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TRANSCRIPT
- A fire that has killed two children not being treated as suspicious
- Donald Trump reacts furiously to a Jeffrey Epstein question in a TV interview
- Coco Gauff into the quarter finals of the Madrid Open
Police say an investigation is underway to determine the cause of a fire that authorities fear has claimed the lives of two children just west of Sydney.
The pair were unaccounted for after five others living in the property managed to escape the blaze at Bowen Mountain, in the foothills of the Blue Mountains, just after two this morning.
Police say the fire is not being treated as suspicious, and formal identification of the bodies is underway.
Rural Fire Service Superintendent Jonathon Hill says they were found after efforts to bring the blaze under control, including many being forced to withdraw before the roof caved in.
"They were faced with a very, very tough decision and particularly around the flames and how they were going through the roof. From that point, firefighters with the assistance of police and Fire and Rescue NSW continued to search through the house. Obviously, we have come across the two unaccounted for victims inside."
If you or someone you know needs support, call Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 or call Lifeline on
13 11 14.
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Police in the Northern Territory say they are searching for a man over an apparent abduction of a five-year-old girl in Alice Springs in the early hours of Sunday morning.
They believe 47-year-old Jefferson Lewis, who was recently released from prison, can assist them with the search.
The girl, known as Sharon, disappeared from her home at the Old Timers Aboriginal town camp in Alice Springs about 1.30 on Sunday morning, after being put to bed.
Assistant Police Commissioner Mark Grieve says they know the man was near the girl's home in the hours before her disappearance.
"We're still trying to work through his movements since he got out of prison. We certainly know that he was in and around Old Timers camp, and that particular residence, on Saturday afternoon and into that evening."
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United States President Donald Trump has reacted furiously to a US 60 Minutes interview that raised questions about the manifesto written by the Washington shooting suspect Cole Tomas Allen.
The 31-year-old's manifesto had been sent to family members before the attack.
Donald Trump exploded after reporter Norah O'Donnell mentioned that Allen had suggested a potential motive was the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, which the President has repeatedly been connected to and denied involvement with.
Donald Trump: "I was waiting for you to read that because I knew you would, because you’re horrible people. Horrible people. Yeah, he did write that. I'm not a rapist. I'm not a paedophile."
Norah O’Donnell: “Oh, do you think he was referring to you?”
Donald Trump: "I’m not a paedophile. Excuse me. Excuse me. I’m not a paedophile. You read that crap from some sick person? I got associated with stuff that has nothing to do with me. I was totally exonerated."
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Iran's Foreign Minister is due to meet with the Russian president after talks between Tehran and the United States stalled at the weekend.
Iran's envoy in Russia Kazem Jalali says the meeting between Abbas Araghchi and Vladimir Putin would continue what he called a "diplomatic jihad" to advance their interests amid external threats.
The Foreign Minister has already met with Omani leader Haitham bin Tariq al-Said, and Pakistani officials in Islamabad, where the potential for a new legal regime over the Strait of Hormuz and lifting the US naval blockade has reportedly been raised.
Iran has repeatedly said that lifting needs to happen before talks can resume, while US President Donald Trump says Tehran has to make the first move.
"By the time they get there it's hours and hours and hours of flying. And I said, we're not doing this anymore. We have all the cards. If they want to talk, they can come to us or they can call us. You know, there is a telephone.”
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In tennis,
Coco Gauff has advanced to the fourth round of the Madrid Open, despite falling ill and throwing up on court in the middle of the second set.
She has rallied to defeat Sorana Cirstea 4-6 7-5 6-1.
Gauff is among a number of players affected by a bug that appears to have impacted several of them at the tournament.













