US President Donald Trump’s medical team confirmed he has been prescribed dexamethasone, a steroid shown in studies to improve survival for patients hospitalised with critical COVID-19 symptoms. The medication is cheap and widely-used but according to guidelines from the Infectious Disease Society of America, it should not be given in mild cases since it can limit the body’s own ability …

Millions of Australians will have more money in their pockets within weeks, as the Federal Government plans to bring forward and supercharge tax cuts in tomorrow’s Federal Budget. The ABC understands tomorrow’s Federal Budget will confirm tax cuts, scheduled to start in July 2022, are being brought forward and backdated to July this year. The Government hopes the cuts will …

US President Donald Trump has nominated Amy Coney Barrett, a judge on the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court. At 48, the devout Roman Catholic would be the youngest justice on the bench if she is confirmed by the US Senate. Mr Trump hailed Judge Barrett as “a woman …

These changes will come into effect at 11:59pm tonight: 127,000 workers to return to onsite work with a COVID-safe plan Students in primary school, special school students and VCAL will return to on-site learning in the week beginning 12 October Outdoor exercise is allowed within 5km of your home or workplace with a 2-hour limit. If you are exercising near …

More Australians stranded overseas will be able to return home each week after state governments agreed to a staggered rise in hotel quarantine caps. The overall cap will rise from 4000 to 6000 after all states reach new limits over the next two weeks, under a deal struck at Friday’s national cabinet meeting. On Thursday Prime Minister Scott Morrison said …

Australian taxpayers have spent nearly $55 billion so far on the JobKeeper program during the coronavirus pandemic as the Federal Government prepares to reduce payments from September 29. While the national unemployment rate fell to 6.8 per cent in August, millions of Australians remain dependent on the JobKeeper safety net. A total of 3.6 million Australian employees and businesses have …

An Afghan soldier who murdered three Australian soldiers has been flown to Qatar ahead of US-brokered peace talks with the Taliban. The prisoner, known as Hekmatullah, has spent seven years in jail after killing Lance Corporal Stjepan Milosevic, Sapper James Martin and Private Robert Poate in August 2012. The ABC has confirmed the former Afghan Army sergeant was on board …

Authorities have warned of mass fatalities as the largest firestorms on record ravaged the states of California and Oregon amid a deadly summer of wildfires. Deadly infernoes raging across Oregon have kept half a million people under evacuation alert as weary firefighters took advantage of improved weather to go on the offensive against the blazes. The fires have destroyed thousands …

The much-anticipated coronavirus vaccine being developed in the UK will resume human trials after being deemed safe. The trials were paused last week when a patient reported a side effect which required investigation to see if the problem was related to the vaccine. Health Secretary Matt Hancock welcomed Oxford University’s announcement that the trials would resume. “This pause shows we will …

Victoria has reported 41 new cases of COVID-19 and seven further deaths, with the latest figures supporting the state’s planned easing of lockdown restrictions. Sunday’s statistics for the past 24 hours take the state’s death toll to 723 and the national count to 810 since the start of the pandemic. As parts of Victoria’s move towards eased restrictions, tensions are …