with the idea two years ago to use a binary code to spell out a hidden message: "Dare Mighty Things".It's a line from former US president Theodore Roosevelt and a mantra of Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which...…The huge parachute used by NASA's Perseverance rover to land on Mars contained a secret message, thanks to a puzzle-lover on the spacecraft team — and space lovers solved it within hours.Engineers wanted an unusual pattern in the orange and white stripes of the 21-metre nylon parachute so they'd be able to see how it was oriented .Systems engineer and crossword hobbyist Ian Clark came up with the idea two years ago to use a binary code to spell out a hidden message: "Dare Mighty Things".It's a line from former US president Theodore Roosevelt and a mantra of Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which...WW…

Facebook will walk back its block on Australian users sharing news on its site after the government agreed to make amendments to the proposed media bargaining laws that would force major tech giants to pay news outlets for their content.It follows days of negotiations between the government and the social media company, including discussions between Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg."Mark Zuckerberg said to me today [restoring pages] will occur in coming days," Mr Frydenberg said.The code is structured so that if Facebook and Google do not sign commercial deals...…Facebook will walk back its block on Australian users sharing news on its site after the government agreed to make amendments to the proposed media bargaining laws that would force major tech giants to pay news outlets for their content.It follows days of negotiations between the government and the social media company, including discussions between Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg."Mark Zuckerberg said to me today [restoring pages] will occur in coming days," Mr Frydenberg said.The code is structured so that if Facebook and Google do not sign commercial deals...WW…

As I write, I am in hotel quarantine in Sydney, after returning from Wuhan, China. There, I was the Australian representative on the international World Health Organization's (WHO) investigation into the .Much has been said of the surrounding to investigate the viral origins of COVID-19. So it's easy to forget that behind these investigations are real people.As part of the mission, we met the man who, on December 8, 2019, was the first confirmed COVID-19 case; he's since recovered. We met the husband of a doctor who died of COVID-19 and left behind a young child. We met the doctors who...…As I write, I am in hotel quarantine in Sydney, after returning from Wuhan, China. There, I was the Australian representative on the international World Health Organization's (WHO) investigation into the .Much has been said of the surrounding to investigate the viral origins of COVID-19. So it's easy to forget that behind these investigations are real people.As part of the mission, we met the man who, on December 8, 2019, was the first confirmed COVID-19 case; he's since recovered. We met the husband of a doctor who died of COVID-19 and left behind a young child. We met the doctors who...WW…

Seven West Media has signed a letter of intent to provide news content to Facebook, the media company said today in a statement. The deal is subject to signing a long-form agreement between the two firms, which Seven West Media said it expected to have carried out in the next 60 days.The company said it would provide more details "following the execution of the agreement" . The move comes after in response to the proposed news media bargaining code that would force tech companies to pay news outlets for content.Facebook today announced it would walk back its block on Australian news sites...…Seven West Media has signed a letter of intent to provide news content to Facebook, the media company said today in a statement. The deal is subject to signing a long-form agreement between the two firms, which Seven West Media said it expected to have carried out in the next 60 days.The company said it would provide more details "following the execution of the agreement" . The move comes after in response to the proposed news media bargaining code that would force tech companies to pay news outlets for content.Facebook today announced it would walk back its block on Australian news sites...WW…

Controversial backbencher Craig Kelly has quit the Liberal Party.Mr Kelly handed his letter of resignation to Prime Minister Scott Morrison during today's party room meeting.He said he would sit on the crossbench but will continue to provide supply for the government — meaning he will vote with the government on bills or legislation related to the budget.He also said he would vote with the government on all policies that were taken to the last election.Mr Kelly was and for spreading misinformation about vaccines on social media.He said he did not want to be a distraction to the government...…Controversial backbencher Craig Kelly has quit the Liberal Party.Mr Kelly handed his letter of resignation to Prime Minister Scott Morrison during today's party room meeting.He said he would sit on the crossbench but will continue to provide supply for the government — meaning he will vote with the government on bills or legislation related to the budget.He also said he would vote with the government on all policies that were taken to the last election.Mr Kelly was and for spreading misinformation about vaccines on social media.He said he did not want to be a distraction to the government...WW…

