American soldier Travis King in US custody after being expelled from North Korea; Qantas chairman Richard Goyder refuses calls to resign; A big win for Newcastle in the NRL's Dally M Awards.
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- American soldier Travis King in US custody after being expelled from North Korea
- Qantas chairman Richard Goyder refuses calls to resign
- A big win for Newcastle in the NRL's Dally M Awards
North Korea says it has decided to expel a United States soldier who crossed into the country through the heavily armed inter-Korean border.
The country's state media says authorities have finished questioning Private Travis King.
Their reports say he confessed to illegally entering the North because of "inhuman maltreatment" and racial discrimination he experienced in the US Army.
King bolted into the North in July while on a tour of the southern side of an inter-Korean truce village.
North Korean media did not indicate when authorities plan to expel King.
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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has apologised after the speaker of the House of Commons praised a Nazi veteran in the chamber while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was present.
House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota has resigned, saying he made a mistake by inviting 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka to Mr Zelenskyy's address on Friday.
Mr Trudeau says he offers "Parliament's unreserved apologies" for the recognition of a man who fought for a Nazi military unit during World War Two.
"All of us who were in this House on Friday regret deeply having stood and clapped even though we did so unaware of the context. It was a horrendous violation to the memory of the millions of people who died in the Holocaust and it was deeply, deeply painful for Jewish people. It also hurt Polish people, Roma people, 2SLGBTIQ+ people, disabled people, and the many millions who were targeted by the Nazi genocide."
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The death toll continues to rise from a fire that engulfed a wedding celebration in Northern Iraq, killing at least 114.
More than 800 guests were packed into the wedding hall when the blaze was sparked by fireworks and candles.
Reports of the injured vary from 150 to up to 500, with people sent to nearby cities for treatment.
Deputy head of the Nineveh health, Ahmed Durdani, says people of all ages have received terrible injuries, including children.
"The majority of them were completely burned. And some others had 50 to 60 percent of their bodies burned. This is not good at all. The majority of them were not in good condition."
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Qantas chairman Richard Goyder has refused to resign, as scandals continue to plague the airline.
Major organisations, including the Transport Worker's Union and Australian Shareholders Association, have joined politicians calling for him to quit.
A parliamentary committee is investigating what role Qantas played in the transport minister's decision to limit Qatar Airways flights to Australia.
In a sometimes heated exchange in the public hearing, Mr Goyder would not comment on whether his position was untenable.
"While I retain the confidence of our shareholders and the board, I'll continue to serve, because I think we've got some very significant challenges in front of us and issues to deal with and I think that's the best outcome for Qantas. If that confidence isn't maintained then clearly I'll review that decision."
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The minister who battled Jacinta Allan for the position of Victorian premier says he is proud to work with her as deputy.
Ben Carroll, who is from Labor's right faction, issued a challenge for the top job late on Wednesday.
But Ms Allan, who is from the same Socialist left faction as the outgoing premier Daniel Andrews, was unanimously endorsed by the Labor caucus.
She had been pitted as the overwhelming favourite since Mr Andrews' surprise announcement on Tuesday.
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Scientists say more needs to be done to protect dugong populations on the Great Barrier Reef.
James Cook University researchers have confirmed a steady decline in the sea cow population along a 1200 kilometre stretch of coastline.
They are calling for an immediate ban on commercial gillnet fishing in dugong protection areas, while the broader phase out occurs.
Acting Environment Minister Grace Grace has said Queensland is responding by banning gillnets entirely over the next four years.
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Newcastle's Kalyn Ponga has pipped heavy favourite Shaun Johnson to claim a shock Dally M Medal.
Johnson was widely tipped to take home NRL's top award, after steering the Warriors back into the top four.
But fullback Ponga, who missed six weeks early in the season due to concussion, pipped Johnson at the post on Wednesday night.
Newcastle scored again in the women's category, with Tamika Upton taking home Best Player of the Year for her electrifying performance this season.
