Once seen as anti-graft strongholds, the US, UK, Canada and Sweden are slipping into decline due to a lack of political leadership, Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index has revealed.

Germany's top diplomat Annalena Baerbock and her French counterpart met members of Syria's rebel-formed transition government. The pair are the first EU diplomats to visit Syria since Bashar Assad's ouster.

The fire is burning out of control at the Geelong oil refinery, one of only two in Australia.