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TRANSCRIPT
- The Strait of Hormuz closed again a day after Iran agreed to passage during the Israel ceasefire
- A pedestrian killed outside a Melbourne comic convention
- Adelaide win by a single point in a thriller against St Kilda
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Revolutionary Guard gunboats have opened fire on a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, while an unknown projectile has damaged containers on a second ship in an escalation of tensions in the crucial waterway.
The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center has confirmed the strikes, along with TankerTrackers.com which has reported vessels were forced to turn around in the strait, including an Indian-flagged super tanker, after they were fired on by Iran.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard navy issued an edict late on Saturday night that the Strait is once again closed, in retaliation for the United States pressing ahead with its own blockade of Iranian ports.
Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi has confirmed the re-closure in a video, saying that it was willing to shut down 15 million barrels of oil a day, and that approaching the Strait of Hormuz would be considered cooperation with the enemy.
"The upper hand is with our forces. We hold the advantage. We have not struck many of the targets. In other words, we have left some more important matters for later stages, and if matters return to war again, we hold the upper hand."
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In Australia, petrol prices remain at the mercy of the delicate shipping agreements in the Strait.
Australian bowser prices have dipped below $2.10 a litre and are under $3 for diesel for the first time since February across major cities, but the government says it can take some time for changes to be reflected at the pump.
Late on Saturday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had been at pains to stress the re-opening arrangement was fragile, following an overnight summit on Friday of some 50 countries to support an ongoing Middle East ceasefire.
Meanwhile, at a petrol station in Albury, Opposition leader Angus Taylor has argued the government has not been transparent about fuel shipments amid the ongoing turmoil.
"What really matters though is what's coming to the country. And the shipments ariving in the country will determine whether or not we have the fuel that we need over the coming months and we need more transparency on that. Chris Bowen likes to tell us how many ships there are but he doesn't tell us how big they are, what they're carrying, when they're going to arrive."
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A French soldier has been killed and three others wounded while clearing a road in southern Lebanon.
French armed forces minister Catherine Vautrin says the soldier was part of a patrol ambushed in the village of Ghandouriyeh, during a mission to open a route to a UNIFIL post that had been isolated by fighting in the area.
French authorities and officials from UNIFIL are both blaming the attack on Hezbollah.
But the Iranian-backed militant group has denied any involvement in the incident, accusing the leaders of rushing to make baseless accusations.
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A pedestrian has been fatally struck outside a busy comic convention in Melbourne.
Victoria Police say a car mounted a footpath and fatally struck the bystander at Melbourne Showgrounds in the suburb of Ascot Vale, just as the Supanova Comic Con and Gaming expo was wrapping up its first day on Saturday evening.
A second person hit in the incident remains in hospital with life-threatening injuries.
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Pro-Palestine protesters have been arrested in central Brisbane for chanting "from the river to the sea", a day after a John Farnham flash mob sang a similar phrase.
Queensland Police have confirmed 20 people are facing 14 charges, including the reciting of what they call a prohibited expression.
The estimated 300 demonstrators had gathered in Brisbane to protest the state government's decision to ban the phrase.
A day earlier, pro-Palestine demonstrators had attempted to test the laws with a John Farnham flash mob, singing a song that includes the banned words.
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Australia has signed contracts to buy Japanese warships to prop up its navy as it looks to project firepower deeper into the Pacific.
In what is Tokyo's most consequential military sale since ending a military export ban in 2014, Defence Ministers Richard Marles and Shinjiro Koizumi have signed a memorandum for the $10 billion contract.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is to supply the Royal Australian Navy with three upgraded Mogami-class multi-role frigates built in Japan from 2029, while eight more frigates will be built in Australia.
The deal struck in August anchors Japan's push to forge security ties beyond its US alliance, something the Minister quietly alluded to his post-signing remarks.
"There is no country in the world with whom we have a greater strategic alignment with Japan and that in turn is underpinned by complete trust. And the value of that is particularly felt given the circumstances in the world today."
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To sport now and in AFL news,
Veteran Adelaide forward Taylor Walker has booted five goals, including the late match-winner, in a nerve-jangling one-point triumph against St Kilda.
Adelaide recovered from a 26-point deficit early in the second quarter to log victory at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.
The Crows move to three wins and three losses and ninth spot on the ladder while leaving the 13th-placed Saints in early strife.
