People living in one of Mozambique's largest cities have been warned to expect the "worst-case scenario" as a major cyclone makes landfall.

Cyclone Idai, which is carrying winds of up to 165km/h, is making landfall near the port of Beira.

A storm surge of at least six metres (20 feet) is expected near low-lying Beira, a city of 500,000 people, Météo France said.

Heavy rains have already killed about 100 people in Mozambique and Malawi.

The US House of Representatives has  called for Special Counsel Robert Mueller's upcoming report on his probe into Russia's role in the 2016 election, to be released to Congress and the public.

The 420-0 House vote, with four conservative Republican lawmakers voting "present," gave Democrats who control the chamber a political victory and put pressure on Attorney General William Barr to make the report public after Mueller submits it to him.

Unions are urging industry superannuation funds to campaign on workplace relations in the lead up to the federal election.

Australian Council of Trade Unions president Michele O’Neil says major companies that superfunds choose to invest in have chosen to undermine local workers’ rights while simultaneously exploiting foreign workers.

Ms O’Neil rejects claims of financial activism after unions demanded union-backed industry funds to pressure mining giant BHP to save the jobs of 80 local seafarers.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), have vowed to look into the issues identified in a parliamentary inquiry report of the Retail Food Group (RFG).

The parliamentary inquiry handed in its report on Thursday, recommending the RFG and its directors be investigated over allegations of insider trading, tax avoidance, breaches of consumer law and other market disclosure failings.

A woodwork artist from the town of Woodenbong has pitched his idea for a giant wooden bong to be constructed as the towns main tourist attraction.

Paul Pearson makes bongs as an occupation, and had built one that stood at 1.5 metres, but he has an even bigger goal that he believes will bring droves of tourists to the rural community.

Sixteen officers are being recruited to boost ticket inspector numbers to combat a surge in fare evasion on Queensland’s public transport.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey says a significant jump in fare evaders on public transport, particularly school buses, was costing about $25 million a year in lost revenue.

Last financial year, Queensland’s school bus drivers recorded more than 1.53 million fare evasions, compared to about 875,000 the year before.

Islamic State militants, along with women and children, surrendered in the hundreds to U.S.-backed forces in eastern Syria on Thursday as the jihadists lost ground in their last shred of territory in Baghouz.

The Islamic state militants suffered major military defeats in 2017, when they lost the cities of Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria. They were then forced down the Euphrates River to their last bastion at Baghouz.