Italian Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte said EU border free travel zone is under threat due to increasing migration into Mediterranean countries.

Conte said a 10 point plan from his government presented at a mini EU-summit in Brussels, represented a paradigm shift in dealing with migration.

The plan revived previous proposals  such as countries being docked EU funds if they refuse to take in refugees and calling on all EU members to share responsibility for migrants rescued at sea.

Thousands of Brisbane residents had said what they want to see in their city through the Brisbane Liveability Survey.

More than 2200 residents said they supported introducing trams, light rail and better public transport in general, as well as a clean river, canals in the suburbs and happy people.

The Liveability Survey results and the planning implications will be further explored with Lord Mayor Graham Quirk during his State of the City address at an event next Tuesday.

According to research commissioned by Specsavers, more than five per cent of Queenslanders over 40 have never had an eye test and more than a quarter are experiencing unchecked distance vision problems.

A third of Queenslanders over 40 have experienced close-up vision problems they haven’t reported which is higher than the the national average.

Specsavers Runaway Bay optometrist director Simon Kelly said there was no excuse and couldn’t understand why people wouldn’t get their eyes checked

An ABC investigation has revealed that Australia’s biggest online doctor’s appointment booking service funnelled hundreds of users private medical information to a law firm.

Secret documents obtained by ABC from plaintiff law giant Slater and Gordon reveal HealthEngine was passing on a daily list of prospective clients to the firm, based on personal medical information and part of a “referral partnership pilot” last year.

School attendance rates have risen at a Primary School in far north-west Tasmania following the introduction of a weekly podcast program.

A group of Smithton Primary School students write, edit and produce a weekly 15 minute radio program to celebrate and learn about the school’s cultural kaleidoscope.

Principal Leslee White said that attendance rates have gone up by two per cent at the school.

Saudi Arabia has ended it’s driving ban on women in a move to veer the economy from its reliance on oil.

The participation of women in the labour market is poor and Middle East based Bloomberg economist, Ziad Daoud said lifting the ban is likely to increase the number of women looking for jobs therefore overall income and output.

The changes will take time but larger participation of women could lift potential economic growth by as much as 0.9% a year.

An explosion in the western german city of Wuppertal has destroyed an apartment building, injuring 25 people with 4 severely hurt.

News agency DPA reported the detonation was so severe it destroyed the building’s attic and the top three floors.

German police said they are still investigating the cause of the explosion.

The controversial high rise residential development that neighbours the heritage-listed Customs house is now sixty per cent sold while still two years from completion.

The University of Queensland, which owns the heritage icon, appealed the development proposal initially but reached an agreement with developers Cbus that would preserve Customs House.

Of the properties sold, about 70 per cent were purchased by owner-occupiers and the remaining 30 per cent to investors.