A former New South Wales Liberal Party staffer who says she reached out to the Prime Minister's office for help and did not receive any.Dhanya Mani was working as a staffer in the Baird government in NSW when she alleges inappropriate conduct occurred."In the months at the end of 2014, at the beginning of 2015, I was subjected to a case of abusive conduct by a senior staffer in NSW Parliament," Ms Mani told 7.30.Ms Mani alleges this culminated in an incident where she was indecently assaulted in her own home, where she thought she would be safe.She is critical of the response she received...…A former New South Wales Liberal Party staffer who says she reached out to the Prime Minister's office for help and did not receive any.Dhanya Mani was working as a staffer in the Baird government in NSW when she alleges inappropriate conduct occurred."In the months at the end of 2014, at the beginning of 2015, I was subjected to a case of abusive conduct by a senior staffer in NSW Parliament," Ms Mani told 7.30.Ms Mani alleges this culminated in an incident where she was indecently assaulted in her own home, where she thought she would be safe.She is critical of the response she received...WW…

Tennis Australia's president has been booed during the presentation ceremony at the Australian Open after mentioning the COVID-19 vaccine and the Victorian government.Jayne Hrdlicka was making her speech following Novak Djokovic's win in the men's singles final at Melbourne Park when the crowd became restless.The Serbian player had just won his ninth Australian Open and 18th grand slam.When Ms Hrdklicka spoke about vaccines, the crowd unleashed a chorus of boos"With vaccinations on the way, rolling out in many countries around the world, it's now a time for optimism and hope for the...…Tennis Australia's president has been booed during the presentation ceremony at the Australian Open after mentioning the COVID-19 vaccine and the Victorian government.Jayne Hrdlicka was making her speech following Novak Djokovic's win in the men's singles final at Melbourne Park when the crowd became restless.The Serbian player had just won his ninth Australian Open and 18th grand slam.When Ms Hrdklicka spoke about vaccines, the crowd unleashed a chorus of boos"With vaccinations on the way, rolling out in many countries around the world, it's now a time for optimism and hope for the...WW…

Facebook has deleted the main page of the Myanmar military, citing its standards prohibiting the incitement of violence, a day after two protesters were killed when police opened fire at a demonstration against the February 1 coup."In line with our global policies, we've removed the Tatmadaw True News Information Team Page from Facebook for repeated violations of our Community Standards prohibiting incitement of violence and coordinating harm," a Facebook representative said in a statement.The Myanmar military is known as the Tatmadaw. Its True News page was no longer available on...…Facebook has deleted the main page of the Myanmar military, citing its standards prohibiting the incitement of violence, a day after two protesters were killed when police opened fire at a demonstration against the February 1 coup."In line with our global policies, we've removed the Tatmadaw True News Information Team Page from Facebook for repeated violations of our Community Standards prohibiting incitement of violence and coordinating harm," a Facebook representative said in a statement.The Myanmar military is known as the Tatmadaw. Its True News page was no longer available on...WW…

Congratulations, you've won a ticket to Mars.You may have to wait a while before you can get on a flight. Launch opportunities only come around every couple of years when Earth and Mars line up.Your first challenge will be to actually get off Earth.That's not as easy as it sounds (It's a hell of a ride. To break free of Earth's gravitational pull, you need to reach escape velocity — that's 40,000 kilometres per hour, or 11km per second.That means you'll have to train yourself to tolerate high g-forces.During take-off, astronauts experience at least three times the gravitational (g) force of...…Congratulations, you've won a ticket to Mars.You may have to wait a while before you can get on a flight. Launch opportunities only come around every couple of years when Earth and Mars line up.Your first challenge will be to actually get off Earth.That's not as easy as it sounds (It's a hell of a ride. To break free of Earth's gravitational pull, you need to reach escape velocity — that's 40,000 kilometres per hour, or 11km per second.That means you'll have to train yourself to tolerate high g-forces.During take-off, astronauts experience at least three times the gravitational (g) force of...WW…

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he is "upset" to read reports that a second woman was allegedly raped by the same man accused of sexually assaulting former Liberals staffer Brittany Higgins.Mr Morrison did not comment directly on that assertion on Saturday, but welcomed the AFP's investigation into Ms Higgins's complaint."We at all times, the ministers who had knowledge of this matter and those who were in a senior position, the staff that had knowledge of those matters in those offices, at all times sought to have this matter fully investigated by the police," Mr Morrison said on...…Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he is "upset" to read reports that a second woman was allegedly raped by the same man accused of sexually assaulting former Liberals staffer Brittany Higgins.Mr Morrison did not comment directly on that assertion on Saturday, but welcomed the AFP's investigation into Ms Higgins's complaint."We at all times, the ministers who had knowledge of this matter and those who were in a senior position, the staff that had knowledge of those matters in those offices, at all times sought to have this matter fully investigated by the police," Mr Morrison said on...WW…

