Qantas Announces Mandatory Vaccinations

Qantas has announced it is making COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for all staff.

Qantas boss Alan Joyce had called on the federal government to mandate the jab for the aviation industry but is not waiting for it to move.

Mandatory jabs are increasingly becoming a global standard and Mr Joyce expects more Australian companies to adopt it.

Qantas will grant exemptions for employees who provide documented medical proof as to why they cannot be vaccinated.

 

Pompeii Mummy Discovery is Well-preserved

Archaeologists in the ancient city of Pompeii have discovered a remarkably well-preserved skeleton during excavations of a tomb that also shed light on the cultural life of the city before it was destroyed by a volcanic eruption in AD 79.

A skull bearing tufts of white hair and part of an ear, as well as bones and fabric fragments, were found in the tomb in the necropolis of Porta Sarno, an area not yet open to the public that is located in the east of Pompeii's urban centre.

The discovery is unusual since most adults were cremated at the time.

 

Drunk Passenger Escapes Conviction

A Queensland man who was drunk and vaping on board a Jetstar flight to Hobart has avoided a conviction for offensive and disorderly conduct on a plane and abusing and threatening police.

Prior to getting on the plane, the rowdy passenger had drunk so much that he had no recollection of even boarding the flight. The 27-year-old paid the total of a $4,000 fine but recorded no conviction against him.

Since the incident the passenger has been remorseful and made a full commitment to ceasing his drinking habits completely.

 

Aldi Commits to Permanent 10 Per Cent Price Drop

Discount supermarket Aldi is doubling down on its "Good Different" strategy, committing to a permanent price drop to 10 per cent of products sold in its everyday grocery range.

The German-owned supermarket announced this morning it was committing to reducing the prices on family staples such as free-range eggs, tasty cheese and mince.

Price reductions on these products would be as high as 30 per cent and come in the wake of in-house research that showed one in five Australians have felt they could not afford their weekly grocery shop.

First Home Buyers Claim Huge Share of Market

Over the last 12 months, first home buyers have claimed a significant share of the market, as low interest rates and incentives have created opportunities for Australians to own their own homes.

In Brisbane, it’s cheaper to buy a house than rent in the city’s outer suburbs including Logan, Bald Hills, Redbank Plains, Redcliffe and Caboolture.

But when it comes to units, opportunities where it’s cheaper to buy than rent are found within a 3km radius of the CBD, including areas such as Brisbane City, Fortitude Valley, Spring Hill, and South Brisbane.

 

Carers of Disabled Teens Have Centrelink Funding Cut

Carers of teenagers with disabilities say their Centrelink payments are being cut off and that some parents are going without support for months while paperwork is assessed.

The federal government requires people who are receiving the carer allowances to transfer it to an adult payment when their child turns 16.

Carers have to complete a tedious process of submitting forms that prove their child's identity, detail their caring routine, their child's disability, behaviour and submit a new medical report from the child's treating health professional.

Griffith Determines Turtles at Risk From Cadmium

A Griffith University-led study using a new tool to determine chemical exposure limits for marine animals found three out of four green turtle populations risk harmful effects from cadmium.

In collaboration with universities located in the Netherlands, Germany, and the University of Queensland, researchers have developed a virtual turtle model to simulate cadmium uptake and its effects over a turtles’ lifetime.­­

The model was used to reveal at what concentration cadmium in their primary food source, seagrass, is potentially toxic.

First Australian Rescue Flight From Afghanistan Lands in UAE with 26 people on Board

Dozens of Australians and Afghan nationals have been evacuated from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan on an Australian emergency rescue flight.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday confirmed the 26 person flight included Australian citizens, Afghan visa holders, and a foreign official left Kabul on Wednesday morning.

They have since touched down at an Australian base in the United Arab Emirates with flights intended to carry larger cohorts of people currently being set up for the days ahead.


 

US Health Officials Announce COVID 19 Booster Shots

US health officials have announced plans to offer COVID 19 booster shots to all Americans to ensure their safety amid the delta variant with evidence the vaccine's effectiveness is falling. 

The plan, as outlined by the director of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and other top authorities, calls for an extra dose eight months after people get their second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. The doses could begin the week of September 20.


 

Extinction Rebellion Create Blockade Amid "Code Red" Climate Crisis

In response to the latest IPCC report declaring a ‘code red’ climate crisis the extinction rebellion Brisbane has joined a national blockade of Australia’s fuel distribution centres. 

Outside the Chevron Facility in Eagle Farm members of the rebellion have locked themselves onto the gates obstructing the entrance to the site. One of the protestors, Kate Miller says, “The IPCC report could not have been more clear: human activity is the cause of climate change and it’s accelerating, fast.”