The first newspoll of the year shows Scott Morrison's rating as better prime minister has tumbled nine points, while the coalition has fallen behind Labor on the two-party preferred measure for the first time since the election. The poll comes as Mr Morrison has conceeded he could have responded better to the bushfire crisis — and as he left open the option of deeper cuts to Australia's carbon emissions. The apparent shift came as authorities in New South Wales announced they'd finally been able to contain the huge Gospers Mountain fire north of Sydney. The megablaze has been burning for three months.
Australian comedian Celeste Carber who has raised more than 50 million dollars for bushfire relief is now set to host a concert. The "Fire Fight" music event will be held in Sydney next month. The all star line up so far includes Queen, Adam Lambert, Alice Cooper and Olivia Newton John. Tickets go on sale today. The funds raised will be split between the Red Cross, rural and regional fire services and the RSPCA's bushfire appeal.
A second day of angry protests have erupted in Iran, after the country's military shot down a civilian airliner. 176 people were killed in the downing of the Ukrainian plane, the majority of them Iranians. Authorities in Tehran say they mistook the airliner for an American missile. US president Donald Trump has called on Iranian authorities to exercise restraint ahead of an expected crackdown on demonstrations.