Belarusian women are driving the movement to topple “Europe’s last dictator”. 

Svetlana Tikhanovskaya and her colleagues, Veronika Tsepkalo and Maria Kolesnikova, led a strategic opposition election campaign, holding large rallies across the country. 

But despite the August 9 election results, thousands of people, many of them women, gather every weekend to protest against President Aleksandr Lukashenko’s oppressive regime.

Queensland Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington has been referred to the state election watchdog by her own party.

The LNP referred Ms Frecklington over concerns a series of fundraising events could have violated laws aimed at curbing the political influence of property developers.

One LNP dinner in August resulted in $28,800 being donated.

This comes just weeks before Queensland heads to the polls on October 31, where Ms Frecklington is hoping to beat Annastacia Palaszczuk to become the state's Premier.

A study by the CSIRO found COVID-19 can survive for 28 days on banknotes, phone screens and stainless steel. 

The experiments in the study were carried out in virus friendly conditions.

So, it is unclear how well the virus will survive in the real world. 

While it is possible, it is unlikely the coronavirus may be spread by touching surfaces.

But, experts continue to encourage people to wash their hands regularly and avoid touching their faces. 

A woman has been charged over vandalising Prime Minister Scott Morison’s car while he was visiting the University of Queensland yesterday. 

The 19-year-old woman has been charged with public nuisance over the incident, after her group of protesters heckled Mr Morrison and threw paint and vegetables at both the building and his car. 

The protest was linked to the same refugee rights activists who have been targeting a hotel in Kangaroo point throughout the year.

Brisbane Region manager for State Emergency Service (SES) Mark Dole said people need to start planning now for potential flooding and storms. 

Earlier this year, the Bureau of Meteorology said the chances of a La Nina forming in the coming months is three times more likely than normal. 

Mr Dole said people should consider including elderly neighbours or relatives in the plan.

The Queensland Government has provided emergency plan templates to help Queenslanders with the planning process on their website.

On Saturday night, a group of forty unidentified people staged an attack on a police station in Champigny-sur-Marne, a commune south east of Paris. 

The group attempted to force their way into the building, using metal bars and fireworks, but no injuries were reported after police were barricaded inside. 

The commune has been deemed as a high priority area, with many anti-police attacks and protests occuring over the last three years.

Tadjik presidential elections happened this Sunday and would be more than likely to extend the reign of its authoritarian head of state Emomali Rhamon for another seven years.

UK Exeter University International Relations Professor John Heathershow said the four other candidates to the election aren’t a real threat to the current president. 

“Their role is to give an illusion of a campaign to what would be otherwise a non event,” Professor Heathershow said.

Students in Victoria will return to in-class learning, after the state records 15 new coronavirus cases.

Primary school students, as well as those in year 11 and 12, will return to classrooms after almost ten weeks of remote learning.

While years 8 to 10 will be returning to school in a fortnight, Premier Daniel Andrews has suggested that some restrictions on outdoor activities may be relaxed  this week.

School formals are likely to be unusual this year with restrictions in place such as wait lists, no dancing rules and even ballots to choose who will be able to attend the events.

Each state approached regulations differently, with Victoria or the ACT forbidding any events; NSW and Queensland are applying strict rules of social distancing, limited number of people allowed in the premises and ban on dancing or singing.

For students, it will be a strange end to a tumultuous year but still appreciated for being able to celebrate their achievements together.