Train timetable will not go on holidays

For the first time since a driver supply issue affected Brisbane’s train services in 2016, services will continue as normal during the upcoming school holidays.

In October 2016, the opening of the Redcliffe Peninsula Line led to hundreds of services being cancelled due to a shortage of train drivers.

Queensland Rail rolled out school holidays timetables in December 2016 with reduced services in an attempt to combat the driver shortages.

PNG defends the country's controversial national identification program

Papua New Guinea’s Planning Minister has defended the country's controversial national identification program amid allegations of corruption and mismanagement.

In 2015, Papua New Guinea’s Government announced it would attempt to register all its citizens in a central database and issue them with photocards for voting and identification.

Since then, only 500,000 Papua New Guineans have been registered, with others not being able to register due to broken printing machines.

45,000 civilians flee to Jordan after Syrian military launch assault on Daraa

The Syrian military have launched an assault on Daraa, forcing at least 45,000 people to flee towards Jordan.

Syrian troops launched a major assault targeting the rebels in Daraa on Tuesday, which has left tens of thousands of civilians forced to flee.  

Jordan foreign minister has said the country will not open its borders to the thousands of civilians fleeing the conflicts.

A small town in Queensland is renovating an old matron's house into a domestic violence shelter

A small town in Queensland has spent $100,000 in renovating its churchs’ old matron’s house into a domestic violence shelter, but it is struggling to find anyone to help to operate the service.

Normanton Assembly of God Church Pastor Doug Thomas said there was an immense need for the shelter in the area, after women and children in the community would come to him and ask for protection.

Aussie kids savings being slowed due to poor interest rates

New research from Mozo has found the big four banks stunt Aussie kids savings due to their poor interest rates.

The comparison site found interest rates on children’s savings accounts can vary between 0.5% to 3.5%, with smaller banks offering competitive savings rates.

Mozo Director Kirsty Lamont says it pays to shop around as the bank you choose could be the difference between blossoming savings for your child, or pitiful growth.

Brisbane's bars and clubs losing business due to compulsory ID scanning

Brisbane’s bars and clubs are losing business due to compulsory ID scanning in Safe Night Precincts that are in place after 10:00pm.

The Brisbane Safe Night Precinct covers the CBD, most of Fortitude Valley, and the inner west; and many of these venue operators are calling on the government to implement a different system and to take better account of losses suffered by small business owners.

A new genetic technology by the US military has the potential to wipe out feral mice and malaria

A new genetic technology bankrolled by the United States military has potential to wipe out feral mice and malaria - but scientists are warning it could have unintended consequences.

CRISPR is a new genetic technology which allows scientists to modify, delete or insert genes into organisms more easily and accurately that it was previously.

The technology could select certain genes to propagate in wild populations of animals and render them infertile or unviable.