One of Australia’s leading climate change experts says Queensland's recent extreme weather events show the state is experiencing climate change, and warns both the state and federal governments are not keeping pace with the changes.

Professor Ian Lowe, a member of the Queensland governments senior climate change body, claims you have to be in deep denial not to accept there are unmistakable signs of climate change, and there is no sense of urgency to mitigate these changes.

Victorian state schools will be banned from using facial recognition technology to monitor attendance without the consent of parents, students, and the Department of Education, after a trial of the new technology in independent schools.

The technology has been likened to “Big Brother” by the Victorian Education Minister James Merlino following concerns about the software recording and storing students biometric data.

A petition to “compulsorily” acquire Woolloongabba’s derelict Broadway Hotel has been discussed at this years first Brisbane city planning committee meeting, causing debate over its future.

Woolloongabba Green’s ward councillor, Jonathan Sri, lodged the petition last year, calling on the council to acquire the heritage listed building and transform the land into a community space.

Since becoming derelict in 2010, the building was burnt out for the third time in September last year, which sparked debate about it’s future and the cost of repairs on the building

The detection of blue-green algae in the Bray Park Weir has prompted Water New South Wales to issue a red alert for the area, as well as watering holes of the Tweed and Oxley Rivers.

The species of algae has been identified as potentially toxic, and may cause gastroenteritis if consumed as well as irritation to skin and eyes upon contact.

In a media release, Water New South Wales said “water users in the area should apply a high level of caution and consider alternate water supplies for stock and domestic purposes.”

Russia says it plans to develop new missile systems after both Russia and the US pulled out of an arms control pact, sparking fears of a new cold war.

The Intermediate- Range Nuclear Force (INF) Treaty banned both countries from using short and medium range missiles, with President Trump withdrawing from the agreement last week, accusing Russia of violating it.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the US were the ones in violation, and the Russian President has asked him to take tit for tat measurements in response.

A Human Rights Watch report has found acid attack victims in Cambodia are being denied the free healthcare required by law, and are often refused urgent treatment until they prove they can cover costs.

Though a 2012 law has helped to curb the number of attacks by limiting the availability of acid, it is still possible to acquire the harmful substances from markets, motorbike repair shops and rubber plantations for as little as $1 a litre.

Plans for a $600 million theme park at Carrara are being revised to make way for the development of the Coomera Connector, a proposed 6 lane highway that will remove 60 000 cars from a popular bottleneck on the M1.

Forwarded by Chinese developer Songcheng, Australian Legends World will feature an adventure park, indoor ski field and animal exhibits, and will create thousands of jobs during its construction.

Nasa scientists were left baffled by “mysterious” flora and fauna upon arrival on one of the worlds “newest islands” in October last year, according to a blog post detailing their findings.

The volcanic island appeared in the ocean surrounding Tonga three years ago, and is one of only three new islands to emerge in the last 150 years that has survived more than a few months.

A populist candidate has won a decisive victory to become El Salvador’s new president, delivering a blow to the country’s two dominant political parties that have held power since the end of the country’s civil war.

Though supporters of 37 year old Nayib Bukele have expressed optimism the newly elected president will bring an end to poverty and gang violence, critics say he has articulated no overarching vision for how he plans to tackle the country’s major problems.