One in Three UN workers say they were sexually harassed in the past two years
According to a report released by the United Nations, a third of UN staff and contractors have experienced sexual harassment in the past two years.
The results of the online survey - completed by just 17 per cent of those eligible - found more than half of the sexual harassment cases happened in the office, and only a third said they took action afterwards.
Sudan police fire tear gas at protesters in Kassala, witnesses say
Police in Sudan have fired tear gas at protestors in Kassala, according to eyewitnesses, during one of the biggest protests against President Omar al-Bashir.
It was the first time protestors took to the streets in Kassala since anti-government demonstrations began in December last year.
The protestors are calling for the removal of al-Bashir, the general-turned-politician, who has ruled the north African country since 1989.
Elon Musk’s latest Australian thought bubble is $1 billion blue mountains tunnel
Technology entrepreneur Elon Musk has hinted interest in helping solve Sydney’s road congestion nightmares, quoting $1 billion on Twitter for a high-speed transit tunnel through the Blue Mountains.
People would not actually drive through the tunnel - their vehicles would be secured on platforms that can travel at high speeds between platforms.
The 50 kilometre tunnel would link the Penrith and Lithgow regions, opening up the Western parts of the state.
Future of South Australian hospital in doubt despite funding boost
The future of Keith and District Hospital is in doubt as the South Australian Government reveals it has provided the facility with $400,000 in emergency relief funding.
Keith Hospital has been under financial stress and reliant on short-term funding from the Government for many years; however, local Liberal MP Nick McBride says the funds currently allocated are so tight he questions whether it will last until July.
Mexican drug war hampers researchers’ use of vampire bats’ venom
Researchers at the University of Queensland (UQ) have found a new class of blood-pressure regulating peptides in the venom of the common vampire bat, located in Mexico and Central and South America.
UQ Associate Professor Bryan Fry says the peptides could help revolutionise treatments for conditions ranging from hypertension to heart failure, kidney diseases and burns.
Port giant loses last-ditch bid to halt union strife on the waterfront
Stevedoring giant, Hutchison Ports, has lost an eleventh-hour bid to force its employees to delay a wave of industrial action, including rolling strikes set to afflict its Australian port terminals from Thursday.
Unionised employees of Hutchison Ports in Sydney and Brisbane have voted to begin a series of “broad-ranging” industrial action – such as bans on specific duties and overtime, and a range of work stoppages – amid deadlocked negotiations with management over the terms of a new wage agreement.
One in Three UN workers say they were sexually harassed in the past two years
Source: Osakabe Yasuo/Released
Greens councillor proposes change in start times for construction workers
Greens Councillor Jonathon Sri is proposing for construction companies to begin work from 7am on weekday and 8am on weekends.
Councillor Sri said the current rules don’t strike the right balance between the need for work and peace for residents.
The proposal follows a string of complaints according to Mr Sri.
In a statement, Brisbane City Council said it does not support the proposed changes.
Poaching may be creating generation of tuskless elephants, scientists say
A team of scientists in Mozambique are researching to see if poaching has altered the genetics of elephants.
The scientists noted that among elephants who have survived poaching, there has been a 30 per cent increase of females born without tusks.
One of the researchers has said that a key explanation for the tuskless elephants is the elephants who survived poaching then passed on the tuskless trait on to their daughters.