Experts on WHO team say search for COVID origins has stalled

The international scientists dispatched to China by the World Health Organization to find out where the coronavirus came from says on Wednesday the search has stalled.

Meanwhile, a US intelligence review ordered up by President Joe Biden proved inconclusive about the virus's origin. 

In a commentary published in the journal Nature, the WHO-recruited experts said the investigation of the origin is at "a critical juncture" requiring urgent collaboration but has instead come to a standstill.

Australia Evacuates 750 More From Afghanistan Capital

Australia has evacuated another 750 people from the chaos in Afghanistan's capital.

Australians, Afghans with visas and others from allied nations were among the 750 people extracted in the latest rescue efforts. 

The most recent flights take the total number of people rescued as part of Australia's mission to 2,400.   

 

OnlyFans Rethinks Sexually Explicit Content Ban

OnlyFans says it has suspended a plan to ban sexually explicit content following an outcry from its creators and advocates for sex workers.

OnlyFans had said last Thursday that it would ban explicit content starting October 1st, blaming policies of banks and payment processors for the policy change.

The website has become famous as a place where sex workers can get paid in a safer way as well as a space for celebrities to interact with fans.

Last week's abrupt change upset the site’s creators, many of whom threatened to move to another website.

Eight-storey boutique tower to sit next to heritage-listed Fortitude Valley church

The Brisbane City Council has approved the development application for an eight-story high commercial tower to be built beside a heritage-listed Church in Fortitude Valley. 

Several public submissions objected to the development application, arguing its size and bulk would overdevelop the area. A submission lodged by the body corporate of Easts Village, an apartment block adjacent to the church, argued the apartments would be directly impacted by the building's size

Gold Coast Lockdown Protester Fined $7,000

A movie stuntman who allegedly galloped his horse through the crowd at Sunday's lockdown protest on the southern Gold Coast border has been fined more than $7,000 by Queensland and New South Wales Police.

New South Wales Police charged six people who attended the protest at the border with offences including; assault police officer, resist officer in execution of duty and unlawfully participating in outdoor gathering.

 

Healthy sugar origin in stingless bee honey revealed

The mystery of what creates the rare, healthy sugar found in stingless bee honey, has been solved by researchers at The University of Queensland, in collaboration with Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services.

The team found that the sugar trehalose – which is not found in other honey or as a major component in other food – is produced in the gut of the bees.

UQ organic chemist and research leader, Dr. Natasha Hungerford said the origin of this rare sugar had been a mystery since the discovery of high levels of sugar trehalose in stingless bee honey.

Rupert Murdoch Threatens ABC's Four Corners With Legal Action

Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News has threatened the ABC with legal action over a Four Corners episode that examined the American TV network’s coverage of former US president Donald Trump and its role in the aftermath of last year’s general election.

A letter to the ABC sent days before the episode's airing warned that Fox would consider all options if the episode went live.

The letter marks the latest escalation in long-running tensions between Australia’s public broadcaster and media outlets controlled by the Murdoch family.

 

Low Vaccinated Indigenous Communities Feel Full Impact of NSW Outbreak

A rapidly evolving outbreak has raised concerns for critically low vaccinated indigenous communities across Australia.

In Wilcannia, where 44 people have tested positive, there has been a shortage of food and supplies as families in overcrowded housing isolate together.

First Nations communities in western and far western New South Wales are laying the blame on "negligent" and "incompetent" lack of planning from both the state and federal governments.

Brazil’s Supreme Court to rule soon on Indigenous land rights

The top court in Brazil is set to decide whether to recognize Indigenous rights to land occupied prior to 1988 when Brazil’s constitution was ratified, a legal cut-off date sought by Brazilian state governments that are seeking to limit Indigenous claims.

Indigenous peoples and rights groups argue applying the 1988 date erases Indigenous claims across Brazil dating back to the 1950s when they were pushed from their lands by tobacco farms, miners and logging operations.

 

Logan Regarded Drone Delivery Capital of the World

Residents of Logan have been informed this morning that the city has been regarded as the “drone delivery capital of the world”. 

A google owned company known as “Drone delivery service wing” have released new figures showing it made more than 50,000 deliveries in the first eight months of 2021

The drone company has steadily expanded its Logan operations for almost two years, and it now services 19 suburbs with small items such as takeaway coffee and even hardware.