UK seeks to Extend Brexit Deadline with thousands gathering in central London to protest Parliament's suspension

UK Labour Party's chief Brexit adviser Keir Starmer states that the opposition intends to prevent a "no deal" Brexit action, which aims to block Prime Minister Boris Johnson from a disorderly departure from the European Union or departure without a formal deal.

 

At present, Britain is scheduled to leave the EU on the 31st of October, unless a formal extension is enforced and the other 27 nations involved in the agreement approve this action.

 

WAAX - 'Big Grief'

It all started more than a year ago with the release of the shock and awe brilliance of ‘Labrador' taking the number #1 spot on the 4ZZZ Hot 100! Big Grief explores the very definition of the word ‘grief’ in universal terms. As singer and chief songwriter Maz DeVita explains, “the whole album is about grief for so many things that I felt when we were writing the record and still do now. The way the world is so volatile at the moment, our environment, I talk about anxiety, mania, cutting ties with old friends and habits, my problems in the past with body image, and it’s almost like a big mourning for all that. It’s definitely an outpouring of grief in every sense of the word. But as much as I explored darker themes for Big Grief, I framed my melodies and vocal very colourfully and lively.” The record is unrelenting in its exploration of a range of themes relating to modern day grief that are disarmingly frank, with DeVita opening her lyric book and indeed her heart aches for all to see – supported by a the wave of noise generated by Ewan Birtwell (guitar), Tom 'Griff' Griffin (bass) and Tom Bloomfield (drums). From the anthemic title track that opens the album with a triumphant fist held high, through to the barn burner ‘No Apology,’ and the quietly tender ‘History,’ Big Grief is a record that is dynamic and wide in scope, as it announces the graduation of WAAX from the little Brissie punk band that could, into the rock and roll force they are today.

US-China Trade War Further Intensifies

The US-China Trade War has further intensified with additional taxes being imposed on imported and exported goods, with the US placing 15% tariffs on a part of $300 billion in goods.

 

These changes will be impacted on a range of goods such as; food products, sports equipment and furniture, with economists at the Washington Peterson Institute of International Economics estimating a total of $112 billion in products being affected.

 

Significant Deaths Call for Reform with Queensland's Voluntary Assisted Dying Legislation

The National Coronial Information System indicates 168 reported self harm related deaths in Queensland during 2016 and 2017, from patients that have suffered from terminal or debilitating illness.

 

Each month, seven deaths occur as a result of self harm, in patients suffering from conditions such as; terminal cancer, multiple sclerosis and paraplegia.

 

Tigerair chaos as Bali flights cancelled for a second day

TIGERAIR flights in and out of Bali remain on hold as the airline continues negotiations with the Indonesian government.

 

Thousands of Australian holiday plans were thrown into disarray when the airline grounded its scheduled daily return flights from Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth early Wednesday morning. 

 

A statement from the airline said the Indonesian government had imposed new “administrative requirements” on the airline for its Bali service operations.

 

Poor driving habits are being blamed for adding to congestion problems on Brisbane’s roads

Merging across un-broken lines, tailgating and remaining in the right-hand lane after overtaking are all illegal manoeuvres that are increasing driving times during the peak-hour commute. 

University of Queensland traffic engineer Adam Pekol says tailgating alone can lead to traffic gridlock if cars are forced to brake suddenly to avoid a collision with the vehicle in front. 

Police say last year, 771 Queenslanders were fined $80 and two demerit points for these offences.

Water restrictions tighten in southern Queensland as money also dries up

Critical level water restrictions have taken effect in Queensland’s Southern Down’s region as the drought continues to impact residents.

On Sunday, people in areas South-West of Brisbane including Warwick and Stanthorpe had their maximum water usage rates reduced to 100 litres per person per day. 

The restrictions are expected to have a huge impact on locals, with agriculture making up 30 per cent of the regions businesses, who rely on water for production. 

Leadership Indifference Continues to Escalate Hong Kong Violence

The streets of Hong Kong are teeming with citizens unified in a democratic protest- a demonstration that has continued every weekend for the past three months.

Despite the majority of protesters demonstrating a peacefully united front, a minority of citizens are inducing outbreaks of violence to emphasise their frustrations.

This frustration is bolstered by the leadership's refusal to launch an official inquiry into the use of excessive police force amidst these mostly peaceful protests.

Tamil family still facing deportation following mid-air reprieve

Last-minute rulings have stalled the deportation of a Tamil family who have spent years fighting to stay in Australia.

The Sri Lankan couple and their Australian-born daughters had already taken flight at Melbourne airport when a judge granted a reprieve over the phone.

The Department of Home Affairs has said numerous times that the family's case has been comprehensively assessed over many years, and they have consistently been found not to meet Australia's protection obligations.