US and Afghan forces cause more civilian deaths

Afghan and US forces have killed more civilians in Afghanistan in the first half of 2019 than insurgents did, UN figures show.

According to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, 717 civilians have been killed by US forces, compared to 531 by militants. 

The US military has rejected Unama’s findings, saying its own collection of evidence is more accurate and its forces in Afghanistan “always work to avoid harm to civilian non-combatants”.

Radiothon 2019

Radiothon 2019: the carnival is over!

The carnival of Radiothon is over, but thanks to your incredible support we reached out target and are able to keep the perpetual carnival of diverse, local, and alternative community radio on the air for another year! 

Thank you to everyone who subscribed during Radiothon 2019- and a huge congratulations to the winners of our fantastic Radiothon prizes!

.Sunshine Coast village residents prepare for Sunshine Coast Marathon

A 73-year-old Halcyon Parks resident has been preparing to participate in the 5km race at the Sunshine Coast Marathon.

 

Ash O’Neil says health is an important aspect of his life that he has retained all the way through.

 

Every entry into the event will result in $5 being donated to the Ronald Mcdonald House.

Gold Coast indebted club linked to Mayor

A club linked to a long-term business partner of Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate may escape paying a $137,000 debt owed to the Gold Coast City Council.

 

Mr Tate’s connection to the Gold Coast Commerce club is unclear but allegedly is a key stakeholder of companies connected to the club.

 

The club's treasurer says it has been "wrongly charged" with the dues, a claim the council rejects

Australia joins lab-grown meat industry

Australia has been the latest country to join the lab-grown meat industry with two new companies, Heuros in Canberra and VOW in Sydney, aiming to commercialise meat grown from stem cells in a laboratory.

 

So far the industry has been dominated by food-tech start-ups in Europe, Israel and California’s Silicon Valley, however no company anywhere in the world has released a commercial product.

 

Airservices Australia former managers lose hope of class action

A multi million-dollar class action by former senior public servants hoping to get back extra pay after being made redundant from Airservices Australia has been scuttled by a federal court judgement.

The court did not rule directly on their case, but on separate actions launched by former Airservices Manager Catherine Duck.

This case serves as a test for class action in relation to this company, which lawyers say have been launched by 350 retrenched managers.

Suspected Boko Haram attack on funeral in Nigeria Leaves at least 65 dead

Villagers in northeastern Nigeria are fleeing their homes after armed men on motorbikes roared into their area and gunned down funeral mourners on Saturday killing at least 65 people.

Officials have attributed the attack to Boko Haram, an Islamist extremist group, however there has been no immediate claim for the assault.

Villagers have formed defence groups armed with hunting guns and knives to resist Boko Haram and had repelled a militant assault two weeks earlier. 

Miners kill Indigenous leader in Brazil during an invasion of protected land

Several dozen heavily armed minors dressed in military fatigues invaded an indigenous village, fatally stabbing at least one of the community’s leaders in remote Northern Brazil on Saturday.

The violence comes as miners and loggers are making increasingly bold and defiant incursions into protected areas, including indigenous territories.

Brazilian president Bolsonaro has stated indigenous communities should be opened to industry to make them more profitable.