Animal activist group has charity status revoked

Animal activist group Aussie farms has had its charity status revoked, after publishing farm details for vegan protesters and consumers. 

The organisation ran a website with an interactive map that listed the locations of farms, abattoirs and dairies and has been accused of encouraging vigilantism and trespassing.

In January, the then agriculture minister David Littleproud described the organisation as “despicable”.

“These people don’t deserve charity status,” said Littleproud of Aussie Farms.

Workplaces the cause of many Aussie mental illness cases

A new study shows that half of employed Australians have experienced a mental illness, and 43 per cent of those say conditions at their workplace caused it. 

People working in public administration and safety, manufacturing and construction, reported their workplaces to be the cause of their mental health condition more than workers in any other industry. 

The study found that stress and lack of job security were two key contributors to mental health issues.

Dropping South-East Queensland dam levels

The capacity of combined South-East Queensland dam levels has dropped below 60 per cent for the first time in 11 years.

Seqwater has consequently increased production to 100 per cent at the Tugun desalination plant on the Gold Coast, able to make up around 15 per cent of the region’s drinking water supply.

Queensland Urban Utilities manager Michelle Cullen said during the spring, water usage had reached 200 litres per day per person.

New $14.5 million flight test facility in Cloncurry

In an Australian first, the state government will build a $14.5 million commercial drone flight testing facility at Cloncurry Airport, bringing high-technology industry and more jobs to the North West.

Premier and Minister for Trade Annastacia Palaszczuk said the announcement was a key part of Government’s strategy to support a diverse economy in the North West and create more jobs for locals.

She says, “This facility will create 65 jobs during construction and bring ongoing benefits to the region.”

German children fish WW2 ammunition from pond with magnet

The three children in eastern Germany used powerful magnets to remove the rusted shells and bullets from World War II from the pond without hurting themselves.

They called the police when they were found near the town of Ohrdruf.

The police blocked the area and urged the public to immediately report any such findings and leave ammunition alone. It is not clear why the ammunition was dumped in the pond.

Germany was littered with explosives after the war because of the intensive air raids by British, US and Soviet bombers.

US says Israeli settlements are no longer illegal

The United States has changed its position on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and no longer regards it as a violation of international law.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompey said that the status of the West Bank is negotiated between Israelis and Palestinians.

Israel welcomes this move - a reversal of the US stance under President Donald Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama.

The settlement is a community established by Israel in the land occupied by the 1967 Middle East War.

Men still out-earn women by more than 20 per cent

The Workplace Gender Equality Agency scorecard, released today, has identified the pay gap between men and women is narrowing, but men still out-earn women by an average of 20.8 per cent.

The scorecard also showed almost 40 per cent of managers in the workplace are women, and there has been a slight increase in female representation on boards. 

But the number of chief executives who are women remains unchanged and 40 per cent of employers are not taking any action to close the pay gap overall.

PM Morrison rebuffs US offer to rescue Australians from Syria

The US has offered to facilitate the rescue and return of Australian families of IS fighters from Syria, but Prime Minister Scott Morrison remains determined to take no action.

Mr Morrison previously claimed his reason for inaction to be that he does not believe Australian officials should be placed in danger to rescue women and children from conflict zones.

He was asked on Monday what his reason could be now, to reject the US offer.

He answered, “I don’t engage in hypotheticals on national security issues.”