Uber has announced Melbourne as one of three cities around the world for its aerial taxi service trial set to begin in 2020.

Uber Australia general manager Susan Anderson says Melbourne was selected for the trial due to its unique demographic and innovative culture.

The US cities of Dallas and Los Angeles will also begin trialing the service, which aims to use small electric aircraft to connect airports and city centres.

Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party has been hit with another MP defection, after one of their three West Australian parliamentarians quit the party last night.

East Metropolitan MP Charles Smith says he quit over ongoing frustrations with One Nation and has decided to sit as an independent.

Only six One Nation members have ever been elected to the WA Parliament, and Mr Smith is the fourth to resign so far.

Floodwaters in southern China have killed five people as record rainfall submerged roads, bridges and an entire town.

A further nine cities were flooded in the Jiangxi province, forcing 150 thousand people to be relocated.

Local officials say residents should be on alert for mudslides triggered by the rains, which have caused large-scale damage in the past.

Over 1 million Syrians refugees in Lebanon have been forced to tear down their houses after authorities ban permanent dwellings in refugee camps.

Lebanese government representative Bassel Hojeiry says the government are forcing refugees to live in plastic tents in a bid to prevent settlements.

Syrian refugee Zouhair Amar says living in tents is not safe for children and elderly people, who struggle to cope in the rain and the snow.

The Brisbane City Council has voted to support placing a temporary local planning instrument over the heritage-listed Lamb House in Kangaroo Point.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner says the move would protect the ‘landmark’ property from any development for up to two years if approved by the state government.

Greens Councillor Jonathon Sri says he is concerned there isn’t a longer-term vision for the property and wants to see it turned into a community centre.

Russian journalist Ivan Golunov has been freed after drug dealing charges against him were dropped following a public outcry and widespread support from Russian newspapers.

Mr Golunov’s lawyers and press freedom activists say the charges were fabricated to silence the investigative journalist over his coverage of corruption and alleged censorship of journalists in the country.

The European Union welcomed the decision to release Mr Golunov, despite continuing reservations about press freedom in Russia.

Botswana’s High Court has ruled in favour of decriminalising homosexuality in a landmark decision for LGBTQ rights.

The court rejected laws imposing up to seven years in prison for same-sex relationships, with the court’s three judges unanimously ruling they were unconstitutional.

Activists welcomed the decision as a significant step forward for gay rights in Africa, where same-sex relationships are outlawed in 31 out of 54 countries.

An Australia-first trial using medicinal cannabis was launched yesterday to treat defence personnel suffering from PTSD who haven’t responded to conventional treatments.

The Cannabis Access Clinic will coordinate the twelve-month-long trial which will see 300 individuals prescribed a small dose of CBD cannabis oil for up to five weeks.

Lead researcher Dr Sharron Davis says traditional treatments are ineffective for PTSD and hoped CBD-only would become a freely available supplement in the future.

A new study has found almost two thirds of Indigenous toddlers in far north Queensland are suffering from iron deficiency.

The study’s lead author Dympna Leonard says young Indigenous children with iron deficiency risk missing out on key developmental milestones.

Ms Leonard says many children do not receive adequate nutrition, showing the need for more food supplies in remote Indigenous communities.