In this bulletin;
- Negotiations underway after Tasmania's election results in a hung parliament
- A second case of the more severe variant of mpox recorded in Australia
- Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt says he is proud of the fight the team showed in the first Test against the Lions.
Vote counting Tasmania's state election continues, with the final result still weeks away as postal votes are tallied.
Four seats remain undecided from the state's second state election in 16 months.
The result is another hung parliament, with neither major party winning enough seats to rule in majority.
The Liberal Party has so far secured 14 seats to Labor's nine. The Greens have five seats and the independents three.
Negotiations are now underway to decide the makeup of the government and its powersharing arrangement.
Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff says he is seeking to reform government, with a visit to the governor.
"Tasmanians have spoken. As I always have, and will continue to do so. Now is the time for those who have had - and will have - the great honour of being elected to Parliament to work together with good will across the chamber in the best interests of all Tasmanians." (applause)
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Voting is underway in Japan's election for the upper house of parliament.
The outcome will determine whether Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's minority government will hold onto its majority in the upper house, after the bloc lost its majority in the lower house elections in October.
Mr Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has governed Japan almost continuously since 1955.
These voters told N-H-K World Japan, says cost of living is a key issue.
Female voter 1: (translated into English) "Everything is just so expensive - from rice to vegetables to meat and fish."
Female voter 2: (translated into English) "Prices are rising but wages are not. We can't spend as much because taxes have gone up. We haven't changed our lifestyle, but we're paying more and more. It's really bad."
Polls are set to close at 8pm local time.
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A second case of the more severe variant of mpox virus has been detected in Australia.
Queensland Health says the latest case of the clade 1 mpox variant was acquired overseas by a patient who is currently being treated in Brisbane's south.
In a statement, the health department says there is a low danger of the virus spreading.
Officials say contact tracing is underway and those who have been in close contact with the patient will be notified.
Mpox clade 1 is believed to be more infectious and more deadly than mpox clade 2, which caused the global outbreak in 2022 and 2023.
Australians are being reminded that pre-travel vaccination for mpox is free and recommended for people who may undertake sexual risk activities during travel to countries with transmission of clade 1 mpox.
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Traditional owners have welcomed a native title ruling that they say will allow them to continue to care for the land where their ancestors walked, hunted and held ceremonies on.
The Federal Court delivered its ruling on the case that was lodged in 2015, granting three traditional owner groups native title in Victoria's north west.
The ruling grants the Traditional Owner groups non-exclusive rights, including the right to access the land, use its resources, and protect sites, objects and places of cultural and spiritual significance.
Native title applicant member Timothy Johnson says it is a joyous outcome for traditional owners who have been fighting since the 1990s for native title.
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In rugby union, Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt says he is proud of the way the team fought back against the British and Irish Lions in the Test series opener.
Early in the second half, the Lions led 24-5, but the Wallabies fought back to score two tries inside the final 13 minutes of the match to reduce the margin to eight points. The final score was 27-19.
Schmidt says that grit in the final quarter showed the team is developing.
"We will have a look in the cold light of day probably and be a little bit more analytical. But very proud of the way the player fought their way back. I just think that this time last year, I think we probably would have melted, but I love this team is developing. And we have got a very tough start to the season. We've got two more Lions' tests, two tests away in South Africa. I just think it is going to be a really fantastic period for us to demonstrate some growth; and to tighten some of the connections of the group that we've got."
