Middle Eastern musicians come together to create "peace album"
Nearly 100 musicians from across the Middle East have created a “peace album” with the intention of promoting peace in the embattled region.
Iranian musician Mehdi Rajabian (MEDI RA HA BIAN) put the together the album, titled “Middle Eastern”, using songs from local artists across 13 countries using local instruments and also aims to highlight the native tunes of the Middle East.
NSW Government closes more schools than it opens
Since the New South Wales Liberal-National Coalition was elected in 2011, 40 schools have closed in the state with only 19 having opened in the same time frame.
Most of the closures occured to schools in Regional NSW that often has fewer than 5 students attending in their final years of operation.
Whereas the schools that have opened are mostly in Sydney and surrounding suburbs, catering to far more students than those affected by closures.
645 students were impacted, but at least 10, 000 students are benefiting from the new schools.
Milo Yiannopoulos banned from entering Australia follwing Christchurch attack
Right-wing commentator Milo Yiannopoulos has been banned from entering Australia following remarks he made on social media about the Christchurch terror attack.
Immigration Minister David Coleman describes Yiannopoulos’ comments as “appalling” and “foment[ing] hatred and division.”
Yiannopoulos was planning to “come roaring back” to Australia following his 2017 tour which sparked a number of violent protests across the country.
Queensland's "weak" puppy farming laws under fire
Queensland activists and kennel owners are at odds, due to weak puppy farm laws and applications for breeding facility expansions.
There are no laws restricting the number of breeding dogs a single facility may house in Queensland.
The point of contention has arisen thanks to Diamond Valley Kennels application to the Sunshine Coast Council for a new facility in Landsborough to have 100 breeding kennels.
Owner, Lisa Howlett says her expansion plans are in response to the "huge demand" for designer breeds, but activists disagree.
Stem cell scientists to fix avocado shortage
Stem cell scientists from the University of Queensland are using technology to fix shortages in avocados.
According to Professor Neena Mitter, she and the university are using stem cell multiplication technology to reduce the time avocado trees grow, which can be from ten years to less than three years.
Professor Mitter says the “key message” of the project is “sustainability… and [creating] a sustainable production”.
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Support for Muslim communities in the aftermath of Christchurch terror attck
After Friday’s terror attacks in Christchurch New Zealand there has been an outpour of support for Muslim communities worldwide alongside the victims of the tragedy.
The response in New Zealand alone has raised thousands of dollars in crowd-funding, halal donations to communities and many citizens have offered to accompany local Muslims who are afraid for their own safety.
The attack has killed 50 people at two mosques and received an outpouring of messages, tributes and offerings at the mosques in New Zealand alongside tributes worldwide.
Refugees kept safe from deadly elephants by Rohingya Elephant Tusk Force and UN
A special Rohingya Elephant Tusk Force - pun intended - has been set-up by the United Nations Human Rights Council and International Union for Conservation of Nature in Bangladesh to keep refugees safe from deadly elephants.
14 Rohingya been killed and several others injured by Asian elephants living in Southern Bangladesh when the animals migrate eastwards once a year, passing through the world’s largest refugee camp in the forest that straddles the border with Myanmar.
Western Australian farmers to build NBN network
The Western Australian Government has introduced a grant in hopes to connect up to 50 farms within a 100km radius of Albany.
Last year, farmers from Albany struck up a private partnership with a telecommunications company to the NBN fibre optic network. The pilot of this $277 500 grant aims to use the new infrastructure to connect farms further away by developing and using 4G technology.
Indigenous women collaborate with "Smiling Mind" to create meditation app in local languages
The producers behind mindfulness app Smiling Mind have collaborated with women from Central Australia's NPY Women's Council, to create and record meditations in Kriol, Ngaanyatjarra and Pitjantjatjara languages.
The project’s aim is to help minimise the amount of mental health and trauma issues in Aboriginal communities particularly among young people.
The chief executive of Smiling Mind, Addie Wootten, is excited to work with the women in a culturally appropriate way and has been in touch with other communities to do something similar.