Cairns, north of Queensland, Australia. News Review and PR

Spies waged a secret war on the streets of Canberra, author of new book on ASIO says and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 08:43:00 +0000

Spies waged a secret war on the streets of Canberra, author of new book on ASIO says
It was a secret war waged in Canberra's bars, parks and streets that makes today's spy thrillers look "pale by comparison".The third and final volume of the explosive history on ASIO, The Secret Cold War has revealed the extent of the espionage in the nation's capital in the late 1970s to mid-1980s in many places Canberrans will recognise. Dr John Blaxland co-wrote The Secret Cold War:The Official History of ASIO 1975-1989. Photo: Jamila Toderas Australian National University academic Jo..
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Dreamworld ride's 'fatal flaw'

Queensland police update the media on the Dreamworld incident2:41Queensland Police want anyone who rode the Wild River Rapids rides on Tuesday or has any info to contact police. A member of the public lays flowers at a floral tribute today. Picture: Patrick Hamilton/AFPA FORMER Dreamworld employee who worked on the ride where four people were killed said he believed it had a “potentially fatal flaw.”Jon Armstrong worked as a ride operator on Thunder River Rapids on a casual basis for around six..
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Wrong person left in George Brandis v Justine Gleeson row

The resignation of Solicitor-General Justin Gleeson is another sign of the weakness of Malcolm Turnbull ("Solicitor-General quits over Brandis", October 25).Attorney-General George Brandis's weasel words about the definition of "consultation" were merely an attempt to obfuscate the fact he misled the Senate. More News Videos Previous slide Next slide Xenophon: George Brandis 'stuffed-up' VCE English exam verdict A dairy farmer's plea to the governmen..
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Sophie Collombet murder: Benjamin Milward jailed for life for raping, killing French student in Brisbane

Sophie Collombet murder: Benjamin Milward jailed for life for raping, killing French student in Brisbane Updated October 26, 2016 17:03:17 Benjamin James Milward has been jailed for life for the rape and murder of French student Sophie Collombet, whose body was found in an inner-city Brisbane rotunda in 2014.Milward, who pleaded guilty to the charges in Brisbane's Supreme Court earlier this month, attacked the 21-year-old business student in South Brisbane on March 27, ..
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Man shot twice by police at Dandenong after fleeing traffic stop, trying to hijack car

Man shot twice by police at Dandenong after fleeing traffic stop, trying to hijack car Updated October 26, 2016 21:19:41 A man was shot twice in the body after a fleeing from police during a traffic stop at Dandenong in Melbourne's south-east.The 26-year-old man, who was known to police, was shot after pointing a weapon at officers in the area around Studd Road and Anne Road.The drama unfolded when police intercepted a car around 4:00pm and the man, who was a passenge..
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Rate of Aboriginal children being placed in out-of-home care 'concerning'

Rate of Aboriginal children being placed in out-of-home care 'concerning' Updated October 26, 2016 19:53:25 Systemic failures are contributing to a "concerning" rate of removal of Aboriginal children from their homes, a landmark Victorian inquiry has found. Key points:There was a 60 per cent increase in number of children entering care between 2013 and 2015Family violence, alcohol, substance abuse the main factors in a child entering careVictorian Government accepts re..
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Vatican finance chief George Pell questioned by Australian police in Rome over historic sex assault claims

Vatican finance chief George Pell has been interviewed by Australian police in Rome over sexual assault claims, authorities said Wednesday, but no charges have yet been laid. It follows explosive allegations against Pell, Australia's most senior Catholic cleric, aired by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in July, which he strongly denied. Victoria state police said in a statement that three officers "travelled to Rome last week where Cardinal George Pell voluntarily participated in an int..
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Family First senator Bob Day may face legal challenge to prevent his ABCC vote

Family First senator Bob Day could face a rare High Court injunction preventing him from supporting the Turnbull government's union-busting and same-sex marriage bills after he delayed his resignation to be present for the votes.If successful, that unprecedented legal course could be enough to stop the legislation dead, forcing the government to its plan B: a special post-double dissolution joint sitting to get the legislation through. More News Videos Previous slide Next slide ..
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National compensation scheme needed for victims of forced labour and slave trade: new report

Forced labour, forced marriage and other forms of human trafficking and slavery should be compensated in Australia under a national scheme, according to a new report by legal and anti-slavery groups.Fiona McLeod, SC, president-elect of the Law Council of Australia, said a national compensation scheme for survivors of human trafficking and slavery was needed to fill the void in Australian law that provides inadequate redress for victims. More News Videos Previous slide Next slide ..
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Western Power sale future investment fund, not election war chest, says WA Treasurer

Western Power sale future investment fund, not election war chest, says WA Treasurer Updated October 26, 2016 18:52:42 The Barnett Government will attempt to persuade voters to back the privatisation of Western Power with a promise to spend the billions of dollars in proceeds on critical new infrastructure. Key points: Liberal Party wants to sell Western Power to pay off state debtNationals flagged support but want money used to create jobsLabor has vowed to fight the..
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Cairns man critical after death of woman .	Use keywords to search content on this website .
Kowanyama man appears in court charged with murder after ... .	PlayStation VR: should you buy it? .

May keeps EU guessing on Brexit and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Sat, 05 Nov 2016 09:53:00 +0000

May keeps EU guessing on Brexit
May keeps EU guessing on BrexitElizabeth PiperReuters10:06AM September 19, 2016SaveAs Europe clamours to know how Britain plans to implement its decision to leave the European Union, new Prime Minister Theresa May is giving little away, but her strategy is becoming clear.May broke with tradition and invited media to her official country residence, Chequers, last month to film her taking charge of a potentially unruly cabinet, whose members differ widely and sometimes publicly over Britain's prio..
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Amal Clooney Takes on ISIS for 'Clear Case of Genocide' of Yazidis

Amal Clooney sat in a tent in a refugee camp in northern Greece, surrounded by members of Iraq's Yazidi community, who have been driven from their homes in a genocidal campaign by ISIS. "I think the international community should be ashamed that they haven't done more for the Yazidis," Clooney, a human rights lawyer, told the men, women and children huddled around. Over the last two years, ISIS terrorists who overran parts of Syria and Iraq have enslaved, raped and murdered Yazidis because..
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EgyptAir crash: Traces of TNT found in flight 804 wreckage, in Mediterranean

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Thais search for missing as 18 die in pilgrim boat accident

Divers pulled at least two bodies from the bowels of a submerged river boat Monday after the overcrowded vessel carrying Muslim pilgrims sank on Thailand's Chao Phraya river, leaving 18 people dead. The accident happened on Sunday afternoon near the ancient city of Ayutthaya, a popular tourist attraction, when a boat packed with pilgrims returning from a mosque hit a concrete bank in strong currents. Scores of people lined the bank Monday as divers plunged into the swollen, brown waters for the..
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Manhunt underway for person of interest in NYC, NJ bombings

by Sinclair Broadcast GroupPolice have identified a person of interest for the bombing in New York's Chelsea neighborhood. (MGN Online) (SBG/AP) — Authorities Monday morning released a photo of a 28-year-old New Jersey man wanted for questioning for the bombings in New York's Chelsea neighborhood and a New Jersey town on Saturday. Officials identified Ahmad Khan Rahami, a naturalized U.S. citizen residing in Elizabeth, New Jersey, as a person of interest. Rahami is originally from Afghanistan. “..
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Labor guidelines a 'concern' for Israeli minister

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Merkel party routed in Berlin polls as right-wing AfD gains

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Toxic haze from Indonesian forest fires may have caused 100000 deaths: report

Killer haze from forest fires that raged across Indonesia last year may have caused more than 100,000 premature deaths in Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia, according to a new report that suggests a drastically higher death toll than Indonesian government figures.Harvard and Columbia University researchers used air pollution readings to calculate exposure to the deadly smoke. Indonesians were the worst affected with an estimated 91,600 excess deaths, the report found. Photo: Getty Images ..
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Kenya: State House Spokesperson's Press Briefing At State House, Nairobi On 11th September 2016 .	What's in a name? "Organic" orange juice claims questioned .
Magpies send Canberrans ducking for cover as swooping season starts .	Rocket with NASA asteroid probe blasts off .

Messara retires from Racing NSW board, stands down as chairman and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 11:23:00 +0000

Messara retires from Racing NSW board, stands down as chairman

Racing NSW chairman John Messara has quit as the state's top thoroughbred racing official just 10 months into a three-year term.Messara tendered his resignation at a board meeting in Sydney on Monday in another shock to the country's racing administration, which is already reeling from Racing Victoria chairman David Moodie temporarily standing aside on the eve of the Caulfield Cup as he is probed for an integrity breach. Leaving Racing NSW board: John Messara. Photo: Louise Kennerley Mes..
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FFA issue Victory show cause notice - SBS

Despite a bumper start to the new season on the pitch, the A-League earned another black eye on Saturday night when a flare was left off inside Etihad Stadium during Melbourne City's 4-1 win over Victory. The perpetrator, who was sitting in the Victory supporters' bay, was arrested after being pointed out by the club's fans and is facing charges. While acknowledging the club and league were still grappling with the issue, FFA CEO David Gallop said attitudes were changing. "I think we definitel..
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AFL Trades 2016: Hawks build war chest as Jordan Lewis trade looms

Hawthorn's aggressive trades of their veteran champions could construct a million-dollar war chest to attack free agency at the end of next year if Jordan Lewis is to join Sam Mitchell in leaving the Hawks.The Hawks' decision to move on Mitchell and the looming trade of Lewis have not been a result of salary cap pressure to squeeze in new arrivals Ty Vickery, Tom Mitchell and probably Jaeger O'Meara but will instead create room for other potential recruits next year. The departure of Mitchell ..
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Adelaide's Cirio sidelined indefinitely - SBS

The A-League club said Cirio was "shockingly fouled" by Clisby in the opening 53 seconds of the Wanderers' come-from-behind 2-1 victory at Coopers Stadium on Friday. Spaniard Cirio tried to play on but was substituted after just 11 minutes, with scans later revealing an injury to the medial ligament in his right knee. Clisby escaped with only a yellow card, one of two possible red-card challenges overlooked by referee Shaun Evans on the night - along with a second-half incident involving match..
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Clarke defends family of Phillip Hughes over questioning at inquest

Former Australian captain Michael Clarke has weighed in on the Phillip Hughes inquest, saying he wants it known that all the grieving family of the late batsman wanted out of the hearing was for no other players to ever be the victim of such a tragic accident.Clarke on Monday launched his autobiography at a function at a Sydney restaurant attended by ex-Test captain Mark Taylor, wicketkeeping great Ian Healy, his long-time Australian team physio Alex Kountouris and other friends and family. ..
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Winx? Been there, done that: Waller

Leading trainer Chris Waller believes his champion race mare Winx's main weapon in defending her title in Saturday's $3 million Cox Plate is her ability to absorb the incredible pressure the race creates. Speaking after French galloper Vadamos had worked impressively around the Moonee Valley circuit, Waller said that Winx had done it all before and been successful. Ben Cadden riding Winx in the shallow waters of Altona beach. Photo: Vince Caligiuri "I'm respectful of the French hor..
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De Silva on the Roda to Socceroos recognition - SBS

After just eight appearances in his debut season for the Dutch club, which was also once home to compatriots Tomi Juric and Rostyn Griffiths, De Silva has already featured in six of Roda's opening nine league games. De Silva's talent was on display against Excelsior at the weekend when he provided the assist for David Boysen’s match-winning goal. Victory lifted Roda off bottom spot and the former Perth Glory prodigy showed in his 88 minutes on the field, playing on the left, that the promise wh..
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Nick Kyrgios' season is over after ban, extra fine

Nick Kyrgios, the tormented tennis talent banned for eight tournament weeks by the ATP and fined an additional $32,000 on Monday for his appalling behaviour and lack of effort at the Shanghai Masters, has indicated he will agree to the psychological counselling provision that could end his suspension early.Either way, perhaps mercifully, his season is over. More Sport Videos Previous slide Next slide Djokovic weighs in on Kyrgios behaviour Djokovic falls to Ba..
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Xavier Richards has requested a trade to a Melbourne based club

Mitchell traded to Hawthorn0:28AFL: Sydney have traded Tom Mitchell to Hawthorn. Xavier Richards will leave Sydney. Picture: Getty ImagesSYDNEY Swans grand final player Xavier Richards has requested a trade to a Melbourne club and his manager says the cost of living in Sydney is the key factor in his desire to move.The Swans lost their cost of living allowance (COLA) in controversial circumstances after they recruited Lance Franklin on a nine year $10 million deal on the back of signing Kurt Ti..
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Former Test captain Steve Waugh says batsman Usman Khawaja must show how much he wants to play Test cricket

TEST great Steve Waugh has challenged struggling batsman Usman Khawaja to prove how much the baggy green really means to him this summer.Waugh has questioned the hunger of Australia’s fallen No.3, who has gone from world beater to drinks carrier in the space of a few months.Khawaja smashed four Test centuries in five matches last summer, but was then dropped for the last Test of Australia’s dismal 3-0 whitewash in Sri Lanka.Waugh on Monday announced details of his 701km cycling event, ‘The Capta..
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Nurse Garry Davis predicted deaths of aged care patients he is accused of killing .	Telstra takes swipe at Vodafone, urges shareholders to protest domestic roaming changes .
ACCC pitches fuel price plan but Cairns campaigner sceptical .	Mobility scooter driver dies in hospital from injuries after being hit by car, serious crash in Coober Pedy .

Apple smart-car project stalls and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Sun, 30 Oct 2016 09:02:00 +0000

Apple smart-car project stalls
Apple has reportedly scrapped plans to make a car. Picture: Scott Barbour/Getty ImagesRod ChesterNews Corp Australia NetworkTHE dream of an Apple Car has just hit a dead end with reports the technology giant has scrapped its plans to build a self-driving vehicle and has slashed hundreds of people from the clandestine Project Titan.Apple reporter Mark Gurman yesterday broke the news that the top-level research team working on a car as Apple’s next big thing was being dismantled.Apple has never pu..
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October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month: How secure is your enterprise?

With recent headlines talking about stolen emails and possibly state-sponsored system hacking, every enterprise should be more than a little concerned about cyber security and the overall safety of their data. Let's face it—your information technology systems have been, or someday will be, compromised. No amount of planning nor technological countermeasures is likely to be enough to stop motivated perpetrators from penetrating your defenses.There is one simple reason for this lack of defensive ..
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The OmniWear Arc is a haptic neckband for serious gamers

Haptic feedback -- using vibration to enhance a virtual experience -- is nothing new in gaming world. The past two decades have brought us products like the Rumble Paks for Nintendo 64 and DS and Sony's line of DualShock controllers for the PlayStation. But the majority of titles use haptics as an add-on, making an impact feel a little more real or to startle you during an intense moment. Even if the haptics were keyed to the appearance of an enemy, they didn't offer much in the way of informat..
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LG's V20 may be the phone of the year. So why the f*%k can't you buy it?

