Palestinians have protested in the West Bank after Israeli bulldozers began clearing land. Villagers fear it may be an attempt by Israel to confiscate the land for future Jewish settlements.

Tensions rose this week after Palestinians have claimed settlers were empowered by U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East plan.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud Party lead the vote count after Monday’s election, and a victory would open the way for Netanyahu’s pledge to annex settlements in the West Bank under Trump’s peace plan.

The European Union has proposed a climate law that will set a target of net zero carbon emissions across the bloc by 2050. 

Greta Thunberg has denounced the announcement as “empty words” describing the proposal as, “giving up on the Paris Agreement,” which was signed in 2016 by almost two hundred nations who proposed to limit their emissions.

Many activists have called on the EU to set a target for 2030 and to further specify how it would be achieved.

A recent study assessing the role of climate change in the Australian bushfires has determined global warming boosted the risk of bushfires by at least thirty per cent.

However, the World Weather Attribution, who carried out this analysis, say the figure of thirty percent is a conservative estimate; they have posited the actual figures could be much higher.

Oxford Professor, Friederike Otto, says that work is needed to more accurately display the risk of bushfires because current climate models consistently underestimate figures.

Director of the Australian Signals Directorate, Rachel Noble, has confirmed the government agency have spied on Australians over the last year by seeking to extend its powers in a number of cases. 

Noble indicated the agency had produced intelligence about Australians.

This revelation comes after the home affairs department secretary, Michael Pezzullo, confirmed there is ‘detailed consideration’ underway to better use law enforcement to tackle the dark web.

Areas in regional outback Queensland saw rainfall records broken after ex-cyclone Esther swept across parts of the state yesterday.

The regional town of Thargomindah broke a 21 year old record for its wettest day after recording 128 millimetres of rainfall since 9:00am yesterday.

The ex-cyclone brought major floods to the region with many homesteads being cut off.

Rural Aid Australia has sent four B-double trucks loaded with 272 hay bales to farmers in the Queensland town of Texas. 

The Texas Hay Drop is thanks to the fundraising of the N Badock Foundation on the Sunshine Coast. 

The foundation donated $100,000 to assist Australian farmers experiencing hardship due to natural disasters. 

Former farmer and foundation founder Neil Badock has ensured that 25 Texas Farmers are able to feed their livestock, and is continuing to work with Rural Aid to assist Australian farmers.

Following Super Tuesday, Michael Bloomberg has dropped out of the run for democratic leader leaving just 3 candidates for leadership: Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.

Bloomberg has left the race after 101 days and putting in $750 million of his own money; he won only the seat of American Samoa in the democratic primaries.

He has endorsed Joe Biden for democratic leader, making Bloomberg the third failed democratic presidential nominee in three days to endorse Biden in the race.

European Union Ministers have engaged in emergency talks in Brussels to address the twenty five thousand refugees waiting on the border of Turkey and Greece trying to cross into Europe. 

The EU promised financial support to Greece to help with the situation and improve their reception capabilities. 

The Australian Council of Trade Unions has claimed the Morrison government has spent more than $250,000 to support multinational companies to keep workers from gaining their full sick leave entitlements for long shifts.

This comes as Australian workers and businesses prepare for losses of business and an increase in sick days caused by the coronavirus.

Secretary of Australian Council of Trade Unions Sally McManus says, “The Morrison government only listens to the demands of big business and their donors.”