Queensland Police are warning of a disturbing trend of people being ripped off by scammers when selling things online.

Police warn that scammers will not want to meet face-to-face and will contact the buyer via email or text and will normally avoid speaking on the phone.

Scammers will use any means possible to fool buyers, including the names and logos of well-known and trusted companies, banks and organisations, with police warn buyers to be aware.

Toxic smog has forced hundreds of Bangkok schools to close on Wednesday as authorities struggle to manage a pollution crisis that has stirred widespread health fears and taken on a political edge just before elections.

Due to exhaust from traffic, unfettered construction, the burning of crop stubble, and pollution from factories, the Thai capital has been shrouded for weeks and has sparked social media criticism of the uneven response by the government.

According to new research, heavy drinkers can alter their DNA in ways to increase the desire for alcohol which may help explain why addiction is so powerful and hard to resist.

The study, conducted in the US, assessed two genes - one which influences the body clock, and the other which regulates stress responses, finding that the two genes had undergone ‘epigenetic’ changes in both heavy and binge drinkers, but not moderate drinkers.

Scientists say this may contribute to new ways of treating alcoholism, or to prevent at-risk people from becoming addicted.

Websites belonging to Queensland’s Deputy Opposition Leader, a real estate business, and Surf Life Saving Australia are among thousands of pages caught up in the latest international data breach.

Information being shared in hacking forums show usernames, email addresses, passwords, and other personal details were obtained from thousands of websites exposing millions of online users details.

Security analyst Wade Alcorn says the biggest risk is for people who reuse the same password on a number of accounts.

The Western Australian Government is demanding assurances from the Chinese technology firm Huawei over if they can deliver on a project worth $200 million following indictments from the US Government.

Western Australian Transport Minister Rita Saffioti says the State Government is seeking assurances over whether tensions between the US and China may impact Huawei’s ability to import and export technological components.

Huawei Australia chairperson, John Lord, says the Government has nothing to fear and that the project was the company’s number one priority.

A University of Queensland-led study has found an endangered Queensland bird is at risk of extinction due to environmental legislation failing to protect its habitat.

Researchers reviewed Australian and Queensland laws that protect threatened and endangered species, in light of an 80 per cent reduction in the distribution of the southern black-throated finch’s population.

The researchers found that despite the protection laws, extensive finch habitat loss has continued to be approved, threatening the finch population.

Maverick LNP backbencher Jason Costigan has been suspended from the party, after a complaint alleging he harassed a woman.

A woman complained to the LNP that Mr Costigan allegedly harassed her 18 year old daughter after she returned to her grandparents home, where he was staying temporarily, and found him shirtless.

Mr Costigan will be suspended until the LNP state executive meets on Friday, February 1, when he could be expelled. If expelled, Mr Costigan would join the crossbench at the first sitting of the Queensland Parliament for 2019 in less than two weeks.

European Union leaders have collectively declined Britain’s bid to negotiate changes to the Brexit divorce deal.

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, whose economy stands to suffer most from a 'no-deal' Brexit, told British Prime Minister May he would not accept her plans to renegotiate a post-Brexit arrangement for the Irish border.

Other European Union governments backed that stance, leaving little room for Ms May to realistically secure any changes to the Brexit deal.