Intense heat grips eastern Australia

Eastern Australia is in the grip of an intense heatwave which has seen temperature records broken in many parts. Daytime highs have soared into the mid-40s Celsius in parts, leading to fire bans across the country's southeast.

Australia: From hot to stormy, again

More than 21,000 homes were without electricity in Mildura, Victoria on Friday after a lightning storm ripped through the area, tearing down trees and power lines. There were also reports of a mini-tornado damaging buildings.

A magnitude 5.7 earthquake has killed at least 11 people and injured 192 in northern Tanzania, the authorities say.(Local time: 15:27, Depth: 10 km)

The quake struck close to the border with Uganda and Rwanda near Lake Victoria.

Victoria becomes first Australian state to ban controversial gas mining

Victoria will become the first Australian state to ban fracking, the controversial method of extracting coal seam gas, the state government said in a statement on Tuesday.