For beleaguered Android phone makers, you might think a juicy prize has just appeared. For some of them, it could be a life-saver. Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 was expected to ship around 20 million units over its lifetime. An inflammable battery emphatically put paid to that - with the potential loss of tens of millions of more sales from “contagion”. In the short term, some five to seven million Note 7 owners are looking for an alternative. Most, it is reasonable to assume, would prefer to stick w..
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Google Pixel: Australian Review

Google built a phone. For real this time. AU Editor’s Note: Since Google’s Daydream View VR headset won’t be available in Australia until November, we’ve kept any mention of it out of this review entirely. Stay tuned for a proper review of Google’s own VR headset in the days before you can actually buy it. Also, throughout this review, I’ll be talking about the Pixel and Pixel XL interchangeably since apart from their screen sizes and resolutions (5 inches, 1920×1080 pixels / 5.5 inches, 2560×1..
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Samsung 960 Pro review: The fastest consumer SSD you can buy

Edward Chester reader comments 35 The all new Samsung 960 Pro, released today, is the follow up to last year's 950 Pro. It offers the same core set of features, with an M.2 form factor, four-lane PCIe 3.0 interface, NVMe communication standard, and 3D V-NAND. But the 960 Pro isn't just a minor spec bump. Samsung has seriously cranked up the speed (and capacities) of its flagship drives to the point where such ludicrous performance may be lost on all but the most demanding of users. These a..
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Horror Stories From The Samsung Galaxy Note7 Flight Ban

On Saturday the federal flight ban on Samsung Galaxy Note7 phones went into effect in the United States. All four major Australian carriers have also banned the phone. We asked our readers how this was working out around the globe and from the replies we’ve received, it’s safe to say that, so far, this sucks. The US Transportation Department’s decision to ban the Note7 from all flights came just days after Samsung announced that it was killing the phone for good. That short window left little ..
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XG.Fast delivers 8Gbps over copper in NBN lab trials

NBN has achieved speeds of up to 8 gigabits per second over 30 metres of copper using XG.Fast, the company announced today.The peak aggregate speed over twisted-pair was achieved during lab tests of the emerging standard. NBN has been trialling the technology in conjunction with Nokia. The two companies also achieved up to 5Gbps over 70 metres, which NBN says is about three times the length of the average copper lead-in to an Australian home.NBN chief technology officer Dennis Steiger said that..
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'How could this happen in Australia?': Cairns cafe worker responds ... .	Queensland health job losses in Cairns, Townsville predicted for ... .
Nurse Garry Davis predicted deaths of aged care patients he is accused of killing .	Telstra takes swipe at Vodafone, urges shareholders to protest domestic roaming changes .

iPhone fatigue and fading Samsung. This planet is bored with big brand phones and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 17:10:00 +0000

iPhone fatigue and fading Samsung. This planet is bored with big brand phones

Samsung already had plenty to worry about before its flagship phone started exploding. Strategy Analytics reckons the Korean giant’s phone sales have fallen 10 per cent. And it’s not alone. Apple is experiencing “iPhone” fatigue after years of merely incremental upgrades, down 5 per cent globally over the year. Overall global smartphone shipments in Q3 grew, bucking the flatline phone sales have been in for a while. Q3 saw shipments of 375 million, up 6 per cent on Q3 2015, and the strongest gr..
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Apple launch event: new MacBook Pro and more, live

Apple’s event begins at 6pm UK time (10am Pacific/1pm Eastern/4am AEDT), and thanks to some fairly wide-ranging leaks, we have a good idea of what to expect. Leading the event is expected to be an update to its MacBook Pro range of laptops, which has not seen any changes for more than 500 days. After Apple included a few tell-tale images in the latest version of macOS, we know the new computers are almost certainly going to feature a slender touchscreen replacing the function keys, as well as a..
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PlayStation Network news: PSN goes down following routine maintenance

PlayStation Network (PSN) is the online gaming service for Sony’s gaming devices. It is available for PlayStation 4 (PS4), PlayStation 3 (PS3) and PlayStation Vita (PS Vita), as well as selected mobiles and smart TVs. The service allows users to play games online, maintain a universal profile for their PlayStation games, along with a Trophy collection detailing their in-game accomplishments, send text and video messages to friends, and form parties to play online together. PSN also has its own..
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Nike+ Run Club updated with Apple Music integration, GPS support for Apple Watch Series 2, more

Nike+ Run Club for iPhone and Apple Watch has a notable update out today just one day before the Apple Watch Nike+ starts hits stores. Version 5.1 includes a ton of improvements and fixes plus some new features like Apple Music integration and GPS support on the Apple Watch Series 2. For Apple Music subscribers, Nike+ Run Club now fully supports streaming playlists from the Nike app on iPhone: – newly designed run summary screen makes viewing your map and run metrics easier – revised post-ru..
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Recipe: Sweet Rolls from the Elder Scrolls by Bourke Street Bakery

Video game juggernaut Bethesda are doing something a bit different to promote the release of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition, an augmented version of their 2011 cultural phenomenon of an action RPG, which to this day remains one of the biggest games of the decade – nay century. For Sydney, Australia the publishers have tapped the almighty Bourke Street Bakery to bring one of the best known, and edible, Elder Scrolls items to life: the humble Sweet Rolls. The pastry of milk, flour, b..
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Microsoft's $300 Windows VR headsets: 6 things we know (and 1 big question)

Everybody expected mixed-reality technology to play a part in Microsoft’s big Windows 10 event on Wednesday—but nobody expected what we got. Rather than showing yet another HoloLens demonstration, Microsoft instead announced a small army of virtual reality headsets unlike anything available today, and they’re all powered by the forthcoming Windows 10 Creators Update. The demo raised more questions than it supplied answers, but there was still plenty of info to glean if you were paying attent..
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Sony Xperia X Compact review:

For some people, the Sony Xperia X Compact will fit like a glove. Josh Miller/CNET The Sony Xperia X Compact is a rarity -- a small phone with a big, terrific camera. That's 23 megapixels' worth of snapping power in a body small enough to fit into almost any pocket. And to me, the pint-size X Compact seems a pretty good fit.Coming in at $449 and £379, the X Compact is large on charm. (No mention has been made of ..
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Nuclear power plants are still using pagers to communicate, and that's a big problem

Nuclear power plants and other critical infrastructure could be vulnerable to hacking or attacks due to their continued reliance on a technology most young people today wouldn't even recognise: pagers. According to a new report, these archaic precursors to mobile phones are still in regular use by workers at nuclear plants, who use them to send messages and alerts about plant operations. But the danger is that most of these communications have zero security, meaning they can easily be intercep..
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Opinion: Damn right Dreamworld should not be reopening tomorrow

Dreamworld to host Memorial Day3:34Dreamword will re-open to host a Memorial Day for the families of those killed in Tuesday's fatal accident Ardent Leisure CEO Deborah Thomas arriving for the company's annual general meeting today, where she faced tough questions from the media. Picture: Dean Lewins/AAPWHY on earth did Dreamworld ever think of reopening tomorrow?It’s a Friday — the end of a week that’s been the most harrowing in its 35-year history. A week in which children have lost their mum..
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Men 'are turning to Siri for sex'

Men without a partners are using Siri and Cortana for sexual conversations. Picture: SuppliedStaff writersNews Corp Australia NetworkLONELY men are increasingly turning to virtual assistants like Siri to fulful their sexual desires, new research has found.Ilya Eckstein, the chief executive of Robin Labs, which developed a virtual assistant to compete with the likes of Siri, says his company’s service, called Robin, is being used for up to 300 conversations a day by some men, “mostly teenagers an..
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Cairns man critical after death of woman .	Use keywords to search content on this website .
Kowanyama man appears in court charged with murder after ... .	PlayStation VR: should you buy it? .

Cairns man critical after death of woman and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 08:24:00 +0000

Cairns man critical after death of woman
Friends of a woman found dead following a domestic incident in Cairns have taken to social media to express their condolences, as police investigations continue.Crystal Ratcliffe, 38, was found stabbed to death at the home she shared with her de facto husband Ricky Cowan, 48, in the suburb of Woree, just before 3pm on Thursday.He had also suffered serious stab wounds and was revived by paramedics before being taken to Cairns Hospital, where he remains with life-threatening injuries.The Cairns Po..
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Cairns Hospital audit report due to be released today

CAIRNS Hospital’s $80 million budget blackhole has been blamed on new services introduced such as the 24/7 cardiac catheter lab that were left unfunded.An independent report into the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service’s 2016/17 operating deficit has found the major contributing factor was the commencement of new and expanded services last financial year that cost more than originally budgeted or were not fully funded, and their ongoing impact this year.This includes services such ..
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Second man charged over Cairns bashing

A SECOND man accused of a brutal car park assault is expected to apply for bail after he was found holed up in a Holloways Beach house.The arrest of Cairns man Stacey Sarago, 39, came about three weeks after Manunda man Clint Karaitiana was charged with grievous bodily harm over the same incident where a 35-year-old man was found bashed in the Skill 360 car park on Wilkinson St in August.The alleged victim, Damon Tait, suffered life threatening head injuries and continues to recover in Cairns Ho..
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Barton builds on Cairns experience

SYDNEY’S Matt Barton is hoping his crazy year which started at the All England Club can continue this week at the Cairns Tennis International and then into Melbourne Park. The top-seed this week in the Far North, Barton, advanced past Brisbane youngster Oliver Anderson on Thursday into the quarters.The win was nothing compared to him making Wimbledon’s second-round this year.He won a five-set classic over Frenchman Albano Olivetti, 6-7 (7-9) 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 14-12, stretching four hours a..
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Cairns overnight media wrap. Friday October 14

Boy charged over armed robbery incident, Cairns North: Detectives yesterday charged a 12-year-old Mooroobool boy following investigations into a number of incidents involving another 14-year old boy. It will be alleged the 12-year-old assaulted the older boy on a number of occasions between late September and earlier this week, including striking the victim with a torch and stealing his bicycle. He was taken into custody yesterday morning and charged with one count each of armed robbery, commo..
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Snakes swimming in the Cairns One direction

THE Taipans are confident they have found the NBL edge needed to play as a team. With a large influx of new players on the Snakes roster for 2016-17, the majority of new talent has moved into Cairns One, a decision the players are backing as beneficial to their solid form in the pre-season.Whether if it is swimming in the pool, getting a coffee, driving to and from training or getting a meal, the players believe living next door to each other is helping their continuity on the court.The three ne..
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Cairns Hospital budget blowout explained

Jamie McKinnellAustralian Associated PressAn $80 million budget deficit at Cairns Hospital has been blamed on increased costs for new and expanded services.An independent report into the 2016-17 projected operating deficit at Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service was released on Friday, nearly a month after its entire board stepped down over the ballooning financial problems.The report found cost increases were the primary driver of the budget blowout, with new services either costin..
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Welcome to the life of the tennis man behind the scenes

EVERY little bit counts when you’re finding your feet as a professional tennis player and it's the care off the court winning over players in Cairns this week.Brendan Mayers leads a team of physiotherapists consulting for Tennis Australia on the ITF Futures tour and the workload has ramped up this week as players feel the force of their on-court week-to-week battering.He said players were coming to Cairns after three or more tournaments back-to-back, increasing the load on the physiotherapy team..
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Teen said he used child porn images for self gratification

YOUTH was the main reason a teenager was not sent to jail for possessing hundreds of child pornographic images.Instead Jordan Anthony Thomas was released yesterday on a 12-month intensive corrections order after pleading guilty to the charge.Cairns District Court was told he had been 18 for just a week when he was arrested for possessing 785 unique child pornographic images on November 22, 2014 in the Innisfail area. Crown prosecutor Brendan Manttan told the court the images were in all categori..
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Ethnic study could aid breast cancer care

An Australian breast cancer researcher is calling for more ethnic-based studies into the disease to aid screening and treatment.Dr Eunji Hwang's study, which analysed the diagnosis of more than 1200 breast cancer patients from southwest Sydney across a six-year period, identified a higher prevalence of the disease of those with an Asian-Pacific background in their 40s compared to other ethnicities.It also showed a higher level of radiation treatment among the group, and a higher survival rate."I..
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ACCC pitches fuel price plan but Cairns campaigner sceptical .	Mobility scooter driver dies in hospital from injuries after being hit by car, serious crash in Coober Pedy .
Cairns alleged stabbing: Woman dies, man seriously injured at ... .	Australian-first artificial insemination experiment hopes to save shark species .

Use keywords to search content on this website and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Mon, 24 Oct 2016 14:39:00 +0000

Use keywords to search content on this website
Port Douglas finally broke away from South Cairns in the final term to claim the 2016 AFL Cairns premiership at Cazalys Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Crocs, who were the minor premiers only lost two games in 2016, both to South Cairns, but beat them when it mattered to lift the premiership cup.In a constant arm-wrestle, the Crocs took a seven-point advantage into the opening break, led by four-points at halftime and it was just three-points as they turned for home.The Crocs kicked five of t..
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Australian Transport Safety Bureau to investigate Jetstar incident

THE national transport safety investigator will examine what caused a Jetstar aircraft’s engine to fail and the Cairns-bound flight to be diverted to Brisbane.Passengers told the Cairns Post the cabin started to fill with smoke and a strange grating noise could be heard in the undercarriage about 40 minutes after takeoff from Sydney about 4pm on Thursday.Flight JQ956, an Airbus A320 with 173 passengers on-board, landed safely in Brisbane about 5.25pm.An Australian Transport Safety Bureau spokesm..
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Airline celebrates milestone after 70 years in the sky

A STALWART of the Far North skies has landed another milestone.Cathay Pacific Airways, one of the region’s longest-serving international airlines, yesterday celebrated its 70th anniversary.It comes 23 years after Cathay Pacific began twice-weekly flights between Hong Kong and Cairns.Since then the airline has doubled its Tropical Queensland services to four rotations per week.“We are proud to work in collaboration with Cathay Pacific and, hopefully, there are many more years to come,” said Cair..
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Traffic review ordered for Mother of Good Counsel School zone

THOUSANDS of commuters from the Northern Beaches have welcomed a peak-hour traffic reprieve with up to 40 minutes being shaved off the drive into Cairns during school holidays.The shorter travel times have been linked to the suspension of the 40km/h zone on Sheridan St at Mother of Good Counsel School, which critics have long argued is a major factor in the daily traffic woes between Cairns and the Northern Beaches.Mayor Bob Manning told a Cairns Regional Council meeting this week peak-hour traf..
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Cairns Dinner Theatre's Little Restaurant of Horrors arrives in time ...

