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25.01.2022 Scott Morrison flags shift on Kyoto climate change carry-over credits Prime Minister Scott Morrison has signalled he may reverse one of the most controversial aspects of the Federal Government's climate change policy: using Kyoto "carry-over" credits to help meet Paris agreement emissions reduction targets.In an address to a private dinner hosted the Business Council of Australia, Mr Morrison said it was his ambition to "not need them" and this was a "goal" for the Federal Go...vernment. "I've said we will only use that carryover to the extent that it is required," he said. "Let me be very clear. My ambition, my Government's ambition, is that we will not need them. "And we are working to this as our goal, consistent with our record of over-delivering in these areas." Australia's current 2030 target under the Paris Agreement is to reduce emissions by 26 to 28 per cent compared to 2005 levels. On current projections, that will only be achieved by continuing to claim "carry-over" credits from over-achieving on previous emissions reduction targets under the Paris Agreement's predecessor, the Kyoto Protocol. Whilst using carry-over credits is not explicitly banned under the rules of the Paris Agreement, most nations have declared they do not consider it valid to count emission reduced under the Kyoto Protocol towards future targets. The Federal Government has found no support diplomatically from allies for its continued use of carry-over credits, which is particularly controversial as Australia was allowed to increase its emissions under the Kyoto Protocol because of the nation's reliance on the resources sector.

25.01.2022 Aboriginal bone 'inheritors' encouraged to come forward in repatriation push People with ancient Aboriginal remains have been encouraged to contact authorities after the skull of a woman who lived before European settlement was handed in to Adelaide police.

24.01.2022 Queensland border reopens with stricter rules in place. Queensland's borders have officially reopened to travellers from all states and territories except Victoria after months of a strict coronavirus lockdown. Long queues have formed at border crossings in northern New South Wales where police are checking border passes and traffic is making a slow crawl through. Gold Coast's Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler said about an hour after the border opening, motorists were facing delays of about half an hour. He warned the delays could worsen if traffic builds heading into the weekend. "Those delay times will blow out and I don't think it's unreasonable to expect that some people depending on what time of the day may encounter those delays of hours and not minutes," he said.

23.01.2022 Laws forcing Google and Facebook to pay for news content are one step closer, after a fiery hearing culminated in cross-party support for the plan. A senate committee recommended on Friday the government’s media bargaining code be adopted in full, after securing bipartisan backing. Under the laws, Google and Facebook would be forced to pay Australian media outlets for news content accessed on their platforms. The report followed an acrimonious two-day hearing in January, wher...e the plan was met by fierce resistance from the tech giants. Google and Facebook claimed it would drastically alter the way the internet functioned. But the laws received support from the Coalition, Labor and the Greens. Google and Facebook both fronted the first day of the inquiry, where Google threatened to withdraw its search engine from Australian users if the plan went it ahead. It conceded it had temporarily blocked some Australian users from accessing certain news sites, but claimed the test was preparation necessitated by the proposal. Prime Minister Scott Morrison held constructive talks with Google chief executive officer Sundar Pichai in February, saying he had gained confidence the tech giant would remain in Australia.

23.01.2022 Police to maintain strong presence at Noosa but praise schoolies behaviour despite mess on beach Queensland police say they will maintain a strong presence in the Noosa region as thousands of school leavers continue to arrive on the Sunshine Coast throughout the week for unofficial schoolies celebrations. About 3,000 teenagers were on Noosa's Main Beach on Saturday night and again overnight.... Part of the beach was closed on Sunday to clean up rubbish and broken glass left behind by revellers. However despite the mess, Acting District Superintendent Jason Overland said overall police were happy with the behaviour of schoolies. "These young people are just there to celebrate and I understand there was some concerns around the degree of litter," Acting Superintendent Overland said. "There was a 100 square metre area that was fenced off and the council took care of it within a couple of hours. "I've seen some of the social media commentary and I think it's a little unfair." Acting Superintendent Overland said officers expected to see much of the same of what had happened in the area over the last few nights. "Last night, there was only about 10 or 15 kids on the beach, however, that number swelled quite quickly," he said. Acting Superintendent Overland said from a policing perspective things were going as well as could be expected, with between two to four mounted police patrolling the area each night. "Over the past few days, we've taken action on 25 occasions I think 16 of those are related to school leavers or young people who have just finished school the rest are not," he said. "Only a few infringements have been handed out, they range from liquor offences, street offences, public nuisance and so forth.

