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- Firefighters brace for bushfire flare ups as southern parts of the country endure heatwaves...
- Myanmar's military government to release thousands of prisoners on nation's independence day
- Australia's Steve Smith misses out on Test-run milestone as Australia goes to break...
Firefighters are warning of increasing fire danger as parts of southern Australia endure a three-day heatwave.
Temperatures reaching into the 40's have put authorities in Victoria on high alert as they monitor threats in popular holiday destinations such as the Grampians and Wilsons Promontory.
The Victorian State Control Centre has also declared a total fire ban on Sunday for the Mallee, Wimmera, South West, North Central and Central districts.
Speaking to Nine's Today Show, the Bureau of Meteorology's Miriam Bradbury says temperatures will be easing by Monday.
"For South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania, the reprieve is going to come Sunday night into Monday. Monday is set to be a much milder day across those south east and most states, but unfortunately for Sydney and the east coast, that cool change is not going to move through until around twenty four hours later, Monday night into Tuesday."
Officials in Victoria are hailing the state's first pill-testing trial a success after more than 600 drug samples were tested at the Beyond The Valley music festival.
The trial was Australia's largest pill-testing trial and saw health-care staff speak to over 700 festival attendees about drug use and safety.
The program's boss, Cameron Francis says people were lining up well before they were ready to open, declaring the service should be rolled out permanently.
The trial is set to continue across ten Victorian events during the music festival season.
Pill testing is currently legal in Queensland and the ACT, while New South Wales says it will launch a $1 million 12-month trial in 2025.
State media in Myanmar is reporting that the military government will release 5,864 prisoners, including 180 foreigners, under an amnesty marking the nation's independence day.
The military took over in 2021 after a violent coup overthrew the democratically elected civilian government and suppressed pro-democracy protests, prompting a nationwide armed rebellion.
Among those still imprisoned is the country's former leader, 79-year-old Aung San Suu Kyi, who is serving a 27-year sentence tied to criminal charges ranging from election fraud to corruption.
Shortly before the reports of a potential prisoner release, UN Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General Farhan Haq told reporters the situation for civilians in Myanmar is quickly worsening.
"Civilians continue to face extreme risks, acute food insecurity and a near total collapse of critical public services. Conflict has driven more than three point five million people from their homes, marking a staggering increase of nearly one point five million internally displaced persons compared to last year."
Police in Las Vegas say the suspect who died in an explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside a Trump Hotel left behind two letter's offering potential indications of a motive.
The suspect, identified as 37 year-old veteran Matthew Livelsberger, died of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head after setting off the explosion on New Year's Day.
The emerging details come as investigators continue to search for a motive, with some speculating politics may have played a role.
Las Vegas Police Department Assistant Sheriff Dory Koren says the notes indicate a series of grievances including political, personal, societal and grievances about conflict overseas.
"In the note application, he seemed to have two letters, one letter in particular, as you can see here, this is an excerpt from that letter. He says, 'Fellow service members, veterans and all Americans, time to wake up. We are being led by weak and feckless leadership who only serve to enrich themselves.' He goes on to explain a variety of other grievances and issues, some political, some personal.”
To Cricket now...
Steve Smith has been dismissed just five runs short of the 10,000 Test run milestone after a chaotic start to day-two at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Australia went to break at 5-101 in response to India's 185 and debutante Beau Webster holding the innings together.
Smith's exit left the game firmly in the balance after a morning which saw Australia lose Marnus Labuschagne [[Lah-boo-shane]], Sam Konstas and Travis Head in the first 45 minutes.
The wickets put India back in the match, needing to win in Sydney to level the series at 2-2 and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
