TRANSCRIPT
- A teenager arrested over alleged threats to a mosque in western Sydney
- Ukraine's President says he's ready to make a deal on minerals with the US President
- And in cricket, Australia eliminated from the Champions Trophy, as India books a spot in the final
A teenager has been arrested in Western Australia following an alleged online threat to a religious centre at Edmondson Park in Sydney’s southwest.
New South Wales Police allege the sixteen year old said he was going to "Christchurch 2.0 this joint", an apparent reference to the Christchurch mosque shootings in 2019 that saw 51 worshippers shot and killed by an Australian extremist.
Western Australian authorities say the teen is currently assisting police with inquiries and that there are no ongoing threats to the community.
But this worshipper has told SBS News his community does not feel safe.
WORSHIPPER: "It's good to have the police here around but I'm surprised why still that people doing this."
REPORTER: "Does it upset you?"
WORSHIPPER: "Yeah, yeah for sure. Something is not right. You should take it seriously, because you know what happened in 2019, it was a lot of people, it was a tragedy in that time. I wish is nothing gonna happen mate."
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Millions of residents have been told to leave or prepare for the worst as Tropical Cyclone Alfred heads towards the Queensland coast.
Brisbane mayor Adrian Schrinner has warned that 20,000 properties could be impacted by the category two storm, which is currently expected to make landfall late Thursday or early Friday between the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast.
"One of the biggest concerns I had earlier this week was that people may not take the risk of the cyclone seriously. I'm pleased to say people are taking it seriously. They're taking action. They're getting ready."
The Bureau of Meteorology has established a warning zone from Double Island Point in Queensland to Grafton in northern New South Wales.
It says flash flooding, heavy rainfall, destructive winds and storm surges are likely, as southeast Queensland faces its first cyclone direct hit in 50 years.
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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says he welcomes the alternative plan to reconstruct Gaza developed by Egypt with Arab leaders.
Palestinians, Arab states and many European governments have rejected Donald Trump's proposal for US control of Gaza opposing any efforts to expel its people.
At a summit of Arab leaders in Cairo, Egypt has proposed an $85 billion dollar plan, to rebuild Gaza over five-years focussing on emergency relief, infrastructure, restoration and long term economic development.
Mr Abbas commends the plan.
"We welcome the Egyptian-Palestinian-Arab plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip with the Palestinians in their homeland without displacement, and we call on US President Donald Trump to support reconstruction efforts on this basis and not on any other basis."
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Volodymyr Zelenskyy has declared he regrets a heated exchange with Donald Trump at the Oval Office and wants to make things right.
The Ukrainian President has released a statement a day after the US President halted military aid to the country, that says Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table on a minerals deal as soon as possible.
The US President is expected to further outline his plans for Ukraine and Russia in a major speech to Congress later today [[Tue 5 March 1pm AEDT]].
But US Vice President JD Vance has told Fox News he believes a US-Ukraine minerals deal is a more practical deterrent against Russian President Vladimir Putin than the international security force proposed by key allies Britain and France.
"The security guarantee, and also the economic guarantee for Ukraine, is to rebuild the country and ensure that America has a long term interest. You're not going to do that if you come to the Oval Office, insult the president and refuse to follow his plan for peace."
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In cricket, Australia's Champions Trophy title hopes are over, after Virat Kohli guided India to a four-wicket win in their semi-final showdown in Dubai.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, Australia posted 264 from 49.3 overs courtesy of important half-centuries from Steve Smith and Alex Carey.
But the total wasn't enough, with Kohli scoring 84 off 98 balls as India chased down the victory target with 11 deliveries to spare.
India will face either South Africa or New Zealand in Sunday's final.
Australia captain Steve Smith says India was the better team on the day.
"India obviously played some really good cricket here. The surface kind of suits their style with the spinners that they have got - and the seamers that they have at their disposal. They played well. They outplayed us. And the deserve the victory."
