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TRANSCRIPT
Emergency authorities are bracing for extreme conditions across Victoria, with fires threatening homes on a day expected to reach 45 degrees in Melbourne and Geelong and 49 in Mildura.
Four evacuation warnings are in place, with active warnings in Dargo, Walwa, Longwood and Carlisle River and thousands of people affected.
Impacted communities are urged to monitor warnings and developments via the Vic Emergency App, Victorian Country Fire Authority website and community radio updates.
Colac Otway Shire Mayor, Jason Schram told Channel Nine a change in wind direction will make the fires unpredictable.
"The SES have been doorknocking a lot of areas in the Otways, telling people to leave last night. So we just hope everyone has got their bushfire plan ready and left if they've been able to do so."
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A man will face a Perth court this afternoo on two charges related to allegedly throwing a device into an Invasion Day protest yesterday.
WA police have charged him with making or possessing an explosive under suspicious circumstances and with intent to cause harm.
He has been refused bail and remains in custody.
Officers evacuated a crowd of around two thousand people from Perth's CBD yesterday afternoon saying they were concerned about a mass casualty event.
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Allies of embattled Opposition Leader Sussan Ley have declared their unwavering support for her remaining in the top job as speculation about her future ramps up.
Liberal frontbencher Tim Wilson says he's had no phone calls from anyone trying to run the numbers as leadership speculation continues to swirl.
He maintains that colleagues often communicate regardless of the current political climate.
He says the Coalition needs a bold policy vision for the future of the country, which he says is the basis in which the Coalition will build back the confidence of the Australian people.
"Well, Susan's a leader, and I always support the leader. We've got to make sure that, whatever it is, we're united behind the team. We need to make sure we're holding the Albanese government to account."
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The remains of the final Israeli hostage have been returned from Gaza, fulfilling a key condition of the first phase of a plan to end the war in the territory.
The remains of 24 year-old police officer Ran Gvili are at the forensics institute in Tel Aviv.
The repatriation marks 840 days since he was captured when Hamas militants attacksed southern Israel on the 7th of October, 2023.
Mr Gvili's sister says it's a hugely emotional day for her and her family.
"I feel an insane sense of relief. I feel relieved. I'm sad. I'm very sad that it ended this way but it had to end at some point. And I'm so happy that he's coming back home. Rani is on his way, Rani is coming.
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France's National Assembly has backed legislation to ban children under 15 from social media, after President Emmanuel Macron urged his parliament to follow Australia in making the move.
Lawmakers have voted 116 to 23 in favour of the bill, which now passes to the Senate before a final vote in the lower house.
The French bill comes a month after Australia became the first country in the world to impose a ban on 15 year-olds having their own social media accounts across a range of platforms including Tik Tok, YouTube, SnapChat and Instagram.
Rapporteur for the committee on cultural affairs and education, Laure Miller, says the French proposal would ban young teens from social networks and "social networking functionalities" embedded within broader platforms.
"Our children read less, move less, sleep less, and compare themselves more. It seems to me that we could and should unite behind a simple yet essential fight: to refuse to allow childhood to become a market and our youth to be the playground of algorithms."
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To sport now and in tennis, Local qualifier Madison Inglis' Australian Open run is over, after she was knocked out of the tournament by Iga Swiatek.
The world number two beat Inglis 6-0, 6-3 at Melbourne Park, ending a dream run for the Aussie wildcard player.
The Gold Coast player got through to the top 16, despite being relatively inexperienced in the field and will take home almost half a million dollars for her efforts.
In the men's competition, two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner will face Ben Shelton in the quarter finals, after beating Italian Luciano Dadieri in straight sets.
