First nations first to feel failure

Torres Strait Islanders believe they are being denied a basic first-world human right to clean drinking water after cryptosporidium has been detected in the water supplies of three islands.

There is no set guideline value for the parasite in the Australian Drinking Water Standards, but cryptosporidiosis is an immediately reportable infectious disease.

The water test was organised privately by a Thursday Island resident in May, concerned with the lack of response by governments.

European antitrust laws fined Google’s deep pockets

European Union regulators have hit Google with a record $6.85 billion antitrust fine for using its Android mobile operating system to squeeze out rivals.

It represents just over two weeks of revenue for Google parent Alphabet and would scarcely dent its cash reserves of almost $140 billion. But it could add to a brewing trade war between Brussels and Washington.

Google said it would appeal the fine. "Android has created more choice for everyone, not less.

Dozens shot in Jakarta

Jakarta police have shot 52 alleged petty criminals, killing 11, in a two-week blitz aimed at making the city presentable ahead of next month's Asian Games.

Since the start of the month, officers have arrested 320 people, shooting dozens of them in the legs.

Some of those wounded have been paraded before the media, their legs still bandaged, in an apparent warning to any criminals considering targeting tourists.

Jakarta's police chief says the fatal shootings will be reviewed but he has made no apology for the "firm measures”.

Not wrong to outreach to South Pacific, says Wong

Senator Penny Wong called for Australia to start their own Pacific Islands infrastructure fund, following moves by the New Zealand government and an increase of interest by the US and Japan.

"I welcome these announcements as important steps to addressing the deficit in infrastructure investment in the region," Senator Wong said.

Senator Wong said during her recent trip to Washington DC there had been growing anticipation in further development of the US policy on this front was "imminent".

Push for state wide cat cap

A local council on the south-west fringe of Sydney is lobbying the State Government to limit the number of cats non-breeders can own in New South Wales.

Wollondilly councillor Simon Landow is leading the push to impose the statewide cat cap, which he believes will create "an equal playing field between dogs and cats".

 

Mr Landow said while the limit would ultimately be determined by the Government, he believed owners should have no more than six felines unless they're registered breeders.

Great barrier to reef

A long term study of the Great Barrier Reef has shown the recovery times of the reef overall has fallen over the eighteen year period studied.

The study, published in Science Advances, used eighteen years of data to conclude that the ability of most reefs to recover following massive events had fallen by, on average, 84 per cent between 1992 to 2010.

Free dog given away on Facebook turns up at pound

An animal rescue group is urging people to take pets they can no longer care for directly to rescue groups or shelters.

In June, six-month-old Trixie was offered up "free to a good home" on social media by her Bundaberg owners who were no longer able to care for her.

About a fortnight later she was picked up by a council animal control team as a stray with multiple lacerations to her face.

Shocking docking problems

An attempt to deploy a new submarine for Spain's navy has run aground again, after it emerged it cannot fit in its dock, Spanish media reports.

The S-80 boat was redesigned at great expense after an earlier mistake meant it had problems floating, and it was lengthened to correct the issue.

A Spanish newspaper now reports that after the changes, the docks at Cartagena can no longer fit the vessel. The cost for each vessel has almost doubled.

It estimated that the cost of each S-80 "Plus" submarine would now be close to €1bn ($1.6bn AUD)