13 people killed in Kabul suicide bombing

In Afghanistan, 13 people have been killed in a suicide bombing at the entrance of Kabul’s Rural Rehabilitation and Development Ministry, leaving 25 people injured.

The bombing is one of many similar attacks in Kabul following the recent deterioration of security measures throughout the city.

Security officials believe that many of these bombings are likely to have come from a network affiliated with the Taliban.

Tasmanian Greens support freeze on Airbnb accommodation in Hobart

The Tasmanian Greens Party supports a freeze on new Airbnb accommodations in the Greater Hobart region.

Tasmanian Greens Leader Cassy O’Connor argues too many Hobart properties are going on the short-stay market to the disadvantage of Tasmanian people.

A speaker for Liberal Speaker Sue Hickey says she would listen to debates on the motion this Wednesday before she made up her mind.

Child protection services report reveals failure to support vulnerable children

A report into child protection services in New South Wales reveals the out-of-home care system is failing to improve long-term outcomes, despite significant government spending.

The report argues interventions have failed to meet the needs of vulnerable children.

Outcomes are worse for Aboriginal children, young people and the families involved.

Queensland Government allocates funds for 'waste to energy' plant

The Queensland Government will allocate $100 million towards encouraging the state’s first waste to energy plant.

The new fund will be available to private companies and local government to develop environmentally friendly methods of coping with mounting waste levels.

Queensland Treasurer Jackie Trad says the revenue would be poured into the resource recovery industry development program over the next three years.

Brisbane City Council promises funds for CityCat services

The Brisbane City Council has promised to deliver on a 2016 election commitment for new CityCat services.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has allocated funds in the 2018-19 council budget, with services planning to halve peak-hour CityCat travel times and run to new destinations.

Funding is believed to be close to $1 million within the Brisbane CityCat and Ferry services, with council plans to deliver 100 new express “SpeedyCat” services a week before September.

Over 100 protesters arrested in Vietnam after responding to draft bill

Vietnam has seen several protest demonstrations across the country, with more than one hundred people arrested.

The protests are a response to a draft bill which would allow foreign investors to lease land for up to ninety-nine years, leading to fears of Chinese investors dominating the Vietnamese market.

Assembly chairwoman, Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, says protesters may have misunderstood the bill and the National Assembly is always listening to the people’s opinions.

Paraguay declared malaria free by WHO

The World Health Organisation has announced Paraguay officially eliminated malaria.

With no recorded cases of malaria in five years, it is the first country in the Americas to be free of this disease since Cuba eliminated malaria 45 years ago.

According to the WHO, Algeria, Argentina and Uzbekistan are likely to be declared free of malaria later this year.

Bill Shorten promises to restore $83.7 million to the ABC

Bill Shorten has announced that if the Labour Party wins the next Federal election, $83.7 million worth of funding will be restored to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The Liberal Party plans to freeze funding indexation to the ABC in 2019, meaning that future funds to the broadcaster will not align with inflation.

Mr Shorten commented that over 930 people have been made redundant from the ABC since the Coalition came into power.

Over 300 people call for removal of inverted cross statues in Hobart

Over 300 people have petitioned the Lord Mayor of Hobart to remove statues of inverted crosses that have been installed on the streets as part of the Dark MOFO arts festival.

The statues have caused a backlash from the Australian Christian Lobby and other religious organisations, which have deemed the inverted crosses as ‘highly offensive.’

The Lord Mayor has responded to the outcry, stating that ‘it is not the role of the council to censor free speech’ and they support the artistic discussion generated by the festival.

Former prisoner sues Queensland Government for 'psychological damage'

A man is suing the Queensland Government for $750,000 in psychological damages. The man, now 23, was restrained in a spit mask as a teenager in the Brisbane Correctional Centre at Wacol.

He has filed a damages claim in the Districts Court of Brisbane against the state for alleged ‘cruel and degrading treatment’ over a five-month period.

A spokesperson for Queensland Corrective Services stated that because the matter was before the court it would not be appropriate to comment.