A huge garbage collection system designed to clean plastics floating in the Pacific Ocean could finally collect plastic, its inventor announced on Wednesday.

Ocean Cleanup, a Netherlands-based non-profit organisation, says its latest prototype captures and accommodates pieces of varying sizes, from huge abandoned fishing gear to as small as 1 mm micro-plastics.

Health authorities say the number of people dying from diseases related to the use of e-cigarettes in the United States has increased to at least 19, while more than 1,000 people have suffered from lung damage that may be related to smoking.

Officials have not yet identified the cause of the outbreak, which can be traced back to March, and they are conducting various investigations.

A Melbourne tram was derailed on Sunday for a third time after colliding with a car.

The tram ploughed into a Melbourne front yard, causing twenty-one people to need medical treatment.

“We’re thankful no one was seriously injured in Sunday’s incident,” said a Yarra Trams spokeswoman yesterday.

Since 2013, the same tram has been involved in two other derailments.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne has expressed concern for Australian women and children detained in a Syrian camp, but says there is no rush to evacuate them.

“We will not put Australian officials, forces or our public in danger so any repatriation will occur only if safe to do so,” Foreign Minister Marise Payne said.

More than 60 women and children are being detained in the al-Hawl camp, and many fear they will soon be at risk of harm as US withdraws its troops from Syria and Turkey is set to invade.

A Queensland mother has taken to social media to explain to others how to interact with children with disabilities.

After watching children and families ignore her daughter on a holiday, Jen Kyriacou shared her experience in a viral Facebook post, and offered advice for other parents.

Mrs Kyriacou says “it’s hard to watch her be ignored and kids running away from her and this is an ongoing issue parents with kids with disabilities face all the time.”

The worldwide climate activist group Extinction Rebellion has planned to use tactics from Hong Kong protesters in their civil disobedience campaign.

Tom Howell, a Brisbane organiser for the group, says “Cable ties and street barricades together, you can go and get a $40 bike lock, this is a really accessible thing”.

Mr Howell says that this barricade technique is a simple way for anyone to get involved.

Hundreds of climate change activists shouted "rebellion!" on Monday morning in Amsterdam city and blocked the traffic. 

Police have approved plans by activist group Extinction Rebellion to demonstrate on condition they would not block traffic.

The city warned people to avoid the area on the way to work by car or bicycle, because "the police are planning to end the illegal blockade.”

As anti-government protests swept through Hong Kong, the number of tourists visiting Hong Kong in August tumbled, indicating that the economic costs caused by the unrest have continued to rise.

Hong Kong's Financial Secretary Paul Chan said in his blog that the number of tourists has dropped by nearly 40% from last year. He said that this marked a sharp increase in the 5% year-on-year decline in July. 

In contrast, Hong Kong was one of the most visited cities in the world with 30 million visitors last year.