Life in the clouds sounds romantic, except when those clouds are made of sulphuric acid. Yet scientists are pondering whether life could exist around Venus after a rare chemical was found in its atmosphere. Key points: Astronomers have discovered a gas in the atmosphere of Venus that is only produced by microbes and industrial processes on Earth The gas could be a hint of life or it could be a geological or chemical process that we don't know about The finding has implications for the quest to find life elsewhere in our solar system and beyond The discovery, published today in the journal...…Life in the clouds sounds romantic, except when those clouds are made of sulphuric acid. Yet scientists are pondering whether life could exist around Venus after a rare chemical was found in its atmosphere. Key points: Astronomers have discovered a gas in the atmosphere of Venus that is only produced by microbes and industrial processes on Earth The gas could be a hint of life or it could be a geological or chemical process that we don't know about The finding has implications for the quest to find life elsewhere in our solar system and beyond The discovery, published today in the journal...WW…

ShareBritish comedian Tim Brooke-Taylor, best known as part of the comedy trio The Goodies, has died at the age of 79 after contracting coronavirus.Meanwhile Chinese citizens have been urged to continue wearing face masks, with a senior health adviser warning coronavirus, still poses a serious threat in the country.The US has now overtaken Italy for the most COVID-19-related deaths in the world. With roughly 2,000 deaths a day for the past four days, the US total toll has passed 20,000.This story was updated regularly throughout Sunday. You can also stay informed with the latest episode of...…ShareBritish comedian Tim Brooke-Taylor, best known as part of the comedy trio The Goodies, has died at the age of 79 after contracting coronavirus.Meanwhile Chinese citizens have been urged to continue wearing face masks, with a senior health adviser warning coronavirus, still poses a serious threat in the country.The US has now overtaken Italy for the most COVID-19-related deaths in the world. With roughly 2,000 deaths a day for the past four days, the US total toll has passed 20,000.This story was updated regularly throughout Sunday. You can also stay informed with the latest episode of...WW…

ShareQueensland police are questioning two teenage girls at a Sunshine Coast shopping centre over alleged COVID-19 breaches.The teenagers, one from New South Wales and one from the Sunshine Coast, were detained at the Noosa Civic Shopping Centre on Monday afternoon.Police said the teenagers, aged 15 and 16, travelled to Queensland last Friday before the weekend's hard border closure but had also been in Sydney.Under Queensland's health directions, the entire state of New South Wales is a declared coronavirus hotspot.Superintendent Craig Hawkins said the pair arrived by train and allegedly...…ShareQueensland police are questioning two teenage girls at a Sunshine Coast shopping centre over alleged COVID-19 breaches.The teenagers, one from New South Wales and one from the Sunshine Coast, were detained at the Noosa Civic Shopping Centre on Monday afternoon.Police said the teenagers, aged 15 and 16, travelled to Queensland last Friday before the weekend's hard border closure but had also been in Sydney.Under Queensland's health directions, the entire state of New South Wales is a declared coronavirus hotspot.Superintendent Craig Hawkins said the pair arrived by train and allegedly...WW…

Westpac settles AUSTRAC money laundering case with $1.3 billion fineShareWestpac has reached a deal with financial crime watchdog AUSTRAC to settle more than 23 million alleged breaches of anti-money laundering laws by paying a record $1.3 billion penalty.The penalty is the biggest in Australian corporate history, and is almost double for .In a statement, AUSTRAC said Westpac had admitted to breaching the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act more than 23 million times.These breaches included a failure to properly report more than 19.5 million international funds...…Westpac settles AUSTRAC money laundering case with $1.3 billion fineShareWestpac has reached a deal with financial crime watchdog AUSTRAC to settle more than 23 million alleged breaches of anti-money laundering laws by paying a record $1.3 billion penalty.The penalty is the biggest in Australian corporate history, and is almost double for .In a statement, AUSTRAC said Westpac had admitted to breaching the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act more than 23 million times.These breaches included a failure to properly report more than 19.5 million international funds...WW…

SharePolice in Malaysia have confirmed they are investigating a journalist over her reporting on mass raids targeting migrants and refugees amid the COVID-19 pandemic.Tashny Sukumaran, a correspondent for Hong Kong newspaper the South China Morning Post, said she had been summoned to the Royal Malaysian Police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur Sukumaran says she is being investigated under section 504 of Malaysia's penal code, which allows for up to two years' prison for "whoever intentionally insults, and thereby gives provocation to any person, intending or knowing it to be likely that such...…SharePolice in Malaysia have confirmed they are investigating a journalist over her reporting on mass raids targeting migrants and refugees amid the COVID-19 pandemic.Tashny Sukumaran, a correspondent for Hong Kong newspaper the South China Morning Post, said she had been summoned to the Royal Malaysian Police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur Sukumaran says she is being investigated under section 504 of Malaysia's penal code, which allows for up to two years' prison for "whoever intentionally insults, and thereby gives provocation to any person, intending or knowing it to be likely that such...WW…

