Iraq securities wearing masks and plainclothes have shot protestors in the Shi’ite holy city of Karbala, leading to the death of 18 people and wounding hundreds.

The protestors were fighting against their government’s corruption, and have been attacked by tear gas and bullets, in one of the deadliest single attacks since anti-government demonstrations erupted earlier this month.

Karbala is currently suffering from serious unemployment and unstable political conditions as protestors ask for reformation but not just the government’s resignation.

Hong Kong Pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong has been disqualified from participating in the upcoming district elections on the grounds that his call for Hong Kong self-determination breaks the electoral law.

Mr. Wong says the government is giving excuses for not letting him run in the office.

He is the only person disqualified out of more than 1100 candidates in district councils set for this year.

Residents near Port Macquarie in NSW remain on high alert this morning as a bushfire continues to burn close to homes.

Firefighters worked overnight to subdue the blaze near the village of Lake Cathie on the state’s Mid North Coast, but were hindered by gusty winds which fanned the flames as homes came under threat.

The fire has burnt through 1700 hectares of land and came right up to gardens in some homes, forcing residents to flee their homes with any possessions they could carry.

Activists are continuing their protests today outside the International Mining and Resources Conference in Melbourne, where they are expected to continue ridiculing delegates as they approach the conference centre.

Yesterday saw 50 protesters arrested after rowdy scenes in which police horses were allegedly punched, while three police officers were taken to hospital and four were left injured. 

The climate change activists are already beginning to gather in Melbourne’s CBD this morning, and police officers are already out in force outside the centre. 

A Brisbane parent has slammed booking website Schoolies.com, after it was announced that it would be partnering with Tinder to promote the event.

Brisbane mother Libby Marshall fears that the partnership would put vulnerable teenagers at risk, after e-mails from Tinder promoting Schoolies were widely circulated.

Schoolies.com CEO Matt Lloyd said that the safety of school leavers was the company's top priority and that the platform would only be available to those over 18 years of age. 

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has hailed the end of large donations to political parties, after a series of wide-ranging electoral reforms were announced yesterday.

Under the new changes, public funding to political parties and candidates in Queensland elections will increase by $23 million, political parties will not be allowed to spend more than $92 000 in a single electorate, and  individual donations to political parties will be capped at $10 000 over a parliamentary term.

Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate two girls both reported missing from Zillmere.

The two girls, of 11 and 12 years, were last seen at a Victory Street address on Friday October 25. 

Both girls are slim, have brown eyes, brown hair and have been described as Aboriginal. 

Police hold concerns for the girls welfare due to their young age and urge anyone with information to contact police.

A man is fighting for his life after his car flipped in Brisbane’s north overnight, 

An arterial road has been closed for more than six hours after the incident occurred.

Police say the car was heading south along Gympie Arterial Road in Bald Hills, 17 kilometres north of Brisbane at about 10:10 pm on Monday night when the driver lost control.