FlashNews24

Australia Moves Towards a Social Media Ban for Kids Under 16: What You Need to Know In a recent development that could reshape digital safety for children in Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that his government would pursue legislation aimed at restricting social media access for children under the age of 16. The announcement has sparked a national conversation on the role of social media in young people’s lives and how governments can best protect children from online harm. The Reasoning Behind the Ban Prime Minister Albanese’s statement reflects a growing concern about the impact of social media on children. In recent years, studies have shown that excessive social media use can contribute to a variety of mental health issues in young people, including anxiety, depression, and issues with self-esteem. Cyberbullying and exposure to inappropriate content are additional risks that many parents, educators, and health professionals are eager to address. By implementing...

Victoria effectively closing border to the whole of NSW after the state recorded 77 new COVID cases Victoria effectively closing border to the whole of NSW, as well as the ACT, from midnight. Tasmania holding firm on current border arrangements for now covid19 A strong police and Authorised Officer presence will continue at Victoria’s land borders and airports. Substantial fines have already been handed down to individuals arriving without a valid permit since current red zones have come into effect. The Acting Chief Health Officer has declared that all of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory will become a red zone under Victoria’s travel permit system at 11:59pm Sunday 11 July.  Victoria has closed its border with all of New South Wales after the state recorded 77 new COVID cases. The Acting CHO declared that all of NSW and the ACT will become a red zone under Victoria’s travel permit system at 11.59pm Sunday July, 11.  This means the VICTORIA border is effect...

A massive Tornado warning is issued for people in the Atlanta metro area  Tornado touched down in Atlanta area as over 100 million people are at risk for severe storms A tornado touched down in the Atlanta area on Monday morning as severe weather threatened more than 100 million people fro A warning is issued for people in the Atlanta area after a radar-confirmed tornado touches down and moves toward the city.  a tornado is moving directly for downtown Atlanta.If you are in the city, seek shelter now If you know someone in the metro, call them now and tell them to head underground.This tornado is lofting debris and is on the ground.   watch is still in effect for the entire metro-Atlanta area as well as much of west-central Georgia and portions of eastern Alabama until 4 p.m. ET, meaning more tornadic storms are possible. 

Seven-time champion Serena Williams has been knocked out of the Australian Open Seven-time champion Serena Williams has been knocked out of the Australian Open, losing 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 7-5 to China's Wang Qiang in the third round. The defeat means the 38-year-old American's quest for a 24th Grand Slam singles title goes on. Wang served for the match at 5-4 in the second set but Williams broke her for the first time and then won a tie-break to level at one set all. Wang, seeded 27th, recovered and sealed victory on her third match point.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday issued a public apology for taking Christmas vacation Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday issued a public apology for taking Christmas vacation while the country battles with raging bushfire. "I deeply regret any offence caused to any of the many Australians affected by the terrible bushfires by my taking leave with family at this time," Morrison said in the statement. Morrison also said that he would return as soon as possible from Hawaii vacation. Anger over bushfire intensified in Australia after two firefighters died while battling blazes that are ravaging much of the country's east coast. On Thursday, hundreds of protesters gathered outside Morrison's Sydney residence and criticised the leader for going to Hawaii while the country is battling the unprecedented wildfires. Australia has been fighting wildfires in the east for weeks, with blazes destroying more than 700 homes and ne...

Queen’s speech: what is in Boris Johnson’s 2020 programme? Queen’s speech is Boris Johnson’s second in just over two months. Its 29 bills will be the basis of his legislative agenda for the year. Described as “radical” by the prime minister, it leads on his law to formally take the UK out of the EU. There are also plans to overhaul immigration and put into law investment in the NHS. The European Union (withdrawal agreement) bill will ratify the deal the prime minister struck with EU leaders in the autumn and which was voted down by parliament repeatedly. He is set to put this bill to MPs on Friday and hopes to have this passed by 31 January. This legislation also includes an implementation period where the UK remains aligned with the EU until 31 December 2020. An agriculture bill will result in Britain leaving the EU’s common agricultural policy. Direct payments to farmers will be phased out. The fisheries bill removes the UK from the common fisheries policy and will put i...

Lewis the koala dies week after being rescued from Australia wildfire the koala who shot to internet fame after being rescued last week from massive wildfires that engulfed the Australian state of New South Wales, has died. Port Macquarie Koala Hospital made the decision to euthanize Lewis Tuesday after inspecting his wounds. It became clear that the marsupial's burns were not going to improve, the hospital said in a Facebook post. "(Our) number one goal is animal welfare, so it was on those grounds that this decision was made," the hospital said. Lewis the koala dies week after being rescued from Australia wildfire Lewis' story went viral after video showed motorist Toni Doherty running from her car to help the koala near Port Macquarie as the catastrophic fires that have ravaged New South Wales burned all around them. Doherty named the koala after one of her seven grandchildren. The pair were reunited Thursday at the Port Macquarie Koala Hospita...

