The World Today

University students fear proposed changes to university fees will make the dream of tertiary education, harder to reach. The World Today has spoken to uni students who say the overhaul could prevent less well-off students, and those from a regional background from going to university, because they fear they'll face too much debt. One student says she'd like to see the Government reconsider the plan, and come up with an alternative.

The dairy giant Murray Goulburn has announced it's shutting three of its factories and putting hundreds of people out work. The company says the decision's been taken to reduce its costs and ultimately lift the farmgate milk price.

ANZ has reported a 6 per cent increase in net first-half profit to $2.9 billion. Chief executive Shayne Elliott says, 'outlook for the second half remains broadly stable'. But Mr Elliott says there are headwinds about slow or no wages growth and he worries whether tougher regulation will put more pressure on the bank's bottom line.

Human Rights Watch says it has new evidence showing that Syrian government forces have used chemical weapons, including deadly nerve agents at least four times in the past six months. A report out today accuses the government of Bashar al Assad of using sarin gas and chlorine in both air and ground missiles, around 90 people died in one attack alone last month.

High contrast markings on surf boards, specialised shark drones and smart drumlines are just some of the technologies being discussed today at the federal senate inquiry into shark mitigation at Byron Bay on Tuesday. Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson has been travelling the country hearing from surf groups, environmentalists, and local community leaders on what needs to be done to address the growing number of shark attacks in the country.

The Federal Government has acknowledged its own aged care accreditation system, failed to protect residents at an Adelaide state-run nursing home. The Oakden mental health facility will close, amid allegations of widespread mistreatment of elderly residents. The Commonwealth was responsible for the home's accreditation, which has come under criticism. The Federal Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt has now launched an independent review into the process.

An Australian suicide study has identified a worrying failure in communication between family members and health professionals. The team examined 74 suicide cases in New South Wales and Queensland and found that poor communication in a quarter of the cases meant that warning signs went unheeded. The lead researcher, Professor Brian Draper, says there is a gap in the medical guidelines about sharing information with relatives.

If you believe the pitch, how you get from A to B is about to be disrupted once again. Ridesharing with social media friends could be a key part of our transport future, according to researchers at the University of Melbourne. They aim to create a start-up app to take business from services like Uber. But for it to be efficient, people would have to be flexible in where they shop or go to the gym.

The family of the 22 year old woman Cassandra Sainsbury, who was caught carrying nearly six kilograms of cocaine in her luggage in Columbia, say she is innocent as she awaits to be trialled in the South American country. Her mother, Lisa Evans claims her daughter was given a package of around 16 headphones from a Columbian man without realising that there was cocaine concealed inside. They are now engaging a local lawyer as they await the trial.

Rusty Young is an Australian lawyer who wrote a book about life inside a South American Prison called 'Marching Powder'. He lived in Colombia for several years and says conditions inside South American prisons can be very hard, especially if you don't have language skills or local support. The most important thing for Cassandra Sainsbury at this stage is to get a good lawyer, he says.