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TRANSCRIPT
- Israel eliminates another senior leader of the Iranian government
- The High Court rules against the government's curfew and ankle-monitoring conditions on former immigration detainees
- Australia's Winter Paralympic Team returns home
Australia has taken part in an emergency meeting overnight with the International Maritime Council, as concern grows over the Strait of Hormuz.
The meeting had been called following reports Iran was attacking merchant vessels in the Gulf region.
The Department of Foreign Affairs says Australia considers these attacks a dangerous escalation that threaten the lives of innocent seafarers, the safety of merchant shipping and the marine environment.
It has urged the Council to act urgently and decisively.
**
Israel says it has killed another top Iranian official, the third in two days.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has identified the official as Esmail Khatib, a Shi'ite cleric who had been the minister for intelligence of the Islamic Republic for the past five years.
Mr Khatib was considered to be exceptionally well-connected.
He retained his ministerial position even after the 2024 government reshuffle, when the ultraconservative government was replaced by reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian.
**
Children are bearing the brunt of the conflict in Lebanon, with the equivalent of a classroom killed or wounded each day, UNICEF says.
More than 100 children have been killed and hundreds more injured in Israeli strikes since early March, amid escalating regional violence.
The conflict has displaced over a million people, including 350,000 children according to UN figures, leaving many without homes or schooling.
UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban has warned the war is severely disrupting education and basic living conditions for families across the country.
"We now have over a million people displaced in Lebanon, including 350,000 children. That's almost 20% of the population, if you can imagine. And it's completely disrupting children's lives. No home, no school, no sense of normalcy, and they're paying, again, a terrible price for what is happening."
**
Tropical Cyclone Narelle could hit the Far North Queensland coast as a dangerous category five system early tomorrow, bringing winds of more than 250 kilometres per hour.
The monster system is tipped to cross near Coen, north of Cairns, triggering evacuations with warnings it could tear off roofs and propel debris at deadly speeds.
It is predicted to then travel on to the Northern Territory's Top End coast before passing over Western Australia's Kimberley coast.
Queensland Disaster coordinator, Christopher Stream, says the severity of Narelle should not be underestimated.
"This is not the opportunity for you to be outside in the cyclone grabbing that Tiktok moment. Do not do it. A piece of debris propelled at 100 km or more will likely kill you."
**
The High Court of Australia has struck down curfew and ankle-monitoring restrictions imposed on a group of former immigration detainees.
A Papua New Guinea citizen, referred to as EGH19 in the courts, had argued that unconstitutional conditions were imposed on him when he was granted a bridging visa after being released from detention in 2025.
The conditions included wearing a monitoring device at all times and staying at a designated address between 10pm and 6am.
The decision is expected to affect 43 people with ankle bracelets in the community.
**
Members of Australia's Winter Paralympians have arrived back from the Milano Cortina games to a warm welcome from family and friends - and patron Governor General Sam Mostyn.
Australia's team has returned with several top ten finishes as well as two medals which reflected the growing depth of the Winter Para sport program.
Ben Tudhope is among those to return, after winning a silver and bronze medal in snowboarding at the games.
"Young Ben would not expect any of this. And so yeah, to be able to compete at the world's highest stage is fun. It's really fun and yeah, that's why I do it. And if I can inspire the next generation to come up, that's why I'm here."
