An unfinished bridge has collapsed in Columbia, with at least nine construction workers killed and five injured.

The cause of the collapse is under investigation according to the head of disaster response for Meta province Reinaldo Romero.

The uncompleted suspension bridge located in Chirajara was set to be a part of the highway that would connect the capital city of Bogota and the city of Villavicencio.

A Japanese broadcaster issued a false alarm about a North Korean missile launch just days after a similar mistake caused panic in Hawaii.

The public broadcaster NHK managed to correct the error within minutes.

There was no immediate reports of panic and other disruption following the alert.

Approximately ten thousand university places will be unfunded as a result of budget cuts by the Federal Government, according to the peak body representing Australian universities.

The Federal Government suggested that funding would continue to increase despite placing a freeze on funding during December’s mid-year budget update

Universities Australia CEO Belinda Robinson says universities haven’t been allowed adequate time to deal with the shortfall of funding meaning that they will be forced into finding quick-fix solutions for this year.

Researchers will begin breathalysing people near popular swimming spots in a bid to learn more about Australia’s high river drowning rate.

Of all the drowning deaths in Australia, a quarter occur in creeks and rivers, and alcohol is a factor in 37% of those cases.

National manager for Royal Surf Life Saving, Amy Peden, says previous research into drowning prevention has only focused on children in backyard pools and at the beach, despite the high incidence of river drowning

Animal rights groups are endorsing a review into the treatment of animals in Australia’s livestock export industry, saying it is long overdue.

The Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council and RSPCA have welcomed the review, which will propose changes including mandatory stunning of animals and more room on ships carrying livestock.

RSPCA Australia CEO, Heather Neill, says she hopes the review will lead to meaningful improvements in welfare standards for animals being exported.

A new police operation targeting children is currently underway in Mount Isa after public outcry over children as young as eight being charged with crimes.

Police officers are stopping the children, taking their photograph and even driving them home.

Sergeant Brad Inskip says the police are notifying the parents of the kids that their children are out and about while also offering assistance to the families by referring them to support agencies.

Queensland Rail has asked the Australian Human Rights Commission for a temporary exemption from discrimination laws while making changes to its New Generation Rollingstock trains to comply with standards.

The changes include the layout of onboard toilets which were previously too small for wheelchairs.

The Queensland Rail Accessibility Reference Group says an exemption from the discrimination laws would only strengthen public opinion that the needs of people with disabilities are secondary to everyone else.

QANTAS has been branded as the worst airline for fuel efficiency and carbon emissions on trans-Pacific flights according to the International Council on Clean Transportation.

The results show QANTAS burned on average 64 percent more fuel per passenger-kilometre than the top-ranked airlines from China and Japan

Furthermore, it was suggested that QANTAS used four-engine planes on those routes which consume more fuel than the twin-engine planes used by most other airlines.

Police in the UK have confirmed the death of The Cranberries lead singer is not being treated as suspicious.

Dolores O’Riordan was found dead on Monday morning, while she was in London recording vocals alongside LA rock band Bad Wolves.

Dan Wait of Eleven Seven music label said O’Riordan called him leaving a voicemail earlier on Monday, saying she was excited about the recording.

O’Riordan’s case has been passed on to the coroner to determine her cause of death.