One of the world’s largest drug manufacturers, Johnson & Johnson, is facing trial in the US state of Oklahoma in a multi-billion dollar lawsuit over the state’s opioid crisis.

Oklahoma prosecutors are accusing the firm of deceptively marketing painkillers, downplaying the risk of addiction and fueling an opioid epidemic that is causing 130 overdose deaths in America each day.

France and Germany are in disagreement over the appointment of the next head of the EU Commission following European elections which resulted in a fragmented parliament.

At an EU leaders summit in Brussels, German Chancellor Angela Merkel backed candidate Manfred Weber, while French President Emmanuel Macron named three potential alternatives.

The disagreement sets up a complex power struggle over the future direction of the EU, with the Commission responsible for enforcing EU rules and drafting new laws.

More young people are living at home with their parents into early adulthood, but the reasons for doing so extend beyond high house prices.

More than 43 per cent of people aged between 20 and 24 lived with their parents in 2016, compared to 36 per cent in 1981. 

The Australian Institute of Family Studies director, Anne Hollonds, says young adults are staying in education longer and their employment tends to be less secure, meaning their income is less stable.

The CEO of  AgForce, Michael Guerin, has criticised a decision by the Queensland Court of Appeal which could potentially expose landholders in South-East Queensland to fines of more than $500,000 dollars for clearing trees.

The court this month ruled that the clearing of  land marked "Category X" - described as “exempt areas” on state vegetation maps - is subject to local councils’ planning schemes and may require a development permit.

Brisbane will stage a contemporary production late next year of Richard Wagner’s operatic masterpiece The Ring, directed by Mr Chen Shi-Zheng.

Tourism Industry Development Minister, Kate Jones, says the production will generate 35,500 visitors and inject more than $15 million into the local economy.

Brisbane’s bus terminal at Roma street will be demolished in 2020 and moved underground as part of the state government’s Cross River Rail project.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey says Queenslanders are backing public transport, with a record 182 million trips taken across the south-east last financial year, with 19,000 people using the current Roma Street bus station each day.

A recent wedding trend popularised by Instagram has seen a noxious weed that poses a biosecurity hazard to the nation become a key element in floral arrangements.

The use of Pampass grass, a South American native weed which produces up to 100,000 seeds per plant that spread over a 25km radius, is creating fear among farmers that an outbreak of the weed may devastate their property.

Will Connolly, known as “Egg boy”, has donated $100,000 to those affected by the Christchurch mosque attacks.

The money was raised on two Go Fund Me pages set up by others after Mr Connolly egged Senator Fraser Anning for his comments referring to Muslims as “not blameless” for the shooting.

Mr Connolly says the money was not his to keep, and donated it in the hope it would provide some relief to the victims of the attack.

Ken Wyatt will be sworn in today as the first Indigenous Minister for Indigenous Affairs as part of Scott Morrison’s new cabinet.

The leader of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, Pat Turner, believes Mr Wyatt will achieve great things.

The two will work together on the Closing the Gap policy reforms which aim to improve key outcomes for Indigenous Australians, and will need support from all state governments and key Indigenous groups.