In Western Australia, emergency workers are preparing food drops for people stranded by floodwaters in the state’s north. Carnarvon, near the mouth of the Gascoyne River, is experiencing its worst flooding in 50 years. The river is expected to peak early this morning. Already about 30 residents stranded on rooftops have been airlifted to safety.

 

A massive oil pipeline explosion in central Mexico has killed at least 23 people. The blast destroyed several houses and cars in the small town of San Martin Texmelucan. Officials say the fire is now under control.

 

The Federal Government is set to release the full business plan for its National Broadband Network today. The document's expected to shed more light on the cost of building the network and also just how much it will charge for wholesale services. The Government's been under pressure since November to release that plan.

 

The Federal Government has presented a plan to East Timor outlining its proposal for a regional detention centre. It's more than five months after the Government first suggested the plan. And Fairfax newspapers quote East Timor's foreign minister as saying the document they've been given is very short on detail. It'll be presented to the country's cabinet for further consideration.