Doctor commits suicide
An afghan doctor has died in Brisbane after being transferred to Australia from Manus island two years ago.
The 32-year-old man is believed to have taken his own life and is the 13th death of a person sent to Manus Island or Nauru by Australia under its offshore immigration system.
A spokesperson from the Department of Home Affairs says they “extend [their] sympathies to the individual’s family. To ensure [they] respect their privacy, no further information will be released.”
Anglican churches decline to agree with anti same-sex marriage comments
Anglican churches around Australia have declined to agree with Sydney Archbishop Glenn Davies’ comments suggest same-sex marriage supporters to leave the church.
Mr Davies said same-sex supporters should abandon the church in an address to the 52st Synod of the Diocese of Sydney.
He says his“own view is that if people wish to change the doctrine of our church, they should start a new church or join a church 0more aligned to their views – but [to] not ruin the Anglican Church by abandoning the plain teaching of Scripture.”
Curbside items turning to art
Photographer George Hirst is transforming curbside items into art.
Mr Hirst, who co-runs media production company Cranky Curlew has a background in visual art and has found art within lamps, beds, fridges and washing machines that have been discarded on sides of roads.
He says "The way people put things randomly together can be fantastic and it's not at all premeditated.”
Motor bike stunts
Hundreds of Aussies are fuming after being severely unimpressed by a series of daredevil motorbike stunt shows across the country, and now the organisers have been accused of withholding cash from a small business.
The Crusty Demons’ tour of Australia began with a chaotic Sydney show in front of 6500 people in August.
The audience was promised death-defying stunts and pyrotechnics, but hundreds walked out and complained after the show fell disastrously flat.
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Xi Jinping in Nepal
Chinese President Xi Jinping was in Nepal over the weekend for a two-day state visit — the first by a Chinese leader to the Himalayan country in 23 years.
Nepal had hoped for an infrastructure boost involving highways to the Chinese border and a railway link.
It has been suggested that the Belt and Road initiative fundamentally aims to reshape global trade, with the goal of putting China at the centre
"We will help Nepal realise its dream of becoming a land-linked country from a landlocked one." Mr Xi declared over the weekend
Multi-million-dollar stadium in Solomon Islands from China
China has agreed to bankroll a multi-million-dollar stadium in Solomon Islands after the Pacific nation's diplomatic switch to the Asian superpower from Taiwan.
China plans to send one of its most senior officials Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua to the Pacific next week.
It granted $74 million to build Solomon Islands stadium ahead of 2023 Pacific Games
Under "one China" policy, the Chinese Government severs diplomatic ties with nations that recognise Taiwan
HSC Exams are more unpredictable
An attempt to make the HSC English exam more unpredictable has left some students stumped on the first day of the state-wide exams, but teachers have praised the "obscure" questions.
Over 66,000 students were tested on the new English syllabus for the first time on Thursday, which was focused on "texts and human experiences".
Students were expecting to be asked how their text related to the broad theme of human experiences, as was the case in sample papers provided by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA)
Lots of farmers not receiving hardship payments
Farmers coming off welfare will be entitled to a new, one-off payment of $13,000 for families and $7,500 for individuals.
Fewer than 7,000 farmers currently receive the hardship payments despite much of the country experiencing drought
The payment will be available to farmers forced off the Farm Household Allowance (FHA) before July 2020 because they have exceeded the time limit permitted to receive the payments.
Sawfish saws stolen
On a steamy night in tropical far north Queensland, Barbara Wueringer and her team climb aboard their 4.5-metre boat on the Norman River.
Four species of sawfish used to range around the top half of Australia's coastline in ocean and estuarine environment
It's the same story every night on the 14-day survey, and they're forced to concede that this trip won't yield any precious data on one of Australia's most unique and threatened species.
Four species of sawfish used to range around the top half of Australia's coastline in ocean and estuarine environment