TRANSCRIPT
In this bulletin;
- Ukraine accuses Russia of drone strike hit on railway station;
- Melissa McIntosh defends Coalition ‘charter letters’ amid shadow cabinet resignations;
- And in Rugby League, Payne Haas seeks to understand new Broncos coach Michael Maguire’s winning drive.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of terror after a drone strike hit a railway station in the north-eastern city of Shostka, killing one person and wounding around 30 others.
Officials say two passenger trains were struck in quick succession, including one heading to Kyiv.
Among the injured are three children, the youngest just seven years old.
In his nightly address, Mr Zelenskyy condemned the attack as a deliberate strike on civilians.
"Dear Ukrainians! Today, almost the entire day, there have been brutal Russian strikes on the city of Shostka in the Sumy region. A strike on the railway station, on the energy sector, on civilian infrastructure. This is typical Russian terror. Dozens of drones. One of the hits was directly on a train, an ordinary train, with no military purpose whatsoever."
He adds that Moscow continues to reject peace efforts and urged Western allies - including the G7 and G20 - to respond firmly to what he called Russia’s terrorist methods.
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Australia’s Opposition Communications Minister Melissa McIntosh has defended the Coalition’s use of so-called “charter letters”, describing them as a normal part of organisational practice.
The letters, issued by the leader of the Opposition Sussan Ley [[Lee]], outline the key performance indicators and policy goals expected of each shadow minister, effectively setting out their responsibilities and priorities.
Ms McIntosh tells Sky News the process brings clarity after criticism that it had caused tension within the frontbench.
“It just makes it clear what the KPIs are and what we should deliver policy-wise, which is important because a lot of Australians said we lacked policy intent at the last election.”
She also expressed regret over Andrew Hastie’s resignation from shadow cabinet, calling it a principled decision, and said high immigration pressures were a legitimate concern for communities in western Sydney.
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Lillian Kline, co-founder of the grassroots Jewish group Project A, says she feels somewhat optimistic about reports that 48 hostages could soon be released under a new peace framework, but admits deep mistrust towards Hamas.
She tells SBS Hebrew:
“I feel a sense of cautious optimism around the possibility of the release of 48 hostages, half of whom we are hoping are alive and of course those that were murdered in captivity... coupled with a deep sense of mistrust at Hamas, a terror organisation who has not negotiated at any point in good faith.”
Ms Kline says the Jewish community in Australia is emotionally exhausted, especially after the killing of two elderly worshippers in Manchester, and continues to live under tight security.
She hopes the talks mark a turning point in the conflict, easing both the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and a surge in global anti-Semitism.
More than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's assault on Gaza according the Palestinian health authorities, following Hamas' attack on October 7 2023, which killed 1200 people and took 250 hostage.
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Health experts are warning of a growing crisis in Australia’s sexual health, with shame, stigma and outdated attitudes blamed for a surge in sexually transmitted infections.
STI rates have risen by 46 per cent over the past decade, with untreated cases of chlamydia and gonorrhoea leading to serious health complications.
In 2023, nearly 110,000 cases of chlamydia were recorded - almost 70 per cent among women.
Gonorrhoea was the second most common infection, with more than 40,000 cases, half involving people aged 15 to 29.
Experts say the true figures are likely much higher, as many infections go undiagnosed due to mild symptoms and declining rates of testing.
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Star prop Payne Haas wanted to understand what drives his new boss Michael Maguire who was appointed Brisbane Broncos coach late last year.
Haas had already worked with Maguire in 2024, when they helped New South Wales overturn a 1–0 deficit to win the State of Origin series in Brisbane - their first victory there since 2005.
That triumph propelled Maguire to the top job at Red Hill, taking charge of the N-R-L’s most prestigious club, which has gone 19 years without a premiership.
Haas says he was keen to learn more about the man renowned for his fierce discipline and relentless hunger to win.
