A report commissioned by the Rwandan government has concluded France bears significant responsibility for, quote, “enabling a foreseeable genocide,” close quote, that killed an estimated 800,000 people in 1994. The 600 page report alleges former French President Francois Mitterand had advance knowledge of preparations for the genocide and yet did nothing to prevent it. The French government was widely criticised at the time for not intervening during the approximately hundred days of ethnic violence in which the ruling Hutu ethnic group massacred their Tutsi compatriots.

NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter has made the first ever powered, controlled flight over the surface of another planet. The helicopter reached a height of approximately three metres and was watched over by the Perseverance Rover, which filmed from 65 metres away. The Ingenuity cost 105 million Aussie dollars and its sole purpose was to prove flight was possible on the red planet, with its success seen as a huge leap forward in space exploration.

Should Queensland host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, it was revealed this morning by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk The Gabba is the proposed main Stadium. Ms Palaszczuk says The Gabba has been home to Queensland sport for 126 years but to take it to a further level it will need support from all levels of government. A potential upgrade to the stadium would increase its capacity and include a pedestrian plaza linking to the Cross River Rail station, both of which will benefit the Games.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a flood warning for parts of North Queensland as it tells residents to expect up to three hundred mills of daily rainfall over the next few days. A flood watch is in place between Cooktown and Ingham and a strong winds warning is in place for the Cairns and Townsville coastal waters. A trough in the Coral Sea that could move on to the coast is causing the heavy rains that are unlikely to subside until later this week.

A Sunshine Coast man on holidays in Brisbane has jumped into the Brisbane River on his way to dinner to save a young woman from slipping under the water. John Gee was on a river cruise when he spotted the women. Before jumping in he tried to reach her with a rope but was unsuccessful. Mr Gee jumped in with a buoy to bring the woman to safety before a friend on the boat pulled them up.The woman was taken to hospital for assessment by the police and Mr Gee is being praised for his quick thinking.

High profile lawyer Chris Murphy wins his defamation case as a judge ordered The Daily Telegraph to pay one hundred and ten thousand dollars in damages after suggesting Mr Murphy was too old and deaf to practice as a lawyer anymore. The claim from The Daily Telegraph publisher Annette Sharp said Mr Murphy who is seventy two was unwilling or unable to represent clients due to his hearing has been ruled untrue.  Mr Murphy does use hearing aids but the judgement reads that many barristers and judges use hearing aids and then have no difficulty hearing.

The European Union and Russia both say they are optimistic that the US and Iran will successfully renew the two countries’ 2015 nuclear deal as negotiations draw to a close in Vienna. The expression of optimism comes as the US described the talks as ‘constructive’ and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the two countries had reached a ‘new understanding’. The indirect talks in Vienna were organised with the goal of re-establishing limits on Iran’s uranium enrichment programme in return for the lifting of US economic sanctions.

The United Nations says 2021 must be the year of climate action ahead of US President Joe Biden’s virtual international climate summit at the end of this week. Biden invited 40 world leaders to take part in the climate talks as he tries to put climate action at the forefront of the international political agenda. The UN says despite initial optimism, the COVID-19 pandemic has failed to slow down global warming and the world is now running out of time to make a change.