TRANSCRIPT
- One man survives Air India crash in Ahmedabad that killed at least 240 people
- Iran threatens to step up uranium enrichment
- Kysaiah Pickett re-signs with the Melbourne Demons
In India’s worst air disaster in over a decade, an Air India flight bound for London has crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, killing at least 240 people.
The plane ploughed into a residential area minutes after lifting off, igniting a fireball that tore through buildings, including a college hostel.
Police say many of the victims were medical students asleep in their rooms.
Only one passenger survived, a man named Vishwashkumar Ramesh.
His brother, Nayankumar, spoke from the United Kingdome, describing the moment Vishwashkumar called their father from inside the burning wreckage.
“ Vishwash said, oh, we're going to take off soon. And then literally like two minutes later, he video called my dad as he crashed. He said, our plane's crashed, I don't know where my brother is. I don't see any other passengers. I don't know how I'm alive, how I exited the plane.”
India’s Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed the survivor is in hospital with multiple injuries but is expected to recover.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
**
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says his government has launched an investigation into the deadly plane crash in India.
UK officials say there were 53 British citizens were aboard the plane, including the only survivor.
Sir Keir has confirmed the government is sending a multidisciplinary team to assist their Indian counterparts with an investigation into the crash.
"We're in constant contact with the Indian authorities. We've dispatched our own team that's been acknowledged to work with them. I think it is important for all friends and family to contact the Foreign Office so we can roll out this as quickly as possible, but it is an ongoing investigation. It'll take some time. But, you know, our hearts and our thoughts are absolutely with the friends and families of all those affected, who are going to be absolutely devastated by this awful news."
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Iran has vowed to establish a third uranium enrichment facility after the International Atomic Energy Agency's board of governors found the country isn't complying with its obligations.
The international nuclear monitor's resolution says Iran has failed to cooperate with long-running investigations into uranium traces found at several locations that had not been declared as nuclear sites.
Western officials suspect the uranium traces could provide evidence that Iran had a secret nuclear weapons program until 2003, an allegation that Iran's government denies.
The Agency's finding comes ahead of a sixth round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States.
Earlier this week Iran's Defence Minister, Aziz Nasirzadeh, threatened to attack if a deal isn't reached.
"God willing, it won’t come to that, and the talks will yield results. But if they don’t, and conflict is imposed on us, the enemy’s losses will undoubtedly be greater than ours. In that case, America will have to leave the region because all its bases are within our reach, we have access to them, and without hesitation, we will target all of them in the host countries."
That warning follows similar threats from US President Donald Trump.
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California faces Washington in court today over President Donald Trump's deployment of US troops to quell immigration protests in Los Angeles.
The state is requesting a temporary restraining order to block the troops' participation in law enforcement activities, saying it's unnecessary, inflammatory and authoritarian.
Mr Trump has authorised the deployment of 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 U-S marines in defiance of state Governor Gavin Newsom.
California is ultimately seeking a ruling in the Federal Court that returns its National Guard to state control and declares Mr Trump's actions illegal.
Major General Scott Sherman is overseeing the deployed personnel and says they are not engaged in immigration enforcement activities.
“So strictly for the protection of the federal personnel and the protection of the federal building, they're allowed to temporarily detain and wait for law enforcement to come and arrest them. They do not do any arrest. They are strictly there to detain, to wait for law enforcement, to come, and handle those demonstrators.”
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Leaders from state and federal governments are meeting today to discuss stronger national regulations for the assisted reproduction sector, after a second well-publicised bungle at a private fertility clinic in Melbourne.
The meeting for Commonwealth, state and territory health ministers had been prompted by the initial error, but comes just days after the second was exposed.
Health Minister Mark Butler has indicated there is a need to instil confidence in the IVF system, which is responsible for about 20,000 live births each year in Australia.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has already publicly backed stronger national involvement in the sector.
"At the heart of this issue are families who deserve to have the confidence of the big life changing journeys that they go through by going on an IVF journey that they have confidence in the system."
**
To sport and in AFL news, Melbourne Demons star Kysaiah Pickett has re-signed with the club for the next seven years.
The 24-year-old has two seasons remaining on his current contract, but he's agreed to an extension that will see him in the red and blue until at least the end of 20-34.
Pickett has booted 182 goals from his 116 games and is considered one of the most dynamic players in AFL.
And it was his five goals against Fremantle in round six that gave Melbourne a much-needed boost after a 0-5 start to the season.
