Thousands flee Australian floods

Large areas of New South Wales and Queensland on Australia's east coast have been declared disaster zones following strong winds and torrential rain. This has caused massive floods, killing at least two people and cutting off 20,000. Beaches have been closed due to dangerous swells caused by the strong winds.

The Geography of swine flu

The spread of diseases like swine flu provides an interesting case study for geographers on how the increase in long-haul flights means that isolated cases can soon become global pandemics. See the interactive map at: http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-swineflu-flash,0,5444368.htmlstory

There's no need to worry about this latest outbreak, just take sensible steps to stay healthy.