Authorities investigate a suspected bird flu case in Western Australia; a ceasefire agreed to in Lebanon as talks in Switzerland are put on pause; and ithe Socceroos face the US in their World Cup campaign.
Key Points
- US, Iran sign memorandum of understanding to end war
- Albanese government pledges $100 million to Ukraine defence
- Socceroos through to knockout stage if they beat US this weekend
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TRANSCRIPT
- Authorities investigate a suspected bird flu case in Western Australia
- A ceasefire agreed to in Lebanon as talks in Switzerland are put on pause
- The Socceroos face the US in their World Cup campaign
Fears are growing a deadly avian disease has reached the Australian mainland after the discovery of a suspected case of bird flu.
A migratory wild bird in southern Western Australia has tested positive for avian influenza, with further results due today to confirm if it is the deadly H5N1 strain that has killed millions of animals worldwide.
Mainland Australia is the only continent yet to detect the highly pathogenic strain.
Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins says if the testing confirms the H5N1 strain, authorities are prepared to swing into action.
"If this is confirmed, H5 bird incursion, there will be a rapid and co-ordinated national response in partnership with the commonwealth department agriculture, fisheries and forestry. I am here to remind the community, particularly the community living on the south coast. If they see sick or dead birds to avoid contact, to record what you see. And report it to the emergency animal disease hotline."
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Planned talks between the United States and Iran in Switzerland have been abruptly called off.
The negotiations were aimed at advancing a peace deal and a long-term agreement over Iran’s nuclear program.
US Vice President JD Vance says Iran still faces a clear choice.
"If the Iraninans don't change their behaviour, their military and their nuclear program is still destroyed. If they do change their behaviour then they are going to have a transformative relationship with the middle east and the middle east will have a trasformative relationship with the people of Iran. That's a win for the American people and for the people of the United States."
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Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group have agreed to halt the heavy fighting in southern Lebanon that had threatened to unravel an interim agreement between the United States and Iran to end their war.
The cessation of fighting in Lebanon had been a condition of the interim deal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to keep Israeli forces in southern Lebanon until the threat is eliminated, while Hezbollah has refused to halt its attacks unless Israel commits to withdrawing.
The apparent ceasefire follows the deaths of at least 18 people in Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon, according to UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric.
"UNIFIL peacekeepers report that so far today, 143 trajectories of projectiles were observed, of these 119 were attributed to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), with the remainder to Hezbollah. Yesterday, 364 projectile launches were observed, of which 330 were attributed to the IDF and 34 to Hezbollah."
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Emergency services in the UK are responding to a train collision between passenger services near Bedford, north of London.
Rail operator Thameslink says all train lines are blocked between Luton and Bedford due to what they have called a "problem under investigation".
Unverified footage posted on social media appears to show the aftermath of the train crash, with passengers standing on the tracks beside the damaged rail carriages.
Transport minister Heidi Alexander has said in a statement she is deeply concerned by reports of the collision.
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A major report into proposed changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme has been delayed for a second time.
The parliamentary inquiry report had been due on Friday but it now not expected until Tuesday.
Labor is trying to land a deal with the Greens, which would extend the inquiry into the proposed reform in exchange for the minor party's support for the government's tax changes announced in the federal budget.
Disability advocates are calling on the Albanese government to pause its plan, which would see Labor cut the NDIS’s $56 billion cost by shifting hundreds of thousands of participants onto alternative state-run supports.
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And in sport,
The Socceroos squad have kicked off their second FIFA World Cup match against the USA in Seattle.
The Socceroos won their first match against Türkiye by 2-nil in Canada last week.
In this game, the USA is currently up by two goals at halftime, the first of which was an own goal by Australia's defender Cam Burgess - and the second coming after what was initially an offside given to the USA after a VAR check.
Earlier, SBS spoke to fans who were cheering for the Socceroos outside the Seattle stadium.
Ben Lewis: "Do you think Seattle was prepared for what the Australian fans bring?"
Fan: "I honestly don't think so, a lot of my teammates are Americans and I don't think they were prepared for this."
