A severe weather warning has been issued for southern states today with heavy rain and strong winds heading for South Australia and Victoria.

Residents are being advised to stay home after The Bureau of Meteorology warned of damaging winds with gusts of up to 90km/h -110km/h, thunderstorms, heavy rain and flash flooding from the west to east until tomorrow morning.

Another, weaker front will bring another burst of lighter showers to the far southeast on Saturday, before calmer conditions return on Sunday.

A final report into why an AirAsia X flight turned back after take-off from the Gold Coast last year has found a “rare” birdstrike caused its engine to burst into flames.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s final report released on Wednesday, suggests a company pilot travelling as a passenger advised the flight crew of a "starboard engine fire" which was visible from the aircraft cabin.

Queensland will become the first state in Australia to introduce a dedicated craft beer strategy.

On Wednesday night the Queensland government announced a working group, including representatives from local breweries as part of its plan to support the local craft brewing industry.

This group will propose strategies they think will support the expansion of the industry.

A prominent Canadian feminist and writer has said the Toronto van attack last month which killed 10 and injured 16 is a “clear-cut” and “obvious” case of misogyny inciting violence.

Perpetrator Alek Minassian posted a cryptic Facebook message moments before the attack, where he mentions “incels” or involuntary celibates, men who espouse a deep hatred of women whom they believe have unfairly rejected them.

Cambridge Analytica has announced that is “Immediately ceasing all operations”.

The UK based political consultancy’s parent firm SCL Elections Ltd has filed for bankruptcy for Cambridge Analytica and many of U.S affiliates, and on Wednesday released a statement arguing negative media coverage irreparably damaged the businesses by driving away “virtually all” of their clients.

The first liberal government in South Australia for 16 years will begin its rule when state parliament resumes shortly.

The Liberal party won 25 out of 47 seats in the the March elections, and consequently will need to procure crossbench support to pass many of the reforms it campaigned on.

These include promised by new premier Steven Marshall to introduce legislation to deregulate shop trading hours, cut payroll tax and cap council rates.

Liberal MP Julia Banks is being challenged to follow her words with action after she said on ABC Local Radio Melbourne she could live on $40 per day following calls to raise the Newstart and Youth Allowance.

The challenge came from 22-year-old Sherri Prendergast, who has been on a Youth Allowance worth $400 per fortnight for six years.

Debate about the generosity of these two welfare payments began earlier this week when respected economist Chris Richardson called the payments “unnecessarily cruel” and called for them to be raised by $50.

Debate on the Queensland government's contentious vegetation management bill, which would wind back a relaxation passed under the Newman administration, will stretch into a third day.

New Labor MP and member for Cook, Cynthia Lui is facing pressure from numerous MP’s and ministers to vote against her colleagues in the Labor Party on land clearing laws.

Jaywalkers could soon face fines of up to $48 for crossing intersections in Brisbane's CBD while the red ‘don’t walk’ signal is illuminated.

The new awareness campaign comes after two pedestrians died and a further 40 seriously injured jaywalking in the CBD within the past 12 months.

Queensland Police revealed five high-risk intersections that they'll be targeting in coming months: Upper Roma St and the Northern Busway, Edward and Ann St, Adelaide and Creek St, Elizabeth and Albert St and Adelaide and Albert St.