Ecuador’s highest court legalises same-sex marriage after a lengthy legal battle by gay rights advocates and couples.

Same-sex unions have been legal in Ecuador for a decade but the new ruling passes legislation ensuring equal treatment for all under the country’s marriage law.

The President of the Ecuadorian Equality Foundation says the ruling is a joy for the LGBTQI community and makes Ecuador a more egalitarian country.

Sudan’s former president has been charged with corruption, after the military ousted him in April, following months of protests over his leadership.

Representatives of the protestors had been in discussions with the military over who would be the next leader, however these negotiations collapsed on June 3rd when a military crackdown left dozens of protesters dead.

For the first time, whale sharks have been captured attempting to mate off Western Australia’s Ningaloo Reef.

Dr Richard Pillians, CSIRO research scientist who witnessed the event, says it is exciting Ningaloo may be an area where mating occurs and certainly warrants further research.

Scientists are still unclear where whale shark birthing happens or where their breeding grounds are.

ABS data has revealed more than 207,000 jobs have been created by the State Government.

Deputy Premier and Treasurer Jackie Trad says the data shows 6,200 new jobs were created in May this year.

Ms Trad says this year’s Budget is about backing Queensland jobs and these latest figures show the current approach will continue to provide struggling Queenslanders employment.

The State Government has invested funding to ensure low income Queenslanders living in Mackay can make their homes more cyclone resilient this storm season.

Member for Mackay Julieanne Gilbert says the $20 million Household Resilience Program will enable families to afford vital upgrades for their homes.

Ms Gilbert says with the frequency of cyclones increasing, these additional protections will provide safety and security for families in the future.   

British Home Secretary Sajid Javid received an extradition request from the US Justice Department for WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange’s extradition.

Assange is due to face court in London today for the extradition hearing.

Mr Javid says the decision is ultimately for the courts and he hopes for justice to be done.

New findings from Archaeologists in China strongly suggest the earliest evidence of cannabis smoking in the world.

The new report published in Science Advance indicates 2,500 years ago, humans smoked cannabis as part of ritualised burial ceremonies on the Pamir Plateau in western China.

The Traces of THC were found in 10 wooden pots buried in a Cemetery by an international team led by Meng Reng of the Chinese Academy of Science.

Australia’s new parliament will sit for the first time on July 2nd, after the announcement of the newly elected senators.

Liberal’s Zed Seselja and Labor’s Katy Gallagher are confirmed as the two senators for the ACT, and will declare their victory on Friday.

The winners of three seats in the lower house are yet to be formally declared, as the votes are being finalised.

Adani has won a crucial approval for managing groundwater that allows the company to begin building its controversial coal mine in Central Queensland.

The Queensland Environment Department has signed off on the plan to manage groundwater on and around Adani’s Galilee Basin Mine Site.

Adani Chief Executive Lucas Dow says he is excited they can now begin the two-year construction period for the mine and rail.