The World Today

The Acting Prime Minister says the threat posed by North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile test is untenable, and it's up to China to de-escalate tensions. The US administration has hinted at imposing trade sanctions on China, and Mr Joyce says anyone who aids and abets the North Korean regime can't be supported. But the Opposition says governments should be working cooperatively with China to try to resolve the crisis.

The Queensland and Federal Governments are praising UNESCO's decision to keep the Great Barrier Reef off the 'in-danger' list. The United Nations World Heritage Committee also endorsed the joint government Reef 2050 plan. But conservation groups say UNESCO's decision means governments will fail to address the most pressing issue - the impact of climate change on the reef.

Many workers, residents and business owners in Whyalla have had the first good night sleep in more than a year. After months of uncertainty, the South Australian steel city is embracing a renewed sense of confidence, after a buyer for embattled iron-ore giant Arrium was secured. A British based company is set to be the new owner, once the foreign investment review board has approved the deal. And it's Executive Chairman has assured the community, their jobs are safe.

The minister for Aged Care and Indigenous Health Ken Wyatt has said it is up to people in Aboriginal communities to ring him if they're not happy with the services. The comments come after the ABC published shocking images of an acclaimed artist in her 80s, immobile, and lying alone on a squalid mattress with just the heat of her dogs for warmth.

Amnesty International is warning that 2017 is set to become the deadliest year for refugees trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea unless the European Union changes its strategy. In a new report, the human rights group claims the EU has created a 'perfect storm'.

Key Arab nations are no closer to lifting their blockade on Qatar - after it rejected an ultimatum to address their demands. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt have all accused Qatar of supporting terrorist groups, and their enemy Iran. But Qatar says the dispute is clearly designed to generate anti-Qatar sentiment in the west.

The people of the tiny self-declared nation of Somaliland are suffering the worst drought in living memory. More than half of the population is need of urgent food aid and up to 90 per cent of livestock have died in the worst affected areas. Sickness and hunger are ravaging the country.

Both Unions and the Australian Industry Group are claiming a decision about casual workers as a victory. The Fair Work Commission has ruled that workers have the right to request a permanent job, if they have regular hours over a full year. Experts say it'll make the shift easier for thousands of workers, although they predict there's unlikely to be a shift away from casual employment.

The famous Swedish car company Volvo has announced it'll be the first major car maker to stop making vehicles powered solely by the internal combustion engine. From 2019 all its vehicles will be either electric or hybrid a move one industry observer predicts will cut its market share.

Just how young is too young to start talking to kids about science? A quantum theorist is pushing the limits - re-writing a children's book classic - Goodnight Moon - with the new title: Goodnight Lab. It's introducing young children to liquid nitrogen and spectrometers, possibly sparking a lifelong interest in science and technology.