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Cairns - 4870

Family calls for justice, explanation of how their brother died in police custody

Police body cam played in court, showing the final moments Mr George was seen alive as he was led to a watch house cell. More than an hour later police checked on him and found his body.
Aboriginal woman talking to reporters flanked by family

Mystery of floating photos solved as precious memories come flooding back to esky owner

A unique stash of historic photos that floated 60 kilometres on floodwaters from a far north Queensland town down the rugged Barron River to the coast is reunited with its owner.
Two males sitting at table holding up photos

Environment minister delays decision on one of Queensland's biggest wind farm developments

Ark Energy wants to build the $1 billion wind farm west of Cairns but conservationists have expressed concern about the location, which borders a national park that is home to several endangered and threatened species.
aerial of dense forest

Urn containing ashes reunited with family who'd stored them in microwave sent to flood victims

The urn containing ashes was lost in Cairns two weeks ago after being stashed in a microwave that had been donated to flood victims. It took a little help from local radio before it could be reunited with the family.
woman and man holding ornate glass urn

The human body doesn't come with a manual, so here's a list of regular services every owner needs

Robyn gets her car serviced every year, so she thought she should do the same for her herself. Doctors found a hole in her heart.
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a doctor checks a patient's blood pressure

Sea sickness puts fishermen in path of rare whale shark off K'gari

The two men did not know whale sharks could be found in waters off Queensland's south-east coast until the inquisitive creature glided up next to their boat.
Whale shark swimming by back of a boat

Tropical low in Coral Sea could turn into cyclone as Kirrily hovers over Queensland's north-west

If the tropical low develops into a cyclone, it would be Queensland's third in as many months. 
A flooded street with a pub in the foreground

Fears for health of Great Barrier Reef as skipper fined $15K over 21st birthday boat crash

An environmental advocate says the changing climate means its more important than ever to protect the reef from human damage. It comes after a private charter skipper is convicted of numerous maritime offences.
A group of people standing on the private charter boat "Waltzing Matilda"

Search for owners after teen finds esky full of black and white photos in floodwaters

Teen finds World War I photos of soldiers and army platoons and family photos from the early 1900's,in an esky floating in floodwaters less than 100 metres away from being washed out to sea.
Two pics of a man in army uniform

Murder charge against former quarry keeper delays inquest into 2013 disappearance of Cape York woman

A coronial inquest into the disappearance of the 23-year-old Kokoberra woman was due to resume this month but proceedings have been put on hold after a man was charged with her murder.
A man wearing hi-vis orange and blue clothing disembarks from a light Cessna plane with blurred face

'Strong rooms' recommended for all North Queensland homes after two tropical cyclones in two months

With only 12 public cyclone shelters across Queensland, a leading design engineer recommends more people should consider building dedicated rooms in their homes.
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A graphic drawing of a small room which has reinforced walls

Almost 170,000 air conditioners remotely turned down six times during blistering summer heat

Queensland’s state-owned power grid quietly forced almost 170,000 air-conditioners in homes and businesses into low-power mode six times over summer.
Sun shimmers through powerlines and trees at The Gap in Brisbane.

Police charge man with murder of Cape York woman missing for a decade

The Kowanyama woman was 23 when she was last seen with a quarry caretaker more than 10 years ago, leading to a long-running inquest and a $500,000 reward.
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A young Indigenous woman sits with two small children whose faces are blurred

Cold case breakthrough as man assists police over disappearance of Queensland woman

Police say a 62-year-old man is assisting with their inquiries over the February 2013 disappearance of a Kowanyama woman known as Ms Bernard.
A young Indigenous woman sits with two small children whose faces are blurred

Authorities rescue sightseers trapped by rising floodwaters, but is there more flooding to come?

One area that saw rain-induced flooding was Charters Towers, where emergency services rescued 14 people after they became trapped overnight.
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ABC News Current

Rebecca asked her doctor for a laparoscopy, he told her to come back at 40

Major barriers still stand in the way for young and regional people to get a diagnosis and treatment for endometriosis. 
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A young woman with long, straight, blonde hair stands in frnt of cairns lagoon

Melioidosis death prompts health warning to cyclone-impacted communities

A Cairns patient has died from the bacterial disease melioidosis, with health authorities further south warning those on cyclone clean-up to take precautions against contracting the infection.
A slide of melioidosis bacteria being tested by a researcher

Thousands left without power as ex-Tropical Cyclone Kirrily moves inland

Ex-Tropical Cyclone Kirrily is moving inland as a tropical low after crossing the Queensland coast overnight leaving more than 60,000 residents without power.
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tree and power pole crushes two cars

Increase in potentially fatal soil and water disease recorded in Far North Queensland

Queenslanders are urged to be alert to the hazards of mud left by flooding after a record number of melioidosis cases in Cairns during January.
A pile of rubbish, including mattresses and flooring

Kirrily makes landfall in north Queensland, with system forecast to weaken as it heads inland

Tropical Cyclone Kirrily has been downgraded to a category one system as it crosses the Queensland coast, the Bureau of Meteorology says.
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BOM satellite image of Tropical Cyclone Kirrily as starts to cross the coast

Queensland children in adult watchhouses could amount to ‘child abuse’

A Cairns psychologist working for the state government has gone public with her deep concerns about possible human rights breaches in police watch houses.
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ABC News Current
Duration: 7 minutes 13 seconds

Businesses fear closure in wake of landslides as rainforest community endures 'unsustainable' isolation

Cape Tribulation is a major international tourist destination in the heart of the Daintree but a major landslip last month has rendered it largely inaccessible. Businesses there now fear permanent closure.
A muddy track cut into a rainforest hillside

Psychologist doesn't understand why Qld government accepts 'abhorrent conditions' in police watch house

Inside a watch house in Cairns, children as young as 10 are locked into cells designed for adults, sometimes four at a time with their mattresses on the floor.
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Photo of Cairns police watch house entrance including signs on door saying 'No Smoking'

Charity forced to shift mouldy, damaged donations with forklift after dumping spike

Vinnies stores across Queensland have been swamped with unsaleable donations, which the charity says are causing "chaos" for busy volunteers.
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Boxes and clothes left outside a charity store in Warwick, Queensland

This grazier was caught out by a cyclone that cost him $100K. Here's what to do before Cyclone Kirrily arrives

From sandbags to generators, this is what you need to know ahead of a tropical cyclone forecast to make landfall in north Queensland between Cardwell and Bowen.
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Man in high-vis yellow shirt and weathered hat looking concerned