WEDNESDAY 1ST

Snake Man and Snake Hunter in court tangle over 'defamatory' posts

Rival snake catchers are locked in a venomous legal duel over Facebook posts that one says implied he was a dishonest reptile handler, trademark infringer and "a violent sex offending rapist".

New rules are coming into force for Disney visitors

With Disney anticipating a surge in interest ahead of the opening of the new Star Wars-themed lands, new rules are coming into force for people visiting Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World in Florida.

Polish protestors eat bananas to protest government censorship of artwork

Protestors gathered outside Warsaw‘s National Museum and ate bananas to protest against what they called government censorship, after an artwork featuring the fruit was removed under claims it was improper. 

Rape cases ‘could fail’ if victims refuse to give police access to phones

Victims of rape and serious sexual assault who refuse to give police access to their mobile phone contents could allow suspects to avoid charges, two top officials have said.

THURSDAY 2ND

Child killers to face tougher penalties under new Queensland laws

Two years ago a drunken babysitter was sentenced to eight years in jail for killing a toddler, one of several deaths which has prompted new laws in Queensland for child killers and abusers.

Authority calls for new court to help crush lucrative NT wildlife poaching trade

The Northern Territory's snakes and lizards have become prized trophies for international wildlife collectors, fuelling a booming illegal trade and keeping authorities on the constant watch for poachers.

Julian Assange gets almost a year in UK prison for skipping bail

Julian Assange has been sentenced to just under a year in a UK prison on Wednesday after he was found guilty of violating his bail conditions when he entered Ecuador's London embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden in 2012.

FRIDAY 3RD

Bega beats Kraft in peanut butter battle

Australian brand Bega has won the right to use the trademark yellow lids on its peanut butter jars, ending a long-running legal battle with American food giant Kraft.

Court rejects Caster Semenya’s appeal against IAAF’s ‘discriminatory’ testosterone policy

Olympic champion Caster Semenya has vowed to race again after a landmark ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) barred her from competing against other women.

Sydney man guilty of plane bomb plot

A Sydney man who claimed he was trying to prevent a terrorist attack has been found guilty of plotting to blow up an Etihad plane with a bomb hidden in a meat grinder, and plotting to release a lethal gas.

MONDAY 6TH

Huge taxi class action against 'illegal operator' Uber launches

Thousands of taxi and hire-car drivers will launch what is expected to be one of Australia’s biggest class actions when it takes on Uber in the Victorian Supreme Court on Friday.

UK becomes first country to declare a ‘climate emergency'

The UK is the first national government to declare such an emergency. The decision marks a renewed sense of urgency in tackling climate change, following a visit to Parliament by teenage activist Greta Thunberg , the broadcast of David Attenborough’s documentary Climate Change: The Facts and 11 days of protest by environmental group Extinction Rebellion that paralysed parts of London.

Court dressing: Does this outfit make me look guilty?

Anna Sorokin, the fake heiress accused of being a society scammer, wore a little black dress to state Supreme Court in New York last week as she was found guilty of second-degree grand larceny, theft of services, and one count of attempted grand larceny. Did she have an inkling of what was going to happen? Perhaps.

TUESDAY 7TH

Why are so few hate crimes prosecuted in Australia?

Imam Wadood Janud was just wrapping-up a vigil for the victims of the Christchurch shootings — a day after the massacre — when a ute smashed into the gate of his mosque in South Brisbane.

Australia a 'place to go to sue' for defamation cases

Senior journalists and academics have pushed for a dramatic overhaul of local defamation laws, warning the rules have turned Australia into a "go to sue" destination for those unhappy about their treatment by the press.

Record $28 million compensation payout to Justine Damond’s family

WEDNESDAY 8TH

Low-range drink-drivers to lose licences immediately

First-time low-range drink-drivers in NSW will lose their licences on the spot under tough new laws to be introduced this month. Transport and Roads Minister Andrew Constance said all drink-drivers would face at least a three-month suspension from driving and a $561 fine as part of the new penalty regime.

The Daily Telegraph appeals defamation case loss against Geoffrey Rush, claims judge appeared biased

The Daily Telegraph has appealed the decision in a high-profile defamation case brought against it by Geoffrey Rush, claiming the Federal Court judge who ruled in favour of the Oscar-winner could have appeared biased.

First person charged under Western Australia's new revenge porn laws. 

A Perth man has become the first person to be charged under Western Australia’s new revenge porn laws for allegedly creating fake Instagram pages under his ex-girlfriend’s name and sharing intimate photographs.