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TRANSCRIPT
- Record heat in Victoria adds to the firefighting challenge
- The federal government cancels the visa of a Jewish social media influencer
- Aryna Sabalenka the first woman into the Australian Open semi-finals
In Victoria, the Country Fire Authority says fire ban conditions will extend into tomorrow, as today's record temperatures above 40 degrees elevates the fire risk.
The fire ban tomorrow will apply to the Wimmera and the North East regions of the state.
27 alerts remain in place, with concern in particular over the Carlisle River fire in the Otways, which is threatening the small community of Gellibrand and others nearby.
Deputy incident controller Alistair Drayton says the situation remains volatile, and he is urging affected communities to remain on high alert.
"The risk today is this fire does waken up and become more active again and make a run, particularly with the weather we're anticipating; both from a heat point of view, to raise the fire, but with the south westerly change that we're looking to see come through later this afternoon will also make the fire potentially quite active. Road closures are in place. Please stay informed of your local environment where you are today and make some really good decisions in the cool light of day, not the heat of the moment."
In total, the fires have burnt 430,000 hectares of land.
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The federal government has cancelled the visa of Jewish social media influencer Sammy Yahood.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke says the decision was made based on an assessment that his posts on social media spread hatred against Muslims.
Mr Yahood said he booked a flight three days before the Bondi attack and felt it was "his calling" to come on an Australian speaking tour.
The Australian Jewish Association has condemned the visa ban, saying Mr Yahood was due to speak at major synagogues.
The influencer says he will now return to Israel, vowing to continue his brand of advocacy.
"I have been spurred on. The gasoline has been added to the fire. And I'm telling you now, the Australian Government, a tyranny which seems very similar to one that I know from the UK, does not know what they have started peace through strength. Stay tuned, because you have no idea what is going to come from me in the next month, and you are going to want to know."
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The Northern Territory's children's commissioner has raised the alarm amid rapid changes to law and policies impacting young people's rights in Australia's Top End.
The Commissioner’s latest annual report says the majority of complaints came from youth detention, with one child reportedly held in a cell for 84 hours without food, medication or sunlight.
The commissioner, Larrakia woman Shahleena Musk, says these impacts have followed rapid reforms in the N-T, including the lowering the age of criminal responsibility from 12 to 10 years old; and changes that make it harder for young people to get bail.
"The vast majority are there on remand, that is awaiting the resolution of their charges or trial. So what we're seeing is the overuse of custody in contrast of alternatives that could be based in the community with family; and with services that are going to address the underlying needs. And we're seeing more and more children with unmet disability, mental health and trauma needs. Children being criminalised because of their unmet needs."
The NT government is yet to respond to the report - or requests for comment from SBS.
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The search for survivors continues in Indonesia's West Java province - where a landslide has killed at least 17 people.
Authorities said 73 others are missing, with heavy equipment unable to reach the disaster zone due to bad weather.
More than 30 houses were buried by the landslide, which 29-year-old Siti Halimah narrowly survived.
"I heard a pounding noise. I could count hearing heavy trembling noises at least eight times. It felt like an earthquake, almost like the houses were moving. And then I thought it was just an earthquake, then my sister, who lives across the street, said it was a landslide, then when I looked right, all the houses were gone."
The landslide comes two months after cyclone-induced floods and landslides on the island of Sumatra killed 1,200 people, destroyed homes and displaced over a million residents.
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In tennis, the world's top-ranked player, Aryna Sabalenka, is the first woman through to the semi-finals at the Australian Open.
In 38 degree heat at Melbourne Park, Sabalenka has beaten the 29th seed, American Iva Jovic 6-3, 6-0 in the quarter-finals.
Jovic, an 18-year-old American, was playing her first-ever major tournament quarter-final.
She lasted an hour and 29 minutes against Sabalenka, who is looking to regain the Australian Open title she won in 2023 and 2024.
Sabalenka will face either the third seed, American Coco Gauff, or the 12th seed, Ukrainian Eva Svitolina, in the semi-finals on Thursday.
