FIFA's congress votes to back the tri-nation bid for the tournament, beating rival Morocco by more than 60 votes.

The Fair Work Ombudsman has secured a total of $657,105 in penalties in court against the Mining and Energy Union and five then-union officials over conduct including verbal abuse of workers at the Oaky Creek North coal mine in central Queensland.

NASA's six-wheeled, car-sized astrobiology probe travelled a total of 6.5 metres during a half-hour test spin within Jezero Crater, the site of an ancient, long-vanished lakebed and river delta on the Red Planet.

The Sydney to Brisbane rail line has been cut by a fire in a historic coal loader that lit up the night sky over a northern NSW town. See the video.

ABC journalists Donna Field and John Taylor were enjoying a cruise, anticipating a magical holiday taking in all that New Zealand has to offer. Then a volcano erupted.