Northern California fires have spread as far as Utah
NASA images have revealed smoke from wildfires in Northern California has spread as far as Utah, 1300 kilometres away.
Wildfires have been threatening more than 10,000 homes in Northern California for several days, burning over 24,000 acres of land and claiming the lives of six people including a firefighter and two young children.
Mass evacuations are occurring, with 37,000 people reported to have fled their homes.
France to ban smartphones in schools
Schoolchildren in France will have to leave their smartphones switched off or at home after lawmakers voted for a ban on Monday.
The ban which includes smartphones, tablets and other connected devices will apply to pupils up to the age of 15, but schools can decide individually whether to impose a partial or total ban on connected devices.
Lady Cilento Children's Hospital to be renamed
Brisbane’s Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital could be renamed as The Queensland Children’s Hospital in order to clear up confusion over whether the hospital is public or private.
A quarter of parents surveyed were under the belief that the public hospital was private and therefore assumed they would be unable to afford their child’s care at Lady Cilento.
Health Minister Steven Miles says “I don’t want even the slightest risk that parents think they can’t have their child treated at this hospital if they need it.”
Claims Brisbane City Council employees were told to withhold information
Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe is examining claims Brisbane City Council employees were told to withhold information from local councillors.
Opposition leader Peter Cumming asked a question of the lord mayor on Tuesday, and said there had been several recent examples where the chairman of council committees were directed to conceal information from councillors about their wards.
Stray dog paws way to new home after running half marathon
A stray dog has won over the hearts of a Western Australian community after it completed a half-marathon alongside human competitors.
1-year-old Stormy pawed his way through the 21 kilometre Goldfields Pipeline Marathon and was awarded a participants medal after passing through each checkpoint along the course.
Some runners have lodged an expression of interest to adopt the dog, which is expected to be freed this week unless its owner comes forward.
Cambodia to resettle refugees from Australia
Cambodian Prime Minister, Hun Sen, says his country is ‘preparing’ to receive more refugees from Australia in a controversial deal that has cost the Federal Government $50 million.
In 2014, Australia signed a four-year deal with Cambodia, committing an extra $40 million in aid in exchange for resettling refugees from offshore detention centres in Nauru.
The deal has been labelled an expensive failure with just three of seven resettled refugees from Nauru remaining in Cambodia.
Plane with 101 people crashes in Mexico
An Aeromexico plane carrying 101 people has crashed near an airport in Northern Mexico.
TV images show the tail of a plane bearing an Aeromexico logo emerging from scrubland and a column of smoke rising to the sky.
Aeromexico said it was seeking to verify the information and obtain details about the incident.
9am Zedlines
This is Amy and Ha-Teya with your 9am Zedlines.
Coles has “caved” on their plastic bag ban amid pressure from angry shoppers.
To help customers “adjust”, Coles offered to give the 15 cent reusable bags away free of charge, ending today.
However, the supermarket chain has promised to hand out free “reusable” bags indefinitely.
A Coles spokeswoman confirmed today the supermarket giant will not be putting a stop to their free distribution of the “reusable” bags since customers “aren't coping” with the change.
8am Zedlines
This is Risa and Amy with your 8am Zedlines.
Sharknapped: shark smuggled out of an aquarium in the US
A 45 centimeter shark was smuggled out of an aquarium in a baby stroller in the US last night.
Leon Valley police Chief Joseph Salvaggio said two men and a woman stole the shark from an open pool where visitors were allowed to reach in and touch the animals in the tank.
Chief Salvaggio said one of the men had grabbed the shark while the others wrapped it in a wet towel and put it in the stroller.
Police have recovered the shark and returned it the aquarium.