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TRANSCRIPT
- WA police examine a potential explosive thrown into a crowd, with a man in custody in Perth
- Israel says it will reopen Gaza's Rafah crossing after a search for a hostage body ends
- Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis' fairytale run in the Australian Open comes to an end
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A 31 year-old man is in custody in Perth, after throwing an object into a crowd, with police responding to what they say was a potential mass casualty event.
Officers evacuated demonstrators out of the city centre, deploying significant resources and setting up an exclusion zone around the area.
Police Commander Col Blanch says investigators have examined the object.
"The device that was located, contained ball bearings and contained screws and those items were wrapped around an unknown at this stage, liquid in a glass container. This was responded to as a mass casualty event - a potential mass casualty event."
Police removed the device safely from the protest area in Forrest Place in Perth's CBD.
New South Wales Police say the vast majority of those attending 26 January rallies in Sydney were well-behaved bar for a couple of incidents,
Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden says police were however forced to intervene in several incidents and three arrests were made.
“During the day we arrested a 17-year-old male at Bondi for assaulting police, and he’s currently in custody assisting with our inquiries. We also had a 28-year-old male at Victoria Park charged with domestic violence-related matters, who is assisting police as well.”
The domestic violence-related matter at Victoria Park was unrelated to protest activity.
Police also arrested a 31-year-old man from Peakhurst over what they allege was hate speech during an open microphone session at Moore Park.
Mr McFadden says the language was linked to neo-Nazi ideology and incited hostility towards parts of the community.
South Australians have endured record-breaking Australia Day heat, with Adelaide hitting 44.4 degrees and parts of the state pushing close to 50.
The extreme conditions are fuelling elevated bushfire risk across southern Australia, with dangerous heat, strong winds and dry thunderstorms forecast for South Australia, Victoria and parts of New South Wales.
Temperatures are expected to soar further today, with Melbourne forecast to reach 45 degrees and inland centres like Mildura and Renmark facing potentially record highs.
While a cooler change may bring brief coastal relief later in the week, hot overnight temperatures are intensifying heat stress and prolonging fire danger.
Israel has recovered the remains of the last hostage in Gaza, with the remains of police officer Ran Gvili found in a cemetery in the territory's north.
Israel has said it would allow a "limited reopening" of Rafah, only after Gvili's body was recovered.
Hamas earlier said it had handed over the location of his remains, and that it had fulfilled all its obligations in accordance with the ceasefire agreement.
Although a ceasefire was agreed in October, Israel insisted all hostages must be returned and the remains of those killed accounted for before easing border restrictions - but would reopen for the passage of people only.
Residents, like Palestinian Abu Maysara Al-Yaziji, have reported ongoing violence and uncertainty, describing daily life as unsafe.
"You said peace? There is no peace on the ground. We did not feel this truce at all. There are no basis to this truce and we have no information about it. Gunfire has not stopped, explosions have not stopped, assassinations have not stopped. Everywhere you go, your entire life is in danger. You have no safety in this life."
To sport now and in tennis, Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis' fairytale run has ended at the Australian Open, outclassed in straight sets by world number two Iga Swiatek.
The Polish star needed just over an hour on centre court, cruising to a 6–0, 6–3 win to book her place in the next round.
Despite the loss, it's been a breakthrough tournament for Inglis, the world number 168 reaching her deepest ever run at a grand slam.
Elsewhere, defending men's champion Jannik Sinner advanced to the quarterfinals, while defending women's champion Madison Keys was knocked out by close friend Jessica Pegula on day nine.