PREPARE to have your spine tingled and your toes curled. The Little Restaurant of Horrors has arrived in Cairns. The interactive show was devised by Cairns Dinner Theatre co-owners Wes Evans and Brooke Archer-Evans, and has arrived just in time to spook audiences ahead of Halloween.Mr Evans said he had long wanted to do a haunted house. The Little Restaurant of Horrors is the dinner theatre version of that dream.“It is a different experience from what we’re normally known for doing,” he said.Din..
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Cairns lawyer gears up for fitness competition

HARD work, dedication and unwavering mental strength.That’s what Cairns solicitor Fabia Parker says it takes to have a competition-ready bikini body.The 27-year-old from Babinda is gearing up to compete in fitness and bikini, which are divisions within bodybuilding competitions, next year.No stranger to the scene, Ms Parker has previously won the bikini section in season A and the fitness section in season B in 2013 in the North Pacific Body Building comp-etition. She also placed second in the ..
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Gunman kills five people at US mall

A gunman is on the loose in the US state of Washington after an attack on a shopping mall that left five people dead.Four women were shot dead and one man died of his wounds after being airlifted to hospital following the attack at the busy Cascade Mall in the city of Burlington.The man, who was in critical condition, "did not make it through the night," police spokeswoman Heather Axtman said.Sergeant Mark Francis of the Washington State Patrol tweeted a picture of the alleged shooter, who was s..
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Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service executives ... .	Greyhound racing ban taskforce interim report suggests 19000 dogs may need rehoming .
Charlotte police shooting: Family says video is unclear on reported gun .	NRL finals 2016: Raiders backrower Elliott Whitehead free for preliminary final after escaping charge for tackle .

Kowanyama man appears in court charged with murder after ... and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Mon, 24 Oct 2016 12:22:00 +0000

Kowanyama man appears in court charged with murder after ...
UPDATE: Kowanyama man Garry Paul Hudson has appeared in Cairns Magistrates Court this morning after being charged with the murder of a woman yesterday. Mr Hudson, 55, was accused of allegedly driving a 4WD Toyota Landcruiser through a house where mourners had gathered to pay respects to his recently deceased partner.Delanne Zingle, 48, was killed and 26 others injured, some critically, in the incident which occurred at 10.30am.Magistrate Alan Comans ordered Mr Hudson to be remanded in custody be..
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Perth Wildcats vs Cairns Taipans: NBL live scores, blog

Perth Wildcats vs Cairns Taipans: NBL live scores, blog Roar Guru 195 Have your say The Perth Wildcats will be out to make a statement after dropping their first game of the season when they host the Cairns Taipans who could be in for a long season. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 9:30pm (AEDT). Perth played in the season opener on Thursday night, going down to the Brisbane Bullets by seven points by leading at one point by 13. While it wasn’t a shock loss for the..
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Cairns has come a long way in 140 years

Cairns’ early reputation as a frontier town filled with drunken, dangerous men where only fools would tread may not be entirely accurate.While “grog shanties” were commonplace, and the oppressive tropical conditions meant only the very tough made the trek to the hitherto poorly known Far North, it wasn’t just single men who arrived.According to local historian and author Tim Bottoms, families seeking to start a new life soon came after the city was officially founded.“They thought they could mak..
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Lizard Island Black Marlin Classic underway in FNQ

ANOTHER milestone is being marked in the Far North’s bumper 2016 game fishing season. A week of high-stakes fishing is under way at the 30th Lizard Island Black Marlin Classic, being held until next Saturday.Veteran angler Bob Lowe said the tournament, 250km north of Cairns, was a top-tier game fishing event.“We will have plenty of fish like always,” the Lizard Island Game Fishing Club president said.“It’s a breeding ground for black marlin up here and all the big ones start arriving in about Se..
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A mill-ion reasons to celebrate South Johnstone Mill's 100th

CYCLONES have tried but failed to destroy the South Johnstone sugar mill.The impact of cyclones on the mill is part of the institution’s 100th anniversary celebrations.The mill’s October 10 birthday is being marked by the Australian Sugar Industry Museum with a photographic exhibition.Sugar industry museum manager Wayne Thomas said rare photographs and artefacts would be on display.“You’ll be able to see a range of photos of the mill from over the last 100 years,” he said.“We have rare photos o..
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Russia says missile move a routine drill

Russia has moved nuclear-capable Iskander-M missiles into the Kaliningrad region bordering Poland and Lithuania, the Defence Ministry says, adding this was part of routine drills involving such missiles across its territory."These missile units have been deployed more than once (in the Kaliningrad region)... and will be deployed as part of military training of the Russian armed forces," ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement on Saturday.A US intelligence official said on Friday ..
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Pallet creations to make stacks at FNQ auction

PALLETS and power tools do not seem like life-changing objects, but for Cairns woman Sharon Hine they have turned her life around. Ms Hine was in a motorcycle accident almost 10 years ago, which rendered her unable to go back to work as a financial planner. “My leg was broken in half, my collarbone was broken in half, I broke my hand and my foot, I’ve had to have my achilles tendon cut to lengthen my muscles,” she said.She now spends her time transforming old wooden pallets into works of art wit..
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I pledge to be a better man: Trump

US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump says his lewd comments about women were "wrong" and he pledges to "be a better man"."I said it. I was wrong. I apologise," Trump says in a video statement he posted on Facebook. "People who know me know this isn't me."Trump says he has changed, and the story about the comments he made is "nothing more than a distraction from the important issues we are facing today".Originally published as I pledge to be a better man: Trump
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Struggle Street fined for Brisbane filming

The producers of controversial SBS documentary series Struggle Street have been fined for filming on council land without a permit in Brisbane's west.Brisbane City Council issued the $609 penalty after two crew members were caught shooting on a footpath at Skylark Street, Inala, on Friday afternoon, following a complaint.Lord mayor Graham Quirk said social and economic disadvantage were important issues, but "after seeing series one of Struggle Street, I do not believe this is an informed or bal..
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Alun Cairns' comments unwise and baseless, Carwyn Jones says

Image caption Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns The first minister has called on the Welsh secretary to apologise for comments he made about Plaid Cymru. Carwyn Jones has said Alun Cairns' attempt to link Plaid with action against migrants into Welsh-speaking communities was "unwise and baseless". Mr Cairns made the comments on the BBC's Question Time programme on Thursday. A spokesman for Mr Cairns declined to comment.Writing on Twitter, First Minister Mr ..
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Pharmaceutical lobby groups may delay codeine ruling .	Sister and nursing home ask strangers to stop visiting Tarzan .
Customers want H & M, Max Brenner, Aldi and Ikea in Cairns .	Royal commission: Monsignor John Usher denies protecting Cardinal George Pell .

PlayStation VR: should you buy it? and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Mon, 24 Oct 2016 08:46:00 +0000

PlayStation VR: should you buy it?
The Sony PlayStation VR headset started shipping to Australians today. New shipments are expected to arrive on November 3. Picture: AP Photo/Eugene HoshikoJennifer Dudley-NicholsonNews Corp Australia NetworkTETHERED to my space ship, inspecting the dials and gripping the controls, I readied myself for battle. My flight crew regaled me with stories of my last death as the machine burst forward, barrelling down a tunnel and ejecting into space.Joysticks moved me left, right, twisted my ship on its..
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Deal: get the Motorola Moto Z Droid from Best Buy and get a $250 gift card

If you have been eyeing the Motorola Moto Z Droid but held off a purchase until a good deal rears its head, then Best Buy has the perfect promotion for you. For a limited time, the retailer is offering a $250 gift card with Moto Z Droid purchases. To qualify for the offer, you’ll have to purchase a Motorola Moto Z Droid on either a 2-year contract or a payment plan with Verizon. The first option will cost you 24 monthly payments of $26 while the latter requires you to pay $201 up front. Obviousl..
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The future of motorbikes

The self-balancing BMW Motorrad Vision Next 100 concept motorcycle. Picture: David McnewTHE motorcycle of the future is so safe riders can cruise sans helmet — all of the thrills with none of the danger — according to BMW.The German automaker unveiled Tuesday its Motorrad Vision Next 100, a sleek, self-balancing prototype the company released as part of its 100th anniversary celebrations.The zero-emissions bike has self-balancing wheels designed to stand upright even at a complete stop, stabilit..
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Galaxy Note7 fiasco could start Android turf war

Samsung Electronics’s abandonment of the Galaxy Note7 due to safety concerns will likely touch off a turf war among Android smartphone makers, analysts said, presenting them a rare opportunity to gain share but with less room for archrival Apple. Consumers tend to commit to their choice between Apple's iOS operating system for smartphones and Google’s Android, leaving Samsung’s fellow Android manufacturers such as LG Electronics and Alphabet's Google in prime position to strike. Both have newly..
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Consortium announces first 'space nation'

A plan to create a new nation in space could blast off in the next 18 months.A GROUP of scientists, engineers, businessmen, and lawyers has unveiled plans for the “first nation state in space” in an ambitious bid to become the guardians of Earth. Dubbed Asgardia after a mythical city in the sky ruled by Odin in Norse mythology, the country will consist of at least one satellite launched into orbit as early as next year, according to those aiming to create the world’s newest member.The project’s ..
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2016 HYUNDAI ELANTRA SR TURBO LAUNCH REVIEW

Paul Murrell’s first drive 2017 Hyundai Elantra SR Turbo review with pricing, specs, ride and handling, safety, verdict and score.In a nutshell: Hyundai’s Elantra is a very competent small sedan, but the SR Turbo makes it more appealing to driver’s who still enjoy driving.HYUNDAI ELANTRA SR TURBOPricing – from $28,990 (+ORC, 6-speed manual), $31,290 (+ORC, 7-speed DCT auto) Warranty – 5 years, unlimited kilometres Engine – 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol Power/Torque – 150kW/265Nm T..
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Tinder can now automatically figure out your hottest photo to get you more matches

Tinder is launching a new feature called “smart photos” which will figure out your most attractive photos and reorder your profile so you’re more likely to get matches. The feature works by continuously varying which of your photos appear first, then examining the results. This constant testing means that the app can figure out which photo is the most likely to result in a right-swipe, Tinder’s version of a like. Tinder says smart photos has been in testing and resulted in a 12% increase in mat..
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Apple responds to pic-sharing claims

Apple store staff sacked after photo scandal0:26Four Queensland Apple store staff have been sacked after stealing explicit photos off customer's phones. Courtesy: 7 News The Apple Store at Carindale Shopping Centre in Brisbane.STAFF at a Brisbane Apple store have been fired after they were caught stealing and rating customers’ pictures as part of a photo-sharing ring.Dozens of photos were taken of female staff and customers while others were lifted from some Apple customers’ phones, it has emer..
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Report blows whistle on cybersecurity

A recent report on cybersecurity from the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) has warned that Australia could expect a major cyber-attack within three years. According to the report, authorities have investigated 1,095 cyber security incidents over the past 18 months — the work of hacktivists, cyber criminals and foreign States. Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Cyber Security, Dan Tehan said the threat of a cyber-attack from terrorists was currently ranked low in Australia. "Islami..
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Mobility scooter driver dies in hospital from injuries after being hit by car, serious crash in Coober Pedy .	Cairns alleged stabbing: Woman dies, man seriously injured at ... .
Australian-first artificial insemination experiment hopes to save shark species .	LG V20: Price, Release Date, Specs And Features Compared To Google Pixel .

ACT election: Results trickle in as polling booths close across Canberra and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 17:02:00 +0000

ACT election: Results trickle in as polling booths close across Canberra
ACT election: Results trickle in as polling booths close across Canberra Updated October 15, 2016 19:00:34 Polling booths in the ACT election have closed and counting is underway, with early results indicating a moderate swing against the governing Labor Party.A record 83,000 Canberrans cast their votes in pre-poll this election, many more via postal vote, and results have begun to form a picture of what the next ACT Legislative Assembly will look like.Labor Chief Minis..
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Great Barrier Reef climate history unlocked as CSIRO maps offshore Queensland Basin

Great Barrier Reef climate history unlocked as CSIRO maps offshore Queensland Basin Updated October 15, 2016 16:38:18 Scientists from the CSIRO are using cutting-edge technology to map the seafloor of the Queensland Basin to understand how the Great Barrier Reef responded to past climate change events.While the reef is one of the world's most studied ecosystems, its depths could still hold many surprises, including how resilient it might be in the future.Scientists on t..
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Gable Tostee trial: Jury urged to focus on recording of 'key six minutes'

The Supreme Court jury deciding accused murderer Gable Tostee's fate has been told the audio recording he made on the night of his alleged victim's death is the only thing that matters in their decision.Depending whose interpretation jurors agreed with, it either proved his guilt or showed his innocence in New Zealand tourist Warriena Wright's death. More News Videos Previous slide Next slide Jury urged to consider Warriena's fear Christmas shopping hours exte..
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Double stabbing at McDonald's

TWO men have been stabbed at a McDonald’s in Sydney’s south west.The men were attacked at Bass Hill McDonald’s, on the Hume Hwy, about 3.35pm.A 28-year-old man was stabbed in the back, and a 26-year-old man suffered stab wounds to his chest and face.Both men were taken to Liverpool Hospital in a stable condition.media_cameraThe injured man is wheeled away on a stretcher after being stabbed. Picture: Top Notchmedia_cameraPolice closed off the entrance to the McDonald’s as they investigated the do..
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Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull in favour of NSW Liberal Party preselection overhaul

Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull in favour of NSW Liberal Party preselection overhaul Updated October 15, 2016 14:38:38 Former prime minister Tony Abbott has made a passionate case for giving grassroots Liberal Party members more control over who enters parliament, as Malcolm Turnbull indicates his support for a major overhaul. Key points:NSW Liberal Party locked in factional fight over preselection processConservatives say powerbrokers have too much say over candidatesAb..
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Whale calf rescued from shark net as debate rages over NSW beach safety

The Baird government's decision to drop its opposition to shark nets for the state's northern beaches ignored recommendations of one of its own departments and the scientific consensus, experts say.The unintended impacts of shark mesh was on show on Saturday, with a juvenile humpback whale becoming entangled in a net near Coolangatta on the Gold Coast. The calf's mother helped keep the animal near the surface long enough for a patrol to arrive and cut the whale free. More News Video..
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Australian cinematographer Nathan Tomlinson charged with multiple child sex offences

An award-winning Australian cameraman has been remanded in custody after he was charged with multiple child sex offences.Nathan Tomlinson has worked on Hollywood blockbusters and earlier this year, was nominated for an Emmy for his aerial cinematography on Life on the Reef – a documentary about the Great Barrier Reef. A still from the program, Life on the Reef. Photo: Supplied But on Friday, the 36 year old was arrested by Redfern-based officers and detectives from the State Crime Comman..
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'I can't believe how dumb they are': Crown employees detained in China

Chinese authorities have detained 18 employees of billionaire James Packer's Crown Resorts, including three top Australian executives, in a co-ordinated police operation targeting the gaming giant's marketing activities in China.Most senior among those detained was Jason O'Connor, the company's Executive General Manager in charge of international VIP services. Jason O'Connor Photo: Supplied Mr O'Connor, who is among the casino company's top executives, heads up a program designed to lur..
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Migrants at higher risk of problem gambling: report

Foreign-born Australians are in far greater danger of developing a destructive gambling addiction, research reveals.A report from the Australian Institute of Family Studies has found the stress of moving to a new country, and the shame associated with gambling in some cultures, increases the risk of new arrivals becoming problem gamblers. Migrants have a higher chance of risky gambling, research shows. Photo: Peter Braig It cites research that gamblers from Arabic, Chinese and Greek com..
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AFP seizes 1.2 tonnes of MDMA in Sydney raid, two men charged

AFP seizes 1.2 tonnes of MDMA in Sydney raid, two men charged By Liv Casben and Kathleen Calderwood Updated October 15, 2016 16:11:12 Police have charged two Polish men in connection with the seizure of 1.2 tonnes of drugs in Sydney â the biggest haul in the country this year.The Australian Federal Police (AFP) seized the massive haul of MDMA, the equivalent of about 4 million tablets, during a raid on a storage facility in Hornsby, in Sydney's north.The drugs, ..
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ACCC pitches fuel price plan but Cairns campaigner sceptical .	Mobility scooter driver dies in hospital from injuries after being hit by car, serious crash in Coober Pedy .
Cairns alleged stabbing: Woman dies, man seriously injured at ... .	Australian-first artificial insemination experiment hopes to save shark species .