Woman risks her Life to rescue a koala from raging bushfires in Australia. Australia's annual bushfire season has claimed at least six lives and destroyed hundreds of homes. But one good samaritan took the time to rescue an animal in need. A woman, who said her name was Toni, was seen on video taking off her shirt and charging into the flames to save a koala. She doused the smoldering marsupial with water and took it to a sanctuary, where it's doing well. More than 300 koalas are feared to have been killed this year. The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital even started a GoFundMe account to raise money for the animals' care. The hospital said at least 31 koalas have been brought in to get hydrated and treated for burns. According to the Australian Koala Foundation, it's estimated around 43,000 koalas are left in the wild in Australia. They're listed as "vulnerable" under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act

Sweden drops its investigation into an alleged rape by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange A Swedish prosecutor said on Tuesday she would not proceed with an investigation into an allegation of rape against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange after a review of the evidence. Deputy Chief Prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson said that the complainant's evidence was deemed credible and reliable, but that after nearly a decade, witnesses' memories had faded. "After conducting a comprehensive assessment of what has emerged during the course of the preliminary investigation I then make the assessment that the evidence is not strong enough to form the basis for filing an indictment," Persson told a news conference The 48 year-old Australian citizen has repeatedly denied the allegation against him, made in 2010. The move by the prosecutor heads off a possible dilemma for the British courts which could potentially have had to decide between competing extradition reque...

Sofia Kenin win the Guangzhou International Women's Open title American Sofia Kenin fought back from a set down to overcome former U.S. Open champion Samantha Stosur 6-7(4) 6-4 6-2 and win the Guangzhou International Women's Open title on Saturday. It was the third title of the season for 20-year-old Kenin following triumphs in Hobart and Mallorca but the third seed was made to work hard by the Australian wildcard, playing in her first singles final in 2-1/2 years. Kenin raced to a 4-2 lead before the 35-year-old Stosur, who has dropped to 129th in the world rankings, rallied to win the opening set on a tiebreak. World number 20 Kenin, who reached the last 16 at the French Open this year, found herself two games away from defeat at 4-4 in the second set but switched gears to drag the match into a decider. Stosur was unable to match the intensity of her younger rival and her hopes of a first singles title since her victory in Strasbourg two years ago faded as...

at least 3 million people in today's #ClimateStrike Millions of students and other activists abandoned school and work on Friday to join mass protests calling for action against climate change before a UN summit. From New York to Guatemala City, Sydney to Kabul, and Cape Town to London, protesters in hundreds of cities around the world took the streets, demanding their governments take urgent steps to tackle the climate crisis and prevent an environmental catastrophe. "The preliminary numbers say there are at least 3 million people in today's #ClimateStrike And that is before counting North and South America," tweet Greta Thunberg, the Swedish teen, who was in New York to lead the climate strike ahead of the UN Climate Action Summit, which is slated to bring together world leaders to discuss climate change mitigation strategies, including the move from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. The demonstrations started in the Pacific...

Australian newspapers lose Chris Gayle masseuse defamation appeal An Australian media group on Tuesday lost an appeal against an Australian dollar 300,000 (USD 211,000) defamation payout to West Indies cricket star Chris Gayle after claiming he exposed his genitals to a masseuse. Gayle was accused by former media group Fairfax, which at the time was the publisher of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, of exposing his genitals and indecently propositioning the woman in a dressing room during the 2015 World Cup in Sydney. Gayle vigorously denied the allegations, claiming the journalists behind the series of stories published in the newspapers in 2016 were out to "destroy him". He won the defamation case in October last year after jurors found Fairfax was motivated by malice and had failed to establish a defense of truth. The publisher appealed the case arguing it did not receive a fair trial and the judge should have discharged the jury after Gayle's...

A strong 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck off northwest Australia A strong 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck off northwest Australia Sunday, shaking buildings over a wide area but causing no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The shallow quake hit early Sunday afternoon 10 kilometres under the Indian Ocean 203 kilometres (126 miles) west of the West Australian beach resort of Broome, the US Geological Survey said. No tsunami alert was issued. Sergeant Neil Gordon of the Broome police department said the quake rattled the city for more than a minute. "The building here was shaking for about a minute and a half ... a steady shaking for that period of time," he told AFP by telephone. He added that there had been "no reports of any injuries or any damage throughout the district," following the tremor. The national broadcaster ABC said there were some reports of minor damage from the quake, and no injuries. Australian media said the tremor...