23.01.2022 Government announces financial support for Australians stranded overseas The Federal Government has offered new loans to Australians in financial distress who are stranded overseas as airlines press the Coalition to relax the cap on international arrivals. Huge numbers of Australians are unable to come home because of the scarcity of flights, rapidly rising ticket prices, the cost of quarantine in Australia and the cap on international arrivals imposed by the Federal Governme...nt. Only 4,000 people are allowed into the country every week, although that cap will be reviewed by National Cabinet later this week.

23.01.2022 Australia records its highest daily COVID-19 case count. The 502 new coronavirus cases diagnosed in Australia today are the most since the pandemic began, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd says. Victoria reported 484 of those cases alone, with another 16 in NSW, one in Queensland and one in South Australia.

23.01.2022 Rare five-legged, six-footed lamb born on Western Australian farm A rare five-legged, six-footed lamb has been born on a farm in the southern Western Australian town of Kojonup. Farmer Marshall Bowey spotted the unusual arrival at the weekend.... "We were tailing lambs and realised one had five legs and six feet," Mr Bowey said. "I've come across lambs with little growths of wool on their backs or legs, but never seen a fifth leg, let alone with six feet. "I've got no idea what would cause something like this.

22.01.2022 WA records three new cases of coronavirus. Western Australia has recorded three new cases of coronavirus overnight, all returned travellers from overseas. The new cases are people from the Congo and Dubai, all in quarantine. There are currently 19 active cases of coronavirus in the state and 602 people have recovered from the virus. WA has one international flight scheduled to arrive today with an estimated 72 people on board.

22.01.2022 AFL grand final to be played at the Gabba in Brisbane here's what we know about buying tickets It's official this year's AFL grand final will be held in the Sunshine State. The Gabba will no doubt be packed with local fans, eager to witness a historic sporting moment play out before their eyes, rather than on a television set.... But the unprecedented move has sparked several questions as to how the event will be executed. How hard will it be to snag one of the 30,000 seats? Will a ticket cost you an arm and a leg? What about the Brownlow Medal? Here's what we know so far about this year's Queensland AFL grand final.

22.01.2022 Cough, Headache, Fever, and Shortness of breath all those symptoms may be a signal of corona positive. Take an immediate check-up and be sure. #CoronaVirus #COVID_19 #NewsChannel #UpdatedNews #LatestNews

21.01.2022 Australia Times always request to everybody please maintain social distance in your office also. #CoronaVirus #COVID_19 #NewsChannel #UpdatedNews #LatestNews

21.01.2022 Melbourne Vixens down NSW Swifts 63-60 in Super Netball classic, Giants beat Magpies Melbourne Vixens have retained top spot on the Super Netball standings with a thrilling 63-60 victory over the second-placed NSW Swifts in Brisbane. In Saturday's second Super Netball fixture, the Giants triumphed 69-54 over Collingwood Magpies to move into the top four ahead of the completion of round eight.

21.01.2022 A man’s body has been found in a shed after a fire completely destroyed the structure in South Australia. Police and CFS were called the Bonds Road property at Nangkita, located on the Fleurieu Peninsula, just after 12.30am on Friday. Fire Cause Investigators made the tragic find when they arrived at the scene later in the morning. The body is believed to be that of the 72-year-old occupant of the property, according to SA Police. The fire is not believed to be suspicious but the cause remains undetermined, and the shed was completely destroyed in the blaze. A report is being prepared for the coroner.

20.01.2022 Defence Force confirms 13 soldiers face being sacked following Afghanistan war crimes inquiry The Chief of the Army has revealed 13 members of the Australian Defence Force face the prospect of being sacked following the Afghanistan war crimes inquiry. It comes after the ABC yesterday revealed the Defence Force had sent "show cause" notices to members of the elite SAS. Lieutenant General Rick Burr said the 13 soldiers had 14 days to respond to "administrative action notices" p...roposing to terminate their service. "At this point in time no individuals have been separated from the Australian Defence Force," he said. It follows the release of a report, commissioned by the Inspector General of the Australian Defence Force (IGADF), alleging special forces soldiers were responsible for the murder of at least 39 Afghans. Defence sources have told the ABC the elite soldiers facing possible expulsion are members of the SAS's now disbanded 2 Squadron as well as the regiment's 3 Squadron. "Administrative action includes receiving a notice proposing to terminate the individual's service," General Burr said. "The individual then has the opportunity to respond, within a minimum of 14 days. "The decision maker must consider any written response that the individuals provide before making a decision. Each matter and individual circumstance will be considered on a case by case basis." Other special forces members may eventually be discharged or face a range of disciplinary sanctions, including formal warnings. Defence initiated the action against serving special forces members within days of last week's landmark Brereton war crimes report being made public. General Burr refused to confirm if the 13 soldiers were among the 19 personnel who Justice Brereton recommended be referred to Federal Police. Sources have told the ABC that the 13 are suspected to have been "accessories" or "witnesses" to alleged murders carried out by other special forces soldiers.

