Transcript reveals Trump-Ukraine smear plan
The Trump administration has released the transcript of a phone call which reveals the US President asked the Ukrainian President to investigate former vice-president Joe Biden.
The release of the transcript follows House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s announcement that the Democrats would proceed with an official impeachment inquiry.
Many Democrats have accused Mr Trump of soliciting Ukraine’s help to smear Mr Biden before the 2020 election, which they believe is an impeachable offence.
Mr Trump says the inquiry would be a ‘favour’.
Multibillion-dollar airport opens in Beijing
The multibillion-dollar Daxing International Airport has opened in Beijing in the lead up to China’s National Day on October 1st.
The airport spent around 450bn yuan in the last five years and was formally opened by Chinese President Xi Jinping yesterday.
The airport is said to be the world’s largest single-building airport terminal and is expected to be able to handle 72 million passengers a year by 2025.
NSW decriminalises abortion
The NSW upper house passed a bill to decriminalise abortion overnight.
This debate lasted around 40 hours, which is the third-longest debate in the NSW upper house, and resulted in 26 votes to 14 in support of the bill.
Independent MP Alex Greenwich presented the bill to parliament in August.
“With the passage of this bill abortion will be decriminalised in NSW – I am sorry that has taken us so long,” Mr Greenwich said.
The bill also allows late-term abortion up to 22 weeks if two doctors agree.
Morrison attacks critics in UN speech
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has attacked critics of his government’s climate change policies in his address to the UN overnight.
Mr Morrison claimed internal and global critics were willing to ignore the work Australia has done to curb emissions.
Mr Morrison says the media is to blame for spreading false and misinformation and giving critics a prejudiced view.
"Australia is doing our bit on climate change and we reject any suggestion to the contrary,” Mr Morrison said.
Westside shoppers top Queensland recycling
Westside shoppers have collectively diverted more than nine tonnes of soft plastic last year from landfill through recycling at Coles supermarkets.
Customers of Coles Kenmore are the top recyclers in the state after diverting more than 2,500 kilograms of plastics bags, wrappings, and packets.
Coles chief property and export officer Thinus Keeve is proud of the community’s efforts.
“Customers should be commended for remembering to bring their soft plastics back to the store,” Mr Keeve said.
Tradies bare all for prostate cancer
A group of Brisbane tradies aged from 26 to 72 are baring almost all for a calendar to raise awareness of prostate cancer.
Group member Darren Patrick says the cause is personal for many of the men.
“Prostate cancer has affected a number of families both within our office and the tradies as well, so this is a cause close to our hearts,” Mr Patrick said.
All proceeds from the calendar will go to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.
Review: Queensland Theatre's Fangirls at Brisbane Festival 2019
Brilliantly written and executed, a must see!
11AM Zedlines
Your 11am Zedlines with Tiffany and Max.
China urged to face tougher trade commitments
Scott Morrison urges China to face tougher trade commitments, saying that it is no longer a developing country.
Mr Morrison praised China’s development, but said that China's transition to a more developed economy needed to be reflected in the trade obligations and rules that were applied to it by the global community.
He also argued that, as one of the world’s largest polluters, China should face up to the same environmental responsibilities as other developing countries in the United Nations meeting.
Air-India introduced new low-fat meals
Air India has introduced new low-fat meals into in-flight menus for its cabin crews.
The spokesperson of Air India said the implementation has been driven by the health concerns over staff fitness levels.
News of the swap comes a decade after Air India fired 10 flight attendants for being overweight and just four years after it grounded 130 attendants for being unfit.