NATO condemns Russia over drone attack in Romania; Former prime minister Tony Abbott says his priority is to rebuild the Liberal Party in his new role as party president; And in football, Cristian Volpato switches allegiance to Australia ahead of the Socceroos squad announcement.
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TRANSCRIPT
- NATO condemns Russia over drone attack in Romania
- Former prime minister Tony Abbott says his priority is to rebuild the Liberal Party in his new role as party president
- Cristian Volpato switches allegiance to Australia ahead of the Socceroos squad announcement
NATO Secretary-General, Mark Rutte says the military alliance is ready to defend every inch of its territory, after a Russian drone hit an apartment building in member state, Romania.
Two people were injured in the incident.
A spokesperson for NATO's military headquarters says it has confirmed the drone that crashed into the apartment block in Romania was of Russian origin, despite Russia's earlier denials.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says Romania should share drone fragments so Russia can conduct its own investigation.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric says Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is alarmed by the incident and it underscores the danger of further escalation in Russia's war in Ukraine.
"Just yesterday, in his remarks, as you will recall, the Secretary-General warned the Security Council about the dangers of further escalation of the war in Ukraine. We strongly condemn any attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, wherever they occur."
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The newly elected president of the Liberal Party, Tony Abbott says the party remains the best hope for an alternative government, despite undergoing an existential crisis.
The former prime minister's role was made formal at the party's Federal Council meeting in Melbourne on Friday.
He says it is an honour to be elected unopposed in his new role - and he will do his best to serve the party.
"I owe the Liberal Party big time and that's why I regard it as my duty to serve the party in this time of existential crisis. Now I have to say as the last successful federal leader of the opposition, I do believe that I have the ability to help Angus Taylor to be the next successful federal leader of the opposition."
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A team of specialist divers has rescued another person who was among a group trapped inside a cave in Laos for more than a week.
Seven Lao nationals had entered the cave to prospect for gold, but their exit was blocked with monsoon flood waters, leaving them trapped.
Five of the men were located alive on Wednesday, huddling in a narrow shaft around 300 metres from the cave mouth.
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The World Health Organization says there are now 906 suspected cases of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including 223 suspected deaths that are being investigated.
The outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain, for which there is no vaccine, has been declared a public health emergency of international concern by the UN health agency.
Anais Legand, from the WHO's High Threat Pathogens Team, says the disease is lethal and family members have been instructed not to touch loved ones who are falling sick.
"From previous outbreaks of the Bundibugyo virus disease, the lethality, that is the number of people who died among people who were confirmed for the infection, ranges between 30 to 50 per cent. It's huge. It means like up to five out of ten people are likely to die."
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Ghana's parliament has approved a new bill that criminalises the so-called promotion of LGBTQ+ activity.
The legislation maintains the penalty of up to three years' jail for people who engage in same-sex sexual acts; and between three and five years for the promotion, sponsorship or intentional support of LGBTIQ+ activities.
An earlier version of the bill passed parliament in 2024, but it faced legal challenges and was never signed into law.
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To sport, and in football, Sydney-born Cristian Volpato has chosen to switch allegiances, choosing Australia over Italy just days before the Socceroos squad is finalised for the World Cup.
Football Australia made the announcement on Friday, saying it had lodged paperwork with FIFA in support of Volpato's decision.
The 22-year-old has been added to Tony Popovic's train-on squad and will join the pre-camp in Los Angeles, ahead of the international against Mexico on Sunday morning.
