NASA rover touches down on Mars

NASA’S rover Perseverance touched down on Mars this morning, after travelling to the planet for over seven months. 

This is NASA’S most advanced astrobiology laboratory ever launched to another planet, the Perseverance’s mission will be to search for signs the planet once harboured microbial life on Mars, over three billion years ago when the planet was covered in water. 

Melbourne records three new COVID cases linked to Holiday Inn cluster

Melbourne has recorded three new coronavirus cases linked to the Holiday Inn outbreak, taking the states total to 22. 

All three new cases have been quarantining at home and there is little concern for community transmission. 

Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley says the Government is continuing to locate primary close contacts to the cluster. 

Drew Pavlou bus tour underway

In local news, Anti CCP activist and UQ Student Drew Pavlou is currently on his way to Adelaide to protest the appointment of former UQ Vice-Chancellor Peter Høj to the University of Adelaide. 

"[Høj] was getting over $200,000 every year to deepen ties with China while China operated concentration camps where 3 million Muslims were tortured raped, bashed and beaten, and I think that's absolutely unacceptable," Pavlou said. 

Gubbi Gubbi activists' eviction delayed

A camp of Gubbi Gubbi Nation and other protesters remains in place after failing to comply with an eviction notice issued earlier this week. 

Protesters were warned they would be arrested for trespassing if the camp remained in place, but an injunction filed in the Supreme Court on Wednesday has protected them from removal thus far. 

Fritz: Pastel

<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">- In 2017, Newcastle singer-songwriter Fritz quietly released her self-titled debut album. <em>Fritz </em>was a record filled with reverb and noise, leaving her voice obscured, and comfortably subtle. <strong>Tilly Murphy</strong>, the force behind Fritz, is back now in 2021 with a louder and prouder sophomore sound.

Superfeather: Superfeather

<p><span><span>- I’ve been waiting years for the Superfeather album - coming out soon on Melbourne’s Wondercore Island. Their only recorded material up to this point is the delicious <em>Dempsey Roll</em> on the first Wondercore compilation from 2013. Instrumentally oriented, Superfeather’s sound touches on jazz, mathrock and funk with distinct use of syncopation, making for some propulsive grooves. It’s been a long time coming but well worth the wait. </span></span></p>