European Space Agency accused of 'having a problem with promoting women' and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 15:28:00 +0000

European Space Agency accused of 'having a problem with promoting women'

A leading space scientist has accused the European Space Agency of having a “problem with promoting women” that has led to men holding almost every top job at the agency. Rita Schulz, who was the lead scientist on the Rosetta comet-chasing mission from 2007 to 2013, also told the Guardian that she had been “shafted” by management when she was dropped from the historic project six months before its culmination. The German scientist, who was ESA’s first and only female project scientist at the t..
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Support for world-leading action on climate change skyrockets

Public support for world-leading, federal government-level action on climate change has bounced back, according to a new poll, as people perceive environmental impacts around them and support a larger role for renewable energy production.According to the Climate Institute's Climate of the Nation poll, 65 per cent of Australians want their country to lead the world on finding solutions, a significant increase since the time of divisive debates about the Gillard government's carbon tax. ..
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End Of The World Asteroid Hurtling Toward Earth, Would Impact With The Force Of 3 Billion Nukes

A giant killer asteroid estimated to be as big as 10 miles wide is heading toward Earth, astronomers are saying. It is moving at such a high rate of speed that its impact, if it were to hit the Earth, would deliver the destructive force of 3 billion nuclear bombs. The Daily Star reported this week that a massive killer asteroid, one that could be as big as 10 miles across, is headed in Earth’s direction, but astronomers have yet to pinpoint its exact trajectory through the Solar System, so esti..
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Vikings Took Cats on Their Voyages, DNA Study Shows

Vikings were hardy people who valued self-reliance and strength of will. But that doesn’t mean they were immune to the lure of feline companionship. A new study on cat DNA and linage shows that as well as ruling in Egypt and the Mediterranean, cats were welcomed aboard Viking ships. In the new study, samples were taken the remains of cats that date to as recently as the 18th century and as far back as the early Stone Age, around 8,900 to 3,900 years ago, when Europeans had not yet adopted farmi..
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China starts up world's largest single-dish radio telescope

The world’s largest radio telescope has begun operating in south-western China, a project Beijing says will help humanity search for alien life. The five-hundred-metre aperture spherical radio telescope (acronym: Fast), nestled between hills in the mountainous region of Guizhou, began working about noon on Sunday, the official news agency, Xinhua, reported. Built at a cost of 1.2bn yuan (£138m), the telescope dwarfs the Arecibo observatory in Puerto Rico to become the world’s largest single-dis..
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How the moon and big tides could be a trigger for big earthquakes

It’s one of the most enduring mysteries in earthquake science: Why do small earthquakes stay small, while others grow into monsters?A group of researchers offered a partial, but tantalizing answer this month: The moon and big tides. How does this work?The scientists zeroed in on times of high tidal stress, which can occur twice a month, during the full moon and new moon. During these moments, high tides are at their highest — flooding the tallest reaches of a beach — and about six hours later,..
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Are We Running Out Of Oxygen? Scientists Found Baffling Drop In Earth's Athmospheric Oxygen Level

Sep 25, 2016 04:00 AM EDT A new research has revealed that the amount of atmospheric oxygen has dropped over the past million years or so. Is it something to be worried about? Scientists of Princeton University gathered some ancient ice core samples from Antarctica and Greenland to explain this drop. Their findings were published in the journal Science.In detail, the world has lost 0.7 percent atmospheric oxygen over the past 800,000 years. Even more alarming is the oxygen sink, processes tha..
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Ig Nobel science awards recognise scientist who lived as a goat and polyester's role in the sex lives of rats

Scientific research into how polyester pants affect the sex life of rats, what it's like for a human to live like a goat and the perceived personality of rocks were all honoured at this year's Ig Nobel spoof awards.The awards also took a dig at Volkswagen, lauding it in chemistry for its ability to engineer its vehicles to produce fewer emissions just "whenever the cars are being tested". Thomas Thwaites, left, accepts the Ig Nobel prize in biology from Nobel laureate Eric Maskin while wea..
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'Surprising Jupiter activity': What will NASA reveal? (POLL)

NASA have found evidence of âsurprising activityâ on Jupiterâs icy moon, Europa, and speculation as to what the space agency is preparing to reveal has gone into overdrive. Last week, NASA announced that they will be holding a media call on Monday (September 26) at 2 p.m. EDT to reveal new findings and images captured by the Hubble Space Telescope which contains “surprising evidence of activity” on Europa.Despite the massive alien spoiler, Twitter users appear more convince..
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Elon Musk looks to Mars as Earthbound businesses hit a snag

by Dana Hull When Elon Musk takes the stage of the 67th International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, it won't be to rehash terrestrial concerns like a fatal Tesla autopilot crash or a poorly received merger proposal. Instead, the space and electric-car entrepreneur will be talking about realising his boyhood dream: going to Mars.Musk's keynote address, entitled 'Making Humans a Multiplanetary Species', will tackle the technical challenges and "potential arc..
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Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service executives ... .	Greyhound racing ban taskforce interim report suggests 19000 dogs may need rehoming .
Charlotte police shooting: Family says video is unclear on reported gun .	NRL finals 2016: Raiders backrower Elliott Whitehead free for preliminary final after escaping charge for tackle .

'How could this happen in Australia?': Cairns cafe worker responds ... and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 16:05:00 +0000

'How could this happen in Australia?': Cairns cafe worker responds ...
Former refugee Josie Ajak, 20, was on shift last week at the busy Gloria Jeans cafe in central Cairns when a female customer refused her assistance, instead requesting her to âget a white ladyâ to serve. Ms Ajak, who arrived in Australia as a refugee in 2004 after her family fled wartown Sudan, said she was "completely stunned" by the woman's reaction, having earlier greeted her with a smile. "I was shocked but I responded very kindly, I said thatâs fine and just moved her to the side and..
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Queensland health job losses in Cairns, Townsville predicted for ...

Jobs in health will be lost in Cairns and Townsville over the next year, the Together union has told a parliamentary committee hearing into an industrial relations bill.Union secretary Alex Scott said "there has definitely been job losses in Cairns hospital, Cairns health district service, and based on the budget figures there's also likely to be job losses in the Townsville health service as well". Job losses predicted have been predicted in Cairns, Together Union's Alex Scott says. Photo..
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5000 expected at Cairns' Fogarty Park for second Grass is Greener

UPDATE: The Grass is Greener Cairns has sold out after music lovers from across the state snapped up the last tickets online. Organisers broke the news via Facebook this morning:“HUGE NEWS! Cairns just sold out, much love to everyone who has bought a ticket! Who’s excited for the weekend?” the post read.--------Earlier, the Cairns Post reported: CAIRNS’ second The Grass is Greener is tipped to be a sell-out, despite getting off to a rocky start.Cairns Regional Council initially tried to ban the ..
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Extra Hong Kong flights to add $35m to Cairns economy

TOURISM is on target for a $35 million boost with Hong Kong Airlines adding a further two flights a week to Cairns later this year.The services, from Hong Kong via the Gold Coast, will arrive on Tuesday and Saturday on top of the current Wednesday, Friday and Sunday services.It is estimated the 292-seat A330 flights will bring up to 30,000 more visitors to the region each year.Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Tourism and Major Events Minister Kate Jones said the flights would boost the “highly ..
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Cardboard compactor catches alight at Cairns Central

FIRE crews have extinguished a blaze which started in a compactor in the cardboard crushing area at Cairns Central.Emergency services were called to the shopping centre just after 10am with reports of large amounts smoke issuing from the area where the compactor was located.A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokeswoman said crews had to move the compactor about 30m away due to the smoke.She said most of the smoke had now been cleared and the air conditioning system at the shopping centre ..
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Cairns Base Hospital welcomes new doctors from the UK

YOUNG doctors are migrating from the UK to Cairns to join their friends who moved for the city’s warmer weather and friendly hospital. Catrin Evans moved to the Far North two weeks ago and said she was already hoping for a long stay.“The vibe that I get is that Australians care for their doctors a bit more than they do in the UK, which is nice,” she said.“I’ve got loads of friends that I used to work with in the UK who are dotted around Australia and we’ve all come out for the same reasons.”Cair..
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Cairns overnight media wrap, Wednesday October 12

Drug and property charges, Cairns: A 20-year-old Earlville man who was arrested yesterday morning at Bayview Heights and charged with 11 property and driving offences has had further charges preferred. As a result of further investigations undertaken following yesterday’s arrest, the man was additionally charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle, possession of a dangerous drug and stealing. He is scheduled to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court later this month to face these and other cha..
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Labor votes against plebiscite on legalisation of same-sex marriage

THE Cairns LGBTI community is concerned it will have to wait up to four years for a decision on the legalisation of same-sex marriage.Yesterday, Federal Labor voted unanimously not to support the same-sex marriage plebiscite legislation in Parliament.Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull promised a public vote on legalising same-sex marriage if the Coalition won the last election.But Labor said any public debate could cause unnecessary vilification of LGBTI people and could be solved via a free vote..
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Solo yachtsman runs aground on reef during around the world attempt

AUTHORITIES have questioned how a yachtsman ran aground on the Great Barrier Reef during an attempt to sail around the world. A 67-year-old New South Wales man was rescued from Cairns Reef, about 46km southeast of Cooktown, early Sunday morning after his 11m yacht struck the reef and started taking on water.When the vessel keeled over about 7.30am, he sent out a distress call.The call was answered by crew on board a passing Australian Border Force’s patrol vessel, the Storm Bay, about 9am, which..
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Miss Teen Australia contest comes to Cairns

TWENTY-FOUR aspiring models will land in Cairns early next year for a shot at being crowned Miss Teen Australia. Platinum Model Management chief executive Jade Turnbull said the competition would focus on the inner beauty of the competitors.“The competition is about being a role model, leading by example, having good morals, and doing good deeds,” she said.“We have secret judges backstage who the girls think are just supervisors, but they’re there checking that the girls are being nice to each o..
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LG V20: Price, Release Date, Specs And Features Compared To Google Pixel .	Bathurst 1000: What's at stake in Red Bull's penalty protest that cost Jamie Whincup victory? .
Air strikes targeting Syrian civilians amount to crimes against humanity, UN chief warns Russia .	Woman tortured over several hours in Cairns house, police allege .

Queensland health job losses in Cairns, Townsville predicted for ... and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 14:09:00 +0000

Queensland health job losses in Cairns, Townsville predicted for ...
Jobs in health will be lost in Cairns and Townsville over the next year, the Together union has told a parliamentary committee hearing into an industrial relations bill.Union secretary Alex Scott said "there has definitely been job losses in Cairns hospital, Cairns health district service, and based on the budget figures there's also likely to be job losses in the Townsville health service as well". Job losses predicted have been predicted in Cairns, Together Union's Alex Scott says. Photo..
>> view original

5000 expected at Cairns' Fogarty Park for second Grass is Greener

UPDATE: The Grass is Greener Cairns has sold out after music lovers from across the state snapped up the last tickets online. Organisers broke the news via Facebook this morning:“HUGE NEWS! Cairns just sold out, much love to everyone who has bought a ticket! Who’s excited for the weekend?” the post read.--------Earlier, the Cairns Post reported: CAIRNS’ second The Grass is Greener is tipped to be a sell-out, despite getting off to a rocky start.Cairns Regional Council initially tried to ban the ..
>> view original

Extra Hong Kong flights to add $35m to Cairns economy

TOURISM is on target for a $35 million boost with Hong Kong Airlines adding a further two flights a week to Cairns later this year.The services, from Hong Kong via the Gold Coast, will arrive on Tuesday and Saturday on top of the current Wednesday, Friday and Sunday services.It is estimated the 292-seat A330 flights will bring up to 30,000 more visitors to the region each year.Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Tourism and Major Events Minister Kate Jones said the flights would boost the “highly ..
>> view original

Cardboard compactor catches alight at Cairns Central

FIRE crews have extinguished a blaze which started in a compactor in the cardboard crushing area at Cairns Central.Emergency services were called to the shopping centre just after 10am with reports of large amounts smoke issuing from the area where the compactor was located.A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokeswoman said crews had to move the compactor about 30m away due to the smoke.She said most of the smoke had now been cleared and the air conditioning system at the shopping centre ..
>> view original

'How could this happen in Australia?': Cairns cafe worker responds ...

