New Zealanders hand in semi-automatic weapons following Christchurch massacre

There has been a positive response with New Zealand’s gun buyback scheme as over 10,000 guns have been returned in 7 days.

The buyback scheme, which compensates owners up to 95% of the original cost until December 20, follows the ban of semi-automatic firearms in April.

The scheme comes four months after a mass attack in Christchurch killing 51 people.

Hong Kong leader says Chinese military intervention is possible, after face mask backlash

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam says Chinese military intervention is possible if the local government cannot stop violent protests.

Protestors in Hong Kong wore face masks in defiance, after a colonial-era emergency powers were used to introduce new laws forbidding protestors from using face masks in protests.

The law marked the first time emergency powers had been invoked since 1968. The Hong Kong leader has also urged young people not to engage in political activities.

 

Ban on repeat antibiotic prescriptions could be just weeks away

Australia's chief medical officer says that a ban on repeat prescriptions for antibiotics could be just weeks away.

Currently, antibiotics automatically come with a repeat prescription, but Professor Brendan Murphy, who chairs the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory, says that repeat options should be removed if they are not medically necessary.

Fears of human trafficking as record number of asylum seekers arrive by plane

New statistics revealed by the Federal Opposition, show that more than 95,000 asylum seekers have arrived in Australia by plane over the past five years, triggering fears over exploitation and slavery.

Labor's home affairs spokeswoman, Kristina Keneally accused the Government of mismanaging the borders, and said that people smugglers have shifted their business model from boats to planes.

Breakthrough in cervical cancer treatment, lead researcher credits student

Queensland researchers are hailing a world-first breakthrough in for cervical cancer treatment, having killed off tumours in mice using CRISPR gene-editing technology.

Scientists say all the treated mice  had a 100 per cent survival rate with help from the technology, which changes the sequence of DNA to help correct gene mutations.