Joe Biden says America is back. Does the world really need that?The US President used his first major foreign policy speech — given virtually at the annual Munich Security Conference — to declare that "America is back, the transatlantic alliance is back", without mentioning Donald Trump's name once.He outlined a long to-do list — salvaging the Iran nuclear deal, meeting economic and security challenges posed by China and Russia and repairing the damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic — to a warm reception from Western allies. But which America are we talking about? The America that has...…Joe Biden says America is back. Does the world really need that?The US President used his first major foreign policy speech — given virtually at the annual Munich Security Conference — to declare that "America is back, the transatlantic alliance is back", without mentioning Donald Trump's name once.He outlined a long to-do list — salvaging the Iran nuclear deal, meeting economic and security challenges posed by China and Russia and repairing the damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic — to a warm reception from Western allies. But which America are we talking about? The America that has...WW…

Ahmad Lukman couldn't take it anymore when he decided to deactivate his Facebook account in 2020.Mr Lukman had begun to feel uncomfortable being on the world's largest networking platform in 2014, "The timeline had too many religious debates linked to politics," he said."Over time, I became annoyed and became disgusted by the majority of my friends on Facebook who have started to become divided by religious politicisation."On Thursday, the social media giant , in a ban that also briefly impacted . In other countries, however, Facebook news feeds were already looking quite different. Last...…Ahmad Lukman couldn't take it anymore when he decided to deactivate his Facebook account in 2020.Mr Lukman had begun to feel uncomfortable being on the world's largest networking platform in 2014, "The timeline had too many religious debates linked to politics," he said."Over time, I became annoyed and became disgusted by the majority of my friends on Facebook who have started to become divided by religious politicisation."On Thursday, the social media giant , in a ban that also briefly impacted . In other countries, however, Facebook news feeds were already looking quite different. Last...WW…

Human rights groups have slammed Australian energy giant Woodside after its chief executive said the company would press ahead with a major gas development in Myanmar and suggested the nation's former civilian leaders ignored the army's grievances in the lead-up to the military coup.Dozens of governments have condemned Myanmar's army after it seized power and arrested dozens of elected leaders, including Aung San Suu Kyi, on February 1.The military said it had seized control because last year's election, which delivered a convincing victory to Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, was...…Human rights groups have slammed Australian energy giant Woodside after its chief executive said the company would press ahead with a major gas development in Myanmar and suggested the nation's former civilian leaders ignored the army's grievances in the lead-up to the military coup.Dozens of governments have condemned Myanmar's army after it seized power and arrested dozens of elected leaders, including Aung San Suu Kyi, on February 1.The military said it had seized control because last year's election, which delivered a convincing victory to Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, was...WW…

Japan has confirmed a new variant of COVID-19, and an infection cluster emerged at a Tokyo immigration facility, as the country tries to overcome a third wave of infection in the pandemic.The new variant has been found in 91 cases in the Kanto area of eastern Japan and in two cases at airports, chief cabinet secretary Katsunobu Kato said. The government is increasing surveillance against new strains which may be more resistant to the vaccines the country began rolling out this week."It may be more contagious than conventional strains, and if it continues to spread domestically, it could...…Japan has confirmed a new variant of COVID-19, and an infection cluster emerged at a Tokyo immigration facility, as the country tries to overcome a third wave of infection in the pandemic.The new variant has been found in 91 cases in the Kanto area of eastern Japan and in two cases at airports, chief cabinet secretary Katsunobu Kato said. The government is increasing surveillance against new strains which may be more resistant to the vaccines the country began rolling out this week."It may be more contagious than conventional strains, and if it continues to spread domestically, it could...WW…

When Selina Gordevich-Lowes moved to Texas from Sydney, she didn't think she'd need snow boots.She also hadn't considered gloves, a camping stove, a generator, cases of bottled water, tire chains or any of the other survival supplies that crossed her mind when her power went out for 55 hours this week as the temperature dropped to -17 degrees Celsius."You just don't expect this sort of thing living in Texas," she said."Heatwaves, maybe. I've never seen snow, ice … I guess it really still is the Wild West."All this week, an apocalyptic cold snap roared into United States regions where winter...…When Selina Gordevich-Lowes moved to Texas from Sydney, she didn't think she'd need snow boots.She also hadn't considered gloves, a camping stove, a generator, cases of bottled water, tire chains or any of the other survival supplies that crossed her mind when her power went out for 55 hours this week as the temperature dropped to -17 degrees Celsius."You just don't expect this sort of thing living in Texas," she said."Heatwaves, maybe. I've never seen snow, ice … I guess it really still is the Wild West."All this week, an apocalyptic cold snap roared into United States regions where winter...WW…

