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Residents are clearing the rubble of their destroyed homes in the Afghan province of Samangan a day after a powerful earthquake shook the area.
Disaster officials say 20 people were killed and more than 640 others injured, 25 critically, .
Health officials said the numbers could rise.
Local resident Ahmad Zia says he was abruptly awoken by the earthquake and he quickly swung into action.
"It was one o'clock in the morning, and there was a strong earthquake. When I came out, the houses were destroyed and the air was very polluted. We were busy rescuing the injured. We pulled the bodies of two people from the rubble, and their funerals will be held today at two o'clock. There has been a lot of damage, many casualties, and more than 25 people have been injured here, the exact number of whom is still unknown."
Triple-murderer Erin Patterson has launched an appeal against her convictions for killing three relatives by death cap mushroom poisoning.
Her lawyers have lodged documents with the Victorian Court of Appeal.
The grounds of the appeal have not yet been disclosed.
Patterson was sentenced to a minimum 33 years jail in September for murdering her parents-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, and attempting to murder Heather's husband Ian Wilkinson.
Her lawyers have previously said they intended to lodge an appeal, while Victoria's Director of Public Prosecutions has confirmed it will appeal the sentence to seek a longer one.
A 43-year-old volunteer paramedic and youth program builder has been named the Northern Territory's 2026 Australian of the year.
Hong-Kong born Dr Felix Ho was awarded the accolade at an event in Darwin last night.
Dr Ho says he is humbled by the recognition.
"It's still sinking in, but it is an absolute privilege - to be completely honest. I volunteer and work with so many people in the community within all the different organisations. And each one of them - to be genuinely honest, is as deserving of this award as I am. I am very humbled to be recognised for it. But ultimately, it is the work that we all do as volunteers - out in the community with our youth that I think is being recognised today."
In rugby union,
An elite squad of First Nations teens are prepping to compete with their Polynesian and Melanesian former rivals ahead of the 2025 Global Youth Sevens.
The young players of Indigenous Australian, Samoan, Tongan, Fijian and Māori heritage have been chosen to compete together in the seven-a-side tournament after their performances in the recent Pacific Youth Rugby Festival.
The Global Youth Sevens will welcome 40 under-18 teams from as far away as South Africa, Chile and the U-S in addition to eight separate Australian outfits to compete at Dilworth School in Auckland, New Zealand.
