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TRANSCRIPT:
- Authorities investigating alleged throwing of a bomb into Perth Invasion Day rally as potential terrorist act
- Five dead in the latest Russian attack on Ukraine
- Jannik Sinner books a seventh-straight grand slam semi-final appearance
Authorities have confirmed they are investigating the alleged throwing of a bomb into an Invasion Day rally crowd in Perth as a potential terrorist act.
Western Australian police allege a 31-year-old man threw a device containing screws and ball bearings surrounded by an explosive liquid into the crowd of about 2,500 people in Perth's CBD.
The man has been charged with intent to do harm in such a way as to endanger life, health or safety, and with making or possessing explosives under suspicious circumstances.
A joint statement by WA Police, the Australian Federal Police and domestic security agency ASIO issued on Wednesday evening said the agencies' investigations were ongoing.
They added that there is no ongoing threat to public safety and urged anyone with information or vision of the incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
**
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has signed a new cooperation agreement with Timor-Leste on a visit to their capital Dili, but a resolution on mining the gas fields of the Timor Sea remains elusive.
The prime minister has travelled to the small island nation for the first time, meeting the Timorese prime minister and president, with whom he signed a new comprehensive agreement.
"Today we've reflected the strength of that friendship and the relationship by signing the parsería, a new partnership for a new era, elevating the friendship between Timor-Leste and Australia to a new level. It's the first of its kind between our two nations. The partnership cements our cooperation across economic, security, development and people to people relations right across the board."
For years, Timor-Leste has pushed for gas from the Greater Sunrise project in the Timor Sea to be processed on the country's south coast.
**
Hundreds of families have lost their homes to bushfires in Victoria in recent months, with authorities warning the danger period still has months to go.
More than 400 homes have been destroyed by fires in the state, according to the latest figures cited by federal Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain.
Six major fires continue to burn across the state, including three that remain out of control at Walwa in Victoria's north, Dargo in Gippsland and Carlisle River near Gellibrand.
Ms McBain says hundreds of firefighters are tackling the blazes, including nearly 100 personnel from overseas.
"More than 400 firefighting personnel are deployed to Victoria's bush fire emergency from around the country we've now received over 75 Fighters from Canada and 22 firefighters from across the ditch in New Zealand to assist with our firefighting response."
**
Five people have been killed in Russia's latest strike on Ukraine- a drone attack which set a passenger train ablaze in the country's north-east.
The attack occurred in the Kharkiv region, which is near the Ukraine-Russia border.
Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy is denouncing the attack on the civilian train as terrorism- and is calling for more international pressure to be put on Russia.
There has also been an attack by more than 50 Russian drones drone on the Black Sea port city of Odesa, which have killed three people, and wounded another 25.
And an overnight Russian strike on Ukraine's southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia injured six people.
**
Tehran’s mission to the United Nations says it is ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests, after Donald Trump urged Iran to come to the table on its nuclear programme.
President Trump has warned that any future US strike would be far worse, as a US naval fleet arrives in the region.
In a post on social media, Iran also pointed to the trillions of dollars and thousands of American lives lost in past wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, saying it would respond like never before if attacked.
President Trump says time is running out for a deal while Tehran insists it is prepared for dialogue, but ready to defend itself.
Iranian political analyst Rahamotollah Bigdeli says Washington is trying to find a reason to destabilise Iran despite protests in the country heading towards an end.
“During the 12-day war, they first waged war and then tried to bring people into the streets. This time, however, they planned the protests first and then sought a US attack… Now that the situation is calm, they no longer know on what grounds they should attack.”
**
In sport, and in tennis, rampaging Jannik Sinner is racing towards a shot at Australian Open immortality after destroying America's Ben Shelton to book a seventh-straight grand slam semi-final appearance.
The dual defending champion won 6-3 6-4 6-4 in a one-sided quarter-final at Melbourne Park that lasted two hours and 23 minutes on Wednesday.
World No.2 Sinner will meet 10-time Open champion Novak Djokovic in a blockbuster semi-final, a rematch of their 2024 meeting, on Friday.
Meanwhile Aryna Sabalenka has a third title in sight after sweeping past US teen prodigy Iva Jovic 6-3 6-0 while Elina Svitolina made similar short work of Coco Gauff.
