Multiple children killed in Russia's latest attacks on Ukraine; A surprise lift in housing approvals - but the RBA says interest rates will not go down; And in sport, Australian cyclists sprint to Commonwealth gold.
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TRANSCRIPT:
- Multiple children killed in Russia's latest attacks on Ukraine
- A surprise lift in housing approvals - but the RBA says interest rates will not go down
- Australian cyclists sprint to Commonwealth gold
Russia has fired a total of 74 missiles and 284 drones in a deadly overnight attack on Ukraine that Ukrainian authorities say has killed multiple civilians and children.
Officials saying the heaviest casualties are reported in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk and western Lviv regions.
In the east, one missile hit a family home, leaving 10 members of the same family presumed dead.
In an earlier ballistic missile attack on Kyiv, at least eight people, including two children were killed and dozens of others injured.
Following the attacks, Kyiv residents took shelter in an underground metro, including Oksana, a 42-year-old dormitory worker.
"I think Russia probably doesn't want peace. Ukrainians are doing everything they can to achieve it. For the sake of our children and all Ukrainians, we want to sleep peacefully, not live in constant fear of terrible explosions. We just want a normal, decent life in Ukraine."
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The US Senate has narrowly rejected another attempt to limit President Donald Trump's military action against Iran.
The latest War Powers resolution failed by a single vote, 49 to 50, leaving the President free to continue the campaign without new congressional approval.
The resolution's sponsor, Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, says the military campaign has failed to deliver what the White House promised.
"Iran still holds nuclear material and its leaders may be more determined than ever to build a weapon. ... It now holds new leverage over the world's energy supply in the Strait of Hormuz. We were told this president would bring peace and lower prices, instead, he has given us war, pain, and higher prices."
The vote comes as Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps claims it has struck US military bases in Kuwait and Jordan in retaliation for American air strikes.
The Guard says it destroyed drone facilities, fuel depots and three F-35 fighter jets.
Those claims have not been independently verified.
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Hamas could agree within days to begin disarming and demilitarising the Gaza Strip under a US-backed peace plan.
Axios, citing four sources familiar with the negotiations, reports months of talks mediated by Egypt, Qatar and Turkey are entering their final stages, with growing financial pressure believed to have increased the chances of a deal.
If reached, the agreement would see Hamas gradually surrender its weapons, paving the way for a Palestinian technocratic administration to take control of Gaza and begin reconstruction.
Hamas has yet to approve the proposal as Israeli officials remain sceptical the group will honour any commitment to disarm.
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There has been a surprise seven per cent lift in building approvals, after three months of falls.
Approvals for both houses and units climbed last month, despite economists tipping another small decline.
The CPI this week showed a near six-percent rise in construction costs over the past year, and the rate hikes so far are expected to slow approvals in the second half of the year.
But the Reserve Bank's chief economist, Sarah Hunter, does not believe the housing downturn has a silver lining in helping prevent another rate rise.
"We don't just mechanically respond to what's going on in the housing market, when the housing market is softening, really what we're paying attention to is that activity channel. And what it means for the labour market and inflation. That's the monetary policy response."
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Australia's Attorney-General says child safety is a top priority for all jurisdictions, as the government works with states and territories to strengthen systems for checking staff who work with children and vulnerable people across the country.
Ministers are expected to seek agreement at today's Standing Council of Attorneys-General meeting in Darwin.
In a statement, Michelle Rowland says while all states and territories have introduced ‘banned in one, banned in all’ legislation, there is more to do.
This work forms part of the Labor government's broader efforts to prevent harm and abuse, including through the National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse 2021–2030.
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Two key allies of deposed Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan are quitting cabinet.
Health Minister Harriet Shring and Energy Minister Lily D'Ambrosio will also leave politics at the state election in November.
Their departure necessitates a bigger cabinet for new premier Ben Carroll in the coming days.
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To sport, Australia has won gold in the men's team sprint at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Ryan Elliott, Leigh Hoffman and Daniel James Barber defeated England in the final.
Australia also won cycling gold in the women's team pursuit and the C4-C5 para-cycling individual pursuit.
Hoffman says the packed crowd made the victory even more special.
"Yeah definitely, no better feeling like the stadium was packed out there was a lot of yellow in the crowd and yeah to just pull out the win especially after a challenging qualifier we were all very close the top three teams - it was a shame about another half second off our time like - yeah amazing."
