A massive wildfire has consumed more than 17,000 acres of the Everglades National Park in less than 24 hours.

Officials believe lightning started the blaze Sunday evening in west-central Broward County and flames have spread quickly since with 0% contained.

According to the forest service, the fire does not currently threaten any structures, however it does concern drivers along two highways which are expected to be engulfed in smoke.

Neil Doorley, a former senior government media advisor is seeking compensation for his alleged unfair dismissal.

Mr Doorley spent three years in the role to four different government ministers and claims he was unfairly dismissed by the Premier’s department in November, without a given reason.

According to Mr Doorley, the process will now be to find out exactly what was behind what he believes was a drastic action.

Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson has introduced the $848 Million 2019/20 budget, forecasted to deliver a $29 million surplus by the end of the year.

Mr Jamieson said the council will responsibly manage their contributions and the budget to deliver further services and strategic investments for the future of the region.

According to Mr Jamieson, communities are our future and this budget focuses their needs today and into the future.

The entanglement of two humpback whales on the coast of NSW has highlighted the man made threats marine life face at an increasing rate.
 

Two whales snared by buoys, ropes and netting were discovered over the weekend but marine rescuers were unsuccessful in their attempts to disentangle them. 

Managing director of the Tangaroa Blue Foundation, Hiedi Taylor, said the problem of marine debris has never been so great, with around 800 species being impacted. 

The latest engineers report on Sydney’s troubled Mascot Towers revealed a new issue with the cracking building which suggests it may be sinking.

The report provided to the owners’ corporation yesterday said it appeared the building was ‘moving in a downward motion’ and urged tenants to remove all possessions.

Owner of the building, Fabiano Dos Santos, bought the Mascot Towers only three months ago and says he fears the worst.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held talks yesterday with leaders in Saudi Arabia about countering the military threat from Iran by building a global coalition including Asian and European countries.

Mr Pompeo will face a tough sell in Europe and Asia, particularly from the nations still committed to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran rejected by President Donald Trump last year.

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders unveiled a plan to forgive all US student loans, freeing around 45 million Americans from debt that would normally take decades to pay off.

The proposal would see the loans paid off through a new tax on Wall Street transactions in a bid to ‘make a full and complete education a human right’.

When proposing the plan, Sanders argued ‘the American people bailed out Wall Street, now it's time for Wall Street to come to the aid of the middle class of this country’.

A Rockhampton undertaker has pleaded guilty to misconduct with regards to a corpse after leaving a still born baby’s body on the roof of his van and drove away.

The baby’s body fell onto the road on the sunshine coast after a van change over, and was later discovered by local road workers.

Undertaker Mr Bertrand has been fined $5000 for his total neglect but no conviction has been recorded.