TRANSCRIPT
- A massive explosion heard at Iranian-backed base in Baghdad.
- A vigil for the victims of the Bondi mall attack to be held tomorrow.
- And in tennis, top seed Alexander Zverev crashes out of BMW Open quarter-Finals.
Iran's foreign minister says his country is not seeking to escalate their conflict with Israel, following a suspected Israeli attack on Iran overnight.
There were reports of explosions being heard near the Iranian city of Isfahan.
Hossein Amirabdollahian and other Iranian officials sought to play down the offensive, despite U-S officials saying Israel carried out military operations.
But Iranian officials and state media say no damage has been caused and instead are reporting the explosions in Isfahan were the result of air defence batteries activating.
Iran's foreign minister tells NBC News what happened overnight was not a strike.
Reporter: "Is Iran done for right now sending any more missiles or attacking Israel?
Iran's Foreign Minister: "If Israel retaliates and comes up with a new adventurism then we will respond, but if not then we are done. We are concluded."
Israel has not claimed responsibility.
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A massive explosion has reverberated through a military base in the Babylon Governorate, located to the south of Baghdad, Iraq.
The base is affiliated with the Iranian-backed Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF).
According to an Iraqi security source who spoke to C-N-N, the blast originated from an ammunition depot within the P-M-F military facility, but the cause of the explosion remains undisclosed at this point.
Both the United States and Israel have denied being behind the incident.
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Treasurer Jim Chalmers is warning of softer revenue growth in the federal budget as China's downturn persists and conflict in the Middle East casts a shadow over the global economy.
The Albanese government's third budget is due to be delivered on the 14th of May, with a second surplus still the goal in 2023/24.
However, Mr Chalmers warned rising geopolitical tensions and the sluggish Chinese economy - which has slumped to its weakest growth on a three-year basis since the 1970s - had big implications for Australia and the world.
"Absolutely central to the important discussions here the last couple of days have been the difficult geopolitical conditions geopolitical tensions which are casting a shadow over the global economy. The events in the Middle East in recent days combined with the ongoing war in Eastern Europe are obviously two big influences on the global economy on our own economies and on our budgets as well."
Mr Chalmers is in Washington D-C for a meeting with his G20 counterparts.
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A candlelight vigil will take place tomorrow, in honour of the victims of the Bondi Junction tragedy.
It will be held at Dolphin Court, Bondi Beach, which is south of the Bondi Pavilion and begins at 5.30pm.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says it is an event that should unite the city.
"Sunday, there will be a vigil at Bondi Beach and that will be an important moment for people in Sydney to come together to show their support and solidarity for the victims and people who were injured and also those who have been impacted by this."
Participants are encouraged to bring their own candles to take part in the ceremony during which one-minute of silence will take place.
Counselors and mental health first aid will be available on-site.
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A man set himself on fire outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place, but he did not appear to have been targeting the former president.
The man identified as Max Azzarello of Saint Augustine, Florida, burned for several minutes in full view of television cameras that were set up outside the courthouse.
New York Fire Department Commissioner Laura Kavanagh, says he survived.
"Victim is in critical condition but is alive and intubated at Cornell Burn Centre at this time. There were four, three NYPD officers and one court officer ,so four officers who had minor injuries from their exposure to the fire. They are all fine."
Witnesses say Mr Azzarello pulled pamphlets out of a backpack and threw them in the air before he doused himself with a liquid and set himself on fire.
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Top seed Alexander Zverev has crashed out of the BMW Open quarter-finals, losing 6-4 6-4 to Chile's Cristian Garin.
The German struggled in windy and rainy conditions on a cool afternoon in Munich, losing in two hours after Garin broke him him once in each set and saved the two break points Zverev managed.
Zverev, the Olympic champion, pleaded in vain to officials to suspend the match because of the constant drizzle.
The 2017 and 2018 tournament winner had also lost to Garin in the same round in 2019, with the South American going on to lift the trophy.
