Taliban fighters are now openly active in 70% of Afghanistan, according to a study by the BBC.

The study which was conducted between August and November last year consisted of BBC reporters speaking to more than 1200 sources across the 399 districts which make up the country with the Taliban controlling 14 of the districts and having an active presence in another 263.

The Afghan government has rubbished the report saying it has control of most areas.

The South African city of Cape Town is battling their diminishing water supply amid a three-year-long drought.

City officials have moved back their prediction for ‘Day Zero’ when the city expects to run out of water.

In an effort to maintain water the South African government said it is taking extensive measures to try and avoid the dreaded Day Zero.

Australia’s inaugural Aboriginal child commissioner has labelled the increase in children being removed from their families as a national disaster.

Andrew Jackomos says his work in Victoria had revealed shocking and tragic stories of children in state care were denied access to family and their culture

More than 17,000 Indigenous children were reportedly living in out of home care in 2017 compared to just over 9,000 10 years ago.

A part-time cab driver has been fined $12,000 after pleading guilty to six charges of claiming to be a health practitioner.

George Zaphir mistreated terminally ill patients by claiming that he could cure cancer.

One of his victim’s niece spoke about how he told her terminally ill uncle that he had come to the right place and if he’d follow the treatment that the “tumour will grow out and fall off.”

After a spike in sexually transmitted infections across many age groups, a Queensland sexual health nurse is urging adults to follow teenagers and carry condoms in their wallets.

The number of over-50’s contracting STIs has nearly doubled in Queensland in the last four years according to the state's health statistics.

In 2013 there were 541 cases reported in that age group compared to 2017 where there were 1,078, but when looking at the under-20’s the rate of STIs had declined from 6,440 cases in 2013 to 6,011 last year.

Queensland motorists will no longer have to deal with confusing petrol prices as new laws ban retailers from showing discounted rates on display boards.

This regulation means fuel retailers across the state will only be able to display the full price of fuel available to all drivers.

From today retailers caught with discounted fuel prices on their display boards could face a fine up to $2523 for individuals and $12,615 for corporations.

The British Army’s alleged highest-ranking spy in the Irish Republican Army (IRA) has been arrested and is being questioned about his involvement in dozens of murders

Fred Scappaticci, the man understood to have been arrested had previously admitted to being a republican but stopped short of confirming claims about being an IRA informant.

Mr Scapaticci’s arrest is part of the investigation into the activities of current and former members of the police force, Army, MI5 and IRA.

The chief executive of US surfwear retailer Boardriders Inc is believed to be missing at sea after his boat washed up on a French beach. 

The French coastguard raised the alarm on Tuesday when Pierre Agnes’ sailboat was found on the country’s Atlantic coast.

Agnes sent a message to port authorities indicating that he was delaying his return due to harsh weather conditions and his beached boat was later found on a French beach, with air and sea operations now underway.