Former refugee Josie Ajak, 20, was on shift last week at the busy Gloria Jeans cafe in central Cairns when a female customer refused her assistance, instead requesting her to âget a white ladyâ to serve. Ms Ajak, who arrived in Australia as a refugee in 2004 after her family fled wartown Sudan, said she was "completely stunned" by the woman's reaction, having earlier greeted her with a smile. "I was shocked but I responded very kindly, I said thatâs fine and just moved her to the side and..
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Cairns Base Hospital welcomes new doctors from the UK

YOUNG doctors are migrating from the UK to Cairns to join their friends who moved for the city’s warmer weather and friendly hospital. Catrin Evans moved to the Far North two weeks ago and said she was already hoping for a long stay.“The vibe that I get is that Australians care for their doctors a bit more than they do in the UK, which is nice,” she said.“I’ve got loads of friends that I used to work with in the UK who are dotted around Australia and we’ve all come out for the same reasons.”Cair..
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Labor votes against plebiscite on legalisation of same-sex marriage

THE Cairns LGBTI community is concerned it will have to wait up to four years for a decision on the legalisation of same-sex marriage.Yesterday, Federal Labor voted unanimously not to support the same-sex marriage plebiscite legislation in Parliament.Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull promised a public vote on legalising same-sex marriage if the Coalition won the last election.But Labor said any public debate could cause unnecessary vilification of LGBTI people and could be solved via a free vote..
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Solo yachtsman runs aground on reef during around the world attempt

AUTHORITIES have questioned how a yachtsman ran aground on the Great Barrier Reef during an attempt to sail around the world. A 67-year-old New South Wales man was rescued from Cairns Reef, about 46km southeast of Cooktown, early Sunday morning after his 11m yacht struck the reef and started taking on water.When the vessel keeled over about 7.30am, he sent out a distress call.The call was answered by crew on board a passing Australian Border Force’s patrol vessel, the Storm Bay, about 9am, which..
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Miss Teen Australia contest comes to Cairns

TWENTY-FOUR aspiring models will land in Cairns early next year for a shot at being crowned Miss Teen Australia. Platinum Model Management chief executive Jade Turnbull said the competition would focus on the inner beauty of the competitors.“The competition is about being a role model, leading by example, having good morals, and doing good deeds,” she said.“We have secret judges backstage who the girls think are just supervisors, but they’re there checking that the girls are being nice to each o..
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Sunbus to refuse fares as part of fair work movement

ABOUT 100 Sunbus drivers will refuse to collect fares across Cairns tomorrow as part of a fair work movement. The drivers, who are part of the Transport Workers Union (TWU), are taking part in the action in a bid to have fair pay rises and working conditions.TWU QLD branch secretary Peter Biagini said the action would prevent a full strike, while still sending a message to Sunbus and TAG Australia.“We hope that we can sign an agreement soon and end these actions, but it won’t happen until our me..
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LG V20: Price, Release Date, Specs And Features Compared To Google Pixel .	Bathurst 1000: What's at stake in Red Bull's penalty protest that cost Jamie Whincup victory? .
Air strikes targeting Syrian civilians amount to crimes against humanity, UN chief warns Russia .	Woman tortured over several hours in Cairns house, police allege .

Nurse Garry Davis predicted deaths of aged care patients he is accused of killing and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 07:27:00 +0000

Nurse Garry Davis predicted deaths of aged care patients he is accused of killing
He had the opportunity, he knew the victims and he had the skills.Aged-care nurse Garry Steven Davis was the only person who could have killed two elderly Newcastle nursing home residents with lethal insulin injections over two days in October, 2013, Newcastle Supreme Court has heard. Accused: Garry Steven Davis Photo: supplied And Mr Davis, 29, was also the only one to predict who was going to die next in a series of text messages to two staff members. He faced the first day of a judg..
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'No vacancies' for girl known as MK, 15, who was used and abused, inquest told

State ward MK, 15, died from a drug overdose after she was "used and abused" by those she should have been able to rely upon. Photo: Facebook Carers for a 15-year-old state ward who was allegedly repeatedly raped and died from a drug overdose thought she needed more help but struggled to find the right resources or facilities, an inquest has heard. The troubled teen, identified as MK, had a traumatic history of sexual abuse and injected hard drugs, frequently ran away and probably engag..
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Bali murder accused Sara Connor and David Taylor return to beach for reconstruction

Bali murder accused Sara Connor and David Taylor return to beach for reconstruction Updated August 31, 2016 13:36:01 Australian woman Sara Connor and British man David Taylor, who are accused of murdering an on-duty Bali police officer, have returned to the beach where the alleged crime took place for a reconstruction in front of media. Key pointsCouple are reunited on Bali beach at the scene of Balinese police officer's deathBali police chief says evidence strongly su..
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Three charged over Logan woman Sabrina Bremer's mysterious death

Three charged over Logan woman Sabrina Bremer's mysterious death Updated August 31, 2016 18:15:31 Three people have been charged in relation to the death of Logan woman Sabrina Bremer, whose burnt body was spotted on the side of a road in northern NSW.A 28-year-old Woodridge man and a 27-year-old Kingston woman were both charged with one count each of murder and misconduct with a corpse by interfering.A 38-year-old Wynnum man has been charged with accessory after the fa..
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Perth, WA faces high-risk bushfire season

WA faces a hgih risk of bushfires again this summer, with below-average rainfall predicted for spring in south-west Australia.IT may have felt like a wet winter but the outskirts of Perth and large parts of WA still face a higher than average risk of bushfires this summer.Below-average rainfall is predicted for spring in south-west Australia, which would exacerbate the bushfire potential, the nation’s fire authorities suggested on Wednesday in the Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for Southern Australia..
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High Court rules foreign workers require Australian visas for offshore projects

High Court rules foreign workers require Australian visas for offshore projects Posted August 31, 2016 18:30:44 The Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) is hailing a High Court decision it says will protect local jobs and prevent the exploitation of foreign workers in the offshore oil and gas industry.The Court has ruled that Federal Government measures to allow foreign labour on offshore facilities are invalid. Unions had argued that the move provided incentives for com..
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Labor fails on push for bank commission

Elise ScottAustralian Associated PressFederal Labor has failed to convince parliament to push for a royal commission into Australia's banking sector.Opposition Leader Bill Shorten on Wednesday called on parliament to recognise that scandals by the banks had ripped off Australians, including retirees.Outspoken independent MP Bob Katter backed the move.But Nationals MP George Christensen launched a counter move, amending the Mr Shorten's motion to note the coalition's commitment to cracking down o..
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Masters fire sale to start Monday .	Brad Arthur Reveals Two Key Players For 2017 .
Hope fading for central Italy earthquake victims .	Paul Roos coaches his final game at Melbourne on Saturday, his legacy secure .

Telstra takes swipe at Vodafone, urges shareholders to protest domestic roaming changes and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Sun, 16 Oct 2016 12:41:00 +0000

Telstra takes swipe at Vodafone, urges shareholders to protest domestic roaming changes
Telstra chairman John Mullen has taken a swipe at rival Vodafone, saying it is seeking a "cheap ride" with its push for other telcos' customers to use Telstra's mobile network in regional areas. Speaking at the telecommunications group's annual general meeting in Sydney on Tuesday, Mr Mullen said an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's inquiry into domestic roaming, launched last month, posed a threat to shareholder value and urged investors to make their concerns known to the regul..
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US Fed Charles Evans a 'student of 70s hyperinflation' says world has changed

US Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago president Charles Evans: "The world has changed." Louie Douvis One of the Federal Reserve's more dovish policy makers, Charles Evans, accepts that a rate hike in December would be "reasonable" but believes the US economy needs monetary stimulus for longer to make sure inflation goes up.In an exclusive and wide-ranging interview with The Australian Financial Review during his two week visit to Australia and New..
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NSW Premier Mike Baird admits he 'got it wrong' after backflip on greyhound racing ban

NSW Premier Mike Baird admits he 'got it wrong' after backflip on greyhound racing ban Updated October 11, 2016 19:33:12 New South Wales Premier Mike Baird says he ditched a ban on greyhounds because he "got it wrong" and believes the majority of the community wants the industry to have a second chance. Key points:$1,500 bond for every dog bred, breeding to be capped to 2,000 and number of tracks reducedTough penalties will be introduced and increased funding for rehom..
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Mid 40s: This is the age you need to own a home by in Australia

Buying a house is not easy in Australia. Our property is extremely expensive even outside of the major cities like Sydney and Melbourne. Just saving for the deposit is hard enough.And now a report has come out of Swinburne University causing further stress for those looking down the barrel at 40 and still renting.According to the study, Security in retirement: the impact of housing and key critical life events, conducted by Swinburne University, if you haven’t accumulated the savings by 45 to bu..
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Chinese demand for Australian property holding up: HSBC

Demand for loans from Chinese investors in Australian real estate is holding up, says Asia-focused bank HSBC, despite the local banks clamping down on foreigner property buyers.Chinese buyers of Australian property have surged in recent years, investment approvals show, such that an abrupt slowdown in demand from China is now seen as a potential risk to house prices in some markets, especially inner-city apartments in Sydney and Melbourne. More Property Videos Previous slide Next ..
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Treasurer angry at BP's Bight pull-out

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NAB reviews systems after third outage

Australian Associated PressNational Australia Bank is conducting what it calls a thorough review of its systems after a third outage in a week left customers unable to use internet and mobile banking.The lender, whose ATMs, payments and online and mobile banking services had already suffered across two previous incidents, had to apologise again to customers on Tuesday.Customers were unable to make some payments or access their accounts remotely for several hours.Systems were restored by 1350 AED..
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3 cheap dividend shares to smash Transurban Group

With interest rates at record low levels and looking as though they could yet drop lower, income investors have been piling into popular dividend shares such as Sydney Airport Holdings Ltd (ASX: SYD) and Transurban Group (ASX: TCL). Unfortunately this ...
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Two hundred jobs as coal mine reopens

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Consumer groups slam new life insurance code

Consumer groups and insurance lawyers have criticised a new life insurance code of conduct, saying it fails to protect people from unethical behaviour and only covers a fraction of the industry. The code, released by industry group the Financial Services Council, does not cover people with life insurance policies held through their super fund, about 70 per cent of policyholders. More Business Videos Previous slide Next slide 'It felt like a pitch fork in my chest' ..
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Bathurst 1000: What's at stake in Red Bull's penalty protest that cost Jamie Whincup victory? .	Air strikes targeting Syrian civilians amount to crimes against humanity, UN chief warns Russia .
Woman tortured over several hours in Cairns house, police allege .	Pharmaceutical lobby groups may delay codeine ruling .

ACCC pitches fuel price plan but Cairns campaigner sceptical and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 09:34:00 +0000

ACCC pitches fuel price plan but Cairns campaigner sceptical
CAIRNS motorists could soon know exactly how much they should be paying for petrol as the competition watchdog devises a plan to make the fuel market more transparent. Using data gathered in four in-depth regional studies, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims has told the Cairns Post hehopes to publish a “ready reckoner” early next year.It will show the reasonable additional amount a motorist can expect to be charged in any given town.Mr Sims said the ACCC may be able..
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Perth Wildcats vs Cairns Taipans: Wildcats win overtime epic

Match result: The Cairns Taipans have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in their first match of the 2016-17 NBL season, going down to the Perth Wildcats on the road by ten points in a match that went to overtime. The Taipans held the lead into the last minute, and the last handful of seconds but an incredible shot from Jaron Johnson in the last two seconds from behind the arc would tie the game up and send it to overtime. From there, the Wildcats played their best minutes of basketball..
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Digital revolution underway at Cairns Hospital with eHealth system

WHEN Cyclone Yasi loomed off the Far Northern coastline in February 2011, patients and staff were forced out of Cairns Hospital in the largest peacetime evacuation of a hospital in Queensland history.There were scenes of patients being rushed from the hospital with their medical records literally strapped to their chests. It was the only way to ensure their bulky paperwork did not go astray.It is chaotic scenes like this we are likely to never see again following Cairns Hospital’s changeover to ..
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Baumann launches legal action over Mission Beach stinger net horror

PARENTS of a Swiss boy who had three fingers amputated after an accident involving stinger nets at Mission Beach are suing Cassowary Coast Regional Council and the net operators for $1.6 million in compensation.Marvin Baumann was four and holidaying with his family at South Mission Beach on April 24, 2012, when his right hand got caught in the pulley that adjusted the position of stinger nets.Stinger nets are moved several times a day due to the tide to ensure protection for swimmers. At the tim..
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Shades of 2003 as FNQ's Lake Tinaroo slowly fades from view

AS THE Far North’s iconic Lake Tinaroo continues to recede, residents can’t help but cast their minds back to 2003. The Tablelands dam has dropped to 45 per cent capacity and resembles a shadow of its typical springtime self.One part of the lake remains open to waterskiers after a six-knot speed limit was imposed by Maritime Safety Queensland this week.But it could be worse.Lake Tinaroo dropped to 25 per cent in 2003, sparking a blanket ban on waterskiing and untold headaches for farmers.While a..
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Manhunt underway after officer assaulted in Manunda

A POLICE officer has been assaulted and a manhunt is underway around Raintrees Tavern, Manunda.The incident happened shortly after 11am, and the male officer was later seen being loaded in to an ambulance on a stretcher.A police media spokesman said the injured officer was “conscious and breathing” but had several head injuries.Multiple police vehicles are now patrolling the area, searching for the offender, and witnesses are being interviewed.
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Drone technology to monitor sharks off WA

Drones will be used at West Australian beaches in a three-month trial to monitor shark activity and potentially spot other dangers such as rips and schools of bait fish, which attract the predators.Under the plan, $88,000 will be provided for four small drones equipped with a high-definition camera to stream live pictures back to Surf Life Saving WA operators at some metropolitan and regional beaches.Fisheries Minister Joe Francis said the trial was part of the state government's $33 million Sha..
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Anti-kidney cancer drugs give hope

A combination treatment of two immunotherapy drugs may prove an effective new weapon against advanced kidney cancer, results from a US trial have shown.Scientists found that 40 per cent of patients treated with nivolumab and ipilimumab experienced a significant reduction in the size of their tumours.In a tenth of these patients the cancer appeared to have vanished. There was no detectable sign of disease.The CheckMate -016 study was an early Phase I trial chiefly designed to investigate doses an..
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Dylan and Stones play Desert Trip festival

Mick Jagger has told the boomer-heavy crowd at the Desert Trip music festival, which boasts a legendary lineup of septuagenarians, that he wasn't going to ``do a bunch of age jokes.''Then the 73-year-old Rolling Stones front man referred to the three-day event as ``the Palm Springs retirement home for genteel English musicians.''The festival features Paul McCartney and (non-Brit) Neil Young performing Saturday night. The Who and Roger Waters play Sunday.The Stones brought literal and figurative ..
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Russia vetoes call to end Aleppo bombing

Russia has vetoed a French-drafted United Nations Security Council resolution that would have demanded an immediate end to air strikes and military flights over Syria's Aleppo city and called for a truce and humanitarian aid access throughout Syria.It is the fifth time Russia has vetoed a UN resolution on Syria during the more than five-year conflict. The previous four times Moscow was backed by Beijing, but on Saturday China abstained from the vote.Angola also abstained, while Venezuela joined ..
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Pharmaceutical lobby groups may delay codeine ruling .	Sister and nursing home ask strangers to stop visiting Tarzan .
Customers want H & M, Max Brenner, Aldi and Ikea in Cairns .	Royal commission: Monsignor John Usher denies protecting Cardinal George Pell .

