Macedonia will change name to enter the EU
Macedonia has reached an historic solution, agreeing to change its name after a 27-year dispute with Greece.
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia will be renamed the "Republic of North Macedonia” to avoid clashing with the northern Greek province of the same name.
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev hopes the move will clear the way for entry into the EU and NATO.
Obese women more likely to have endometriosis, new study finds
A new study has found severe endometriosis can be linked to obesity.
The Australian study of 500 women reveals obese women are more likely to have endometriosis, a condition affecting 1 in 10 women.
Dr Sarah Holdsworth-Carson from the University of Melbourne says the research contradicts the ‘social dogma that has described endometriosis as a disease of skinny women,’
It is hoped the research that identifies obese women as most at risk for endometriosis will encourage women to get checked, improving chances for intervention.
Brumbies facing euthanasia in ACT to protect drinking water quality
Brumbies are facing euthanasia in the ACT due to concerns for water quality and threatened wildlife.
ACT Parks and Conservation Service director, Daniel Iglesias, considers the wild horses to be a threat to native plants and animals and says the brumbies will impact Canberra’s drinking water quality if they enter catchments.
Despite this, New South Wales Deputy Premier John Barilaro, who introduced the legislation protecting the Brumbies, says New South Wales has ruled to protect the ‘culturally significant’ animals.
Brisbane buses to be installed with driver protection barriers
Driver-protection barriers on Brisbane buses will start being installed from the 1st of July.
Government and council reviews have found the necessity of the barriers for drivers safety.
In 2015, Manmeet Sharma died during an unprovoked attack while he was behind the wheel of a Brisbane bus, only a month after the state government report.
Brisbane ratepayers to cop 2.5% rate rise
Brisbane ratepayers have been hit with a 2.5 per cent rate rise, or an extra $40 per year, as part of the 2018-19 budget.
Lord Mayor Graham Quirk says the extra $10-per-quarter will deliver on the important issues of infrastructure, liveability and lifestyle.
It comes five weeks after Lord Mayor Graham Quirk ended speculation and confirmed he would nominate to run in the 2020 Brisbane City Council election.
Pensioners and part-time pensioners will be eligible to remission on their rate bills.
8am Zedlines 13/6/18
An overcrowded asylum seeker ship will be welcomed in Spain after being refused by Italy and Malta and other Zedlines.
The Aquarius rescue ship carrying over 600 asylum seekers will travel to Spain this week after Italy and Malta refused to let the migrants dock.
The boat has been afloat in the central Mediterranean sea since Sunday and is heavily overcrowded, sparking concerns the 4-day trip would be too much for its already exhausted passengers.
Eyes Ninety: Glaucoma Chameleon
- As I grow ever older and increasingly apathetic towards almost all things, sometimes it’s reassuring that rock’n’roll dogs like Eyes Ninety both exist, and on occasion, release records. Hailing from the swampy stank capital of Australia, Brisbane’s Eyes Ninety craft feverish, no-bullshit garage rock that makes me feel slightly better about hauling my human carcass around day in and day out.
Snail Mail: Lush
- Transitioning from well received debut EP on a small D.I.Y punk label to a debut full-length on a major independent label has been taken in the confident stride of Snail Mail’s sole creative force, Lindsay Jordan. On her new record Lush, Jordan continues her raw venting ways over moody, jangling indie rock being strained through folk and slowcore influences. As you’d expect from a debut album, the rough edges have been filed back into an easier to digest shape and benefit from a cleaner, grander production.
Neko Case: Hell-On
- There’s a certain contrariness about the latest Neko Case record. She’s one of America’s best regarded alt-country, indie-rock voices and songwriters and one of the most commanding too, in sheer, rounded volume as much as anything else. Still even with all that power streaming out and on Hell-On -never fear- it still does, Neko doesn’t exactly follow the path she’s beaten in the course of her own career. In fact, it can be a little hard to get a handle on where she’s going at all.
Vital Idles: Left Hand
- Left Hand is the first full-length album from Glasgow-based DIY band Vital Idles. They utilise the typical array of rock instrumentation with a raw and sensitive ear, moving in understated and minimal tidal pools across the fourteen tracks of mostly short, and tightly wound garage pop tunes. The songs are underpinned by a simple rhythmic sensibility, allowing singer Jessica Higgins’ vocals to float over the steady and intently primal pulse of the band.