20.01.2022 Man, boy found dead in suspicious circumstances in remote Queensland town. Detectives are investigating after a 46-year-old man and a four-year old child were found dead at a property in Far North Queensland.The bodies were found in Rossville about 30 kilometres south of Cooktown just before 10am today. A crime scene has been declared with specialist police and detectives attending.There is no further information available at this stage. Investigations are continuing.

20.01.2022 Virgin Australia's new boss Jayne Hrdlicka launches plan for revamped airline A revamped Virgin Australia will target the "mid-market", and there will be no nasty changes to the airline's Velocity Frequent Flyer program for its 10 million members. Jayne Hrdlicka, who started in the role of Virgin Australia Group CEO on Wednesday, has launched a strategic review of the airline's business class offering as well as its in-flight WiFi and entertainment. It will close lounges in D...arwin, Cairns and Mackay, with the Canberra facility still under review. And the airline is also reviewing the number of domestic and regional services on offer, with further changes possible once travel bans and state border closures ease. On Tuesday, Virgin Australia seized the opportunity to be a privately-listed company when the $3.5 billion sale of the Virgin Australia Group, with the shares and the entire business of the airline transferred to Bain Capital, was completed. Ms Hrdlicka said while the revamped airline would serve all segments of the market, it would build its proposition around its long-standing and most loyal guests. These, she said, include price-conscious corporate travellers, small to medium businesses, premium leisure travellers and holidaymakers.

20.01.2022 Masks now recommended for those in Melbourne who cannot socially distance. Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Nick Coatsworth has said the AHPPC now recommends mask use for people in high-risk areas such as Melbourne and Mitchell Shire who cannot socially distance. "Mask use in the community in Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire area, surgical masks or cloth masks is recommended if you find yourself in a situation where you cannot socially distance," Dr Coatsworth said. "This means if you have to leave your home for any of those reasons for which it is permissible, and you are likely to find yourself in a situation where you cannot maintain 1.5m distance, it is advisable to be covering your face with a mask."

19.01.2022 Afghan community angered but unsurprised by revelations of alleged Australian war crimes Afghans living in Australia say they are saddened and angered, but not surprised, that a landmark investigation has found "credible information" Australian soldiers allegedly murdered innocent civilians during the conflict in Afghanistan. For the last four years, the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force (IGADF) has been investigating allegations that Australian troops committ...ed war crimes during special missions in the war-torn country. The inquiry handed down its final report on Thursday, completed by New South Wales Justice Paul Brereton, who said he received enough information to say 19 Australian soldiers had illegally killed 39 people and "cruelly treated" another two. Mr Sadath and his family fled to Australia as refugees from the Afghan war in 2000. He said while the release of the report and the recognition that "there is an issue within the system" was a "positive" sign, it was "long overdue". "I mean this investigation has been going on for a very long time but it's important to have these reports come out because it really puts everything in perspective," he said. While he could not speak for all Afghans, Mr Sadath said in his view the general attitude towards foreign troops "seems to be one of despair in many ways". "The war has been going on for such a long time The result really hasn't been one that's fruitful," he said, citing the bombing and violence that continues to plague Afghanistan. "One would expect, or one would hope, that if there are people who are put in a position to be able to keep the country safe, these people probably aren't doing their job the way they're supposed to be doing it." But instead, he said Australian troops had failed at "giving themselves a human face" and it was difficult to see them as an ally "in terms of someone being on our side fighting for our rights".

19.01.2022 Surfer with COVID-19 arrested at Spanish beach after breaking quarantine A woman infected with COVID-19 took her son to school and then went for a surf at a beach where she was dramatically arrested, police said. The woman was put in handcuffs and led away by police in hazmat suits on La Zurriola beach in one of Spains top tourist hot spots, San Sebastian, for allegedly breaching quarantine rules after she tested positive for the virus.... Pictures show how police raced to get the woman out of the water. The police arrived and the woman was in the water for another 15 to 20 minutes before they managed to get her out, a witness told Spanish media. I could hear how they were telling her you have tested positive for coronavirus and you have to leave the water. Instead of heading back to the shoreline, she went swimming to a different area.

