One of Australia’s biggest disability service providers has apologised after incidents of violence, abuse and neglect in two of its group homes. 

‘Life without barriers’ which operates disability services around Australia and New Zealand with revenue at $750 million last year, fronted the disability royal commission to answer questions yesterday after four days of evidence from residents and their families. 

A UK court has cleared WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s extradition to the United States to face espionage charges.

Assange is wanted by the US for publishing military documents in 2010, after which he fled to the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, before being transferred to Belmarsh Prison where he has spent the last two years. 

The Pentagon says it will not discipline any US troops over a drone strike which killed 10 civilians including seven children in Kabul in August. 

The US has already admitted the attack, which came as foreign forces tried to evacuate Kabul airport during the Taliban takeover, as a ‘tragic mistake’. 

Scott Morrison will travel to Queensland today despite being identified as a casual contact of a person with COVID-19 after his attendance at a Sydney high school graduation. 

The Morrison government has confirmed that Queensland authorities passed  Morrison’s travel as safe. 

A recent study conducted by the University of Queensland has found a potential link between victims of childhood trauma experiencing psychotic symptoms through cannabis use. 

The trial explored responses from over 2,000 young people aged 16-25 including their use of cannabis, history of childhood trauma, psychotic-like experiences, and subjective effects when using cannabis.

Tourism chiefs want the Northern Territory government to ease strict rules for visitors and residents, which they say will ruin Christmas for tour operators and others in the industry. 

Among other regulations, the NT government wants vaccinated people to remain in approved high-vaccination zones for 14 days on arrival in NT.

Scallop fisheries in Western Australia’s Abrolhos islands will not be operating this season due to the effects of a marine heatwave earlier in the year. 

Scallop populations have been heavily impacted by the three degree celsius increase in water temperature, with the effects of reproduction being felt almost immediately by the scallops’ short lifespan.

The Australian share market is set to open lower today, as US investors get spooked by fresh inflation figures and the global spread of Omicron. 

At 8am this morning, A S X 200 futures were down 0.3 per cent. 

An explosion in Haiti’s North has killed over 50 people and left dozens injured, amidst a national fuel shortage and increased petrol prices.

The gasoline truck exploded late Tuesday afternoon in the city of Cap-Haitien, with residents flocking to the streets to scoop remaining petrol into buckets.