Mobility scooter driver dies in hospital from injuries after being hit by car, serious crash in Coober Pedy and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 13:36:00 +0000

Mobility scooter driver dies in hospital from injuries after being hit by car, serious crash in Coober Pedy
THE occupant of a car who was thrown clear in a single car roll over South of Coober Pedy had died at the scene.Emergency services received calls of the car rollover just after 4.30pm on Saturday near Ingomar rest stop and responded to find one occupant of the car thrown clear during the roll over.A second occupant was trapped inside the car for a period of time before being freed and receiving medical treatment.Additional CFS and SES units were called to the scene to clear a landing strip for a..
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Woman dead, child hurt in NSW jet ski crash

Woman dead, child hurt in NSW jet ski crash Updated October 08, 2016 15:25:52 Police are trying to find out what caused a jet ski crash which left a woman dead and a child in hospital on the New South Wales mid-north coast.A boat and a jet ski collided on the Nerong Inlet at Nerong, south of Forster, about 5.30pm on Friday.A 54-year-old woman, who was driving the jet ski, was killed and her eight-year-old passenger was flown to the John Hunter Hospital in a stable condi..
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Political timebomb: Baird's greyhound ban backlash

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Victoria weather: Wangaratta residents return home after levee leak

Victoria weather: Wangaratta residents return home after levee leak Updated October 08, 2016 15:33:44 Residents have returned to their homes after officials managed to stabilise a levee that began to leak at Wangaratta, in northern Victoria. About 150 properties were evacuated after the Parfitt Road levee began to leak on Friday. State Emergency Service (SES) officials and volunteers worked overnight on Friday to plug the leak, incident controller Andy Gillham said...
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Man dies, twin survives as ute rolls down embankment into Victorian river

The ute rolled at least seven metres, authorities said. (9NEWS) A man lost his twin brother when the ute they were travelling in rolled down an embankment in West Gippsland last night.Twin brothers Mark and Dale Lewis were driving down Evans Road in Bunyip about 9.30pm when Mark lost control of the vehicle.The ute tumbled seven metres down an embankment and landed in a river. The driver's body was located by emergency services after six hours. (9NEWS) Dale, who was a passenger, escaped with onl..
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Repeat offender involved in juvenile detention centre fires

Repeat offender involved in juvenile detention centre fires Updated October 08, 2016 17:52:18 Juvenile detainees at Perth's Banksia Hill detention centre have been involved in a disturbance at the facility for the third time in five weeks, damaging a building.Police and firefighters were called to the centre at 10:00pm following reports of unrest.A Department of Corrective Services spokesman said a section of the centre was damaged by three inmates, who had gained acces..
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Queensland to recruit more child safety workers to deal with caseloads

Queensland to recruit more child safety workers to deal with caseloads Posted October 08, 2016 15:40:39 An extra 82 new permanent child safety workers will be employed to lower caseloads in Queensland's troubled Child Safety Department. The State Government said it would spend an extra $7.8 million annually to fund the new positions. The department has been under fire since the death of 12-year-old Logan schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer.Her foster father Rick Thorburn was ..
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Qld community in shock after funeral crash

Melissa GrantAustralian Associated PressAn indigenous community is struggling to cope after a car crashed into a house where mourners were gathered in far north Queensland, killing a woman and injuring 25 others.Police say the tight-knit Kowanyama township is in shock but banding together as nine people remain in hospital with serious injuries.It's alleged a man drove a council-owned vehicle through the front of the home as about 50 people gathered to view the body of a woman, believed to be his..
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Missing 97-year-old Queensland man may be going to Sydney

A 97-year-old man reported missing in Queensland may be on his way to Sydney, police believe.Police are concerned for the welfare of Toowoomba manÂ Emile Matile, who was reported missing from Surfers Paradise on Thursday. Police are concerned for 97-year-old Emile Matile, also known as George, who went missing from Surfers Paradise. Photo: QPS Media Mr Matile, who may also go by the name George,Â was last seen at an accommodation complex in Surfers Paradise wearing a red cardigan and a s..
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More women likely to have breast cancer screening after death of Rebecca Wilson

Cancer does not discriminate but community awareness of it does.The luminous trail left by sports journalist Rebecca Wilson, who died from breast cancer on Friday, will include a new march of women to screening clinics, jolted by the reminder of their mortality. Rebecca Wilson died from breast cancer on Friday. Photo: Craig Wilson Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting Australian women, with 300 cases per 100,000 women, but survival rates are high when it is detected early.The..
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Pharmaceutical lobby groups may delay codeine ruling .	Sister and nursing home ask strangers to stop visiting Tarzan .
Customers want H & M, Max Brenner, Aldi and Ikea in Cairns .	Royal commission: Monsignor John Usher denies protecting Cardinal George Pell .

Cairns alleged stabbing: Woman dies, man seriously injured at ... and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 12:13:00 +0000

Cairns alleged stabbing: Woman dies, man seriously injured at ...
Cairns alleged stabbing: Woman dies, man seriously injured at Woree home Updated October 13, 2016 19:01:09 A woman has died and a man has serious injuries after an alleged stabbing in far north Queensland.Emergency services were called to the Woree home about 3:00pm to respond to reports of a domestic disturbance.The woman was found dead inside the home, and the man was taken to the Cairns Base Hospital.Criminal investigation branch detectives and scenes of crime office..
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Second man charged over Cairns assault

Melissa GrantAustralian Associated PressA second man has been charged over a violent assault in Cairns seven weeks ago that left a 35-year-old fighting for his life.The alleged attack happened in the car park of the Skills360 Australia adult education centre in the suburb of Manunda on August 26.A member of the public found the victim unconscious and with life-threatening head injuries as well as breaks to his arms, hands and spine.He is still recovering from his injuries in hospital.A 39-year-o..
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Cairns health service audit call defeated by one vote

A MOTION calling for an audit of the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service backed by Cairns independent MP Rob Pyne has been defeated in Parliament.LNP Opposition Leader John-Paul Langbroek raised a motion directing the Auditor-General to investigate the financial dealings of the health service last night.The motion was defeated 44-43 with Katter’s Australia Party MPs Shane Knuth and Robbie Katter voting against.Mr Pyne said the hospital board was “effectively sacked” on September 19..
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Matthew Dellavedova shows same tenacity as NBA cousin at Cairns ...

MATTHEW Dellavedova will hit the court in Cairns today but this tennis player shares more than just a name with the Milwaukee Bucks NBA star fresh of a championship with Cleveland.The Melbourne-based 16-year-old has recently taken his first steps on the ITF Futures tour in the hope he can eventually build the same international profile of his cousin, just with a different ball.Dellavedova showed the same tenacity and competitiveness as his namesake to earn a Cairns Tennis International Round 2 b..
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Fluoride rejection leaves bad taste in councillor's mouth

CONTROVERSY surrounding water fluoridation has seeped into a Cairns Regional Council decision to sign a memorandum of understanding with Central Queensland University.The council voted to approve the MOU at yesterday’s planning and environment committee meeting in order to continue the “collaborative partnership” with the university “to the benefit of the broader Cairns community”.But Division 5 councillor Richie Bates said he was surprised the council was working with universities after a forma..
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Old planning scheme used to assess Clifton Beach development

A LARGE Clifton Beach development will be assessed under the old town plan, which means residents cannot formally oppose the project.Cairns regional councillors yesterday approved a request by applicant Kenfrost for the development to be assessed under the superseded planning scheme, which was replaced by the new CairnsPlan 2016 in February.Assessing the development under the new plan would have required public notification, as part of the site is now zoned as a conservation area.The whole site ..
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Far North fans set for North Queensland footy windfall

THE Cowboys have given their strongest hint yet they will face South Sydney in Cairns again in 2017, with club supremo Greg Tonner admitting “we have done everything to make sure it happens”.In another boost to rugby league in the Far North, the 2015 premiers look set to again be the “away” team at Barlow Park.The return of North Queensland appears a no-brainer for the league after a crowd of 16,000 attended this year’s NRL fixture against the Rabbitohs.The NRL draw is expected to be released ne..
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Tourist drowns while snorkelling off luxury Far North Queensland ...

A KOREAN tourist has died while snorkelling off a luxury Far North resort.Emergency services were called to Lizard Island, off Cooktown, late yesterday.A police spokeswoman said it is believed the 23-year-old man had been snorkelling with three women off the beach about 4.30pm when he was found floating in the water.She said he was brought back to the beach and bystanders began CPR.The Rescue 510 helicopter attended the scene, but he was later pronounced dead.A report will be prepared for the Co..
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Cairns Taipans look forward to playing Sydney Kings

POINT-GUARD Jarrad Weeks says he will cop coach Aaron Fearne’s assessment the Taipans lacked direction late in their loss to the Perth Wildcats on the chin. Fearne did not mince his words following the heartbreaking loss in the opening game of the NBL season.The long-time Snakes coach said the team needed better leadership, lacked direction and did not know what plays they were running late in the game, a comment directed straight at guards Travis Trice, Cameron Gliddon and Weeks. “I think ever..
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Cyclists choose the bike less ridden on Ride to Work Day

MORE people are being asked to wheel out their bikes and join the 760,000 people who ride to work every week. Redlynch local Rob Mackenzie rode with his wife Celia yesterday morning as part of Ride To Work Day.“I think it’s a great initiative to encourage more people to ride to work,” he said. “I think the council handing out high-visibility vests is great. It means drivers will be able to see us as we’re riding along and keep a safe distance.”Main Roads and Road Safety Minister Mark Bailey said..
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Australian-first artificial insemination experiment hopes to save shark species .	LG V20: Price, Release Date, Specs And Features Compared To Google Pixel .
Bathurst 1000: What's at stake in Red Bull's penalty protest that cost Jamie Whincup victory? .	Air strikes targeting Syrian civilians amount to crimes against humanity, UN chief warns Russia .

Australian-first artificial insemination experiment hopes to save shark species and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 13:45:00 +0000

Australian-first artificial insemination experiment hopes to save shark species
Australian-first artificial insemination experiment hopes to save shark species By Jasmin Midgley Updated October 07, 2016 19:06:35 Marine scientists have taken an unusual and unprecedented step to ensure the future of the critically endangered Australian grey nurse shark.In a first for Australian research, a female shark living in an aquarium on the Sunshine Coast has been artificially inseminated by semen from a male shark housed in a Melbourne Aquarium. Aaron S..
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Hubble reveals Mars-sized plasma balls shooting from a dying star

Data from the Hubble Space Telescope has helped solve the mystery of a seemingly impossible star. The red giant V Hydrae is the wrong type of star to be shedding gigantic "cannonballs" of energetic plasma, but that's exactly what it has been doing once every 8.5 years over the past 400 years. Now on closer examination it appears the culprit is its invisible companion.V Hydrae is an unremarkable star – or should be. Some 1,200 light years from Earth, it's an ancient red giant that long ago burned..
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Whale frees itself following stranding off Queensland's Stradbroke Island

Whale frees itself following stranding off Queensland's Stradbroke Island Updated October 07, 2016 12:27:40 A whale has finally managed to free itself after spending hours stranded on a sandbar in waters off Stradbroke Island, east of Brisbane.A Queensland Parks and Wildlife (QPW) spokesman said they first received reports on Thursday night of a mother and calf stranded on the sandbar at Dunwich, on North Stradbroke Island.He said they managed to free themselves before ..
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Our closest Earthlike planet appears to be "covered" in water

Back in August, astronomers announced the discovery of what appears to be an Earthlike exoplanet orbiting Proxima Centauri - a red dwarf star in our closest neighbouring star system, Alpha Centauri. Named Proxima b, the planet is just 4.25 light-years away, and there were early signs that it’s rocky just like Earth, and is the right distance from its star to sustain liquid water. Now scientists have found evidence that it could in fact be "covered" in oceans of liquid water. Just to put in per..
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Swift parrot egg safe havens a 'bonanza' for endangered species

Swift parrot egg safe havens a 'bonanza' for endangered species Updated October 07, 2016 14:02:47 The sight of eggs in experimental nesting boxes has brought joy to researchers who say it marks a turning point in the fight to save the rare migratory swift parrot from extinction. The species, described as "bigger than a budgerigar but smaller than a rosella", is dispersed through Victoria and New South Wales, but only breed in eastern Tasmania where the logging has reduc..
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Caloundra Cricket Club bowled over by national-standard indoor training facility

Caloundra Cricket Club bowled over by national-standard indoor training facility Published: 7th of October 2016 Comments: Community Sport and Fitness Sunshine Coast Council Caloundra Cricket Club indoor trainingCricketers across the Sunshine Coast have welcomed a new indoor training facility at Caloundra Cricket Club which will be used by local clubs, Cricket Australia and Queensland Bulls for training and events. Division 2 Councillor Tim Dwyer said the new building would benefit all..
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Scientists have trained bees for the very first time

Scientists have trained a bee to pull a string for a reward. Pulling a string is a popular problem-solving task given to animals, but it’s never been tested on insects – until a team from Queen Mary University in London found that bumblebees can be trained. Artificial flowers soaked with sugar water were placed under plastic discs, attached to a string. “Quite quickly”, according to Lars Chittka, the bumblebees were trained to access the sugar water. Look at him go: There’s science to be lea..
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Tech billionaires say we may be living in the MATRIX

The world’s handful of super-rich tech entrepreneurs seem to have it all, with enough cash to develop reusable rockets, shape the entire online world, and run social media empires.But it seems a number of these technology billionaires can’t seem to shake the feeling that none of it is quite real.While some may believe we may be living inside a Matrix-style computer simulation, a small number of these tech giants may be secretly funding research to help break us out.Scroll down for video The lat..
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Apes share cognitive ability of humans' to recognise perspective of others

Apes share cognitive ability of humans' to recognise perspective of others Updated October 07, 2016 13:50:48 Scientists using homemade videos featuring a person in a King Kong costume have documented a remarkable cognitive skill shared by chimpanzees, bonobos and orangutans: the human-like ability to recognise when someone else's beliefs are wrong.The research demonstrated that these great apes â humankind's closest-living evolutionary cousins â possess a capabilit..
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Sister and nursing home ask strangers to stop visiting Tarzan .	Customers want H & M, Max Brenner, Aldi and Ikea in Cairns .
Royal commission: Monsignor John Usher denies protecting Cardinal George Pell .	Report: Shots fired at Abbas's home day after PA president attended Peres funeral .