18.01.2022 Liberal MP breaks ranks with SA Government to label coronavirus lockdown an 'overreaction' A country Liberal MP has lashed out at the South Australian Government over its handling of the latest coronavirus outbreak, saying the hard lockdown was an overreaction which "hung businesses out to dry". Backbencher Nick McBride, whose electoral district MacKillop includes parts of SA's south-east, said health authorities should not have "taken the word of one person" to impose a lock...down on the entire state. The six-day stay-at-home order was lifted after only three days, when it was revealed a man who tested positive had misled contact tracers about his connections to the Woodville Pizza Bar. Mr McBride argued authorities should have more carefully considered the worker's information before ordering the lockdown. "To lock down the state and to put the state into more pain it is just a total negative. South Australia's Chief Public Health Officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier, has repeatedly said she has "no regrets" about her lockdown advice. She said she would make the same decision again based on the same information, and that the "pause" had allowed contact tracers to get on top of the Parafield cluster. But Mr McBride said he believed the balance between public health and the economy had been lost. "All these people making these decisions and locking down our state do not suffer one day of lost wages, no loss of income," he said.

18.01.2022 State and territory governments across Australia are tightening border restrictions with Victoria after thousands of interstate travellers were potentially exposed to COVID-19 at Melbourne Airport. There are now 13 coronavirus cases linked to Melbourne's Holiday Inn, with the state now entering a five-day snap lockdown. There are also new potential community infection sites across Melbourne. Of most concern to health authorities is the Brunetti cafe at Melbourne Airport. An i...nfected staff member worked there on Tuesday - potentially spreading the virus to interstate travellers before they boarded their planes. All states and territorities except for New South Wales have now implemented tough border controls on those coming in from Victoria, while NSW is choosing to mimick Victoria's hard lockdown for those coming across the border. However, each state is taking a slightly different approach to exactly how those rules are enforced - and at what date they commence. See more

18.01.2022 Two men from Sydney's western suburbs have died after three fishermen were swept into the ocean at a popular fishing spot at Port Kembla on the NSW south coast. The two men - a 31-year-old from Lakemba and 38-year-old from Wiley Park - were unable to be revived after a wave knocked them into the water just before 7pm last night. Emergency crews rushed to the scene after a highway patrol officer noticed a fisherman struggling in the water roughly 100m off the rocks at Hill 60 ...just before 7pm last night. The officer and member of the public dived into the water with a flotation device in an attempt to save them, but it took local surf lifesaving crews to retrieve them from the water. One fisherman was winched from the water and despite CPR being performed, he died at the scene. The 38-year-old died later in hospital after being winched from the sea and taken to Wollongong Hospital in a critical condition. The third man, a 42-year-old from Wiley Park, was not injured. See more

17.01.2022 Acting Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly is updating the official statistics for the nation. There have now been 11,441 total COVID-19 cases in Australia. In the past 24 hours, there have been 233 new cases 217 of whom were from Victoria, 15 from NSW and one from Western Australia from an overseas traveller. "The majority of cases, of course, have recovered, though there are now approximately 2700 active cases of COVID-19, again almost all of those in the greater Melbourne and Mitchell Shire," said Professor Kelly.

16.01.2022 Michelle Obama calls out White House's 'systemic racism' in Twitter post Former first lady Michelle Obama has accused the White House of stoking racial divisions, in the wake of recent police shootings. But she said protests during the past three months were "opening eyes, rattling consciences" and leading the nation to change.... "I'm just devastated by the shootings in Kenosha. First, the seven shots from a police officer's gun at Jacob Blake's back as his children looked on," Ms Obama wrote in a social media post on Friday (local time).

16.01.2022 Two children are believed to have drowned in a swimming pool in Sydney's south west. Emergency crews were called to Lakewood Crescent, Casula this afternoon after reports a two and three-year-old had drowned in a backyard pool. More to come.

15.01.2022 Army chief tells personnel to learn from Afghanistan war crimes inquiry and 'never let it happen again' The Chief of the Army has urged Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel to support each other and "never let it happen again", ahead of the release of the findings of the inquiry into possible war crimes in Afghanistan. In a message to ADF personnel, Lieutenant General Rick Burr wrote that the allegations in the report were "extremely serious and deeply troubling".... "They do not reflect who we aspire to be," he said. The findings of the inquiry, prepared by the Inspector-General of the ADF, will be released publicly in redacted form tomorrow (Thursday). While the report is expected to detail serious incidents, it is also expected to deal with failures in the chain of command. Former SAS operators have told ABC Investigations that senior officers were aware of, or turned a blind eye to misconduct and alleged criminal acts committed by Australian special forces in Afghanistan. Included in the message from the Army Chief was a direction for a unified response from commanders, emphasising the "seriousness of the report". Lieutenant General Burr told commanders they should pause all unit training on Thursday so that personnel could watch the live stream of the Chief of Defence Force speaking about the inquiry findings. He instructed commanders to make sure all personnel watched the video or read the transcript by the end of the day, and to encourage open discussion internally. However, the Army Chief also gave instructions that the ADF Chief, General Angus Campbell, was to be the "sole spokesperson for Defence" for all inquiry matters. "The report is serious and deeply concerning and not what our Army aspires to be, but unfortunately I can't discuss it," is the line all other ADF personnel have been directed to use if approached by the media.

