A trigger warning on this story, which contains information regarding allegations of sexual assault. 

There’s wide-spread coverage in newspapers across Australia this morning of the historical sexual assault allegations levelled against two current parliamentarians.

More information is coming to light regarding who was aware and involved, with Labor MP Daniel Mulino telling the ABC he was contacted by one of the alleged victims in December 2019. 

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has found that Members’ implementation plans for reduction in emissions levels ‘fall far short of what is required’.

In a report published on 26 February 2021, the UNFCCC found that global carbon emissions need to decline by 45 per cent from the 2010 level by 2030 in order to keep within the Paris Climate Accord Agreement goal of 1.5 degrees. 

The current trajectory of global commitments will see emissions reduced by only 0.5 per cent by 2030.

Low tide in Venice left canals almost empty on Sunday, just months after the city was hit by flooding.

During the peak of the floods, St Mark’s Square was flooded, causing damage to shops and other businesses.

Now, gondolas and boats were beached in the canals as water levels reached a peak of -48cm.

Protected areas of Brazils Amazon Rainforest are being illegally sold over Facebook marketplace.

Some of these plots are as large as 1000 football pitches, with many of these areas being home to Indigenous communities;  activists have begun urging the tech giant to do more to protect their land from exploitation.

Sellers do not have land certificates but continue to sell the plots allegedly being field by Brazils cattle industry.

Gold Coast Council CEO Dale Dickson has been replaced after serving as chief executive for the council after eighteen years. 

Mayor Tom Tate revealed the news to an email to council employees announcing the role has already been offered to someone else. 

Last week Mr Dickson was cleared by the Crime and Corruption Commission from allegations which have not been made public.

Human trials for a universal COVID vaccine are set to start later this year. While existing vaccines like Pfizer and Astra-Zeneca were developed in record time and are performing well, they may lose effectiveness as the virus mutates, or as new coronaviruses develop. 

A universal vaccine would be able to target a fundamental region of the virus that does not change across mutations.

A media release from federal Health Minister Greg Hunt today states that the Australian government is investing $100 million over five years into developing new technologies that can aid in the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses such as strokes, epilepsy, lung disease, and COVID.

Among the new projects being funded are lightweight brain scanners that can be carried in ambulances to facilitate earlier diagnosis of strokes, an artificial intelligence platform for epilepsy support, and revolutionary lung scanners.