Scientists and Indigenous rangers are harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to help protect endangered sea turtle nesting sites on Queensland's western Cape York.As recently as 2015, feral pigs were wiping out entire generations of turtles on kilometres of beaches south of Aurukun."They can smell the eggs, they dig up the nests and they eat the eggs," James Cook University turtle researcher Jennie Gilbert said."You're losing all these eggs out of the nest and even if they don't eat the whole lot of the eggs the other ones are not viable anyway."For the past six years, CSIRO...…Scientists and Indigenous rangers are harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to help protect endangered sea turtle nesting sites on Queensland's western Cape York.As recently as 2015, feral pigs were wiping out entire generations of turtles on kilometres of beaches south of Aurukun."They can smell the eggs, they dig up the nests and they eat the eggs," James Cook University turtle researcher Jennie Gilbert said."You're losing all these eggs out of the nest and even if they don't eat the whole lot of the eggs the other ones are not viable anyway."For the past six years, CSIRO...WW…

A survivor of clergy abuse who started a Facebook group to help other survivors says he is "devastated" by the social media giant's decision to block Australian news.Richie Scutt, who was sexually abused by an Anglican priest when he was 11 years old, started the Facebook group Survivors and Friends in 2016.He said he started the group to share news reports on the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and it became a lifeline for many.Mr Scutt said the group had grown to around 200 members from across Australia and still primarily shared news stories.He...…A survivor of clergy abuse who started a Facebook group to help other survivors says he is "devastated" by the social media giant's decision to block Australian news.Richie Scutt, who was sexually abused by an Anglican priest when he was 11 years old, started the Facebook group Survivors and Friends in 2016.He said he started the group to share news reports on the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and it became a lifeline for many.Mr Scutt said the group had grown to around 200 members from across Australia and still primarily shared news stories.He...WW…

First of all: are koalas really at risk of extinction or is that a beat-up? We don't know exactly how many koalas were in Australia when Europeans arrived.But to get an idea of how many were in Australia in the mid to late 1800s, records from the koala fur trade tell a shocking story.In Queensland alone, of the last open season in 1927.Australia wide, as many as 8 million koalas were killed for their pelts during the late 1800s and early 1900s, according to the Australian Koala Foundation.Most of those were sent to Europe, the UK and the US to be turned into coats, gloves and hats,...…First of all: are koalas really at risk of extinction or is that a beat-up? We don't know exactly how many koalas were in Australia when Europeans arrived.But to get an idea of how many were in Australia in the mid to late 1800s, records from the koala fur trade tell a shocking story.In Queensland alone, of the last open season in 1927.Australia wide, as many as 8 million koalas were killed for their pelts during the late 1800s and early 1900s, according to the Australian Koala Foundation.Most of those were sent to Europe, the UK and the US to be turned into coats, gloves and hats,...WW…

Japan's Olympics Minister Seiko Hashimoto will become the new chief of the Tokyo Olympic organising committee, after former boss Yoshiro Mori resigned for making sexist remarks.A former prime minister, 83-year-old Mr Mori stepped down after causing an outcry by saying during an Olympic committee meeting that women talk too much, which he found annoying.Seiko Hashimoto brings a strong Olympic pedigree to the role. She is a bronze medallist and seven-time Olympian, having competed in both the winter and summer games. "I will spare no effort in making the Tokyo games successful," she told the...…Japan's Olympics Minister Seiko Hashimoto will become the new chief of the Tokyo Olympic organising committee, after former boss Yoshiro Mori resigned for making sexist remarks.A former prime minister, 83-year-old Mr Mori stepped down after causing an outcry by saying during an Olympic committee meeting that women talk too much, which he found annoying.Seiko Hashimoto brings a strong Olympic pedigree to the role. She is a bronze medallist and seven-time Olympian, having competed in both the winter and summer games. "I will spare no effort in making the Tokyo games successful," she told the...WW…

Facebook's decision to block access to pages like 1800Respect, the WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services and the Bureau of Meteorology was unnecessary, heavy-handed and will damage its reputation, according to Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.Access to some pages caught up in Facebook's move — made in response to proposed laws that would mean it pays publishers for use of content — was being restored during the afternoon.But Mr Frydenberg said the response from Facebook was "wrong"."Their decision to block Australians' access to government sites — be they about support through the pandemic,...…Facebook's decision to block access to pages like 1800Respect, the WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services and the Bureau of Meteorology was unnecessary, heavy-handed and will damage its reputation, according to Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.Access to some pages caught up in Facebook's move — made in response to proposed laws that would mean it pays publishers for use of content — was being restored during the afternoon.But Mr Frydenberg said the response from Facebook was "wrong"."Their decision to block Australians' access to government sites — be they about support through the pandemic,...WW…