13.01.2022 WA border to shut out #Victorians without exemptions from midnight tonight. Western Australia will close its borders to anyone who has visited Victoria in the past 14 days. WA Health Minister Roger Cook said the Victoria situation highlights how dangerous the coronavirus crisis is. "From midnight tonight WA borders will be hardened even further," Mr Cook said. "Nobody will be allowed into WA if they have been in Victoria in the past 14 days." He said everyone permitted to enter WA will be given a direction to undergo a #COVID19 test. Anyone who refuses the test will receive a $5000 fine.

12.01.2022 If you want to get the latest news about coronavirus, keep watching our news bulletin. #CoronaVirus #COVID_19 #NewsChannel #UpdatedNews #LatestNews

12.01.2022 Port Adelaide Power on top of AFL ladder after downing Sydney Swans by 26 points Port Adelaide holds down top spot on the AFL ladder following a comfortable 26-point win over lowly Sydney.

11.01.2022 Chinese state media accuses Australia of barbaric behaviour, disgusting double standards Its taken days for anything resembling a response from China about the extraction of two Australia journalists from the country earlier this week. Now a comment has been made but, not unsurprisingly, Chinese media has instead taken aim at Australia accusing it of disgusting double standards and of conducting a witch hunt. The comments in Chinese state media come as diplomatic relat...ions between Beijing and Canberra continue to plummet even as many trade links remain solid. On Tuesday, the China correspondents for the ABC and The Australian Financial Review, Bill Birtles and Mike Smith, arrived back in Sydney after police came to there respective homes in China in the middle of the night and demanded they present themselves for questioning. The pair sought shelter in Australian missions due to fears they would be arbitrarily detained and were later allowed to depart the country. The journos were already planning to leave following the arrest of Australian Cheng Lei who worked for a Chinese state broadcaster and who local authorities have said endangered national security.

11.01.2022 A young boy has died after crashing a quad bike on a remote outback road in the Northern Territory. One of the 12-year-old's family members found him unresponsive near the unattended bike on an access road of an outstation about 29km north of Alice Springs, NT Police say. Police and emergency services were contacted by the family, but the boy died at the scene.

11.01.2022 Australians donate blood in record numbers to meet shortfall An urgent call for blood has resulted in a surge in donations, beating records seen during the Bali bombings and bushfires. National stocks of O+ and A+ blood dropped to just two days' supply last week, prompting an urgent call from Red Cross Lifeblood for donors.... Lifeblood spokeswoman Jemma Falkenmire said last week's donation appeal led to a response even greater than during other major crises. But despite the positive response, Lifeblood is still concerned by a lack of consistent donors. "For us, the real challenge is that we only have one to 2 per cent of the population regularly donating," she said. "There are around half a million people who only give once a year. "Collectively, if those people gave twice a year it would probably mean that we wouldn't need to go into appeal." Even with a lack of regular donors and blood stocks sometimes dropping to just a few days' supply, International Society of Blood Transfusion president Erica Wood does not see any need for panic. "We're very fortunate in Australia; we have a safe and secure blood supply and it's been successfully maintained during the COVID pandemic through mobilising blood donors in the community," Professor Wood said. "Having said that, the blood supply is always vulnerable and some blood products have very short storage time. For example, platelets that help the blood clot can only be stored for a few days and so that's why we need ongoing collections most days of the year." While Australia is self-sufficient for whole blood supplies, Professor Wood points out some plasma products such as immunoglobulin do need to be imported from overseas. "In the past we were self-sufficient in immunoglobulins, which are made from donated plasma, but demand has been increasing over many years and over half of these immunoglobulins are imported," she said. "We and others are conducting research into how we could modify this clinical demand for immunoglobulin products, so we hope that all of these efforts will work together." Citi head of healthcare and biotech research, John Deakin-Bell, said Australia was somewhat exposed to global supply issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "Currently we're seeing a shortage of plasma donations in the US and they supply a very large part of the end product in the US and Europe and parts of Asia," Mr Deakin-Bell said.

