Debates over youth crime in Victoria intensify as community members respond

An African community in Victoria recently faced political criticism over youth crime and allegations of gang violence.

Dr Mimmie Watts, a migrant from Cameroon, said the coverage was upsetting, but agreed there were “pockets of disengaged rascals” doing the wrong things.

The debate only continued to intensify in Melbourne due to a series of high-profile incidents and pointed commentary from the federal government.

RSPCA notes an increase in pet owners posting animal abuse online

The RSPCA is receiving a growing number of complaints about pet owners posting videos of animal abuse online according to a spokesperson.

The comments followed the recent charge of a 17 year old, Central Queensland woman with animal cruelty after she filmed herself repeatedly kicking her dog and then posted it online.

Unusual boom in pineapple harvest leads to rotting fruit

A United States company that processes Australian pineapples came under fire recently for allowing the fruit to rot on Queensland farms.

Kraft Heinz’s Golden Circle factory remained open for an extra 3 weeks during Christmas to process excess fruit, however upset consumers as they neglected to open their Brisbane factory earlier to allow more fruit.

8AM Zedlines

Upcoming Palestinian Liberation Organization Council summit met with protest and more Zedlines

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Peace accord violated by missile detonation in Syria

A missile was detonated near civilians in Syria’s Idlib yesterday, at a camp for displaced citizens from the neighbouring Hama province.

The missile strike was declaimed as a major violation of a recent peace accord agreed between Russia, Turkey and Iran.

The report from AL Jazeera states that many Syrians believed the violence to be part of a leverage game before another political meeting between the countries.

Outback town trialling biofuels to increase development

A north-west local council has used treated sewage to trial biofuels to boost development.

Cloncurry Shire Mayor, Greg Campbell, and his team have trialled an assortment of crops to test what can be grown in the harsh climate of western Queensland using the treated effluent.

Councillor Campbell said the outback town has “huge potential as far as irrigation goes, and it’s the first step to show that it can produce”

Price of Australian roads set to increase over the next 15 years

The price of Australian roads is a costly one, according to new findings by the Productivity Commission, and is set to only increase with the coming years.

According to the Australian Government’s independent research and advisory body, the average vehicle is charged more than $1300 by the state and federal bodies each year, with the largest component of that fee being the 40 cents tax paid on every litre of petrol.

Samoan Prime Minister offended by criticism of China's Aid programs

Australia’s relationship with the Pacific region is under fire, as the Prime Minister of Samoa expresses his disappointment of a Federal Government frontbencher’s criticism of China’s Pacific aid programs.

Senator Fierravanti-Wells, the Minister for International Development and the Pacific, accused China of building “roads to nowhere” and “useless buildings” in the island region.