In New South Wales, fire crews are still fighting a huge bushfire in the Warrumbungle National Park. Strong winds and high temperatures are forecast for today. In South Australia, crews have spent the night trying to contain an out-of-control bushfire in the mid-north.

 

Algerian armed forces have reportedly opened fire on Islamist militants who've captured dozens of foreign workers at a BP gasfield. Unconfirmed reports say at least 34 hostages and 14 kidnappers have been killed. Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague is cutting short of his Australian visit to deal with the crisis. It's also understood that Algerian(ah) forces (ah, ah, ah) have (ah) now completed their operation.

 

A state of emergency has been declared in the flooded Indonesian capital Jakarta. Much of the city is under water after days of torrential rain. More than 20,000 people have been evacuated and at least four people have been killed.

 

The International Olympic Committee has asked disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong to return the bronze medal he won at the 2000 Sydney Games. Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned from the sport for life in October. Oprah Winfrey's much-anticipated interview will be broadcast this afternoon.