Queensland’s power supply is stable after an explosion at Callide Power Station yesterday tripped out the network.

Queensland Energy Minister Mick De Brenni says the Callide Power Station is one of Australia's newest and largest power stations and as a result, it tripped out much of the network across Queensland.  The Power station is not yet back in operation and the cause of the explosion is still is yet to be determined.

The Australian Embassy in Afghanistan is set to close in the coming days as the Australian Defence Force removes their final contingent of troops from the country.

The Australian embassy has been operating in Kabul since 2006, with Australian Defence Personnel being deployed since 2001.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Foreign Minister Marise Payne said they hoped the closure would be temporary and officials would visit Afghanistan regularly from a "residential post" elsewhere in the region.

A team of researchers at the Royal Melbourne Hospital have discovered a simple blood test could help thousands of Australians get an early diagnosis of dementia.

The test will work by measuring the level of neurofilament light in the blood. The test could also be used to diagnose other neurological conditions in the future. It is hoped a blood test will one day be available to GPs across the country.

Taiwan is sceptical of China's offer to send them Covid-19 vaccines as the pandemic spirals out of control in the country.

Taiwan is rapidly running out of vaccines, having received only slightly more than 700,000 to date for its more than 23 million people.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council implied that Beijing was behind Taiwan's difficulties in getting more shots.

A  fire at the Callide Power Station at Biloela in central Queensland triggered outages across Queensland leaving 400,000 customers without power just before 2pm yesterday.

CS Energy, which runs Callide Power Station, said there was a fire in one of the plant's turbines.

Nobody was hurt in the fire but the cause  will not be known until an investigation is concluded.

Regional media organisations who have been slashing their services may be in breach of the Public Interest News Gathering Grant agreement that awarded a total of $50 Million of public funds in response to the pandemic last year.

The news comes after WIN Television announced yesterday it will scrap regional bulletins, contravening grant guidelines which state recipients must maintain existing levels of journalism production and distribution during the grant period.

The matter is expected to feature in Federal Parliament in the coming days. 

Ibis on the Gold coast are evading population control measures by breeding in hard to reach places, including nesting above crocodile enclosures.

Environmental consultant, Phil Shaw, said to manage the Australian white ibis population they need to break the reproduction cycle by collecting eggs and nests.

Phil Shaw says “they've worked out that if they go to places where it's really difficult for us to get to … they're kind of protected and they know they can keep breeding."

Scientists analysing growth rings of 700-year-old native cypress trees in South-Western Australia's Wheatbelt say the region suffered a series of megadroughts lasting up to 30 years in past centuries.

Climatologist Alison O’Donnell said the study also suggests the region had one of the wettest periods during the 20th century.

Researchers say the future for Australia's water resources could be even more severe given megadroughts can occur in the region even without the drying impact of climate change.

COVID restrictions are tightening in Melbourne as confirmed cases in Victoria have risen to nine people.

The cluster’s prompted the Victorian government to reintroduce the mandatory wearing of masks indoors, and limit gatherings.

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton told ABC Radio Melbourne there will be more positive cases in primary close contacts who are currently in quarantine.

Samoas new Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, who was locked out of Parliament by her predecessor yesterday, is continuing with her new role unimpeded.

Incoming Prime minister Mata'afa said her government would keep up its pressure on Australia over climate change.

Mata'afa is expected to form government on Monday when parliament sits