Marine biologists working off Hawaii have confirmed the sighting of a hybrid of two dolphin species.

The discovery was made after the group working off the island of Kauai spotted a mixed group with unusual features.

As outlined in a newly published research paper, a skin sample was collected and DNA testing confirmed their suspicions.

The genetic test showed the hybrid had the mitochondrial haplotype of a melon-headed whale, which means the mother was a melon-headed whale, and the father was a rough-toothed dolphin.

Some farmers in the central west of New South Wales have used a new fertiliser to help deal with what's been called the worst drought in living memory.

It is human sewage, treated and dewatered to produce biosolids, an organic fertiliser transforming about 30 farms in the region.

From more than 20 metropolitan treatment plants, Sydney Water is producing about 180,000 tonnes of biosolid fertiliser a year.

Personal bankruptcies across Australia are at an eight-year high according to recently released research on the last financial year.

More than 32,000 Australians declared bankruptcy, and experts are warning that a combination of rising debt, stagnant wage growth and falling house prices could herald more bad news.

Queensland had the highest number of bankruptcies in the country, with more than 9,415 people declaring personal bankruptcy in the Sunshine State over the past year, but the rate of increase did slow to 1.5 per cent.

Researchers say for the first time an entire city, Townsville in northern Queensland, has been protected from the viral disease dengue fever.

Captive-bred mosquitoes with a naturally occurring bacteria were released, where they mated with local mosquitoes. By spreading a bacteria which hinders dengue transmission, the city has been dengue-free since 2014.

Researchers from Monash University also believe their work could stop mosquito-borne diseases Zika and malaria.

Dutton Park has been revealed as the site for Queensland's next high-rise school.

The Queensland government has been investigating several sites for a new inner-south high school to ease the enrolment pressure on Brisbane State High School.

The decision was based on the proximity to the city, connections with existing transport infrastructure and the nearby tertiary education partner, the University of Queensland.

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has returned to work after spending six weeks away on maternity leave.

Ms Ardern, 38, gave birth to her first child in June, making her only the second world leader to give birth while in office.

The prime minister had continued to read cabinet papers and was consulted on significant issues during her leave.

Ms Ardern, who was elected in October, announced in January that she and her partner were expecting.

The Ebola virus has struck again just one week after the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Health Ministry reported the end of the viral outbreak.

The latest outbreak was the 10th time that Ebola has surfaced in the country.

The health minister, Dr. Oly Ilunga Kalenga, said in a statement that the authorities had notified his ministry on Saturday of 26 suspected cases of Ebola, including the 20 deaths.

Samples from six survivors were analyzed on Tuesday and four tested positive for the virus.

Trains will run every six and a half minutes in Melbourne’s north-east, with the Andrews government promising to duplicate single sections of track running through marginal seats if it wins the November election.

For $530 million, Labor has promised to rebuild Greensborough station and add three kilometres of extra track between Greensborough and Montmorency.

It will be built in 2020 and finished by 2022, benefiting commuters in the marginal, Labor-held seats of Eltham and Yan Yean.