► MOAMA: The Department of Corrective Services has hit back at claims it endangered the sons of the Deniliquin woman who allegedly tried to drown both in the Murray River, killing one.

But a lawyer for the boys' grandparents, Dale Brooks, maintained the tragedy would not have happened were it not for serious failures by authorities, calling the denials "fatuous nonsense".  Read more. 

► TAS: A Tasmanian pilot was killed after his plane crashed on the North-West Coast on Saturday afternoon.

The light aircraft crashed about 3.45pm, shortly after taking off from Devonport Airport at Wesley Vale.

Ambulance Tasmania was called to the scene after reports of the crash and found the small plane, which is believed to have been an Avid Aircraft Mark IV. Read more. 

► GOULBURN: Guy Milson has been farming his land six kilometres outside Goulburn for the past 38 years. 

"People 'round here the call me a newcomer," he said. "They tell me you haven't had time to unpack your bags." 

Food security isn't just an issue for developing countries; in Australia we've already experienced the perils of food shortages. Read more.

► NEWCASTLE: I can sense Greg Cleveland’s burden, his 51 years of suffering, when I meet him at a Newcastle cafe. He is tall and thickset, but his every word, every laugh and gesture, is careful, muted, as though he is secretly deactivating a bomb while he talks.

The Adamstown Heights man is a long-term migraine sufferer. He was first diagnosed and hospitalised in Scone at age seven, 12 months after being involved in a car accident. By the time he was a teenager, they became severe enough to make him throw up. Sometimes they literally leave him tearing his hair out. Not surprisingly, he has suffered from depression. Read more. 

► WAGGA: Warrant Officer Class I Ken Nelliman is the first Indigenous man to serve as a Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) at the Kapooka army base.

Inspired by the navy service of his uncle Ted Wymarra, Torres Strait Islander men who fought for Australia in World War II and Eddie Mabo – who told youngsters they could do whatever they wanted in the world – WOI Nelliman decided at a young age the military life was for him. Read more. 

► SMOKING: Big tobacco has exploited a loophole in Australia's world-first plain-packaging laws, which allowed smokers to ditch the now famous drab packaging.

The Department of Health has received 1054 individual complaints involving 746 cases since the December 2012 legislation banning tobacco companies from putting their products in anything other than dark olive brown packaging that feature graphic health warnings.

Of those cases, 459 were cleared and 135 warning letters were issued, according to figures revealed in a Senate estimates hearing on Wednesday, with an ACT retailer receiving the only fine, paying $2040 for "non-compliant cigars". Read more.

► HOUSING: Five years ago John Alexander had a revelation: Australia's housing market had gone insane.

His partner's daughter was looking to buy a house and the tennis star turned Liberal MP would accompany her to weekend auctions in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

Getting together a deposit wasn't the problem: she and her partner had well-paying jobs and cash in the bank. But week after week they would be outbid by property investors. Read more. 

► EMPLOYMENT: More than 1000 childcare workers will walk off the job on International Women's Day on Wednesday to draw attention to the large pay gap between male- and female-dominated professions.

Dozens of childcare centres will close mid-afternoon to support the national campaign, which is the largest walk-off by early childhood educators and follows a similar action held on Equal Pay Day last year. Read more. 

► WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has launched extraordinary charges against former president Barack Obama, accusing him of "wire tapping" Trump Tower during the US elections.

Mr Trump issued the allegations in a series of early morning tweets on Saturday, but offered no evidence to support the allegation.

"How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!," Mr Trump said. Read more. 

March 5 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 301 days remaining until the end of the year.

1982 – Soviet probe Venera 14 landed on Venus.

1970 – The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty goes into effect after ratification by 43 nations.

1946 – Winston Churchill coins the phrase "Iron Curtain" in his speech at Westminster College, Missouri.

1940 – Six high-ranking members of Soviet politburo, including Joseph Stalin, sign an order for the execution of 25,700 Polish intelligentsia, including 14,700 Polish POWs, in what will become known as the Katyn massacre.

A former Orange woman spent 100 hours a week making about 3000 desserts during the Christmas and New Year period after scoring an exclusive contract with iconic London department store Harrods.

Terri Mercieca started selling desserts to Harrods in September through her London based business Fraise Sauvage, which she started in 2014.