Bill to decriminalize abortion in Argentina to be submitted in March

AFP News reported that a bill to decriminalize abortion in Argentina will be submitted in March, following an 11-year-old girl being forced to give birth to a child of rape via C-section.

The case renewed debate over the right to an abortion in Argentina after a vote to legalize the procedure failed in August, 2018.

Argentina’s Health Minister estimated there are more than 350,000 illegal abortions performed in the country each year, with social activists estimating even more.

YouTube bans comments on all videos of children

The Video Media Company Youtube announced a new policy to permanently remove the comments on videos made for kids.


This new policy came into place after several brands stopped advertising on YouTube after discovering a trend of predatory comments on videos of children.

Creators expressed concern that being forced to disable comments on their videos will affect the growth of their channels as comments and audience engagement are important metrics for exposure.
 

Three people treated for chemical exposure in Sydney

Three people have been treated after a chemical spill at Sydney’s Lucas Heights nuclear facility.

 

According to a spokesman for Australia's Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, the workers were exposed to sodium hydroxide when a cap came off a pipe in the nuclear medicine manufacturing building.

 

NSW Ambulance said the chemical splashed onto the arms and faces of the victims who have all been taken to Sutherland Hospital for further assessment.

 

Property Price downturn now nationwide

Australian housing prices have fallen by 0.7% last month as the property price downturn has now become nationwide, extending beyond just Sydney and Melbourne.

Although Sydney and Melbourne suffered the worst fall of the past year, Darwin and Perth lead the monthly decline in prices, decreasing at 1.5% and 1.7% respectively.

Hobart was the only capital city to have an increase in prices, with even the Brisbane market seeing prices fall over the past quarter.

Regional Queenslanders continue to enjoy cheap power prices

Regional electricity consumers could see their power bills drop by $58 and small businesses by $180 next year resulting in two years of falling prices.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the draft determination showed her Government’s energy policy was pushing prices lower.

The Premier said her Government has an unwavering focus on continuing to push power prices lower for Queensland households and businesses in an initiative to support more job growth.

Industry Leaders Urge Insurance Company to Hire Local Business' for repairs

Townsville council members have urged insurance companies to not overlook local contractors in the rebuilding of Townsville’s flood damaged areas.

 

Townsville Local Content Sub Committee Chair Glenys Schuntner wants to ensure that local contractors are involved in the immense amount of work ahead, instead of sitting by idly as companies from out of town are given repair contracts.

 

North Korea rejects claims that they requested all punishing sanctions be lifted by US.

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho has rejected President Donald Trump’s claims that he was asked to lift all sanctions against North Korea.

The Foreign Minister stated in a news conference that only a partial lifting of sanctions was requested at the Hanoi Summit during talks between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Mr Ri also stated North Korea had offered a realistic proposal towards denuclearisation.

Australian Government advertising jobs on Christmas Island

The Australian Government have advertised health service jobs on Christmas Island, listing the benefits of the job as ‘tropical location’.

 

Department of Home Affairs secretary Michael Pezzullo said the government intends to send medical transfers to Christmas Island unless specialised treatment is needed that can only be provided by the mainland.

 

A Medevac bill passed in February will see the detention centre reopened, allowing asylum seekers on Manus and Nauru to come to Australia on the recommendation of two doctors.