Environmental groups traditional owners near Queensland’s channel country say they have grown increasingly concerned their waterways are under threat. 

The Queensland government promised to reinstate legislative protections for the state’s ‘wild rivers’ five years ago amid a proliferation of oil and gas drilling in the waterways. 

China’s State media has accused Apple of protecting Hong Kong protesters through a ‘poisonous’ app.

 Apple approved the app HKmap.live earlier this month, which displays the city’s police hotspots on a map continuously updated by users. 

People’s Daily criticised Apple for it’s ‘unwise’ and ‘imprudent’ mixing of political, commercial and illegal activities claiming it blatantly endorses protesting. 

“[The app] allows Hong Kong rioters to openly commit a crime while openly escaping arrests,” the People’s Daily said. 

Italian ministers, prosecutors and police chiefs have denounced a European court ruling that tough prison regimes for mafia bosses violate their human rights, warning the judgment will hinder the fight against organised crime across the continent.

On Tuesday, the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled Italy should reform its justice laws that if mafia inmates cooperate with investigations, they don’t have time off life sentences.

UNSW scientists have discovered a new purpose for graphene that could generate sustainable energy in municipal wastewater treatment plants.

Dr Rakesh Joshi says the team’s latest research identifies the substance as an energy source.  

“Our group’s latest research indicates that it is possible to use graphene to extract and refine methane to be recycled and reused as a source of energy,” Dr Joshi said. 

“We are working in close collaboration with Sydney Water to convert these findings into a retrofittable technology for wastewater treatment plants,” he said. 

Today the ACT Greens are calling for optional voting for 16 and 17 year-olds in the 2020 Territory election.

Greens Democracy spokesperson Caroline Le Couteur says the recent School Strikes sparked the need for change in voting. 

"As the recent School Strike made clear, we saw thousands of children taking direct action on climate change,” Ms Le Couteur said. 

“It's clear that young people are more engaged than ever in our democratic process,” she said. 

Two measles cases have broken out in Brisbane’s south and Logan in the past week.

Metro South Health public health physician, Dr Kari Jarvinen says, people who are vaccinated with two recorded doses of measles mumps rubella vaccine are unlikely to contract the disease.

Complications from measles can include pneumonia and encephalitis, and health authorities are warning those who may have been affected to contact their doctor. 

The Federal Department of Environment and Energy has published data revealing Queensland is producing more of Australia’s carbon emissions than it was in 2015.

According to the State and Territory Greenhouse Inventories report, Queensland’s contribution to the nation’s greenhouse-equivalent gasses increased from 28.3% in 2015 to 30.3% in 2017.

Queensland’s energy and transport sector, including cars, trucks, buses and aircraft are the largest contributors to carbon emissions in Australia.