LG V20: Price, Release Date, Specs And Features Compared To Google Pixel and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 12:22:00 +0000

LG V20: Price, Release Date, Specs And Features Compared To Google Pixel
LG V20 is a lot different from the V10 and more like the better received LG G5. The LG V20 release date in September was the launch event but the phone won’t come out until later this month. The LG V20 has an Android 7.0 Nougat operating system, which is yet to be released so the LG V20 release date will follow the Google OS. Android 7.0 Nougat should start rolling out this month and multiple sources suggest that the LG V20 release date is around October 21. LG V20 will be the first phone that ..
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Google's Pixel is a challenge to other Android phone-makers, not Apple

This week we got our first (official) look at Google's new Pixel smartphones, and predictably much of the discussion has been around how they stack up to or "challenge" Apple's iPhones, and whether they're really Google's "first ever" phones or just Nexus devices by another name.While the Pixel has some obvious physical similarities to the iPhone, and while there were some playful jokes at Apple's expense during Google's presentation (free online storage, headphone jack etc), it's not necessari..
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Victoria the stolen car capital of Australia

Victoria is the stolen car capital of Australia, state government and insurance industry research has found. In the 12 months to June 2016, there were more than 15,000 thefts of passenger and light commercial vehicles, by far the highest of any state or territory, according to the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council. This was a 35 per cent rise on the previous year. More News Videos Previous slide Next slide Police: 'Grand Theft Auto' culture behind attacks ..
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Browser Trends October 2016: Microsoft Edges Downward

In September, we discussed whether the browser wars are over. October’s StatCounter browser statistics provide further evidence for a slow-down … Worldwide Desktop & Tablet Browser Statistics, August to September 2016 The following table shows browser usage movements during the past month. Browser August September change relative Chrome 58.44% 58.89% +0.45% +0.80% Firefox 13.96% 13.66% -0.30% -2.10% IE11 7.52% 7.68% +0.16% +2.10% oldIE 2.30% 2.13% -0.17% -7.40% Edge 2.88% 2.78% -0...
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Samsung just bought a potential Siri-killer from the guys who originally created Siri

Samsung just bought Viv Labs, the startup behind “Viv,” a personal digital assistant that’s supposed to one-up Apple’s famed Siri in smarts, according to a press release. Notably, Viv Labs was founded by Dag Kittlaus, Adam Cheyer and Chris Brigham — three of the inventors of Siri itself. Apple bought Siri in 2010 before introducing it alongside the iPhone 4S in 2011. Thickening the plot even further, it was reported back in May 2016 that Google and Facebook had both made offers for Viv Labs ove..
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Optus joins Australian 5G race

A Nokia AirScale base station. Supplied Singtel-owned telco Optus has joined rivals Telstra and Vodafone to announce trials for 5G services, using its 3.5GHz radio-frequency spectrum. Optus will work with Finnish telco equipment vendor Nokia to build an early prototype next year. Nokia and Optus have already conducted small-scale, closed tests in Sydney. The test used Nokia's AirScale platform and a new 5G radio for fast data speeds..
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Waves of relief after launch of NBN Co's Sky Muster II satellite

After a 24-hour launch delay, the National Broadband Network's second satellite has been successfully deployed and will soon begin providing broadband services to tens of thousands of homes and businesses in rural and remote Australia.The Sky Muster II satellite was carried aloft on board an Ariane 5 rocket decorated with the photos of 700 Australians, winners of NBN's "blast your face into space" contest. The rocket carrying Sky Muster II lifts off. The launch vehicle took off from the ..
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Jeep Renegade scores five star ANCAP rating

The Jeep Renegade has official joined the Grand Cherokee, Cherokee and Patriot in Jeep’s five star safety line up after it was awarded an overall score of 36.41 points out of 37 to give it a maximum 5 stars by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) Achieving perfect scores for the side impact and pole tests, the Jeep Renegade’s whiplash protection was also described as good - the best possible result issued by ANCAP. Critical to the Renegade’s maximum safety rating are a number of ..
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Sister and nursing home ask strangers to stop visiting Tarzan .	Customers want H & M, Max Brenner, Aldi and Ikea in Cairns .
Royal commission: Monsignor John Usher denies protecting Cardinal George Pell .	Report: Shots fired at Abbas's home day after PA president attended Peres funeral .

Bathurst 1000: What's at stake in Red Bull's penalty protest that cost Jamie Whincup victory? and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 09:38:00 +0000

Bathurst 1000: What's at stake in Red Bull's penalty protest that cost Jamie Whincup victory?
WILL Davison and Jonathan Webb were victorious in the Bathurst 1000 but Red Bull Racing is set to protest the penalty that cost Jamie Whincup a win. Here the protest is explained.WHAT ARE RED BULL PROTESTING?Triple Eight Race Engineering, the team behind Red Bull Racing Australia, are appealing the decision by the race stewards to award Jamie Whincup a 15 second to his overall race time, dropping him from first over the finish line to 11th in the results.WHY WAS WHINCUP PENALISED?The stewards fo..
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AFL trade news 2016: Gibbs, Wells, Vickery on move in big opening session

Two No. 1 draft picks have dominated discussions on the opening day of the AFL trade period, with Bryce Gibbs requesting a move to Adelaide and Brett Deledio interested in a trade to Geelong.Adelaide list manager Justin Reid revealing that Carlton star and 2006 No. 1 selection Gibbs has requested a trade back home to South Australia, despite being contracted to the Blues until the end of 2019. Gibbs is looking for an out after more than 200 games with Carlton. Photo: Scott Barbour Gibbs,..
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Roar's Jacob Pepper tipped to stand-in for suspended skipper Matt McKay against the Jets

VETERAN Brisbane defender Jade North has anointed quiet achiever Jacob Pepper as the ideal replacement for suspended skipper Matt McKay when the Roar take on the Jets in Newcastle on Sunday.McKay will serve a one-game ban following his sending off in the Roar’s 1-1 season-opening draw with Melbourne Victory last Friday night.The midfielder, who is shattered about his dismissal for two bookable offences, was found to have no case to answer for his hand-waving reaction to the red card.North, who c..
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AFL trades 2016: Hawks face hard yakka for deals

Tom Mitchell declared his hand on Monday by requesting a trade to Hawthorn, but now the hard work begins for the Hawks as they seek to procure deals for both him and Gold Coast's Jaeger O'Meara.While Hawthorn officially landed Ty Vickery on Monday after Richmond opted against matching the Hawks' bid for the unrestricted free agent, their attempts to acquire star midfielders Mitchell and O'Meara – both out of contract – are set to be considerably tougher propositions. Hawthorn is looking fo..
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Japan to bring courage against Asia's best - Halilhodzic

Japan opened their campaign with a surprise home loss to United Arab Emirates and their last-gasp win over Iraq in Saitama on Thursday did little to ease the pressure on the 63-year-old Bosnian, who has endured heavy criticism from a disgruntled home media. Having already lost forward Yoshinori Muto and attacking midfielder Takashi Usami to injuries before the Iraq game, Halilhodzic may be without Shinji Okazaki in Melbourne, with the Leicester City striker missing training on Sunday after h..
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Wanderers record proves they can challenge

Emma Kemp - AAP on October 10, 2016, 3:21 pm There is no reason to suggest Western Sydney can't rebound from Saturday's Sydney derby thrashing. His team swept them aside with authority, but even Sydney FC captain Alex Brosque considers it unwise to discount Western Sydney so early in the A-League season.Saturday night's 4-0 defeat left Tony Popovic's Wanderers with much to work on after missed opportunities and defensive holes triggered a second-half collapse."They'v..
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Proteas name pair of bolters in Test squad

Having taken note of the troubles Australia’s batters have experienced with ‘mystery’ spin bowlers in Asia and again at St George’s Park yesterday, South Africa have named a pair of uncapped tweakers in their 16-man squad for next month’s three-Test series in Australia. Left-arm wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, who bamboozled Australia’s top-order during Sunday’s fourth consecutive ODI win the for the Proteas, has been included after being part of the South Africa A series in Queensland earlier th..
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Bollinger and Haddin on the stand

New South Wales fast bowler Doug Bollinger has refuted a claim that he sledged Phillip Hughes with the phrase "I'm going to kill you" on the opening day of the NSW Coroner's Court inquest into the batsman's death. The court heard an allegation Bollinger made the remark towards Hughes and his South Australia batting partner Tom Cooper on the opening day of a Sheffield Shield match between NSW and South Australia in November 2014. Hughes had reached 63 from 160 balls before he was struck on the n..
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Dane Swan Q and A: Collingwood great opens up on the AFL's 'monotonous robots' and mistakes club makes

COLLINGWOOD great Dane Swan believes AFL clubs are too overbearing in the way they run their football programs.The 2011 Brownlow medallist spent 15 years at the elite level, but maintains he would have been no worse off with six contact hours per week as opposed to 40.In an exclusive question and answer session with foxfooty.com.au, Swan opened up on his frustrations with the modern sporting landscape, his sadness for the modern day footballer, plus the worst thing about being an elite player.To..
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Deledio Interested In Joining Cats

Posted: 10 October, 2016 by Footy Newsroom Deledio Interested In Joining Cats Richmond veteran a step closer to leaving Punt Road Tags: AFL, Richmond Tigers, Tigers, Geelong Cats, Cats Richmond star Brett Deledio has flagged an interest in joining Geelong this trade period, Tigers football talent manager Dan Richardson has told AFL Trade Radio. Deledio still has a year to run on his contract but with Richmond viewed to be ..
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Air strikes targeting Syrian civilians amount to crimes against humanity, UN chief warns Russia .	Woman tortured over several hours in Cairns house, police allege .
Pharmaceutical lobby groups may delay codeine ruling .	Sister and nursing home ask strangers to stop visiting Tarzan .

Air strikes targeting Syrian civilians amount to crimes against humanity, UN chief warns Russia and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 08:57:00 +0000

Air strikes targeting Syrian civilians amount to crimes against humanity, UN chief warns Russia
Air strikes targeting Syrian civilians amount to crimes against humanity, UN chief warns Russia Updated October 05, 2016 07:46:46 The UN Commissioner for Human Rights has told Russia that air strikes on civilian targets in the Syrian city of Aleppo may amount to crimes against humanity which could be brought before the International Criminal Court (ICC). Key points:UN Chief warns Russia on illegal use of incendiary weaponsDeath toll rises, no reply from Syria governme..
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US election: VP debate was 'non-sense'

Washington: Which presidential ticket is Indiana Governor Mike Pence running on? We keep reading, hearing that he's the running mate to Republican candidate Donald Trump.Not withstanding Trump's tweet ahead of Tuesday evening's vice presidential debate, that his running mate Pence had done his homework – there were awkward moments as Pence upended the love-in between Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin; spent time walking backwards from Trump's hardline plan to deport millions of undocument..
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Selfies and prayers as Pope lifts Italy quake survivors

AFP on October 5, 2016, 3:49 am Pope in emotion-charged visit to Italy quake zone Accumoli (Italy) (AFP) - Pope Francis on Tuesday paid a surprise visit to the Italian mountain communities devastated by an August earthquake, mixing poignant silent prayers amid the ruins with grinning selfies alongside survivors he implored to believe in a brighter future.In keeping with his desire to make a relatively low-key visit to an area where nearly 300 people died barely six weeks ago, the ..
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World leaders are meeting in Brussels to raise billions of dollars for Afghanistan - http://www.kazakh

World leaders are meeting in Brussels to raise billions of dollars for Afghanistan 05.10.2016 09:55 World leaders are meeting in Brussels to raise billions of dollars for Afghanistan, to keep the country running until 2020. Fifteen years after the US invasion to oust the Taliban the country remains reliant on international aid and faces a resurgent militant threat, Euronews reports. The Afghan Finance Minister Edlil Ahmad Hakim..
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Amber Rudd announces crackdown on overseas students and work visas

Amber Rudd has announced major new restrictions on overseas students, including two-tier visa rules affecting poorer quality universities and courses, a crackdown on work visas and the introduction of a £140m “controlling migration fund”. In her speech the home secretary warned businesses that foreign workers should not be able to “take jobs that British people should do”. Later it was made clear that the consultation paper will include an option to require companies to publish their proportion..
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Aust, NZ train more Iraqi soldiers

Australian and New Zealand have concluded the training of another two Iraqi army brigades for the fight to regain Mosul from Islamic State.The latest graduates are 3000 already experienced soldiers of the Iraqi Army's 75th and 76th Brigades who take the number who have undergone training to more than 12,000.Members of the 76th Brigade returned for their second period of training after participating in recent fighting against IS in Fallujah and Ramadi. The Iraqi government is now finalising plan..
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Powerful typhoon Chaba barrels toward Japan

Powerful typhoon Chaba barrels toward Japan By Afp Published: 03:04 EST, 5 October 2016 | Updated: 03:05 EST, 5 October 2016 Storm and heavy rain warnings were issued Wednesday as powerful typhoon Chaba barrelled toward Japan, after lashing the southern coast of South Korea with winds that triggered flash floods and left at least two dead.The violent storm was moving north-northeast off the Tsushima islets chain near Japan's southern Kyushu, packing gusts of up to 180 kilometres (11..
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Hong Kong activist deported from Thailand 'at China's request'

The bespectacled Wong, 19, famed for his galvanising role in the city's 2014 pro-democracy "umbrella movement", was held upon arrival at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport late Tuesday. After obfuscation from Thai officials over the activist's whereabouts, his political party -- Demosisto -- issued a statement on Wednesday afternoon confirming Wong had been put on a flight back to Hong Kong. The party, co-founded by Wong this year, also said it "strongly condemns the Thai government for unreasonabl..
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Sterling plunges as Brexit fears mount

SENIOR Scottish economists have warned of difficult and uncertain times ahead, after sterling tumbled to a 31-year low against the dollar amid mounting fears over Brexit. The pound fell as low as $1.2715 during trading yesterday, spooked by growing worries that the Conservative Government wants to pursue a “hard Brexit”. Sterling has been reeling since Prime Minister Theresa May pledged on Sunday to trigger by next March the start of the formal two-year process for the UK to leave the Eur..
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Warnings issued for Florida as Hurricane Matthew turns from Cuba

Warnings issued for Florida as Hurricane Matthew turns from Cuba Posted October 05, 2016 17:39:56 South eastern Florida was under hurricane and tropical storm warnings as the eye of Hurricane Matthew moved off the north-eastern coast of Cuba, the National Hurricane Center said in an advisory. Hurricane Matthew was about 30 kilometres north-west of the eastern tip of Cuba with winds of 215 kilometres per hour, the centre said.The storm was expected to turn toward the n..
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Sister and nursing home ask strangers to stop visiting Tarzan .	Customers want H & M, Max Brenner, Aldi and Ikea in Cairns .
Royal commission: Monsignor John Usher denies protecting Cardinal George Pell .	Report: Shots fired at Abbas's home day after PA president attended Peres funeral .

