With all this free time we have on our hands, Dominic Sandbrook makes the case for reading non-fiction books. Pictured: A Soviet soldier stand on top of a tank in Moscow's red square.

DOMINIC SANDBROOK: Even optimists admit that some businesses will not be replaced. Not every neighbourhood restaurant will reopen. Not every furloughed worker will stroll back into a job.

Shirley Maclaren is one of 135 Australians on the Holland America Line Zaandam ship stranded in the Pacific Ocean off Central America, where four passengers have died from coronavirus.

The couple strapped down the table and two dining chairs to enjoy breakfast outside Brooks and Stain in Brisbane.

Queenslander Karla Lake contracted the deadly virus while celebrating her 75th birthday with her husband Graeme on the virus-stricken Ruby Cruise cruise ship before it docked in Sydney.

An unlicensed Queensland massage parlour has been slapped with the first fines for flouting the new coronavirus social distancing and quarantine regulations.

The 75-year-old politician told Daily Mail Australia the region would be easy to isolate and said doing so could save the lives of a million vulnerable Australians.

Nobunaga Yakitori in Brisbane launched the new takeaway menu this week after the government banned dine-in service to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Brisbane mother-of-three Violet, has been forced to provide for her family after her husband lost his job and was heartbroken to hear her rent would not be reduced.

From their Gold Coast homes, national co-founders of the group, Julian Corvin and Tara O'Kane, are connecting people in need with those offering to do grocery shopping.

Australian restaurant Salt Meats Cheese is now delivering their one kilogram of brie cheese pasta to customers at home in isolation. The meal is priced at $39 and serves two people.

Instagram pages titled @brisbanecrims, @brisbanelads and @southside420 ask their followers to send in criminal content to share online.

Emergency services were called to Sunnybank Hills in outer Brisbane about 9pm on Monday following reports a man was pouring fuel over himself and a house.

Emergency services rushed to a home in Sunnybank Hills, in Brisbane's south on Monday night, after receiving reports of a domestic violence incident.

A makeup artist has tested out a viral trend of putting setting spray and powder on your face before foundation in a 'backwards' move that fans are saying 'helps increase the coverage'.

WARNING: Graphic footage has emerged of the horrifying moment a man was shot dead by police after he allegedly doused himself in fuel in a McDonald's car park south of Brisbane.

Mark Richard Lawrence, now 58, stalked 29-year-old Julia Ann Muirhead, strangled her with a tea towel and slit her throat in Brisbane on Boxing Day in 1983.

A heartbreaking viral video changed Quaden Bayles' life forever in February. 

Organisers of the Northey Street Organic Farmers Market in Brisbane were furious when police infiltrated the market in the car rather than on foot on Sunday.

Kerry Sheaff owns the store in Brighton in northern Brisbane that has been running low on supply amid the outbreak of coronavirus.

A Queensland woman has lifted the lid on Australia's rogue beauticians, revealing many in the industry are operating illegally from home in the midst of the coronavirus lockdown.

Australia's most famous ice cream chain is giving away free chocolate-chip cookie pies with every Deliveroo order over $32 from 5pm on Friday, April 17. And the best part is, you can bake it at home.

John Macpherson, 68, from Brisbane, who has three kids and nine grandchildren tragically lost his battle to cancer last week with the funeral being held on Wednesday.

Creative Australians are adorning costumes to take out the bins as a form of entertainment during the coronavirus pandemic.

The 27-year-old utility, who had his sights on playing in the NRL, was found face down in the swimming pool at his parents' home in Brisbane on Friday.

The code are looking into hosting the entire roster of teams in Sydney for the competition due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, with many players from outside clubs complaining about potentially relocating.

West Ham have announced that their planned pre-season tournament in Australia, which was also due to feature Crystal Palace, has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Australian jockey Luke Tarrant has been given a six-month ban after head-butting fellow rider Larry Cassidy during an altercation at Doomben racecourse on Wednesday.

Research into coronavirus treatments has been boosted by an unlikely benefactor - an 82-year-old great-grandfather who is selling his multi-million dollar beachside penthouse.

Jamie Douglas Saxon was found guilty of murder in October after he stabbed Dominik Schulze, 30, during a Brisbane road-rage incident two years earlier.

Hefeng Li, 30, was found asleep at the wheel on Padstow Road at Eight Mile Plains, in Brisbane's south, by police at about 11pm on March 21.

A primary school principal who threatened to expel a five-year-old boy because of his long hair will have to let him attend classed for the time being. 

A mother and son were 'absolutely sickened' to discover two mother kangaroos shot dead next to a dirt road - along with a surviving joey that had been left for dead.

The disease, known as lorikeet paralysis syndrome or clenched-foot syndrom, has left birds immobile on the sidewalks of suburban Brisbane.

Nicholas John Crilley, who took pleasure as he systematically raped and burned the woman during three weeks of drug-induced violence, has been handed seven life sentences.

The 32-year-old isn't shy when it comes to showing off her sensational figure.

The victim of a sadistic bank worker who was raped, tortured and set on fire over 23 days has been left with 'absolutely nothing' and is at risk of going blind due to her injuries.

A Brisbane-based mother who has 13.1million followers on TikTok claims she can support her young family from the money she earns on the social media app.

Australian voice coach Sally Prosser has revealed how to sound more confident when you're public speaking. She said you should avoid 'vocal fry', don't use filler words and don't 'upspeak'.

The Brisbane mother-of-three, 31, was killed along with her three children after her abusive husband, Rowan Charles Baxter, set their car alight on the school run on February 19.

The 37-year-old man was found about 4pm on Wednesday, in the laundry of the Woodford Correctional Centre north of Brisbane.

Two prisoners have died in separate incidents 12 hours apart at Woodford Correctional Centre north of Brisbane.

Bernie Ryan flew back to the country on Sunday from his job as a mining contractor in Brisbane after hearing his wife's cancer had aggressively returned and she had only hours to live.

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier is said to have briefed ministers that the latest plans put forward by the UK are 'not enough'.

Nigel Farage has hinted the Brexit Party will not stand candidates in every seat at a snap general election - even if Boris Johnson campaigns on a pledge to deliver his divorce deal.

These are 10 of the key battleground seats which are likely to determine the UK's Brexit fate at the next general election.

Boris Johnson will seek to rally his troops for the pre-Christmas showdown by attacking Jeremy Corbyn at what promises to be a brutal PMQs session in the Commons later.

Boris Johnson insisted the Tories are the real party of the NHS as he faced off against the Labour leader for the last time before Parliament dissolves for the campaign.

Andrew Bridgen backed his Tory colleague who faces calls to resign after he said victims should have used 'common sense' and ignored fire service guidance to 'stay put' in the burning tower.

He is facing calls to resign after suggesting victims of the fatal 2017 inferno who followed firefighters' instructions to 'stay put' in their flats as the building burned had lacked 'common sense'.