At least 70 people have died and dozens injured following flash flooding in the province of Parwan in Northern Afghanistan on Wednesday morning.

A statement from the Presidential palace says that urgent emergency assistance has been requested for the city of Charikar by Afghan President Ashgraf Ghani.

Provincial spokeswoman Waheeda Shakar says that many of the victims are women and children, and that the death toll is expected to rise. 

Kim Jong-Un has made an appearance at a party meeting on Tuesday amid global speculation regarding his health.

The North Korean leader announced that the countries’ authorities should prepare for the threat of the coronavirus pandemic as well as a possible incoming typhoon.

Though a suspected case of the virus has been reported near the border of North Korea and South Korea, no positive cases of COVID-19  have been confirmed. 

An emergency situation has been declared in Darwin overnight in response to bushfire threats.

A total fire ban imposed on Wednesday will remain in place indefinitely, with extreme conditions forecast for the Darwin and Adelaide River regions expected to worsen.

Northern Territory Bureau of Meteorology manager Todd Smith says dangerous conditions fuelled by exceptionally dry air are due to peak today and last for the remainder of the week. 

Prime Minister Scott Morrison denies claims that the federal government has ignored Liberal MP Russell Broadbent's warnings about the Victorian aged care sector for years.

Mr Broadbent says the government's handling of the Covid-19 outbreak in Victorian residential aged care, which has reached a total 300 fatalities so far, was a disaster waiting to happen.

 Mr Morrison says he believes the government  is holding privatised care providers sufficiently accountable by conducting a royal commission. 

Surf Life Saving Queensland have honoured their volunteers this week in a virtual celebration of excellence.

Volunteers were presented with awards in 16 different categories to acknowledge their commitment to protecting Queensland’s beach goers, and their involvement with their respective clubs.

All correctional facilities in south-east Queensland have been placed  in stage four lockdown after a staff member at the Queensland Corrective Services academy tested positive for coronavirus.

Assistant secretary of the Together Queensland Corrections Union Michael Thomas says the man interacted with several trainees who have since visited multiple facilities.

Griffith University researchers from International Water Centre and School of Medicine and the Australian Government launch a new tool highlighting the importance of water security for fighting COVID-19 in the Indo-Pacific.

Researchers created the COVID-19 Water Security Risk Index enables governments, communities and organisations to water-based interventions and reduce countries' risks of COVID-19 impacts in the short-term and build long-term resilience.

The largest rooftop farm is currently being built by company Agropolis in Paris, France.

The farm is designed to educate the public on healthy eating as well as offering a place for the community to plant and grow their own produce.

Urban areas have been transformed into rooftop gardens with a method called vertical farming which aims to reduce pesticides as well as use less water.