Researchers at two Australian universities have developed a robot that is designed to move autonomously along the barrier reef, seeding it with hundreds of thousands of microscopic baby corals.

In a trial run, the robot dispersed 100,000 baby specimens derived from coral which is believed to be especially tolerant of warmer water.

This development follows the discovery that the number of coral bleaching events has risen dramatically in recent years, with about half of the Great Barrier Reef having died off.

Scientists have warned in a major new study issued Monday that two-thirds of the himalayan glaciers - the world’s “third pole” - could melt by 2100 if global emissions are not sharply reduced.

Even if the most ambitious Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is achieved, one-third of the glaciers would go, according to the Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment.

The UK, France, Germany, Spain and other European countries have officially recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president of Venezuela.

This comes after President Nicolas Maduro defiantly rejected a deadline they set for Sunday to call fresh elections saying he would not accept “ultimatums”. He denounced Mr. Guaido’s move as a coup.

As head of Venezuelan National Assembly, Mr. Guaido says the constitution allows him to assume power temporarily when the president is deemed illegitimate.

Education authorities have admitted to not knowing if the problem of cyberbullying amongst students is getting better or worse.  

In September last year, the cyberbullying task force made 29 recommendations to the Queensland government, with the main focus set on establishing a baseline bullying figure.

The Queensland Government has allocated $3.5 million over the next two years, with hopes to develop a scientific algorithm to detect cyber bullying.

Queensland Police Service has delivered a message to parents, caregivers and educators as part of Safer Internet Day.

Detective Inspector Jon Rouse, head of operations at State Crime Command’s Argos said most crimes started with a stranger requesting images or videos from a child online.

Safer Internet Day has been created to educate all those who use the internet, and can aid in the prevention of identity theft and romance scams.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says the practice of gay conversion therapy is “bigoted quackery that masquerades as healthcare” and it will will be banned in the state.

The state government says the ban would be an Australian first and comes after an investigation by the Health Complaints Commission found the practice resulted in long-term psychological harm and distress.

South Australian Senator Rex Patrick believes there should be a national debate and plans to introduce legislation next week which proposes a ban on all cotton exports.

Twenty-seven percent of the entire allocation of irrigation water across the Murray Darling goes to cotton farming and international export.

Scientists have discovered earth’s north magnetic pole is wandering about 55 kilometers per year.

The north pole has been moving so fast that scientists on Monday released an update of where true north really was, nearly a year ahead of schedule.

It crossed the international date line at the end of 2017, it’s leaving the Canadian Arctic on its way to Siberia. The shifting magnetic pole is a problem for compasses. Planes and boats rely on magnetic north usually as backup navigation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has suspended the Cold War-era Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty on Saturday after the U.S. said it would withdraw from the arms control pact, accusing Moscow of violations.

Putin said Russia will start work on creating new missiles, including hypersonic ones, and told ministers not to initiate disarmament talks with the Washington, accusing the U.S. of being slow to respond to such moves.