- Severe weather warnings as fires and floods threaten parts of the country
- A mosque bombing in Syria leaves at least eight people dead
- First supermaxi drops out of the Sydney to Hobart
A bushfire continues to rage around 200 kilometres southeast of Perth after scorching temperatures in West Australia over Christmas.
A watch and act warning is in place for people in the Boddington township and surrounds, including areas north and west of Boddington Gold Mine.
The state's department of fire and emergency services says there is a possible threat to lives and homes as conditions change, warning people in the area to stay alert.
A bushfire evacuation centre has been established at Narrogin Regional Leisure centre.
On the other side of the country, parts of the Northern Territory and much of western, northern and eastern Queensland are bracing for floods as thunderstorms and monsoonal rains arrive over the weekend.
Senior Meteorologist from the Bureau of Meteorology Jonathan How told SBS News there is an extensive flood watch area over the north of Australia.
"We are expecting to see the highest rainfall through the north west of Queensland, from the Gulf country down towards places like Mount Isa, also Cloncurry, Julia Creek. These areas here will be closer to the monsoon low and over the next three to five days we could see rainfall totals of 300 to 500 millimetres and some locations could ever see over 500 millimetres over the next five to seven days. So, very high rainfall totals that will likely cut off communities as well as pose a bit of a threat to travellers and disruptions."
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Foreign Minister Penny Wong has said she is deeply sorry for the Bondi terror attack, after coming under sustained pressure from the opposition.
Ms Wong was criticised for not visiting vigils in Bondi or attending the funerals of the victims in the wake of the shooting.
In an interview with The Advertiser Ms Wong conceded more could have been done to prevent the tragedy.
She said she didn't attend funerals because she believes they are personal and should be led by families.
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At least eight people have been killed and 18 wounded in a bombing at a mosque in the Syrian city of Homs during Friday prayers.
The Imam Ali bin Abi Talib Mosque is located in a neighbourhood dominated by the Alawite minority in Homs, Syria's third-largest city.
An ultra-conservative Sunni Muslim group known as Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah claimed responsibility for the attack.
The mosque's Imam, Ismal Al-Din Shalloum, described the scene.
"As usual every week. The call for prayer was held, worshippers stood up to pray the Nawafil prayer, a huge explosion took place with fire. I think there were almost 300 people, maybe a little more or less."
Tensions have flared across several parts of Syria in recent weeks, as long-running divides continue to destabilise the country, even as large-scale fighting subsides.
The country has experienced several waves of sectarian clashes since the fall of president Bashar al-Assad last year.
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Israel has become the first nation in the world to formally recognise the state of Somaliland, which declared its independence from Somalia in 1991.
It prompted an angry reaction from the African Union and Somalia, where the foreign ministry decried the decision as an attack on its sovereignty.
Several other countries also condemned Israel's decision, including Turkey AND Egypt, amid concerns recognition will destabilise the region.
Celebrating the move, Somaliland's president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, said he was the happiest person in the world today.
"After more than three decades of peaceful self-governance, constitutional order, and democratic practice. Somaliland has received its first formal international recognition as a sovereign and independent state. This development affirms an objective reality that has long existed. Somaliland meets the legal, political and institutional criteria of statehood under international law."
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The Sydney to Hobart lost its first 100ft supermaxi in the early hours of Saturday, with Wild Thing 100 retiring from the from the 80th running of the race.
All crew were safe as Wild Thing began the journey back to Sydney around 4am after sustaining rigging damage on the NSW South Coast.
Owner and skipper Grant Wharington described the end of the supermaxi's race on social media.
"It's a tough race isn't it? It's something that pushes the limits of technology and people's endurance and unfortunately it wasn't to be our year. I can't remember the last time we had to pull out of the race - a long time ago, so it's very disappointing."
The supermaxi had been considered a long shot for line honours compared to the overnight leader Master Lock Comanche and reigning champion LawConnect, who were separated by around a mile and a half as of 6.15am.
LawConnect was forced to contend with a broken mainsheet and halyard overnight but managed to fix both issues and remain in pursuit.
