The former New South Wales premier and foreign minister Bob Carr has written to UNESCO urging it to send a mission to the Blue Mountains to assess its world heritage status, warning it could be badly affected by the proposed heightening of the Warragamba Dam.

Fifteen national church and civil society groups have banded together to urge the Australian government to support the World Trade Organisation (WTO) waiver for fair COVID vaccine access for low-income countries.

The current WTO rules mean that new vaccines have a 20-year protection before cheaper versions can be made. 

Athletes struggle to qualify for the Olympics amidst pandemic facing harder training restrictions and authorities fears of athletes bringing home the virus. 

Samoa has already withdrawn three members from its weightlifting team due to the Government's concern about the spread of the COVID-19 virus in Japan.

Brisbane's Lang Park conducted major events this weekend despite a similar case in Melbourne being linked to an outbreak of a highly infectious COVID-19 strain. 

Lang Park hosted the Australia vs France Rugby Union test match on Saturday, followed by back-to-back NRL matches on Sunday.

The Australian Surf Life Saving Championships have been secured for Queensland with a decade-long deal expected to deliver more than $100 million for the Government’s Covid-19 Economic Recovery Plan.

A Pacific Islander couple are speaking out about breaking the cycle of domestic violence within their culture.

Ipswich couple Moughan Sali-Siaki and Judy Fakaosi are working to unlearn the behaviours modelled to them when growing up, which often placed the father as the sole decision-maker.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) is pushing ahead with plans to declare the Great Barrier Reef as an endangered natural site despite federal government objections.

Tain Xuejun, president of the 44th session of UNESCO, dismissed speculation that the decision was related to any political tensions between China and Australia.

An Australian Human Rights Commision project survey, which closed in 2019, shows 80% of Muslims in Australia say they have experienced discrimination in their lifetime.. 

The finalised results of the report show half of the thousand people who took the survey said the discrimination took place when dealing with law enforcement, in workplaces or when seeking employment and in educational institutions. 

South Africa president Cyril Ramaphosa has urged people to honour the legacy of the anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela by helping to rebuild the country after days of riots that left 212 dead.

The violence was sparked by the jailing of ex-President Jacob Zuma.