TRANSCRIPT
- Human remains found amid a major bushfire in Victoria.
- The Adelaide Festival loses three board members amid a growing boycott.
- In tennis, world number one Aryna Sabalenka retains her Brisbane International title.
Authorities say human remains have been discovered in Longwood, Victoria, where a major bushfire has been burning since Wednesday.
Victoria Police say the remains were found around 100 metres from a vehicle along a stretch of road that became accessible on Sunday afternoon.
The person is yet to be identified and police are preparing a report for the coroner, with this being the first reported death since bushfires swept through the state this week.
Chief fire officer for Forest Fire Management Victoria Chris Hardman confirmed the news to the ABC.
" For all of us, these are our worst fears. You know, we always have the primacy of life at the forefront and the centre of our thinking. It's what drives and motivates us. And tragically, we were informed today that in the Longwood fire there has been a fatality associated with this bushfire. And it's very early days. Victoria Police will be working through all of the processes that they do, but it does really take the wind out of all of our sails."
More than 350,000 hectares of land has been burnt and 300 structures lost, as over 30 active blazes continue to burn throughout Victoria.
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The Adelaide Festival has lost three board members, amid growing fallout from the board's decision to drop Palestinian Australian author Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah from the festival line up.
On Thursday, the board confirmed it had told Dr Abdel-Fattah she would no longer appear at the Adelaide Writers' Week, saying it would not be "culturally sensitive", following the Bondi terror attack.
The decision prompted nearly 100 authors to pull out from this year's event, including prominent writers Percival Everett, Booker Prize shortlisted British author Zadie Smith, and former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis.
SBS News understands three board members — women's executive coach Donny Walford, lawyer Nicholas Linke, and journalist Daniela Ritorto — have resigned, following a crisis meeting of the board on Saturday.
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Iran's parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, has warned that the US military and Israel could be legitimate targets, if the US carries out strikes on Iran.
Anti-government protests entered their third week, with rights groups saying the death toll has exceeded 500.
The US-based rights group HRANA says it has verified the deaths of 490 protesters and 48 security personnel, with more than 10,600 people arrested.
The semiofficial Tasnim news agency says 109 security personnel had been killed in the protests across the country.
President Donald Trump has said he is willing to strike Iran, with reports citing US officials suggesting he had been given military options for a strike on Iran, but hadn't made a final decision.
Alireza Jafarzadeh is the Deputy Director of the Washington Office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran.
"They're not settling for theocracy, they're not going back to a dictatorship which they once overthrew. Now is the time to stand on the side of the people of Iran for their freedom. They're not asking for foreign boots on the ground or money. All they need is support on their side."
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A woman has reportedly been killed and three people have been injured in a Ukrainian drone attack on the southern Russian city of Voronezh.
Regional governor Alexander Gusev says more than 10 apartment buildings, about 10 private houses, a secondary school and several administrative buildings were damaged in the attack.
The full extent of the attack on Voronezh, roughly 250 kilometres from the border with Ukraine, was not immediately clear.
Ukraine says it strikes targets inside Russia in the war that Vladimir Putin's government launched almost four years ago to disrupt the Russian military's effort and in response to missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, including energy facilities.
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In tennis, world number one Aryna Sabalenka brushed aside Marta Kostyuk 6-4 6-3 in the Brisbane International final to retain the title without losing a set, ahead of her bid to reclaim the Australian Open title this month.
Kostyuk had beaten top 10 players Jessica Pegula, Mirra Andreeva and Amanda Anisimova on her way to the final, but was no match for the sheer power of the U-S Open champion who secured her 22nd WTA title.
Sabalenka is determined to win back the Australian Open title she lost last year and her performance in the fierce Brisbane heat suggests she will be hard to beat at Melbourne Park this month.
She even made time for a humorous hint to her boyfriend in her celebration speech.
"Thank you guys, I love you. And thank you to my boyfriend. Hopefully soon I'll call you something else. Let's just put some extra pressure on. Thank you everyone, I really enjoyed being here. Thank you."