10.01.2022 Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews' announcement that his state will enter a third lockdown at 11:59pm tonight to avoid potentially devastating circumstances has been met with outrage by businesses and residents alike. Until the same time on Wednesday, the entire state will enter a five-day circuit breaker, Mr Andrews told reporters this afternoon, because this (the UK mutant strain of COVID-19) is so infectious and is moving so fast. If Victorians wait for the theory ... that it might be out there, there might be more cases than we know about if we wait for that to be proven correct, it will be too late, the Premier said, adding Victoria could then face months of being locked down. I know it’s not the news that Victorians want to hear today. I know it’s not the place that we wanted to be in. However, we’ve all given so much, we’ve all done so much. We’ve built something precious, and we have to make difficult decisions, and do difficult things, in order to defend what we’ve built, Mr Andrews said. I am confident that this short, sharp circuit breaker will be effective. We will be able to smother this. We will be able to prevent it getting away from us.

09.01.2022 National Cabinet unable to agree on coronavirus reopening plan. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has failed to convince Western Australia to join the rest of the country in aiming to take down borders and ease restrictions by Christmas.The state's Premier Mark McGowan has split from other state and territory leaders, who aspire to ease restrictions and return to a new normal by December. Mr Morrison said the majority of National Cabinet had agreed to seek "a sustainable set of arrangements where Australians could move around, using a hotspot model". "Seven out of eight states and territories have agreed with that ambition for Christmas," Mr Morrison said.

09.01.2022 Coroners take aim at authorities for inaction after more chainsaw deaths Two Tasmanian coroners investigating unrelated chainsaw deaths have again called for compulsory training for those who want to buy a chainsaw, nothing had been done to follow up on earlier recommendations.

08.01.2022 Chinese professor 'stunned' by Australian decision to cancel his visa A Chinese professor who was stripped of his Australian visa says he was stunned to learn of the cancellation and initially thought the emailed notice from the Department of Home Affairs was spam. Prof Chen Hong, who has been director of the Australian studies centre at East China Normal University in Shanghai since 2001 and is a frequent visitor to Australia, told the Guardian he absolutely refused to accept intelligence agency Asios assessment that he posed a direct or indirect risk to security.

07.01.2022 Australia's national COVID-19 death toll passes 600, people urged to remain cautious over coronavirus threat The number of people who have died from COVID-19 in Australia has reached 600, with authorities urging people to be cautious this weekend even as warmer weather encourages more socialising.

07.01.2022 British regulators asked to assess AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine, as new trial looks into lower dosage The British Government has formally asked its medicines regulator to assess whether a coronavirus vaccine developed by drug company AstraZeneca and Oxford University should be authorised for use. It comes as AstraZeneca said it plans to conduct a new global clinical trial to assess the vaccine's efficacy.... UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he had asked the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency to determine whether the vaccine "meets rigorous safety standards." Here's the latest on the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine. Earlier this week, Oxford and AstraZeneca reported their vaccine appeared to be 62 per cent effective in people who received two doses, and 90 per cent effective when volunteers were given a half dose followed by a full dose. They did not mention at the time, but later acknowledged, that a manufacturing issue had resulted in "a half dose of the vaccine being administered as the first dose" to some participants. The drug makers informed the UK regulator of the issue when it was discovered, and it was agreed to complete the late-stage trial with two groups. AstraZeneca said it plans to conduct a new global clinical trial to assess the vaccine's efficacy but does not expect that to delay regulatory approval in Britain or the European Union. The US Food and Drug Administration may take longer, because the agency is unlikely to approve the vaccine based on studies carried out elsewhere, especially given the questions over the results, Chief Executive Officer of AstraZeneca Pascal Soriot said in a Bloomberg News report. Instead of adding the trial to an ongoing US process, AstraZeneca will launch a fresh study to evaluate a lower dosage of its vaccine, Mr Soriot said. "Now that we've found what looks like a better efficacy we have to validate this, so we need to do an additional study," he said. Mr Soriot said it would probably be another "international study, but this one could be faster because we know the efficacy is high so we need a smaller number of patients." Astra Zeneca still faces questions about its success rate that some experts say could hinder its chances of getting speedy US and EU regulatory approval. Some scientists have expressed concerns about gaps in the data and the way the results were reported.

07.01.2022 SA schoolies festival up in the air as police assess coronavirus risks South Australia's schoolies festival remains in doubt despite authorities acknowledging that thousands of school-leavers would likely travel to Victor Harbor in November, whether an organised event goes ahead or not.

