A Canadian study has found that men exposed to workplace pesticides have a 70% increased risk of developing ALS, the most common form of motor neuron disease. Exposure to insecticides and fungicides specifically was linked to a 60% increase in risk. The research found no increased risk among women exposed to these chemicals.

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The 2024 NAPLAN results reveal approximately 400,000 Australian students, or one in three, failed to meet proficiency standards, with particular concerns in Year 3 numeracy and remote student performance. Encouraging improvements were noted in overall numeracy scores for Years 5, 7 and 9, and Indigenous students showed gains in upper year levels, particularly in exceeding proficiency benchmarks. Over three-quarters of remote students failed to meet standards in reading and mathematics, highlighting ongoing challenges in disadvantaged communities.

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The Bureau of Meteorology has commissioned an independent review following significant criticism of its $96 million website upgrade launched in October last year. The new website failed to provide critical updates to Queensland residents during the deadly Channel Country floods, prompting widespread backlash. The review will inform the Bureau's future organisational strategy, though officials have not specifically named the website as the focus.

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Jetstar is eliminating the 7kg weight limit on under-seat carry-on bags from February, but will now charge passengers $25 for domestic flights and $52 for international flights to use overhead lockers. The budget airline says the changes align with global budget carriers and will speed up check-in and boarding processes, though passengers will face additional fees for larger carry-on bags.

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New footage from Holland Park in Brisbane's south-east shows children believed to be as young as 10 years old participating in a group break-in. Residents are experiencing repeated break-ins, with one property targeted three times in 18 months. Local communities are establishing Facebook-based neighbourhood watch groups to alert each other about suspicious activity and crime in the area.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has shared confronting footage showing a drone pursuing and attacking a civilian fruit seller on a roadside, with the man surviving the explosion but suffering blast injuries and concussion. The incident highlights the ongoing civilian casualties as the Russia-Ukraine conflict approaches four and a half years. Russia faces accusations of deploying high-tech drones that specifically target humans.

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Brisbane children as young as 10 are being recruited by criminal gangs to scope out and break into homes, with new footage capturing them trespassing at a Holland Park residence. Labor has proposed amendments to negative gearing laws to address the 'widow's tax', allowing people who inherit investment properties from partners to retain negative gearing benefits. Australia has recorded over 100 cases of bird flu, with experts warning that up to 40 per cent of Victoria's little penguin colony could be wiped out if the virus reaches them.

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Federal police are investigating an arson attack on defence manufacturer Lovett Technologies in Melbourne as a potential far-left terror act. Three cars were torched and the facility was damaged in July, with masked suspects posting online threats demanding the company stop arming Israel. This marks the first time Australian authorities have investigated a potential far-left terror attack motivated by extremist and revolutionary ideology.

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An Osborne Park gym has successfully overturned a Supreme Court ban that prevented weight training during daylight hours. Perth Day Hospital had claimed excessive vibrations from dropped weights interfered with specialist procedures, but the judge ruled the gym had a right to operate in the multi-tenant space.

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Construction has commenced on Mandurah's new hospital after nearly six years of delays, with completion expected in three years at a cost exceeding one billion dollars. The facility will add more than 110 beds to WA's health system, including expanded emergency services, dedicated mental health facilities, maternity services and cancer treatment.

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