The British government has announced a $77million fund to help Hong Kong migrants fleeing political repression settle in the country.

The UK has offered special visas to holders of British National passports that opens paths for five million of Hong Kong’s seven point four million people to work, reside, and eventually become a citizen in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

China says the move is an abuse of the passports and that it will no longer recognise them as a form of identification.

Israel has announced it will not recognize the authority of the International Criminal Court, with an investigation set to begin into allegations of war crimes in occupied Palestinian territories.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says although their Government will not be cooperating with the inquiry they will be sending a response, stating they will be rejecting any allegations of war crimes.

“It will be made clear that Israel is a country with rule of law that knows how to investigate itself,” he said.

Researchers at the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Brisbane have discovered drugs that lower cholesterol in humans could be the key to treating the deadly facial tumour disease that has endangered Tasmanian devils.

Lead researcher, Dr. Manuel Fernandez-Rojo, says experiments showed the tumour cells required a minimum amount of cholesterol to multiply. Lab tests revealed drugs inhibiting cholesterol synthesis successfully reduced growth.

The RSPCA is calling for Queensland’s animal cruelty laws to be amended, with the Animal Care and Protection Act up for review for the first time in twenty years.  

The RSPCA is calling for the maximum penalty for animal cruelty to be increased, along with enforcing ownership bans made in other states which would prevent individuals who were previously charged with animal cruelty elsewhere in the country from owning a pet in Queensland. 

Community group Boggo Road Futures has lodged an appeal in the Planning and Environment Court, objecting to Brisbane City Council’s approval of a development proposal affecting Boggo Road Gaol.

The development, proposed by developer Stockwell, comprises a two-storey mixed-use office, healthcare and community space on the old heritage site precinct. 

The appeal seeks for an outright rejection of the development, and claims that the automated submissions process led to one hundred and seventy nine submissions losing appeal rights.

QMusic CEO Angela Samut says the Queensland Music Awards have received a record number of submissions this year. She says the vast number of talented Queensland artists proves the hardship of the last year has not discouraged upcoming artists.

The awards will also include the presentation of the People’s Choice Award for best live venue and the announcement of the Billy Thorpe Scholarship Prize.

Finalists for the Queensland music awards will be announced on May fifth at Fortitude Valley’s Fortitude Music Hall.

Paing Takhon, a model and actor well known in Myanmar, is the latest to be arrested after the junta released hundreds of warrants going after influencers, celebrities, artists and musicians. 

His sister says 50 soldiers in eight military trucks arrived at their parents’ home at 4:30am. It is unknown where he has been taken.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners says there are currently two thousand, eight hundred and forty seven protesters being held in detention.

Scott Morrison delivered a snap press conference last night about the AstraZeneca vaccine, following reports in Europe about blood clot side effects.

The advisory recommended people under 50 years of age receive the Pfizer vaccine instead. Morrison was unable to say how this would affect the rollout, but conceded it would need recalibrating. 

It is unlikely to have much immediate effect, given most individuals being vaccinated at the moment are the elderly.