Clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccine developed by the University of Queensland have been abandoned after participants returned false positive HIV results. 

The Australian government terminated its one billion dollar deal with the University who partnered with Biotech to develop the vaccine. 

UN organisation the World Food Programme urged countries to prepare for a ‘hunger pandemic’ during their Nobel Prize acceptance speech. 

The WFP said that due to climate change, war, the pandemic and economic uncertainty, an estimated 270 million people could experience starvation if proper food security measures are not put in place. 

The federal execution of death row inmate Brandon Bernard is set to go ahead in the United States this week, the first of five scheduled before the end of Donald Trump’s presidency. 

If the five take place, Mr Trump will have overseen the most executions by a US president in more than a century.

Up to 100 millimetres of rain in 24 hours is expected to occur in parts of south-east Queensland due to a coastal trough or low-pressure system predicted for the coming weekend.

This will be the first effect of an active La Nina cooling weather event with Bureau meteorologist Rosa Hoff predicting as much as 100 millimetres of rain in parts of the Gold Coast hinterland in a single day. 

Despite the heavy weather forecasts, Ms Hoff says it is unlikely to reach far inland, leaving many inland towns in high temperatures still. 
 

The Australia Institute has released results of a survey taken after this year’s Queensland state election, indicating that 87% of surveyed voters support honest political advertising laws, though laws banning dishonest political advertising are unlikely to be introduced in Queensland regardless. 

Although Australia’s advertising laws aim to prohibit and prevent businesses from misleading consumers, there are no such regulations in place for political advertising, with many major and minor political parties spreading misinformation during the recent election.

Three Tasmanian schools have trialled a new lunch program, with a hot sit-down meal served to students every day rather than a typical bring-your-own-lunch system most Australian schools use.

Julie Danbabin of the Tasmanian Canteen Association organised the trial after noticing that in many countries school children sat down to eat hot meals, and collaborated with three schools to trial the program with a budget of $4 per meal. 

Although Prime Minister Scott Morrison had voiced his intent to use an upcoming global leaders’ climate ambition summit to “correct mistruths” about the Australian governments’ climate commitments, it is unlikely he will be given a speaking opportunity at the summit.

A lawsuit against World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union and the Welsh Rugby Union is expected to force rugby unions to adopt immediate safety measures. 

The lawsuit regards rugby unions failures to protect players from risks caused by concussions, which has resulted in early onset dementia for many players, including former Rugby World Cup winner Steve Thompson.

The lawsuit is predicted to take years to resolve, with authorities likely to implement immediate safety measures soon to reduce breaching their duty of care further and giving cause for future lawsuits. 
 

Jupiter and Saturn will line up on the 21st of December, doing so for the first time in almost 800 years.

This event, known as the great conjunction, will be able to be seen easily with even a small telescope or the bare eye for those with good eyesight, meaning the rare astronomical event will be witnessed and recorded by many. 

USQ astrophysicist professor Jonti Horner has stated that even though this event last occurred in 1226, after December 21st it would next occur in 2080, meaning many will have the opportunity to see the rare event twice in their lifetime.