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TRANSCRIPT
- Pauline Hanson says One Nation's performance in South Australia is a sign of things to come
- Donald Trump says the US will 'obliterate' power plants in Iran if the Strait of Hormuz isn't re-opened
- The Socceroos unveil the final squad for World Cup friendly matches
One Nation founder Pauline Hanson says her party's performance in the South Australian election augurs well for the upcoming Farrer by-election.
Labor Premier Peter Malinauskas secured a second term with a significantly increased majority.
One Nation put both the major parties on notice by securing more than 21 per cent of the vote while the SA Liberals secured around 19 per cent.
As vote counting continues, it remains unclear whether One Nation can secure any lower house seats.
One Nation's founder Pauline Hanson says her party's showing is a sign of what's to come in other polls.
"And I think it's very important to see for Farrer and I also will send a strong team for Victoria. So, if you're from Victoria, you watching this, we're coming to support you down there, stand candidates.'
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United States President Donald Trump has threatened to "obliterate" Iran's power plants if Tehran does not open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours.
A day earlier, Mr Trump said the US was close to achieving its goals in Iran and was considering "winding down" the war.
The Trump administration has called on US allies to assist in policing the Strait of Hormuz, which Mr Trump has insisted the US does not rely on.
The Australian government has signed a statement pledging to assist in the Strait, with Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth telling Sky News the government wants to see swift de-escalation.
"Our prime minister and our foreign minister have called for de-escalation. We did support, of course, the mission to stop Iran being a threat, whether it's nuclear power or in the international environment, we have also called for de-escalation, and it is really important that this war ends sooner rather than later."
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Six fuel tankers set to deliver oil to Australia have been cancelled because of the war in the Middle East, with Energy Minister Chris Bowen conceding fuel supply could become a greater challenge if the war continues.
Iran's decision to close the Strait of Hormuz in response to US-Israeli attacks has stifled global oil supply and driven up the cost of fuel around the world.
The government has so far maintained that Australia, which is heavily reliant on imported fuel, is not yet dealing with widespread shortages.
Speaking on Nine's Today Show, One Nation M-P Barnaby Joyce says Mr Bowen is mismanaging the crisis.
"Yeah, I think the first thing is, be honest with the people in a clear analysis of the position we're in. I'll try and smile more so I'm happy, but what happened is, right at the start, remember I was the first person asked questions about how much fuel we had, and pretty shocked by the answer, because first, it was small, and second, it was wrong. It wasn't, if you looked at the international Energy Agency assessments only 24 days, not 34 days."
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Upcoming inflation data for February is expected to show how prices were tracking before the war in Middle East sent shocks through the global economy.
The central bank will closely scrutinise inflation data for February, set to be published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday [[25/03]].
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At least 64 people have been killed and 89 injured in an attack on a hospital in Sudan.
The World Health Organisation says the Al Deain Teaching Hospital in East Darfur's capital was struck in the attack, which damaged the hospital's paediatric, maternity and emergency departments.
The strikes bring the number of fatalities linked to attacks on health facilities during the war in Sudan to over 2000.
Sudanese rights group the Emergency Lawyers reported it was an army drone strike that hit the hospital.
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More than 10 million people in Cuba are once again without power as the national power grid collapses for the second time since the US imposed an oil blockade on the island.
The first nationwide blackout lasted more than 29 hours and comes amid a worsening energy and humanitarian crisis gripping the Caribbean nation.
In the capital Havana, this man says it is difficult to see the situation improving anytime soon.
“Life doesn't change; ultimately, we're stuck in the same rut. We aren't going to move forward; we're just going to stay right here, at a standstill. Twice a week, cooking with firewood... it's absolute madness. There's no other way around it; it's just the hand we've been dealt. A solution is unlikely; we've been stuck in this same situation for 60 years. It is not going to change.”
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The Socceroos have unveiled the final squad for warm up games leading into the FIFA World Cup.
The Australian team is playing friendly matches against Cameroon and Curacao on home soil.
Coach Tony Popovic will name his final squad for the world cup after the last friendly on the 30th of May.
Player Jason Geria is among the players named for this month's games and says lining up for a World Cup is a daunting prospect.
"It's closer and closer, it does start to build up, it does start to become more tangible. At the same time, it's like, you're very close to achieving something you've dreamt of for so long. And that in itself is a little bit terrifying as well, to be honest."
