The Queensland government has agreed to fund a new dam in the Granite Belt, home to the drought-ravaged towns of Stanthorpe and Warwick.

Granite Belt secretary Amanda Harrold said Emu Swamp dam would be relatively small, but would be life-changing for locals who are currently on extreme water restrictions. 

The project is expected to be completed by 2022 and will be the first new Queensland dam in a decade.

Animal activists have called for CCTV cameras to be installed in slaughterhouses in response to laws cracking down on farm trespassing.

Animal Justice Party Queensland convenor Ric Allport said the laws would block whistleblowers and investigators who have exposed scandals in the live export and greyhound racing industries previously.

New legislation would ramp up fines and prison penalties for those who protest on farms or disrupt train services.

Disease experts say there is a “black hole” in Australian antibiotics after finding four infections or fungi resistant to current treatments.

Microbiologist Deborah Williamson propose using real-time monitoring systems to track the growth and movement of certain disease strains to combat further spread.

Peter Collignon, an infectious diseases physician at the Australian National University, has echoed calls for better monitoring in waterways and agriculture.

The RSPCA is releasing images and reports of the worst animal cruelty cases in South Australia in a bid to highlight the extent of neglect in the state.

RSPCA chief inspector Andrea Lewis said difficulty in tracking down owners means only a fraction of cruelty cases are prosecuted, the worst involving severe emaciation.

The RSPCA says nearly 600 animals were abandoned across the state in the last year, a few cases more than the previous year.

Thousands of Indian tourists, pilgrims and workers are fleeing Kashmir after the Indian government raise the alarm over organised militant attacks.

Indian officials say they killed over five militants who tried to attack Indian troops and have found a mine with Pakistani markings.

A Pakistani defence spokesperson has rejected India’s accusations as “mere propaganda” and “blatant lies”.

A London scientist says breakthroughs in research will allow doctors to postpone menopause and allow women as old as 70 to have children.

Reproductive medicine expert Simon Fishel said menopause can trigger serious health problems for women and prevent them from building their careers.

Mr Fishel said his company ProFaM has already performed the $10,000 procedure on nine British women aged between 22 and 36.

The Good Grub Club food van has hit the streets of Brisbane, Logan and Redlands to make a difference for more than 5,800 people without a home in the region. 

Anglicare's Youth Homelessness Service manager Rees Maddren said the project is focused on identifying and helping homeless young people by giving them work.

The Good Grub Club is funded through the Queensland Government's Dignity First Fund issued to help prevent and reduce homelessness.