TRANSCRIPT
- The Prime Minister condemns actions of a Chinese fighter jet that endangered an Australian air crew.
- The accused triple murderer who allegedly poisoned relatives with deadly mushrooms has pleaded not guilty
- Atalanta come from a goal down to beat Salernitana 2-1 in Serie A.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has condemned the actions of a Chinese jet fighter which dropped flares in front of an Australian navy helicopter, labelling the move "unprofessional and unacceptable".
Defence Minister Richard Marles has revealed the Royal Australian Navy Seahawk helicopter was forced to take evasive action to prevent being hit by flares launched by a J-10 Chinese Air Force plane.
The flares were dropped about 300 metres in front of the chopper and about 60 metres above it, but the helicopter was unaffected and all the crew were safe.
Mr Albanese says the aircraft was on a routine flight in international airspace as part of an effort to enforce sanctions on North Korea.
"We have made very strong representations at every level to China about this incident, which we regard as unprofessional and unacceptable. Australian Defense Force personnel were going about their job to support the United Nations in the sanctions that they have against the North Korean regime and Australian Defense Force personnel should not be at risk whilst they're doing that."
The woman accused of murdering three people after serving a meal allegedly poisoned with deadly mushrooms last year has pleaded not guilty in court.
The trial of the accused 49-year-old woman, Erin Patterson, will be fast-tracked after she pleaded not guilty to eight charges.
She is accused of killing her former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, aged 66.
All three died in hospital days after consuming the allegedly poisoned meal at Ms Patterson's home in South Gippsland.
She is also accused of the attempted murder of her ex-husband Simon and the attempted murder of Ms Wilkinson's husband Ian.
She will face trial at the Supreme Court in Melbourne, due for a directions hearng on May 23.
Hundreds of protesters have taken to the streets of Tel Aviv after Israeli leaders have rejected a Gaza ceasefire proposal agreed to by Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the proposal from Egyptian and Qatari mediators that Hamas accepted included terms that Israel could not agree to.
He says an Israeli delegation will be sent to the talks to negotiate but their military will continue an escalation of attacks on the densely-populated city of Rafah in Gaza's south in the mean-time.
Israel says it is currently striking Hamas targets in eastern Rafah where they had dropped fliers yesterday telling civilians to evacuate.
Malak is a young displaced girl in Rafah who says she was filled with hope after Hamas' announcement but now fears what's to come.
“We have been through tough times and we were displaced many times, to many strange places. When they dropped leaflets asking us to evacuate we were afraid and we didn’t know what we should do. We were optimistic when Hamas agreed to the ceasefire proposal, we were very optimistic. But Israel procrastinated and it is going too far, they don’t want to agree for ceasefire and they want to raid Rafah."
Chad has held its long-delayed presidential election following three years of military rule under the interim president, Mahamat Deby Itno, a vote that the incumbent is expected to win.
Mr Deby Itno seized power after his father, who spent three decades in power, was killed fighting rebels in 2021.
His government announced it was extending the 18-month transition period for two more years, which provoked protests across the country.
The oil-exporting country of nearly 18 million people hasn't had a free-and-fair transfer of power since it became independent in 1960 after decades of French colonial rule.
More than 8 million people are registered to vote, in a country of more than 17 million people, one of the poorest in the world.
While analysts say the interim president is likely to win the election, one voter says he feels like the people are calling for a change.
“If I was to compare it to previous elections, I think this year there is a desire for change that I’ve noticed in everyone. A lot of people have come out to vote. There is a large number of people at the polls.”
A leading opposition figure, Yaya Dillo, the current president’s cousin, was killed in February in circumstances that remain unclear.
In football,
Atalanta have come from a goal down to beat relegated Salernitana 2-1 in Series A and improve their chances of a place in next season's Champions League.
The Bergamo-based club have now risen above Roma into fifth place in Italy's top tier league, with the top five Italian clubs qualifying automatically for the Champions League.
Atalanta went behind after 18 minutes when Loum Tchaouna scored against the run of play.
But Atalanta woke up in the second half, with Gianluca Scamacca converting a nice headed assist by Mario Pasalic, and six minutes later Teun Koopmeiners scored from outside the box, heard via beIN SPORTS.
"And now first time! It's a brilliant finish by Teun Koopmeiners! He disguised the shot so well and it just trickles into the far corner."
