Mater Program for Intellectually Disabled

Mater Research is inviting people with intellectual disabilities and autism to participate in a program aimed at improving the way healthcare services are delivered.

Researchers from the Mater Intellectual Disability and Autism Service are seeking input to develop a new training program for doctors, nurses and allied health workers.

Mater Research is looking for more participants to join the study at its Brisbane and Wide Bay sites.

 

Protest for Victor Yeimo in Newstead Today

A rally in support of West Papuan political prisoner Victor Yeimo will take place in Newstead today.

Yeimo was charged with treason and incitement by an Indonesian court after his alleged involvement in anti-racist protests led to riots in 2019. 

Event organisers for 'Make West Papua Safe' aim to protest outside the Brisbane AFP offices to show their solidarity and concern for Yeimo’s health due to poor prison conditions.

 

New Psychosis Study

A new long-term study reveals that exposure to toxoplasma, a disease commonly carried by cats, may increase the likelihood of psychosis in predisposed young people.

Dr. Paul Amminger of Orygen’s Personal Assessment and Crisis Evaluation Clinic studied ninety six clients aged fifteen to thirty, and found a three point six fold increase in the risk of psychosis for individuals who had grown up or lived with cats. 

Those who developed psychosis commonly had higher Toxoplasma antibody levels, which had arisen from exposure to the disease.

 

New U.K Foreign Secretary

The UK’s foreign secretary Dominic Raab has been demoted over his handling of Afghanistan’s evacuation crisis. 

Raab remained on holiday in the Greek islands over the duration of Kabul’s takeover by the Taliban, and will now be replaced by Aussie Senior Minister Liz Truss. 

Truss rose in popularity during her political work post-Brexit as International Trade Secretary.

ARIAs Introduce Gender-Neutral Category

The ARIA Awards have announced today that they will include a gender-neutral awards category to embrace equality and the true diversity of the music industry.

Replacing the previous categories which included five nominees each for Best Female Artist or Best Male Artist, there will now be ten nominees for the Best Artist category. 

ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd aims to not only reduce gendered bias in the awards ceremony, but also be more inclusive of non-binary artists.

 

New COVID-19 Cases at Runcorn State High

5 Runcorn State High School students have been forced into isolation after socialising with students from neighbouring school Saint Thomas More College. 

1000 families attending Saint Thomas More’s have been isolating since a 13-year-old girl was infectious in class for three days.

A Metro South Health spokeswoman advises, all other contacted staff and students at Runcorn State High have tested negative, and the school will not need to close at this stage.

 

New Volcano Discovery

A geology team at the University of Queensland, are revealing some volcanoes draw their lava from a much shallower depth than previously thought. 

Lead researcher, volcanologist Dr Theresa Ubide says hotspot volcanoes have a natural filter which sifts out impurities in the lava, creating the illusion it came from deeper in the earth.

The team continues to study a collection of volcanoes in the Canary Islands to see if these discoveries apply to other categories of volcanoes.