Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelA Queensland nurse has been refused bail after he was charged with drugging and raping a woman in his Brisbane apartment, and stalking another.The 30-year-old man, who cannot be identified, was arrested on Tuesday and appeared in the Brisbane Magistrates Court via video link on Wednesday morning.Police alleged a woman aged in her early 20s went to a Mary Street apartment late last month, where she was given a stupefying drug and sexually assaulted.During a search of the residence, officers allegedly found mobile phones,...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelA Queensland nurse has been refused bail after he was charged with drugging and raping a woman in his Brisbane apartment, and stalking another.The 30-year-old man, who cannot be identified, was arrested on Tuesday and appeared in the Brisbane Magistrates Court via video link on Wednesday morning.Police alleged a woman aged in her early 20s went to a Mary Street apartment late last month, where she was given a stupefying drug and sexually assaulted.During a search of the residence, officers allegedly found mobile phones,...WW…

Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelNine schoolboys charged over "a vile, horrific" attack of a man in inner Sydney last week allegedly "gloated" about the crime in a WhatsApp group chat, a court has heard.Magistrate Jeffrey Hogg said the alleged stabbing in Pyrmont on Friday had left the 36-year-old victim with "injuries that are extraordinarily severe and life-changing".For the first time, a 15-year-old boy fronted the Children's Court in Surry Hills from a cell at Cobham Youth Justice Centre at Werrington today, but had his bail application...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelNine schoolboys charged over "a vile, horrific" attack of a man in inner Sydney last week allegedly "gloated" about the crime in a WhatsApp group chat, a court has heard.Magistrate Jeffrey Hogg said the alleged stabbing in Pyrmont on Friday had left the 36-year-old victim with "injuries that are extraordinarily severe and life-changing".For the first time, a 15-year-old boy fronted the Children's Court in Surry Hills from a cell at Cobham Youth Justice Centre at Werrington today, but had his bail application...WW…

Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelSpain's former king, Juan Carlos I, has written a letter revealing plans to leave the country, after corruption allegations surfaced in recent weeks.In June, the Spanish Supreme Court opened an investigation into Juan Carlos' involvement in a high-speed rail contract in Saudi Arabia.Switzerland's La Tribune de Geneve newspaper reported he had received $US100 million ($140 million) from the late Saudi King Abdullah.Through his lawyer, Juan Carlos, 82, has declined to comment on the allegations.The royal family's website...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelSpain's former king, Juan Carlos I, has written a letter revealing plans to leave the country, after corruption allegations surfaced in recent weeks.In June, the Spanish Supreme Court opened an investigation into Juan Carlos' involvement in a high-speed rail contract in Saudi Arabia.Switzerland's La Tribune de Geneve newspaper reported he had received $US100 million ($140 million) from the late Saudi King Abdullah.Through his lawyer, Juan Carlos, 82, has declined to comment on the allegations.The royal family's website...WW…

Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelVictorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos has refused to answer a series of questions during a heated parliamentary question time which was held against health advice.Victoria's Upper House sat in defiance of advice from the Chief Health Officer that it was not safe to do so during the pandemic.The Labor-dominated Lower House heeded the advice and did not meet as scheduled.In the Legislative Council, however, a sitting was held, with the Opposition and some crossbench MPs arguing that it was important for democratic...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelVictorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos has refused to answer a series of questions during a heated parliamentary question time which was held against health advice.Victoria's Upper House sat in defiance of advice from the Chief Health Officer that it was not safe to do so during the pandemic.The Labor-dominated Lower House heeded the advice and did not meet as scheduled.In the Legislative Council, however, a sitting was held, with the Opposition and some crossbench MPs arguing that it was important for democratic...WW…

Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelBillionaire Sir Richard Branson will fly into space on a Virgin Galactic rocket ship early next year if two test flights go to plan, the space tourism company he founded has said.Mr Branson's trip to space hinges on the success of two upcoming test flight programs, Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc said, with the first powered spaceflight scheduled for later this year from Spaceport America.The company competes with billionaire-backed ventures such as Blue Origin to usher in a new era of space tourism, racing to be the first...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelBillionaire Sir Richard Branson will fly into space on a Virgin Galactic rocket ship early next year if two test flights go to plan, the space tourism company he founded has said.Mr Branson's trip to space hinges on the success of two upcoming test flight programs, Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc said, with the first powered spaceflight scheduled for later this year from Spaceport America.The company competes with billionaire-backed ventures such as Blue Origin to usher in a new era of space tourism, racing to be the first...WW…

Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelFederal Education Minister Dan Tehan has urged the University of New South Wales to protect freedom of speech after its media team deleted posts which drew an online backlash from Chinese students.The controversy also sparked a flurry of criticism from several federal MPs and senators, who accused UNSW of compromising academic freedom.The official UNSW account on Friday tweeted an article that quoted Human Rights Watch's Australia director and adjunct law lecturer Elaine Pearson as saying: "Now is a pivotal moment to...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelFederal Education Minister Dan Tehan has urged the University of New South Wales to protect freedom of speech after its media team deleted posts which drew an online backlash from Chinese students.The controversy also sparked a flurry of criticism from several federal MPs and senators, who accused UNSW of compromising academic freedom.The official UNSW account on Friday tweeted an article that quoted Human Rights Watch's Australia director and adjunct law lecturer Elaine Pearson as saying: "Now is a pivotal moment to...WW…

Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelNorth Korea is continuing to develop its nuclear weapons program and several countries assess that it has "probably developed miniaturised nuclear devices to fit into the warheads of its ballistic missiles," according to a confidential UN report.The report by independent experts monitoring UN sanctions said the countries, which they did not identify, believed North Korea's past six nuclear tests had likely helped it develop miniaturised nuclear devices. Pyongyang has not conducted a nuclear test since September 2017.The...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelNorth Korea is continuing to develop its nuclear weapons program and several countries assess that it has "probably developed miniaturised nuclear devices to fit into the warheads of its ballistic missiles," according to a confidential UN report.The report by independent experts monitoring UN sanctions said the countries, which they did not identify, believed North Korea's past six nuclear tests had likely helped it develop miniaturised nuclear devices. Pyongyang has not conducted a nuclear test since September 2017.The...WW…

Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelAs Victoria settles into strict lockdown, many people are struggling with isolation.We asked our readers on Facebook Messenger to tell us how they're feeling.Jules M says worrying is wearing her out:"Not feeling very hopeful or positive. Just feel like I am at the mercy of fools."Charlie F reflects many who say things are not too bad:"Making sure we go for a walk daily or get exercise has been key for us, and since yesterday there seems to be less people out, which is great. Time will tell to see if it makes a...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelAs Victoria settles into strict lockdown, many people are struggling with isolation.We asked our readers on Facebook Messenger to tell us how they're feeling.Jules M says worrying is wearing her out:"Not feeling very hopeful or positive. Just feel like I am at the mercy of fools."Charlie F reflects many who say things are not too bad:"Making sure we go for a walk daily or get exercise has been key for us, and since yesterday there seems to be less people out, which is great. Time will tell to see if it makes a...WW…

Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelFederal Education Minister Dan Tehan has urged the University of New South Wales to protect freedom of speech after its media team deleted posts which drew an online backlash from Chinese students.The controversy also sparked a flurry of criticism from several federal MPs and senators, who accused UNSW of compromising academic freedom.The official UNSW account on Friday tweeted an article that quoted Human Rights Watch's Australia director and adjunct law lecturer Elaine Pearson as saying: "Now is a pivotal moment to...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelFederal Education Minister Dan Tehan has urged the University of New South Wales to protect freedom of speech after its media team deleted posts which drew an online backlash from Chinese students.The controversy also sparked a flurry of criticism from several federal MPs and senators, who accused UNSW of compromising academic freedom.The official UNSW account on Friday tweeted an article that quoted Human Rights Watch's Australia director and adjunct law lecturer Elaine Pearson as saying: "Now is a pivotal moment to...WW…

Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelThere could be periods where the nation's homes and businesses are powered almost entirely by renewables, under a plan put forward by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).AEMO has released its two-decade outlook for the way Australia can generate the cheapest and most reliable electricity.By 2040, AEMO is projecting that two thirds of coal-fired power generation is likely to be retired. That opens the way for a 200 per cent increase in household solar and batteries and increased reliance on grid-scale solar and...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelThere could be periods where the nation's homes and businesses are powered almost entirely by renewables, under a plan put forward by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).AEMO has released its two-decade outlook for the way Australia can generate the cheapest and most reliable electricity.By 2040, AEMO is projecting that two thirds of coal-fired power generation is likely to be retired. That opens the way for a 200 per cent increase in household solar and batteries and increased reliance on grid-scale solar and...WW…

Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelNurses working in intensive care and emergency departments throughout Melbourne say it is frustrating to hear the public complain about wearing light masks for brief periods, when they are forced to wear painful, heavy-duty personal protection equipment (PPE) for hours a day.The nurses, many of whom have been working overtime as the number of hospital admissions has risen in Victoria, told 7.30 they experienced pressure injuries and bruising from wearing N95 masks and face shields, and were sore for days after their...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelNurses working in intensive care and emergency departments throughout Melbourne say it is frustrating to hear the public complain about wearing light masks for brief periods, when they are forced to wear painful, heavy-duty personal protection equipment (PPE) for hours a day.The nurses, many of whom have been working overtime as the number of hospital admissions has risen in Victoria, told 7.30 they experienced pressure injuries and bruising from wearing N95 masks and face shields, and were sore for days after their...WW…

Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelVictorian aged care residents could be included in the next stage of testing for a potential COVID-19 vaccine that has shown positive results during phase one human trials in Adelaide.The vaccine candidate, COVAX-19, was developed by Adelaide-based company Vaxine, which has laboratories at Flinders University.Volunteers between the ages of 18 and 65 in Adelaide have been injected with two doses of either COVAX-19 or a placebo in the phase one trial.One of the volunteers for the phase one Adelaide trial was SA Best MP...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelVictorian aged care residents could be included in the next stage of testing for a potential COVID-19 vaccine that has shown positive results during phase one human trials in Adelaide.The vaccine candidate, COVAX-19, was developed by Adelaide-based company Vaxine, which has laboratories at Flinders University.Volunteers between the ages of 18 and 65 in Adelaide have been injected with two doses of either COVAX-19 or a placebo in the phase one trial.One of the volunteers for the phase one Adelaide trial was SA Best MP...WW…

Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelProducers in France's eastern Champagne region, headquarters of the global industry, say they have lost an estimated 1.7 billion euros ($2.8 billion) in sales for this year, as turnover fell by a third — a hammering unmatched in living memory and worse than the Great Depression.They expect about 100 million bottles to be languishing unsold in their cellars by the end of the year.For months, lockdown put the cork on weddings, dining out, parties and international travel — all key sales components for the French luxury...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelProducers in France's eastern Champagne region, headquarters of the global industry, say they have lost an estimated 1.7 billion euros ($2.8 billion) in sales for this year, as turnover fell by a third — a hammering unmatched in living memory and worse than the Great Depression.They expect about 100 million bottles to be languishing unsold in their cellars by the end of the year.For months, lockdown put the cork on weddings, dining out, parties and international travel — all key sales components for the French luxury...WW…

Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelThe group had all the trappings of medical authority.Wearing white coats as they stood with serious faces in front of the US Supreme Court earlier this week, .In the video of their press conference, on Facebook, the group promoted a familiar but controversial narrative: that the drug hydroxychloroquine could help treat COVID-19.They made their claims despite large scientific studies showing the drug doesn't benefit people hospitalised with the disease.The original clip was removed from Facebook but it lived on, with a...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelThe group had all the trappings of medical authority.Wearing white coats as they stood with serious faces in front of the US Supreme Court earlier this week, .In the video of their press conference, on Facebook, the group promoted a familiar but controversial narrative: that the drug hydroxychloroquine could help treat COVID-19.They made their claims despite large scientific studies showing the drug doesn't benefit people hospitalised with the disease.The original clip was removed from Facebook but it lived on, with a...WW…

Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelVictorian aged care residents could be included in the next stage of testing for a potential COVID-19 vaccine that has shown positive results during phase one human trials in Adelaide.The vaccine candidate, COVAX-19, was developed by Adelaide-based company Vaxine, which has laboratories at Flinders University.Volunteers between the ages of 18 and 65 in Adelaide have been injected with two doses of either COVAX-19 or a placebo in the phase one trial.One of the volunteers for the phase one Adelaide trial was SA Best MP...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelVictorian aged care residents could be included in the next stage of testing for a potential COVID-19 vaccine that has shown positive results during phase one human trials in Adelaide.The vaccine candidate, COVAX-19, was developed by Adelaide-based company Vaxine, which has laboratories at Flinders University.Volunteers between the ages of 18 and 65 in Adelaide have been injected with two doses of either COVAX-19 or a placebo in the phase one trial.One of the volunteers for the phase one Adelaide trial was SA Best MP...WW…

Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelSouth Korean authorities have arrested the founder of a secretive Christian sect at the centre of the country's largest outbreak of COVID-19 infections for allegedly hiding crucial information from contact-tracers and other offences.Lee Man-hee is the powerful head of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, which is linked to more than 5,200 coronavirus infections, or 36 per cent of South Korea's total cases.Prosecutors allege the 89-year-old conspired with other sect leaders to withhold information from authorities during the...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelSouth Korean authorities have arrested the founder of a secretive Christian sect at the centre of the country's largest outbreak of COVID-19 infections for allegedly hiding crucial information from contact-tracers and other offences.Lee Man-hee is the powerful head of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, which is linked to more than 5,200 coronavirus infections, or 36 per cent of South Korea's total cases.Prosecutors allege the 89-year-old conspired with other sect leaders to withhold information from authorities during the...WW…

Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelFormer Taiwanese president Lee Teng-hui, who brought direct elections and other democratic changes to the self-governed island despite missile launches and other sabre-rattling by China, has died aged 97. Dubbed "Mr Democracy" for ushering freewheeling pluralism and defying China's drive to absorb an island it regards as a wayward province, Mr Lee died late on Thursday in Taipei.Taipei Veterans General Hospital said Mr Lee died after suffering from infections, cardiac problems and organ failure since being hospitalised...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelFormer Taiwanese president Lee Teng-hui, who brought direct elections and other democratic changes to the self-governed island despite missile launches and other sabre-rattling by China, has died aged 97. Dubbed "Mr Democracy" for ushering freewheeling pluralism and defying China's drive to absorb an island it regards as a wayward province, Mr Lee died late on Thursday in Taipei.Taipei Veterans General Hospital said Mr Lee died after suffering from infections, cardiac problems and organ failure since being hospitalised...WW…

Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelYesterday US President Donald Trump said he was so concerned about "Universal Mail-In Voting" that he ."It will be a great embarrassment to the USA," Trump said.It's not the first time he's attacked mail voting. He told Fox News recently and that he might not accept the result of the election because of it.But with record daily cases and a second wave apparently yet to reach its peak, the reality is setting in that COVID-19 won't go away before November. Experts say without mail voting, Americans will be putting their...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelYesterday US President Donald Trump said he was so concerned about "Universal Mail-In Voting" that he ."It will be a great embarrassment to the USA," Trump said.It's not the first time he's attacked mail voting. He told Fox News recently and that he might not accept the result of the election because of it.But with record daily cases and a second wave apparently yet to reach its peak, the reality is setting in that COVID-19 won't go away before November. Experts say without mail voting, Americans will be putting their...WW…

Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelAs the globe tries to rid itself of the coronavirus through distancing measures, early figures show this has dramatically dropped infection rates for the seasonal flu and other communicable diseases. In China, where the earliest wide-scale lockdown measures began, new reports of diseases including mumps, measles and some sexually transmitted diseases have declined significantly, though influenza cases have seen the sharpest drop off.Infections reported monthly by the county's health ministry have dropped by over 90 per...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelAs the globe tries to rid itself of the coronavirus through distancing measures, early figures show this has dramatically dropped infection rates for the seasonal flu and other communicable diseases. In China, where the earliest wide-scale lockdown measures began, new reports of diseases including mumps, measles and some sexually transmitted diseases have declined significantly, though influenza cases have seen the sharpest drop off.Infections reported monthly by the county's health ministry have dropped by over 90 per...WW…

Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelFacebook and Google will have to pay traditional news media to publish their content under a new code of conduct developed by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) that could be implemented by the end of this year.The to govern commercial dealings between tech giants and news media companies.The draft version of the code has been released by the ACCC and will be open to consultation until the end of August with legislation expected to be introduced to Parliament "shortly after" the consultation...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelFacebook and Google will have to pay traditional news media to publish their content under a new code of conduct developed by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) that could be implemented by the end of this year.The to govern commercial dealings between tech giants and news media companies.The draft version of the code has been released by the ACCC and will be open to consultation until the end of August with legislation expected to be introduced to Parliament "shortly after" the consultation...WW…

Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelThe smouldering economic wreck that America has witnessed on the streets for months has finally shown up in official growth figures. The economy shrank by 9.5 per cent between April and June, an eye-watering figure, more than three times the magnitude of any other contraction on record since 1947.When extrapolated out to an annual figure, it's 32.9 per cent.For reference, the global financial crisis (between 2007 and 2009), America's "great recession", saw a decline of 4.3 per cent.The figure amounts to $US1.8 trillion...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelThe smouldering economic wreck that America has witnessed on the streets for months has finally shown up in official growth figures. The economy shrank by 9.5 per cent between April and June, an eye-watering figure, more than three times the magnitude of any other contraction on record since 1947.When extrapolated out to an annual figure, it's 32.9 per cent.For reference, the global financial crisis (between 2007 and 2009), America's "great recession", saw a decline of 4.3 per cent.The figure amounts to $US1.8 trillion...WW…

Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelAn undersea cable from a planned major solar farm project in the Top End could supply Singapore with sustainable electricity by 2027.The project has won major project status this week from the Federal Government, which will help smooth the approval process for the $22 billion Australian ASEAN Power Link using high-volume direct current (HVDC) technology.The company developing the project, Sun Cable, says it will be the world's biggest solar farm and visible from space when it is built near the town of Elliott, halfway...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelAn undersea cable from a planned major solar farm project in the Top End could supply Singapore with sustainable electricity by 2027.The project has won major project status this week from the Federal Government, which will help smooth the approval process for the $22 billion Australian ASEAN Power Link using high-volume direct current (HVDC) technology.The company developing the project, Sun Cable, says it will be the world's biggest solar farm and visible from space when it is built near the town of Elliott, halfway...WW…

Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelScientists have revived bacteria which survived more than 100 million years laying dormant on the seafloor.The microbes, spanning 10 major and numerous minor groups of bacteria, may be the planet's oldest-known organisms.Yuki Morono, a geomicrobiologist with the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, led a team of researchers who retrieved the microbes from sediment underneath the waters of the South Pacific.The scientists said the microbes were present in clay samples drilled from the research vessel...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelScientists have revived bacteria which survived more than 100 million years laying dormant on the seafloor.The microbes, spanning 10 major and numerous minor groups of bacteria, may be the planet's oldest-known organisms.Yuki Morono, a geomicrobiologist with the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, led a team of researchers who retrieved the microbes from sediment underneath the waters of the South Pacific.The scientists said the microbes were present in clay samples drilled from the research vessel...WW…

Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelAustralia has resisted the United States' push for more assertive freedom of navigation exercises in the disputed waters in the South China Sea at high-level talks in Washington. Australia's Foreign Minister, Marise Payne, and Defence Minister Linda Reynolds with their American counterparts.The talks focused heavily on China, with both countries condemning Beijing's crackdown on Hong Kong and vowing to work together to counter state-sponsored disinformation campaigns. The two countries have signed a new "statement of...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelAustralia has resisted the United States' push for more assertive freedom of navigation exercises in the disputed waters in the South China Sea at high-level talks in Washington. Australia's Foreign Minister, Marise Payne, and Defence Minister Linda Reynolds with their American counterparts.The talks focused heavily on China, with both countries condemning Beijing's crackdown on Hong Kong and vowing to work together to counter state-sponsored disinformation campaigns. The two countries have signed a new "statement of...WW…

Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelPolice have arrested six people, including organiser Paddy Gibson, at a Black Lives Matter rally in Sydney.Five of those arrested were handed penalty infringement notices. Mr Gibson was put in the back of a police vehicle before the rally was due to start at 12:00pm.After he was fined $1,000 for breaching a public health order, Mr Gibson was whisked into State Parliament through the back entrance by Greens MP Jenny Leong.Police Commissioner Mick Willing said it was unfortunate that people had to be arrested, and he...…Print contentPrint with images and other mediaPrint text onlyPrintCancelPolice have arrested six people, including organiser Paddy Gibson, at a Black Lives Matter rally in Sydney.Five of those arrested were handed penalty infringement notices. Mr Gibson was put in the back of a police vehicle before the rally was due to start at 12:00pm.After he was fined $1,000 for breaching a public health order, Mr Gibson was whisked into State Parliament through the back entrance by Greens MP Jenny Leong.Police Commissioner Mick Willing said it was unfortunate that people had to be arrested, and he...WW…