TRANSCRIPT
- Reports an Australian defence official to be sent to Israel as part of a US-led mission
- At least six killed as Russia and Ukraine launch overnight missile strikes
- The Diamonds gets closer to regain the Constellation Cup trophy
An official from the Australian Defence Force will reportedly be sent to Israel as part of a US-led mission to the Civil Military Coordination Centre, to contribute to planning and coordination.
Media reports say a Defence spokesperson issued a statement to confirm the decision on Wednesday, saying the move was consistent with Australia's broader commitment to global peacekeeping efforts.
The spokesperson says the federal government would "always carefully consider opportunities to contribute to international peace and security".
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The International Court of Justice says Israel is under the obligation to ensure the basic needs of the civilian population in Gaza are met.
The panel of 11 judges added Israel has to support relief efforts provided by the United Nations in the Gaza Strip, and UN entities, including UNRWA.
The Hague-based court was asked late last year by the UN General Assembly to determine Israel’s legal obligations after the country passed laws effectively banning the agency from operating in Gaza.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres says he hoped Israel would abide by the decision.
"On the other hand, this decision comes in a moment in which we are doing everything we can to boost our humanitarian aid in Gaza and so the impact of this decision is decisive in order for us to be able to do it to the level that is necessary for the tragic situation in which the people of Gaza still is."
He says the UN was currently trying to "boost" its aid deliveries into Gaza amid the ongoing ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
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Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe has referred Northern Territory Attorney-General Marie-Claire Boothby to the ICAC.
The referral is in response to concerns about her involvement in the case of Jake Danby, a relative who pleaded guilty to a fatal hit-and-run of two First Nations men earlier this year.
Danby was sentenced to home detention after boasting about the attack and sending racist messages.
Senator Thorpe says Ms Boothby failed to disclose her family connection and that her department may have interfered with Supreme Court operations to suppress information related to the case.
She adds that the case highlights a broader pattern of government disregard for First Peoples and calls for federal oversight of the NT government’s actions.
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Russia and Ukraine have exchanged overnight missile strikes following the postponement of a planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Ukrainian officials say Russia’s attacks killed six people, including two children.
Mr Trump had indicated last week that he would meet Mr Putin within a fortnight, but no date has yet been announced for the summit.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was notified of the attacks while in Oslo before travelling to Sweden to meet their Prime Minister.
"Russia is not stopping and that’s why we have to do it together, all of us, European partners together with the United States, the pressure on (Russian President Vladimir) Putin. He attacked, just I've got the last details, we didn't know because we've been in the jet, they attacked kindergarten in the centre of Kharkiv, and God bless all the children."
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Two of Australia’s major telecommunications companies have warned customers that some Samsung mobile phones may be unable to connect to triple-zero emergency calls.
Telstra and Optus say they had identified 71 older Samsung devices that cannot properly connect to the Vodafone network when Telstra or Optus coverage is unavailable.
Telstra says it notified Samsung and other telecommunications providers after discovering the fault.
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The President of the New South Wales Bar Association says he's profoundly concerned by revelations that 12 First Nations people have died in custody in the state this year - the highest figure ever recorded.
Dominic Toomey described this as a public policy failure and says it shows the government hasn't learned the lessons of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.
The latest data also shows First Nations incarceration jumped by 18 per cent for adults and 36 per cent for children between June 2023 and June 2025.
Mr Toomey tells NITV this broader over-representation of First Nations people in custody is the main driver of deaths.
"It's a matter of enormous concern to the bar association, but what we're really calling on the state government to do is to address the root causes, and that means spending money on programs rather than spending money on incarcerating First Nations people to address what sees them incarcerated in the first."
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Now in sports, Australia's women netball team have steamrolled New Zealand with a 68-51 victory in the latest Constellation Cup match.
This helps the Diamonds secure a 2-0 lead to New Zealand, and the team just need one more win to regain the trophy it lost to the Silver Ferns last year.
Sophie Garbin scores 33 goals from 39 attempts, while the Diamonds captain Liz Watson marks her record 95th game by offering 39 feeds and 24 goal assists.
