TRANSCRIPT
- China's Defence Ministry dismisses Australia's criticism over military conduct in South China Sea.
- UN says it's providing aid to displaced people in Sudan..
- Geelong coach Chris Scott denies the club is struggling with star midfielder Bailey Smith's off-field behaviour
China's Defence Ministry has dismissed Australia's criticism on its unsafe military conduct over the South China Sea.
In a statement Chinese Defence Ministry spokesperson Bin Jiang said Australia's account is untrue, and claims Australia's jet had illegally entered China's air zone.
It follows the Federal Government criticising China for unsafe military conduct, accusing a Chinese warplane of dropping flares near an Australian surveillance plane over the South China Sea.
Australia's defence department had earlier said the Australian Poseidon was flying a surveillance patrol over the South China Sea on Sunday [[19 Oct]] when it was approached by a Chinese fighter jet.
The Chinese jet released flares in close proximity to the Australian aircraft, the defence department added, endangering the crew onboard.
This is the latest in a string of episodes between China and Australia in the increasingly contested airspace and shipping lanes of Asia.
Liberal senator Jane Hume has contradicted party leader Sussan Ley, saying calls for Australia's ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, to resign are churlish.
Ms Ley has explicitly suggested Mr Rudd should resign, after U-S President Donald Trump declared he did not like him, following a question about negative comments Mr Rudd had made years ago.
Asked about the issue on Sky News, Ms Hume said Kevin Rudd has done the work to pave the way for a multi-billion dollar deal on critical minerals, and that should be acknowledged.
"There is no doubt that the president made a bit of a goose of Kevin Rudd, and perhaps so he should for those ill advised, ill considered tweets that he made, such, but that was a while ago. I think, though, that the call for Kevin Rudd to resign or stand down, the call for his position to be untenable now, is probably a little bit churlish."
At a press conference in Sydney Ms Ley later brushed off the comment from her backbench.
"I welcome all the comments from my talented backbench, and I know, like me, that they are focused on the real bread-and-butter issues that matter to our small businesses, to our households, to our families, to our mums and dads living in the Shire, struggling with a cost of living crisis, under this government, and listening to us about how they can be a better way forward."
The United Nations says they are providing displaced people in Sudan with food, water and basic medical care, following the recent escalation of tensions in the besieged city of El Fasher.
The war between the Rapid Support Forces, RSF, and the military began in 2023 both former allies were meant to oversee a democratic transition after a 2019 uprising - but the fighting has killed at least 40,000 people, and displaced as many as 12 million others.
A UN migration agency official says fighting in North Darfur’s embattled capital of el-Fasher has tripled the number of displaced people this year alone in Tawila - a town about 60 kilometres away.
He has described the situation on the ground in El Fasher, citing local reports.
"Heavy shelling struck central parts of the city, endangering thousands of civilians in one of El Fasher’s most densely populated areas. Local authorities report that more than 109,000 people are displaced across 127 sites, most lacking food, clean water and medical care. Several community kitchens shut down last week due to the depletion of supplies. Once again, OCHA stresses that the siege on El Fasher must be lifted immediately, and safe passage must be ensured for civilians wishing to flee and for humanitarians determined to deliver vital aid."
Victoria Police have arrested a 40-year-old man after seizing around $9,000 worth of Labubu dolls at a property in Airport West.
They say they found 43 Labubu dolls - a highly sought after type of plush toy - with several worth up to $500 each.
Police will allege the dolls were stolen during four separate burglaries at a Melbourne shopping centre.
The 40-year-old was charged with four counts of burglary, two of theft, and bailed to face court next year.
To sport now, and in AFL,
Geelong coach Chris Scott has denied the club is struggling with star midfielder Bailey Smith's off-field behaviour - instead describing his recruitment as an "outrageous success".
The 24-year-old has consistently found himself in the headlines for the wrong reasons since verbally abusing a photographer at a training session in September.
Cats chief executive Steve Hocking has also received a letter from the AFL's legal counsel after multiple social media posts by Smith drew controversy.
But his on-field performance has been a career-best - finishing third in the Brownlow Medal - and Scott says he's confident Smith is in "a really good spot".
