Russia has buried 14 naval officers killed in a nuclear submarine fire whilst details remain ‘state secret’.

The officers died in the Barents Sea on Monday, but the accident was only made public a day later with the Russian media reporting the ship was a top-secret nuclear-powered mini-submarine.

The funerals on Saturday were closed to the media and President Vladimir Putin awarded state honours to the 14 navy officers killed in the fire.

Turning waste into valuable products is a new and innovative industry set to thrive in Queensland.

Minister for Environment Leeanne Enoch said the Sunshine Coast-based business Waste Free Systems, which collects used shampoo containers from over 40 salons and makes them into prosthetic arms for children, is a great example of how we can embrace innovative ideas to reuse waste, and extract all of the value from products before they are disposed.

The CEO of an Australian advertising agency raises concerns over the Queensland Government’s plan to ban junk food advertising on government-owned billboards.

JCDecaux Australia executive Steve O’Connor says money will move away from local marketing agencies and towards US companies who do not face the same restrictions.

Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles said the ban is their bid to fight childhood obesity and help Queenslander make healthier choices.

Scientists have observed mature sandalwood trees which have been alive for hundreds of years, are dying in South Australia's outback.

Ecologist John Read said he believes climate change and drought are responsible for the tree deaths because he also noticed quite a significant die-off of wattles and long-lived pine trees.

Citizen scientists are encouraged to help track the impact of drought on trees by uploading pictures of them online via a project called Dead Tree Detectives. 

Northern Territory gardners are using native plants to fight animal extinction. 

Kate Stevens is the program co-ordinator for Gardens for Wildlife in Alice Springs, a not-for-profit organisation providing people with free garden assessments and advice about how to make their gardens friendlier to native wildlife.

Dr Stevens said Australia has the worst mammal extinction rate in the world, but creating pockets of native habitat in urban areas can help combat the endangered animals crisis.

The Defence Force is tracking a Chinese spy ship sailing towards Australia ahead of joint United States-Australian exercises known as the Talisman Sabre war games.

A similar electronic surveillance ship designed to eavesdrop on other militaries was sited monitoring the war games in 2017.

Lieutenant General Greg Bilton said they are tracking the Chinese ship and are taking appropriate measures.

An Indigenous Australian site Budg Bim which is older than the pyramids and contains the remains of an ancient eel farm, has been accepted onto the World Heritage List as of two days ago.

Project manager Denis Rose said they have been advocating for 17 years to have the site recognised as World Heritage.

Mr Rose said the aquaculture site will receive improved protection and cause global recognition of the Indigenous Gunditjmara people, with the potential to boost tourism.