Britain’s two major, Conservative and Labour, parties have both been hit by large-scale cyber attacks against their websites just weeks before millions of citizens go to the polls in the country’s national election.

British security services had warned that Russia and other countries could use cyber attacks or divisive political messages on social media to attempt to disrupt the December 12 election.

Hong Kong police fired tear gas in the heart of the Central financial district and at two university campuses to break up pro-democracy protests on Tuesday, as violence brought the Chinese-ruled city to what they said was the "brink of total breakdown".

The clashes came a day after police shot a protestor at close range and a man was doused in petrol and set on fire in some of the worst violence the country has seen in decades.

Technology has been introduced at a rapid rate into Australian schools, but marks have flatlined, according to an OECD study.

The report shows that that the countries who have invested the most have seen no obvious improvements in reading, mathematics or science achievement.

Despite parental assumptions that screen time is being regulated in schools, research shows that Australian schools have some of the lowest levels of restrictions on screen time in the world.

Northern Territory health officials have defended their decision to leave the community of Yuendumu in the hours before the police shooting of 19-year-old Warlpiri man Kumanjayi Walker, who died after being shot by police in a home in Yuendumu on Saturday night

Staff and volunteers at the Cooberrie Park Wildlife Sanctuary at Yeppoon in central Queensland, have rescued more than 150 injured and orphaned wildlife animals in the midst of recent bushfires.

Ranger Kieron Smedley, the sanctuary spokesperson said they had a Noah’s ark-style bus on site to evacuate the animals from the natural disaster.

As the animals have been away from the sanctuary for 48 hours, Mr. Smedley said the park is planning to get them back soon to avoid stress on them under the relocation.

Australians have been called upon to donate blood after the bushfire in New South Wales and Queensland has affected the national supply.

Donor centers in New South Wales at Taree, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, and Byron Bay have been forced to close down, while appointments at  Maitland, Newcastle and Gosford centers are also expected to be canceled.

An American businessman has claimed that Apple’s bank card gave him a credit limit 20 times higher than his wife, who has a higher credit rating.

In his tweet, he said the card’s ‘black box’ algorithm had given him 20 times the credit limit of his wife, even though they file joint tax returns and she has a higher credit score.

Andrew Williams, the spokesperson of Goldman Sachs Apple card said the credit card system was based off trustworthiness but factors like age and gender were relevant.

Half-a-dozen beaches near the southwestern city of Bordeaux in France have been closed down as packages of cocaine continue to wash up on the Atlantic coast, with nearly 900 kilograms worth discovered since mid-October.

The closure followed a 17-year-old being caught with 5-kg of cocaine at a surfing beach near Bordeaux.

Philippe Astruc, the prosecutor in the western city of Rennes, the city of coordinating the searches, has reported that the huge jump from 763 to 872 kilos of cocaine has since eased, but he warned

Politicians from all major parties have criticised Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce over controversial bushfire comments he made on SkyNews yesterday. 

The MP has received a bombardment of criticism after suggesting two people who died in NSW bushfires "most likely" voted for the Greens, blaming the minor party for the increasing threat of bushfires.