Wandi the purebred dingo thriving in sanctuary after high-flying ordealShareHe was the tiny dingo pup whose after he appeared to have been dropped by an eagle into the backyard of a Victorian home.Now, six months on, Wandi the purebred dingo is all grown up, but is still proving to be as popular as ever.Wandi has settled into life at the Australian Dingo Foundation's sanctuary, where he has adapted well, despite his dramatic start to life."He has been quite amazing considering the fact that he came in from the wild," sanctuary volunteer Kevin Newman said."When he first arrived he didn't...…Wandi the purebred dingo thriving in sanctuary after high-flying ordealShareHe was the tiny dingo pup whose after he appeared to have been dropped by an eagle into the backyard of a Victorian home.Now, six months on, Wandi the purebred dingo is all grown up, but is still proving to be as popular as ever.Wandi has settled into life at the Australian Dingo Foundation's sanctuary, where he has adapted well, despite his dramatic start to life."He has been quite amazing considering the fact that he came in from the wild," sanctuary volunteer Kevin Newman said."When he first arrived he didn't...WW…

BlueScope Steel hit by cyber attack causing worldwide system shutdown of operationsShareBlueScope Steel has been the subject of a cyber attack, forcing production systems to be halted company-wide.The ransomware infection was discovered yesterday morning in one of the company's United States-based businesses.BlueScope's chief financial officer Tania Archibald said the company had reverted to manual operations where possible, but some processes such as steel despatches were continuing as normal."We are taking this attack extremely seriously," Ms Archibald said. "Our people are working...…BlueScope Steel hit by cyber attack causing worldwide system shutdown of operationsShareBlueScope Steel has been the subject of a cyber attack, forcing production systems to be halted company-wide.The ransomware infection was discovered yesterday morning in one of the company's United States-based businesses.BlueScope's chief financial officer Tania Archibald said the company had reverted to manual operations where possible, but some processes such as steel despatches were continuing as normal."We are taking this attack extremely seriously," Ms Archibald said. "Our people are working...WW…

Stocks, Australian dollar plunge as investors take 'reality check'ShareThe Australian share market has closed in the red for a second day, but off the lows of the session as US stock market futures moved higher.The ASX 200 lost 1.9 per cent to finish at 5,847 points, after clawing back some of its early falls of more than 3 per cent.The Australian dollar was savagely sold off overnight but regained some ground to around 68.6 US cents by 4:45pm AEST.The losses follow a period of optimism on markets, with the ASX 200 up by around 28 per cent from its low in late March, with even bigger gains...…Stocks, Australian dollar plunge as investors take 'reality check'ShareThe Australian share market has closed in the red for a second day, but off the lows of the session as US stock market futures moved higher.The ASX 200 lost 1.9 per cent to finish at 5,847 points, after clawing back some of its early falls of more than 3 per cent.The Australian dollar was savagely sold off overnight but regained some ground to around 68.6 US cents by 4:45pm AEST.The losses follow a period of optimism on markets, with the ASX 200 up by around 28 per cent from its low in late March, with even bigger gains...WW…

Twitter removes 30,000 Chinese, Russian and Turkish accounts linked to government propagandaShareTwitter is disclosing the details of more than 32,000 accounts it has suspended and removed from its platform after investigations found ties to state-run propaganda and disinformation operations in China, Russia and Turkey.The tech giant has been investigating suspicious users which have been flooding social media feeds with pro-government rhetoric in a bid to manipulate public debate.Twitter has shared the data with researchers at the US-based Stanford Internet Observatory and the Australian...…Twitter removes 30,000 Chinese, Russian and Turkish accounts linked to government propagandaShareTwitter is disclosing the details of more than 32,000 accounts it has suspended and removed from its platform after investigations found ties to state-run propaganda and disinformation operations in China, Russia and Turkey.The tech giant has been investigating suspicious users which have been flooding social media feeds with pro-government rhetoric in a bid to manipulate public debate.Twitter has shared the data with researchers at the US-based Stanford Internet Observatory and the Australian...WW…

SharePrime Minister Scott Morrison says the loss of nearly 600,000 jobs in April is "devastating" for Australian families and communities affected by government restrictions and business shutdowns.The comments come after the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) announced ."Almost 600,000 jobs have been lost, every one of them devastating for those Australians, for their families and communities," the Prime Minister said."A very tough day, terribly shocking, although not unanticipated."Mr Morrison said Australians should prepare themselves for similar announcements as the impact from the...…SharePrime Minister Scott Morrison says the loss of nearly 600,000 jobs in April is "devastating" for Australian families and communities affected by government restrictions and business shutdowns.The comments come after the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) announced ."Almost 600,000 jobs have been lost, every one of them devastating for those Australians, for their families and communities," the Prime Minister said."A very tough day, terribly shocking, although not unanticipated."Mr Morrison said Australians should prepare themselves for similar announcements as the impact from the...WW…