Flooding in Japan calls for evacuation
At least 66 people have died after heavy rains causing landslides and flooding sweep through western Japan.
Five million people are being told to evacuate the area, with homes being destroyed since the downpour began on Thursday.
Chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga says around 48 000 members of Japan’s police, firefighters and self-defence forces were responding to calls for help during the event.
Pro-gun rally in Los Angeles drew only 50 activists
On Saturday about 50 pro-gun activists marched up and down a single city block in Los Angeles as part of a national event.
Most of the activists were in their teens and early 20s who warned of the dangers of gun control laws and argued that older white men were not the only Americans to support pro-gun policies.
The march’s communications chair Michele DeGroote said that even though she was 15 now, when she goes to college she wanted to know that she will be safe and able to defend herself.
UQ smoking ban causes concern over student safety
This is Renee and Danielle with your 8am Zedlines.
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Queensland rail passengers stranded after power failure
60 passengers were stranded underground saturday night after a power failure forced a train to stop inside the tunnel between Central and Roma street station.
Queensland rail executive manager Nick King says electrical contact between the new generation rollingstock train and the overhead power lines caused damage to the train and power supply.
Passengers were evacuated after an hour with one person treated for anxiety.
Australia’s illegal detention of Asylum seekers and refugees condemned by UN body
A key united nations body has condemned Australia’s indefinite detention of asylum seekers and refugees as arbitrary and unlawful.
The working group on arbitrary detention has published five opinions recommending Australia immediately release the men held and provide compensation and other reparations for unlawful detention.
The Australian government has defended its policies saying it is administrative in nature and not for punitive purposes, and has succeeded in stopping the flow of asylum seeker boats to Australia.
Call for national stillbirth health plan
The stillbirth foundation of Australia is calling on the federal government to establish a national action plan regarding stillbirths.
Considered a neglected health epidemic, the rate of stillborn children in Australia remain the same since 1998, affecting six families a day.
The foundation’s chief executive, Victoria Bowring says we have seen a similar approach with a national action plan for endometriosis being developed by the federal government, and a similar model could work for stillbirth.
First four boys rescued from Thai cave
The first four out of eights boys have been rescued from a flooded cave in Thailand and have arrived in hospital.
Head of rescue operation, Narongsak Osottanakorn says 90 divers including 50 foreign rescue workers took part in the operation with the first boy leaving the cave on sunday.
An army commander involved in the mission says rescuing them all could take three to four days and depending on weather.
Turkish state employees fired in anti-terrorism purge
Over 18,000 turkish state employees were sacked under an emergency decree announced for alleged links to terrorism groups.
Nearly 9000 police officers, 6000 members of the military and hundreds of teachers and academics were fired and their passports cancelled.
148 people previously sacked through emergency decrees have been reinstated.
Star Wars: A New Hope with Queensland Symphony Orchestra
At 40 years old, the first film of the Star Wars phenomenon, later re-titled Episode IV Star Wars: A New Hope, has aged like a fine wine or a French gauze-wrapped cheese. It seems better each time you sample it: mellowed with simple, but pioneering special effects, yet rich in character. Now for the first time, was the opportunity to have the full five star immersive experience with the fabulous Queensland Symphony Orchestra playing the soundtrack live as an accompaniment to the film on the big screen.
Jessica Says: Downers EP
- There are some comeback stories in the music industry that go beyond the usual popular once for a short while, then vanished, a big revival single or album release that extends the career and finally, live happily ever after (Take That springs to mind).