06.01.2022 Man's body found off Yorke Peninsula while rescuers pause search for missing canoer at Milang A man's body has been found in waters off South Australia's Yorke Peninsula. Just after 11:00am on Saturday, emergency crews were called to Brown's Beach, in Innes National Park, after a man fell from rocks into the sea.... Police, PolAir, sea rescue, ambulance officers, Country Fire Service volunteers, national park rangers and recreational fishermen joined forces to search the area. The man, aged in his 30s, was found unresponsive in the water just before 1:00pm. He could not be revived and died at the scene. A report will be prepared for the coroner. Meanwhile, SA Police said the second day of a search for a missing man at Milang has been called off, but will resume "mid-morning" on Sunday. The alarm was raised around 11:30am on Friday, after two men who set off on an inflatable canoe at Lake Alexandrina, just north of Milang, failed to return. SA Police's Water Operations Unit coordinated a search and rescue effort involving the police helicopter, sea rescue and local officers. One of the men, a 19-year-old from Elizabeth Vale, was "miraculously" found floating in the water around 2:45pm. He was treated by SA Ambulance crews for hypothermia at the scene. The canoe was also located. The search for a second man, a 31-year-old from Brahma Lodge, continues, but police said there are "grave concerns for his welfare".

04.01.2022 Thomas Lang found guilty of murdering former model Maureen Boyce at Kangaroo Point A retired American doctor has been found guilty for the second time of the stabbing murder of former model Maureen Boyce in her Kangaroo Point apartment in inner-city Brisbane in 2015. The Supreme Court jury in the retrial of Thomas Lang deliberated for two days before reaching a guilty verdict on Monday afternoon.... Lang, 68, was accused of murdering his on-again-off-again lover by stabbing her several times in the abdomen with a large kitchen knife while she was lying in her bed. He pleaded not guilty with his defence team suggesting Ms Boyce took her own life. Lang was first found guilty of the offence in 2017, but his murder conviction was quashed after the Court of Appeal found some evidence in the original trial may have been misleading and irrelevant. During the retrial, the court heard Lang and Ms Boyce met more than 30 years ago in the US while Lang was in medical school. They rekindled their relationship in 2013 while Ms Boyce was still married to her husband, the court heard. In his closing address on Tuesday, Crown prosecutor Todd Fuller QC told the jury Lang was "devastated" when Ms Boyce left him in the 1980s and told police he had spent his life searching for "another her". Mr Fuller said on the night Ms Boyce died in October 2015, Lang had found text messages on her phone from another man and realised he was "being betrayed by her for the second time". The following morning Lang called triple-0 and told the operator it appeared Ms Boyce had died and the death appeared to be "self-induced", the court heard. "There was only two people in the apartment," Mr Fuller said. "He [Lang] knew there would be signs of nobody breaking in, of nobody assaulting Maureen Boyce, of [not being able to blame it on anybody else. "So he chose the one person who could not speak for herself and defend herself against that action Maureen Boyce." In her closing address, defence barrister Ruth O'Gorman said evidence during the trial showed Ms Boyce had expressed "suicidal ideation" to family members and had "longstanding and entrenched" mental health issues. Ms O'Gorman told the jury forensic evidence suggested Ms Boyce's death was consistent with suicide and not with murder.

04.01.2022 Chadwick Boseman, Black Panther actor, dies of cancer Actor Chadwick Boseman, who played black icons Jackie Robinson and James Brown before finding fame as the regal Black Panther in the Marvel cinematic universe, has died of cancer. He was 43.

03.01.2022 Are you using an ATM at this pandemic situation? Use sanitizer before accessing ATM and maintain social distance at this time. #CoronaVirus #COVID_19 #NewsChannel #UpdatedNews #LatestNews

03.01.2022 Cricket rules on over rates come under the spotlight after late finish to Australia v India ODI in Sydney The opening ODI between Australia and India has reignited debate over how best to punish slow over rates, with spinner Adam Zampa suggesting Friday's tedium was not a good look for the game. Aaron Finch's side secured a 66-run victory at 11.09pm AEDT on Friday, almost an hour beyond the expected finish.... SCG staff stressed about the venue's curfew, fans grew frustrated and players knew something was amiss as the lopsided contest dragged on and on and on. Legend Shane Warne, commentating on Fox Sports during the match, opined that "over-rates in all forms of the game are at an all-time low they [the ICC] have to come down hard". Test great Jason Gillespie, who has previously proposed in-game run penalties for tardiness, was also among those suggesting on Friday that more needs to be done, while the players acknowledged the issue after the match. "It felt like it went all day. That was the longest 50 overs in the field I've ever had," man-of-the-match Steve Smith said. The International Cricket Council changed its rules last year, ensuring captains are no longer issued demerit points and put at risk of suspensions for slow over rates. Match referees now have the power to fine entire teams, which is what happened to India in three consecutive games earlier this year during a tour of New Zealand. Zampa, who snared 4-54 to help put Australia 1-0 up in the three-match series, agreed "something definitely has to be done about it". "From a viewer's point of view, it's not the best look for the game," Zampa told reporters. "It will definitely improve.

