The U.S. to start vaccination this week
The most ambitious vaccination campaign is U.S. history has start this week after the coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNtech was approved by drug regulators.
This weekend, 2.9 million doses of the vaccine traveled by plane and guarded truck from facilities in Michigan and Wisconsin to designated locations, mostly hospitals, in all 50 states.
The first injections will start to be given today to high risk health care workers.
Washington Demonstration ends in violence
Four people have been left in critical condition following a fight that broke out between Trump demonstrators and counter-protesters in Washington DC on Saturday.
Trump supporters were marching the streets of DC to show their support following a supreme Court ruling on Friday that rejected a lawsuit seeking to overturn the election results in four states.
Pro-Trump rallies also took place in other state capitals, including Atlanta, Georgia and St Paul, Minneapolis.
The PACER Plus to enter into force
The Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations Plus (PACER Plus) entered into force yesterday for Australia, Cook Islands, Kiribati, New Zealand, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Tonga.
Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said the agreement brings more opportunities for Australian farmers and would forge greater shared regional prosperity.
The arrangement establishes a regional framework to enhance and promote labour mobility cooperation and to include mobility for unskilled and semi-skilled labour.
NSW work from home restrictions lifted
From today, NSW citizens who have been working from home will be allowed to return to the office, if they are COVID-safe.
The work from home restriction was put in place by the NSW government earlier this year to limit the spread of coronavirus.
The Sydney Business Chamber's Katherine O'Regan said an increase in the number of people in the heart of Sydney would boost the city's economy.
Byron Bay Main Beach eroded by storms
Byron bay main beach has been washed away today as bad weather batters the coast since yesterday.
The sand has been swallowed completely by water and hundreds of trees washed away.
Byron Shire Deputy Mayor Sarah Ndiaye said coastal erosion to this scale was a first in living memory and needs urgent attention.
Survey Reveals Australian's are unaware of how to attend to venomous injuries
A new survey by pharmaceutical company Seqirus has revealed that many Australians are unaware of what to do in the event of a bite or sting from a venomous creature.
Despite 79% of participants stating they would know what to do, only 49% could identify the correct first aid procedure for a snake bite.
The survey also revealed that many participants weren’t aware of the procedures that are outdated or considered dangerous, such as sucking out snake venom or urinating on a jellyfish sting.
The Avalanches: We Will Always Love You
<p><span><span>- The Avalanches are something of an anomaly in the world of sample-fuelled composition; a genuine mystique surrounds the Melbournians in a way that is somewhat unusual in the largely character-less world of electronic music. From seemingly out of nowhere came their seismic debut <em>Since I Left You</em> back in 2000. A few remixes aside, this was followed by a radio silence only broken by 2016’s psychedelic extravaganza <em>Wildflower</em>.
Dust Storm Jogger: P.M.O.S.D.
<p><span><span>- Over my years since joining Zed, I have found myself slowly but surely sucked into the pulsating underground electronic scene of Brisbane. Through countless gigs, I have found my own definition of the genre constantly challenged with many new acts stopping me in my tracks and making me say <em>“Wow, I didn’t know electronic could do that”.
12PM ZEDLINES - DECEMBER 12TH
BY 4ZZZ reporters Grace Nakamura and Lily-Rose Davies.
Image credit: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto/PA Images
US experts endorse coronavirus vaccine
A US advisory panel consisting of the US Food and Drug administration voted in favour of authorising the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine for emergency use.
The vote by 22 US experts is not binding, but the FDA is expected to follow the recommendations of the panel.
The Pfizer vaccine is now in use across the UK.