Queenslander Claims Paralympic Glory

Queenslander Emily Petricola has won gold in the Cycling Paralympics. 

The 41-year-old who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 14 years ago beat Shawn Morelli of the US to win the C4 3,000m pursuit gold-medal race

Australia has made the perfect start to the Tokyo Paralympics, winning the first two gold medals of the Games.

 

Qantas reveals financial year hit from COVID-19

Qantas has made a massive multi-billion-dollar loss amid the ongoing travel ban and grounding of international flights. The national carrier says its underlying loss before tax for the last financial year was $1.83 billion and the statutory loss was $2.35 billion.

The airline estimated the revenue impact from the COVID-19 pandemic was $12 billion last financial year.

But in a statement, Qantas says it has started the new financial year "in a fundamentally better position to deal with uncertainty and manage its recovery compared with 12 months ago".

Baby From Nirvana Album Cover Sues Band

The baby from the iconic image on Nirvana’s hit album ‘Nevermind’ sues the band for profiting for sexual exploitation.

In a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles on Tuesday, 30-year-old Spencer Elden claims his parents had not signed a release authorizing the grunge-rock group to use the famous photograph.

Elden is seeking $150,000 from each of the suit’s 15 listed defendants for unspecified damages to be determined at a trial.

 

Seal spotted swimming through Melbourne's Yarra River

A seal has been spotted swimming through Melbourne's Yarra River this morning. 

Footage of the seal was captured near a quiet bridge road in Richmond as the city endured its sixth coronavirus lockdown. 

Wildlife seems to emerge from hiding amid the city-wide shutdowns, with a pair of striped dolphins spotted swimming through the canal in Venice earlier this year.

 

Queensland Innovators Develop Immaculate Device For Neurocognitive Conditions

Queensland innovators have developed a new headset aimed at improving the quality of life for those living with a range of neurocognitive conditions.

The new tool measures brain activity and combines neurofeedback with game software to reprogram neural pathways.

It is hoped the headset will help those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism or acquired brain injuries to concentrate better.

Gold Coast Man Raises Funds for Abandoned Animals

An animal advocate has spent the night in a rescue shelter kennel to raise funds for re-homing abandoned animals. 

Allan Dixon stayed the night in a kennel at the Animal Welfare League shelter at Coombabah on the Gold Coast. 

Starting with an empty pen, caretakers gradually gave Mr Dixon a mattress, blankets, pillows, food and even water in a dog bowl.

So far Mr. Dixon has raised over $5000 for Animal welfare to donate to the cause you can visit Allan’s fund my challenge.   

 

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