The US President says three service personnel have been killed by a drone in Jordan; the Palestinian Foreign Ministry denounces decisions to cut funding for UNRWA, and in sport, Jannik Sinner takes home the Australian Open Men's trophy in a five-set win against Daniil Medvedev.
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TRANSCRIPT
- The US President says three service personnel have been killed by a drone in Jordan
- The Palestinian Foreign Ministry denounces decisions to cut funding for UNRWA.
- Jannik Sinner takes home the Australian Open Men's trophy in a five-set win against Daniil Medvedev.
Three United States service members have been killed and others wounded during an unmanned aerial drone attack on US forces in north-east Jordan, near the Syrian border.
US President Joe Biden has blamed Iran-backed militant groups for the attack, which mark the first fatalities of US troops in the region since the Israel-Hamas war began.
In a statement, Mr Biden said his government is still gathering information on the circumstances behind the attack.
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The Palestinian Foreign Ministry says it denounces what it calls double standards, after eight countries say they will suspend donations to the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees.
Palestinian officials warn that cutting off funding to UNRWA during an intensifying humanitarian crisis may have devastating and deadly consequences.
The suspensions to funding have come after Israel made claims it had evidence that several UNRWA employees were involved in the October 7 attacks.
Spokesman for the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, is urging countries to rethink the pause, saying it sends the wrong message.
"They should understand that the Palestinian people have rights and these rights start from building a Palestinian state and until this moment the refugees have full rights, because what happened in 1948 was a conspiracy against the Palestinian people."
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Heavy rain has continued to lash Queensland after thousands of residents spent hours in the dark in blackouts caused by ex-Tropical Cyclone Kirrily.
Crews have worked overnight to restore electricity to 10,000 customers still without power, after around 66,000 customers experienced a power outage at the peak of the cyclone's crossing.
The Bureau of Meteorology says parts of the state remain at risk of heavy rain and flooding as Kirrily moves across the state's northern interior.
Central and southern Queensland will be more at risk of flash flooding early this week, as well as parts of northern New South Wales, as the tropical low moves down the coast.
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Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says any decision made to pause salmon farming in Tasmania's Macquarie Harbour would be a political one.
Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek is currently overseeing a review into the impact of salmon farming on the endangered Maugean skate fish.
The Maugean skate is unique to Tasmania and it's believed there are less than 1,000 left in the harbour, with salmon farming worsening the water quality.
Mr Dutton says the decision is being pushed by what he described as radical environmentalists.
"But if Tanya Plibersek takes a political decision here, which will benefit the Labour Party in Green seats in inner city Sydney and Melbourne, it will destroy the lives and the livelihoods of people here in the local community. If we close down the industry what happens? Well people in Australia won't stop eating salmon and they won't stop eating the product that's made here in the local community, we'll import that product. It won't be farmed to the same environmental standards that it is here in Tasmania."
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Protesters from an environmental group have thrown soup over the Mona Lisa in Paris in an action calling for the right to "healthy and sustainable food".
The 16th century painting wasn't damaged because it's protected by bullet proof glass at the Louvre museum.
A group called Food Counterattack has claimed responsibility.
It wants all citizens to be given a $248 food card each month to be used to buy food.
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And in tennis, Jannik Sinner has taken home the Australian Open Men's Tournament trophy after a gruelling five-set victory over Daniil Medvedev.
The world number four roared back from two sets down to deny the world number three in an epic final at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on Sunday.
Two days after beating ten-time champion Novak Djokovic, the 22-year-old Italian has claimed his first grand slam, in a 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 victory.
In a post-match interview with Channel Nine, Sinner praised his opponent for playing an "amazing tournament".
"I know we've played so many finals already together, but every match I find something where I can improve, and you make me always a much, much better player, obviously your effort has been amazing throughout the whole tournament."
