Darwin felt the biggest earthquake since 2006 yesterday, reaching over 207km deep with a magnitude of 7.2.

According to Geoscience Australia senior duty seismologist Dean Connolly, the earthquake was recorded in the Banda Sea, and is a result of the relentless movement of Australia towards South East Asia.

Darwin residents have reported buildings swaying and parts of the city centre have been evacuated, however there is no tsunami threat to Australia.

Palliative care and voluntary assisted dying laws may come before the Queensland Parliament in 2020 as the push for a new approach to end life grows nationally.

Caloundra MP and Deputy Chair of the End-Of-Life Choices inquiry, Mark McArdle, will host a forum this Friday in Caloundra where speakers for and against legalisation of euthanasia will participate. 

City of Sydney councillors have voted in favour of declaring climate as a national emergency, arguing that it poses a serious risk to the people of Sydney and the rest of Australia.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore asked the council on Monday to lobby the Federal Government to respond to the emergency by reintroducing a price on carbon to meet the Paris Agreement emissions reduction targets.   

 The Australian Christian Lobby has this morning set up a new fundraising page for Israel Falou’s legal bid against Rugby Australia.

The page has already received $70,000 in donations in addition to the $100,000 supplied by the ACL.

The group’s Managing Director Martyn Iles tweeted a link to the page last night, saying it sets an important legal precedent.

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order placing financial sanctions against Iran’s supreme leader.

It is the latest action by the US to discourage Tehran from developing nuclear weapons and supporting militant groups, with President Trump saying he will continue to increase pressure until the regime abandons its dangerous activities.

The sanctions follow Iran’s downing of a US surveillance drone over the Strait of Hormuz last week.

Muslim women in Grenoble, France are participating in a Rosa Parks inspired protest by disobeying local swimming pool regulations and wearing burkinis. 

The Jean Bron swimming pool is among many in France that ban these full body bathing suits. 

‘Operation Burkinins’ was launched last month by members of the group Citizen Alliance of Grenoble to defend what they say is the right of Muslim women.