03.01.2022 Queensland man charged with terrorism offences A man from Bundaberg has been charged with terrorism offences following a Queensland Joint Counter Terrorism Team (QLD JCTT) investigation. The 29-year-old Kepnock man was arrested on Friday and charged with one count of acts done in preparation for, or planning, terrorist acts. The offence carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.... The man is expected to face Brisbane Arrest Court today. It will be alleged he was planning to undertake a terrorist act in the Bundaberg region and had sought firearms training. Investigators became concerned about threats the man allegedly made towards a member of the public. They executed a search warrant at a property in Kepnock on November 3. Police seized a number of electronic devices and a notebook at the address for evidentiary purposes. It will be alleged the electronic devices contained documents indicating a desire to undertake acts of violent extremism. Australian Federal Police (AFP) Assistant Commissioner of counter terrorism Scott Lee said QLD JCTT investigators targeted the criminal behaviour to ensure the safety of the community. "The decision to charge this man was made to prevent a terrorist attack in Australia and to protect the community," Assistant Commissioner Lee said. "The investigation highlights the professionalism and dedication of the individuals and agencies involved in the JCTT, and their commitment to bringing people to account for their criminal actions." Queensland Police Service (QPS) Assistant Commissioner Cheryl Scanlon said this was an example of partner agencies working together to keep the community safe. "This outcome is a credit to their hard work and commitment to community safety," Assistant Commissioner Scanlon said The QLD JCTT comprises members of the AFP, Queensland Police Service and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. Queensland Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman described the charge as "incredibly serious". "I think it is great to see that our counterterrorism units are putting the public's safety first we have great counterterrorism personnel working hard on the ground to make sure these arrests take place and the public are safe," she said.

03.01.2022 Victoria has recorded 288 new COVID-19 cases, the largest single day in Australia since the pandemic began. The state's total now sits at 3397 cases. Among Victoria's 288 new cases, 26 are connected to contained outbreaks, while 262 are under investigation. "Those numbers will jump around a bit," Premier Daniel Andrews said. Mr Andrews said despite the spike, the state conducted its highest number of COVID-19 tests, with 37,588 undertaken yesterday. "People will feel deeply concerned to see that number as high as it is," Mr Andrews said.

03.01.2022 Royal Australian Mint releases 'donation dollar' coin designed to be given to charitable cause The Royal Australian Mint calls it the "donation dollar" a specially made $1 coin that it hopes people will give away. The Mint has begun pressing 25 million of the charitable coins about one for every Australian in a bid to boost the country's flagging levels of philanthropy.

02.01.2022 Always carry all essential items (Sanitizer, Disposable Gloves, Mask, Eyeshield, Tissue) with you which will keep you safe from coronavirus. #CoronaVirus #COVID_19 #NewsChannel #UpdatedNews #LatestNews

02.01.2022 Tasmania will delay the planned reopening of its border. Tasmania will delay the planned reopening of its border to travellers from other states. The state was ...scheduled to reopen on July 24, but that will be pushed back by at least a week. Premier Peter Gutwein said cases were still too high on the mainland and an update would be provided on July 24. "We're in the fortunate position in Tasmania of having one of the safest places in the country, and importantly, we need to ensure we maintain that position as we move forward and only open up when we're confident that the safety of Tasmanians both whilst travelling, and also when they return to Tasmania in terms of local communities and local families, that they aren't put at risk," Mr Gutwein said. See more

02.01.2022 Australia records 182 new cases overnight. Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Nick Coatsworth is updating the official national statistics for COVID-19. In the past 24 hours to midday today, Australia has recorded 182 new cases. Victoria accounts for 165 of those cases, with the rest made up in New South Wales and the ACT. The death toll remains at 106 people. #covid_19 #CoronavirusOutbreak #CoronavirusPandemic

02.01.2022 Always use a clean and hygienic face mask to avoid COVID-19. #CoronaVirus #COVID_19 #NewsChannel #UpdatedNews #LatestNews

01.01.2022 Gladstone Park police shooting: Man shot dead in Melbourne park. A man has been shot dead by police after repeatedly stabbing a woman in the face at a park in Melbourne's north-west. Police were called to John Coutts Reserve at Gladstone Park about 3.30pm, swarming the scene of the stabbing incident. The man, believed to be in his 30s, continued to "seriously assault" the woman after police arrived, prompting officers to fire gunshots at the attacker. The man died at the scene and the woman was taken to hospital in a critical condition.

01.01.2022 Australia Times hopes that you are using hand sanitizer to make your hands more hygienic. #CoronaVirus #COVID_19 #NewsChannel #UpdatedNews #LatestNews