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33,000 people die every year in the United States from opioid related overdoses, which are now at epidemic proportions. US President Donald Trump says the administration is drawing up documents to declare a national emergency, an act usually reserved for natural disasters and major disease outbreaks. Yet questions remain over how vulnerable communities like military veterans will benefit.

The Western Force have been axed from the Super Rugby competition by the Australian Rugby Union. From next year the franchise's licence will be discontinued allowing the ARU to reduce Super Rugby from 18 teams to 15. David Mark, sports editor for the ABC spoke to PM about the prolonged legal battle faced by the Force, who have been dropped despite signing a deal with the ARU in August which guaranteed the clubs survival until 2020.

According to an Australian study, Vitamin B3, found in green vegetables and Vegemite, could be a way to prevent some types of birth defects and miscarriages. Scientists say they haven't only found the cause of many birth defects but also the supplement that could offer a cure for some. And it's already on chemist shelves.

Australian researchers have exposed USB connections as prone to 'leaking' data, making them vulnerable. Testing uncovered that malicious USB interfaces can be used to capture sensitive data like keystrokes from keyboards. It's revealed another avenue that hackers may exploit, prompting a warning to only use trusted devices.

A tactical response unit using a tear-gas type substance has brought an eight-hour standoff with inmates to an end at Hobart's Risdon Jail. The incident began yesterday when about 40 prisoners refused to return to their cells after lunch. The union, prisoner rights advocates and the opposition say the jail is overcrowded and understaffed but Tasmania's Correction's minister says it's got more to do with a new smoking ban.

While grieving families are relieved that 'No Body No Parole' laws have passed in Queensland, the legal profession says the new laws could mean people wrongly convicted will remain in jail. Prisoners in Queensland convicted of manslaughter or murder will now have to reveal the location of their victim's body if they want parole, under new laws passed unanimously by that state's parliament. The 'No Body No Parole' laws have an Australian-first provision which includes not only those convicted of murder, but anyone convicted of being an accessory after the fact to manslaughter.

A NSW dairy farmers group has launched an online petition aimed at increasing support for stopping plant-based products marketing themselves as milk. Laws in Canada already force the distinction, the US debating a similar change and the EU Court of Justice recently ruled plant based products can't use dairy-associated words like milk, cheese or butter. Now dairy farmers want those rules brought here.

Business PM catches you up on the most important news in business and finance.

Parliament has this afternoon heard a spirited call to arms for supporters of same sex marriage from the Opposition leader Bill Shorten, who's urging against a boycott of the coming postal plebiscite. That's despite Labor spending much of Question Time today trying to undermine what it calls an 'illegitimate postal survey'. But the Prime Minister is accusing the opposition of hypocrisy, saying if Labor wanted a compulsory plebiscite, it should have voted for one when it had the chance.

The head of one of Australia's biggest energy retailers has addressed the media over his meeting with the Federal Government to address rising power prices. The Prime Minister yesterday declared the meeting with the chiefs of energy companies would result in reforms that will see Australians pay less for electricity. But AGL's chief executive officer, Andy Vessey, believes a clean energy target is the best way to drive down rising prices, and has urged the Government to deliver certainty on its carbon policy.