Puerto Rican death toll of Hurricane Maria revised

Officials in Puerto Rico have revised the Hurricane Maria death toll from 64 to 2,975 people.

Governor Ricardo Rossello accepted the new findings and said he is giving an order to update the official number of deaths as soon as possible.

The latest findings were made in a report by researchers from George Washington University.

The storm, which struck the US island territory in September 2017, has left Puerto Rico struggling to repair its infrastructure and power grid.

‘Epidemic’ of trauma withdrawal syndrome affecting children on Nauru

At least 30 children on Nauru are suffering from trauma withdrawal syndrome, according to a report released by Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.

The rare and life threatening mental disorder causes bodies to shut down and can include complications such as organ failure and brain damage.

Psychiatry expert Louise Newman from the University of Melbourne says this epidemic is indicative of how traumatic the situation has become on the island.

PM’s plan to send migrants to regions for five years

New immigrants would be forced to settle in regional areas for up to five years under a federal plan to ease congestion in Sydney and Melbourne.

The move to impose regional settlement as a condition of migrant visas is in response to community concerns about urban pressures and social integration.

The Australian reported a decision on a time period for mandatory settlement was due to go to the Turnbull cabinet last week.

PM’s plan to send migrants to regions for five years

New immigrants would be forced to settle in regional areas for up to five years under a federal plan to ease congestion in Sydney and Melbourne.

The move to impose regional settlement as a condition of migrant visas is in response to community concerns about urban pressures and social integration.

The Australian reported a decision on a time period for mandatory settlement was due to go to the Turnbull cabinet last week.

Free wifi to be available at all city cat and ferry terminals by end of 2018

Free wifi will be available at all city cat and ferry terminals by the end of this year, thanks to a new roll out by the Brisbane City Council.

There are currently 5 terminals which have wifi, with 20 more to be installed.

Brisbane already has 275 free wifi hot spots across the city, including Fortitude Valley mall and Queen Street.

Queensland asylum seekers face deportation

The Australian Government turned away refugees who fled a sinking boat off the coast of Queensland’s crocodile country.

Refugee advocates confirmed fifteen people, believed to be from Vietnam, sailed into the Indian Ocean earlier this week.

The group arrived on Christmas Island yesterday, following a two-day manhunt near the mouth of the Daintree River.  

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has already declared swift deportation of the group at the first available opportunity.

Interpol: Marauder

- Venerable alt-rockers Interpol have released their sixth LP, Marauder, but do not ignore what your calendar says, it isn’t the early 2000’s again. Gaining prominence in New York City alongside The Strokes shortly after the turn of the century, Interpol earned themselves a loyal following on the backbone of their off-kilter indie rock. Although their sound hasn’t changed, their music hasn’t grown stale. This is probably due to the fact that they are almost incomparable to other bands.

White Denim: Performance

- When White Denim first emerged from Austin, TX some twelve years ago, it began a career of off-kilter music which combined progressive and psychedelic influences with the Southern rock elements of their native Texas. This has culminated in their eighth full-lengther Performance, which is one of the band’s more straightforward rock & roll records – but keep in mind “straightforward” for White Denim is still pretty out there in places!