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In this bulletin;
- Iran vows retaliation after US seizes ship, raising doubts over ceasefire talks;
- NSW Premier Chris Minns defends police action days after court ruling against protest laws;
- And in Rugby League, The Dragons set to sack Shane Flanagan after winless start.
The United States says it has seized an Iranian cargo ship after it attempted to breach a naval blockad in the Gulf of Oman heading to the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump says the ship's crew ignored repeated warnings from a US Navy destroyer which then proceeded to disable it with a shot into its engine room.
US Marines then boarded the ship and seized it.
The move comes as Washington increases pressure on Tehran, with Mr Trump again warning of possible strikes on Iranian infrastructure if a ceasefire is not reached.
He says US representatives are heading to Pakistan for talks aimed at easing the conflict.
Iran's state media says Tehran has "no plans for now to participate" in the talks.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the confrontation with Iran is not over.
“We have been engaged with the United States in a battle against the Great Tyranny of Iran, which ... seeks to bring down Western civilisation as we know it. We have achieved enormous things. It's not over yet. And any moment could bring us new developments.”
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Treasurer Jim Chalmers has just returned from meetings with G20 counterparts in Washington as he says final preparations are being made for the May budget.
He says it was an important opportunitiy to be a part of discussions led by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and to engage bilaterally with a number of key partners including South Korea, Japan, China, the U-K and New Zealand, in order to ensure the budget factors international conditions.
A big focus of the meeting was on fuel and forecasts, and expectations for the global economy amid the war in the Middle East.
Treasurer Chalmers says it will be a responsible budget focused on resilience and reform, including tax reform and savings.
"Significantly, it does feel like two steps forward and one step back when it comes to these developments, and if there's one prevailing vibe that comes from the international colleagues, it's really a sense of frustration about how long this war in the Middle East has been playing out, and what it means for the global economy and everyone's domestic economies as well."
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The government's emergency loans program for struggling businesses has opened, offering $1 billion for loans and $500 million for manufacturing and investment.
The loan is aimed to support trucking logistics firms and other businesses suffering from the fuel crisis caused by the war in the Middle East.
Minister for Industry and Innovation Tim Ayres told Channel Nine's Today program that immediate action is required.
"This is fast action that will be available from today through firms' existing banks, the four big banks, plus two others - the Bank of Queensland and Bendigo Bank. Zero-interest loans offered over the course of two years will make a big difference for those firms. The rest of it will be there for investing in energy resilience and energy security across Australian manufacturing."
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New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has defended his government’s handling of protests, days after a court struck down key parts of anti-protest laws introduced after the Bondi Beach terror attack.
The Supreme Court of New South Wales Court of Appeal last week ruled the measures placed an impermissible burden on political communication.
The laws were introduced on 22 December 2025, and later used during protests linked to the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, where several arrests were made.
Speaking this morning, Mr Minns says police relied on existing powers, including major event declarations, to maintain public safety.
“We had a situation where we had 10,000 mourners at one end of the city, 10,000 protesters a few blocks away at the other end of the city, and police had an obligation and a responsibility to keep those groups apart and separate in order to maintain public safety. So in those circumstances, I think they did an incredible job in difficult circumstances. I'm glad they were there on the night."
Mr Minns says the government is reviewing the judgment, but stands by the decisions it made.
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Shane Flanagan is set to be sacked by St George Illawarra Dragons after their winless start to the NRL season.
The last-placed Dragons have called a snap Monday press conference, with the decision expected to be confirmed.
Saturday’s 30-12 loss to South Sydney extended their record losing streak to 11 games.
The move comes less than nine months after Flanagan signed a two-year extension, despite the team winning just once since.
He is set to depart with a 35 per cent win rate, recording 19 wins from 55 games since taking charge in 2024.