#BREAKING Strong 6.9 earthquake hits off Australia: USGS A 6.5 magnitude earthquake has hit off the Western Australian coast. The undersea earthquake occurred at 3.39pm AEST on Sunday off the shore between Port Hedland and Broome, in the Indian Ocean, GeoScience Australia reported. There is no threat of a tsunami to the Australian mainland, islands or territories, the weather bureau states. The shallow quake hit 203 kilometres (126 miles) west of the beach resort of Broome, Western Australia,

Jason Roy has been fined 30 per cent of his match fee England's opening batsman Jason Roy has been fined 30 per cent of his match fee after he expressed dissent at the umpire's decision during his side's semi-final clash against Australia at Edgbaston on Thursday. "Roy was found to have breached Article 2.8 ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to showing dissent at an umpires decision in an international match. In addition to the 30 per cent fine, two demerit points have been added to Roy's disciplinary record," ICC said in a statement. Roy came out furiously on the Australian bowler when his side was chasing a modest target of 224 runs, set by the defending champions after opting to bat first. Roy played a knock of 85 runs off just 65 balls before he was caught behind in the 20th over, bowled by Pat Cummins. However, Roy expressed dissent over the umpire's decision of declaring him out The...

Australia’s trust in both China and the US has plunged, a new poll has found A new poll has revealed Australians’ trust in China has plunged dramatically due to its military intentions, infrastructure ambitions and displays of influence. New polling by the Lowy Institute found Australians were growing wary of both China and the United States and no longer trusted either world power to act responsibly on the world stage. The annual poll revealed fewer Australians held confidence in US President Donald Trump doing the “right thing in world affairs” — a five-point fall to 25 per cent — than Chinese President Xi Jinping at 30 per cent, with both leaders’ standings falling compared with 2018. Australians’ trust in China has fallen to its lowest level in 15 years, with just 32 per cent of people saying they trust the country either a “great deal” or “somewhat”. This is a 20-point fall from 2018 and 15 points lower than the previous lowest of 47 per cent recorded in 2008....

England's World Cup hopes hang in the balance after a demoralising defeat by Australia at Lord's. England lose to Australia in Cricket World Cup at Lord's England's World Cup hopes hang in the balance after a demoralising defeat by Australia at Lord's. The 64-run loss means they might need to win their last two games, beginning with India at Edgbaston on Sunday, in order to make the last four. Much will depend on the results of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, who can all overhaul Eoin Morgan's men. The hosts began the tournament as favourites, but now have little margin for error, with this loss following Friday's shock reverse to Sri Lanka to make a total of three defeats in seven games. They actually did well to restrict Australia to 285-7, especially after captain Aaron Finch's century helped his team to 173-1. However, that target was always going to be a challenge against the dangerous Australia attack in conditions ide...

Bodies of 7 missing climbers have been recovered in the Himalayas The bodies of seven climbers who went missing in the Indian Himalayas late last month were recovered by rescue teams on Sunday, according to a tweet from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police. Eight climbers -- four Britons, two Americans, an Australian and their Indian liaison officer -- went missing near Nanda Devi East, one of the highest peaks in India, on May 26. It's believed they were struck by an avalanche. The search for the eighth climber will resume Monday, the ITBP said Indian authorities previously said the group did not have permission to do so. Even if the climbers had asked, Pithoragarh District Magistrate Vijay Kumar Jogdande told CNN, authorities "would not have given permission." The leader of the group was identified as British mountain expert Martin Moran. The missing eight climbers had been part of a larger team of 12, each of whom had a permit to summit...

Ashleigh Barty claims world No.1 ranking with win in Birmingham Ashleigh Barty is the first Australian woman to seize the world No.1 tennis ranking in almost half a century after claiming her third title of a phenomenal 2019 season. Barty cast friendship aside to down her German doubles partner Julia Goerges 6-3 7-5 in Sunday's final of the Birmingham Classic to not only secure the world No.1 ranking but also potentially top-seed status for Wimbledon starting on July 1. Continuing her remarkable comeback to the sport after taking a 21-month hiatus and playing professional cricket, 23-year-old Barty will overtake Japanese sensation Naomi Osaka when the new rankings are released on Monday. In doing so, the newly crowned French Open champion will join her mentor and Indigenous idol Evonne Goolagong Cawley as only the second Australian to top the WTA rankings since they were introduced in 1973. "I'm a little bit speechless – it's been a wh...

Rebel Wilson ordered to repay millions in defamation case An Australian court has ordered actress Rebel Wilson to repay the majority of her record defamation payout from a magazine publisher. Wilson had received A$4.7m (£2.6m; $3.5m) in damages and interest from Bauer Media over articles that she said portrayed her as a serial liar. But a court reduced the sum to A$600,000 earlier this month following an appeal by the publisher. On Wednesday, Wilson was ordered to pay back A$4.1m and A$60,000 in interest. She will also have to cover 80% of what Bauer spent on its appeal. Wilson, an Australian star of Hollywood films including Pitch Perfect and Bridesmaids, has vowed to give all of her compensation to charity. In its original finding, the Supreme Court of Victoria awarded her A$650,000 in general damages and $A3.9m for film roles she had lost out on. She was later paid A$180,000 in interest. However the size of the payout, Australia's largest...