Woman tortured over several hours in Cairns house, police allege and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Sun, 09 Oct 2016 14:25:00 +0000

Woman tortured over several hours in Cairns house, police allege

Woman tortured over several hours in Cairns house, police allege Posted October 04, 2016 13:10:30 A man has been charged over the torture of a woman allegedly held captive for several hours at a Cairns house in far north Queensland last month.Police will allege the man seriously assaulted the woman repeatedly over a number of hours and refused to let her leave following an argument at a Manoora house on September 25.The victim has later managed to flee the residence a..
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Freshie students pedal safely to school in Cairns

Freshwater State School Students ready to pedal to school after their safety briefing. As the Adopt-a-Cop for Freshwater State School I took great pleasure recently in handing over safety vests for the first bike bus that the school has been able to run in a number of years. The newly constructed bike path in the suburbs of Stratford and Freshwater was put to the test by students and there was no doubt that the new path provided a very safe passage to school. It was a sight to behold as I stopp..
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IT WAS the biggest crowd Jack Bowes has ever played in front of but the Cairns Saints product could taste what he wants to achieve in his promising junior AFL career. Bowes played in the Chris Judd squad in the NAB All Stars Under-18 clash at Punt Rd Oval on Friday.In the first time the country’s leading prospects have played in the grand final eve game, a packed crowd saw the Judd side beat the Michael O’Loughlin team by 38 points, winning 15.7 (97) to 8.11 (59).Bowes, a Gold Coast academy mid..
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FNQ has 6pc of people but 10pc of prisoners

ONE in 10 people behind bars in Queensland hail from the Far North.A custodial offender snapshot released last month showed there were more than 800 adult men and women from the region in jails across the state.Cairns tops the list of prisoner origins within the Far North, with 68 of the population from the city, although this would include locals with no fixed address before entering jail.However, it is indigenous communities Aurukun (65) and Kowanyama (34), along with Mareeba (46), which ar..
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Carroll chase of glory leads to decision to stay put

A DESIRE to lead a homegrown team to a premiership in 2017 trumped big money offers to keep Jamie Carroll at FNQ Heat. The 26-year-old showed no signs of captaincy dragging him down during his rookie season in charge, scoring 15 goals.Carroll said he could take his game to another level armed with the lessons of grand final defeat and hoped to continue leading by example.“I’ve had plenty of offers to go down south and go to Melbourne, but for me you can’t buy premierships. Playing for your own..
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Plastic bags thing of the past under new Palm Cove concept

PLASTIC bags could soon be a distant memory for Palm Cove residents and visitors as leaders push for a community-wide ban in the next six months. Cr Brett Olds said the move to replace plastic bags with hessian would not eliminate pollution, but it was “a little step in the right direction”.“We should care about the turtles and the Reef,” Cr Olds said.“We’ve seen what happens to animals when they eat plastic bags.“I went down to talk to the guy who runs the supermarket, and he’s keen as mustard...
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Sister and nursing home ask strangers to stop visiting Tarzan .	Customers want H & M, Max Brenner, Aldi and Ikea in Cairns .
Royal commission: Monsignor John Usher denies protecting Cardinal George Pell .	Report: Shots fired at Abbas's home day after PA president attended Peres funeral .

Pharmaceutical lobby groups may delay codeine ruling and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 12:22:00 +0000

Pharmaceutical lobby groups may delay codeine ruling

A quiet push by three of the nation's most powerful pharmaceutical lobby groups to derail moves to make codeine drugs prescription-only has likely delayed a final decision until at least next year.The Therapeutic Goods Administration's Advisory Committee on Medicines Scheduling in October last year made an interim decision to remove codeine-containing products from over-the-counter sales from June this year, citing growing evidence of codeine-related harm. A move by three pharmaceutical lo..
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Bob Marley is played during memorial held for sisters who died in the The Seychelles

The family of two sisters who died during a vacation in The Seychelles held an emotional celebration of their life at the luxury resort where they were found.Guests at the $1800 night paradise island resort joined the mum and brother of Robin and Annie Korkki for the poignant candlelit ceremony.The sister's mum Susan and brother Mike held hands as flower petals were sprinkled on the crashing waves of the Indian Ocean. Beauty: The family of Robin and Annie Korkki attended a memorial on the beachf..
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British man 'cured' of HIV

The HIV virus has apparently disappeared from the British man’s blood. Picture: SuppliedStaff writersNews Corp Australia NetworkSCIENTISTS in Britain are hopeful they may have cured HIV after the virus vanished from the blood of a patient treated with a new therapy. According to The Sunday Times, the 44-year-old is one of 50 people currently trialling a treatment that targets the disease even in its dormant state.Around 37 million are living with HIV worldwide, many of them in Sub-Saharan Africa..
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driver caught speeding, on phone and over limit

A Coorparoo man has been caught allegedly speeding, while using his mobile phone and driving over the legal blood alcohol limit.That's three of the "fatal five" mostly likely causes of death on the roads as featured in road safety campaigns - the other two being driving under the influence of drugs and driving while tired. A 21-year-old man has been caught performing three of the fatal five in Warwick. Photo: Glen Watson The 21-year-old was pulled over just after 8am on Sunday for speed..
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I no longer listen when doctors tell me I'm 'too young'

"Because being in your 20s does not automatically render you exempt from every medical condition." Jessica Seaborn Photo: Supplied The prospect of having cancer is scary at any age. Your heart starts to beat faster in the doctor's office and you're studying their face for any kind of indication that they're about to tell you good news or bad news. The doctors are usually trying very hard to keep you calm and explain things in plain English so that you aren't worrying. They reassur..
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Queensland: The toothless state

Just one third of Queensland’s 77 councils have fluoridated water supplies. Picture: ThinkstockIF THE legacy of former Queensland Premier Peter Beattie is his famous slogan, “the smart state”, that legacy of one of his successors could be far less salubrious.Queensland: The toothless state could well one of former LNP leader Campbell Newman’s key achievements, after he, among a litany of controversial decisions in his three years at the state’s helm between 2012 and 2014, decided to dump mandate..
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Ailing Thai king's lung infection eases, kidneys still failing: Palace

BANGKOK - Thailand's hospital-bound King Bhumibol Adulyadej is still being treated for kidney failure although an infection in his lung has eased, the palace said Saturday, in the latest update on the 88-year-old's ailing health. Bhumibol is the world's longest-reigning monarch and beloved by many in Thailand. However he has not been seen in public for nearly a year as he battles a series of ailments in a Bangkok hospital. The palace tightly controls news about his health and it is difficult t..
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Sister and nursing home ask strangers to stop visiting Tarzan .	Customers want H & M, Max Brenner, Aldi and Ikea in Cairns .
Royal commission: Monsignor John Usher denies protecting Cardinal George Pell .	Report: Shots fired at Abbas's home day after PA president attended Peres funeral .

Sister and nursing home ask strangers to stop visiting Tarzan and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Sun, 02 Oct 2016 07:03:00 +0000

Sister and nursing home ask strangers to stop visiting Tarzan

MICHAEL Fomenko’s sister Inessa has requested people refrain from visiting her brother at the Gympie aged care home where he now lives.Mrs Fomenko, who is 89 and lives in Armidale, said following increased media attention on her brother’s remarkable story, there had been many “strangers” who had attempted to visit him.But, she said, they were being turned away and were creating problems for the staff at the small regional nursing home.Her call comes after the Cairns Post reported at the weekend ..
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Car stolen from Cairns newspaper delivery driver

GREG Medway was only away from his van for a moment.As he does each morning, the newspaper delivery driver left the Toyota Hiace van running as he dropped off a bundle of Cairns Post newspapers to the Coles Express service station in Woree about 4.30am.But that was all it took for a car thief to pounce.Boss Greg Crowther said there were about 350 newspapers inside when the offender jumped in and drove away, but he sympathised with his driver.“He was only out of the car for a couple of minutes,” ..
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Tests complete at Cairns Fire Station, but results still coming

FIREFIGHTERS are waiting for the results of soil and water tests from Cairns Fire Station where a foam containing toxic chemicals was used in training.Former and current officers spoke out earlier this month about the extensive use of toxic aqueous film forming foams (AFFF) containing the chemicals perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) at the Westcourt fire station.Former firefighter Peter Campion was one of the officers to detail their exposure to the foam, which h..
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Use keywords to search content on this website

AN analysis of official weather stations across the Far North has revealed dozens of monthly heat records have been broken this year.Of 16 main weather stations, which stretch from South Johnstone near Innisfail up to Coconut Island in the Torres Strait, only four were yet to break a monthly heat record this year.Fourteen broke monthly maximum records, mostly during autumn.The number of highest overnight minimum temperatures set this year was even greater, with records tumbling 26 times, includi..
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Cairns Property Crime Squad 'clean up'

Over the past three days, officers from the Cairns Property Crime Squad have charged three men aged 17, 18 and 39-years-old and four youths (three boys and one girl) aged between 12 and 16-years-old following investigations into recent matters reported between August and September. A total of 31 charges have been made, spread out over five different incidents reported throughout various suburbs in Cairns. One investigation led Police back to a report made in February 2014. An array of charges h..
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Cairns overnight media wrap, September 27

Fraud, Port Douglas: A 26-year-old Port Douglas man has been charged with stealing and 54 fraud offences following an investigation lead by Mossman Detectives into a stolen credit card reported on September 8. Police will allege the 26-year-old man located a credit card belonging to a tourist on August 28 and over a four-day period between August 28 and August 31 the man made a total of 54 online and in-store transactions. The 26-year-old man is due to appear in the Mossman Magistrates Court on..
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Tradies dubbed worst dieters but Cairns man bucks trend

A LOVE of a meat pie and iced coffee has earned tradies with the unenviable title of having the worst diets in the country.But one Cairns man is bucking the trend.White Rock plumber Darcy Fernandez tries to eat healthily with the help of his partner Elise Wicks, who fills his lunch box with fruit, sandwiches and baked beans.“Smoko vans do it to you,” he said.“If you go to the smoko van and you’ve got a choice of either a salad roll or a meat pie, you’re going to go for the meat pie every time.“W..
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counting cost of burger blaze

THE owner of Rexs Burger Bar is unsure of when he will be able to open his doors again following a fire in the business late yesterday afternoon. Owner Francisco Ricardo told the Cairns Post he was talking to his insurance company today, and hoped to have the business open again as soon as possible, although an exact date hasn’t yet been set.Mr Ricardo, who has owned the business for eight years, said he was relieved his family — who were also working at the burger bar — were not inside when the..
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Restriction lifted on waterski speed restrictions

MARITIME Safety Queensland has back-pedalled on a decision to impose a six-knot speed limit at a popular Far North lake.The restriction was set to take effect today at Lake Tinaroo, 86km southwest of Cairns, which has dropped below 47 per cent capacity.But another reprieve has been granted to waterskiers, despite growing safety concerns surrounding the fishing and boating hotspot.Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) general manager Patrick Quirk said that close monitoring of the dam by operators Sun..
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Far North draws more visitors than ever before

THE tropical north today celebrates World Tourism Day as figures show tourism growth is faster than the rate of Queensland and Australia.The United Nations-run celebration focuses on sustainable tourism and Tourism Tropical North Queensland’s (TTNQ’s) chief executive Alex de Waal said that the industry continued to grow.“The growth in domestic and international visitors to Tropical North Queensland outstripped that of both Queensland and Australia for 2015-16, taking total visitors to 2.86 milli..
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NASA sees sun's edge thanks to STEREO-A and STEREO-B twin spacecrafts; Solar winds' origins unveiled .	Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service executives ... .
Greyhound racing ban taskforce interim report suggests 19000 dogs may need rehoming .	Charlotte police shooting: Family says video is unclear on reported gun .

Cairns, north of Queensland, Australia. News Review and PR

Spies waged a secret war on the streets of Canberra, author of new book on ASIO says and other top stories.

Spies waged a secret war on the streets of Canberra, author of new book on ASIO says

Dreamworld ride's 'fatal flaw'

Wrong person left in George Brandis v Justine Gleeson row

Sophie Collombet murder: Benjamin Milward jailed for life for raping, killing French student in Brisbane

Man shot twice by police at Dandenong after fleeing traffic stop, trying to hijack car

Rate of Aboriginal children being placed in out-of-home care 'concerning'

Vatican finance chief George Pell questioned by Australian police in Rome over historic sex assault claims

Family First senator Bob Day may face legal challenge to prevent his ABCC vote

National compensation scheme needed for victims of forced labour and slave trade: new report

Western Power sale future investment fund, not election war chest, says WA Treasurer

May keeps EU guessing on Brexit and other top stories.

May keeps EU guessing on Brexit

Amal Clooney Takes on ISIS for 'Clear Case of Genocide' of Yazidis

EgyptAir crash: Traces of TNT found in flight 804 wreckage, in Mediterranean

Thais search for missing as 18 die in pilgrim boat accident

Manhunt underway for person of interest in NYC, NJ bombings

Labor guidelines a 'concern' for Israeli minister

Merkel party routed in Berlin polls as right-wing AfD gains

Toxic haze from Indonesian forest fires may have caused 100000 deaths: report

Messara retires from Racing NSW board, stands down as chairman and other top stories.

Messara retires from Racing NSW board, stands down as chairman

FFA issue Victory show cause notice - SBS

AFL Trades 2016: Hawks build war chest as Jordan Lewis trade looms

Adelaide's Cirio sidelined indefinitely - SBS

Clarke defends family of Phillip Hughes over questioning at inquest

Winx? Been there, done that: Waller

De Silva on the Roda to Socceroos recognition - SBS

Nick Kyrgios' season is over after ban, extra fine

Xavier Richards has requested a trade to a Melbourne based club

Former Test captain Steve Waugh says batsman Usman Khawaja must show how much he wants to play Test cricket

Apple smart-car project stalls and other top stories.

Apple smart-car project stalls

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month: How secure is your enterprise?

The OmniWear Arc is a haptic neckband for serious gamers

LG's V20 may be the phone of the year. So why the f*%k can't you buy it?

Google Pixel: Australian Review

Samsung 960 Pro review: The fastest consumer SSD you can buy

Horror Stories From The Samsung Galaxy Note7 Flight Ban

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