At least eight people have died after a 5.4 and 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck islands in the northern Philippines just a few hours apart on Saturday morning.

 Head of the provincial disaster-response office Roldan Esdicul said some people were crushed by rubble as they slept in their beds. 

Local mayor Raul de Sagon said local doctors were being inundated with people injured by the quake as rescue efforts continue.

The US Intelligence Chief has become the latest senior figure to leave the Trump administration following an announcement from President Donald Trump on Twitter.

Director Dan Coats had clashed with the President over different approaches to the Russian and North Korean negotiations, with Mr Coats taking a hard line.

President Trump has nominated Congressman John Ratcliffe and said he would “inspire greatness for the country”.

The Fortitude Music Hall opened its doors for the first time in 16 years on Friday, with a tribute show to the Brisbane music scene of old.

Chief executive of Hutchinson Builders Scott Hutchinson said they decided to rebuild the site for an upcoming generation of young people who had grown without the venue. 

Mr Hutchinson said big bands such as Birds of Tokyo, The Flaming Lips and The Cat Empire will be able to play in the heart of Brisbane instead of on the outskirts.

Every uniformed Queensland police officer will be required to wear body cameras as part of sweeping reforms introduced by new commissioner Katarina Carrol.

Commissioner Carroll said the real-time footage will be high-definition and can be accessed remotely to record events without prejudice.

Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan said the changes will allow police to be more transparent and build confidence with the public.

A Western Australian couple in their 60s have escaped with minor injuries from a light plane crash in the South Australian outback.

Police say the plane flipped while landing at the William Creek Airport on Sunday afternoon, resulting in an air exclusion ban that is still in place.

Tour operator Trevor Wright was on the scene and said he believes a landing wheel collapsed upon impact with the runway, which caused the plane to flip nose-first.

A Perth local council is making a last-ditch effort to save a species of endemic snake-necked turtle from extinction.

Turtle nesting refugees have been installed by Bibra Lake after dozens of pregnant turtles were crushed by cars and eaten by foxes last year.

Murdoch University PhD student Anthony Santaro said their surveys show an alarming ratio of one female turtle to every ten males in the local population.

Russian police said they detained more than 1,000 people in central Moscow as protesters demanded opposition candidates be allowed to run for the Moscow city council. 

About 30 people were disqualified from the election and at least 50 arrests took place before the protest was scheduled to begin. 

Opposition leaders said they were barred for political reasons and all 45 Moscow city council seats, which have a five-year-term, are up for election on September 8.