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TRANSCRIPT
Australia has answered a request from the United Arab Emirates, sending an E-7-A wedge tail aircraft and missiles to the gulf to protect civilians from attacks by Iran.
20 thousand Australians live in the U-A-E, which has intercepted more than 1500 hundred rockets and drones.
Defence Minister Richard Marles says 85 troops will leave Australia with the craft, today.
12 countries across the Middle East have been drawn into the U-S and Israeli war with Iran and Hezbollah.
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Foreign Minister Penny Wong says Australians in the Middle East are under increasing risk of attack, in Gulf nations and the United Arab Emirates, urging anyone who wants to leave to do so immediately.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade reports many Australian travellers have left the Middle East, though thousands remain in the region by choice.
Senator Wong says as of this morning more than 2,600 Australians have returned on commercial flights and there will be more flights from Qatar this week.
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Eurozone finance ministers have met to discuss the circumstances that could see them release stockpiled oil reserves to address surging prices driven by conflict in the Middle East.
The leaders agreed to take "necessary measures" to support global supply, but no decisions were taken, with the G-7 taking a watch and wait approach to its actions on oil.
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The National Farmers' Federation is warning the effects of the Iran conflict could push up the cost of perishable food products including dairy, fruit, and vegetables by 40 to 60 per cent.
National Farmers Federation President Hamish McIntyre says fuel price hikes and possible shortages, as well as associated problems with fertiliser, will have a negative effect on farmers who are harvesting summer crops and planting winter ones.
He says livestock exports have already been disrupted.
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Reports are emerging that a woman has fired multiple shots into the Beverly Hills home of pop star Rihanna.
The Los Angeles Times has reported authorities detained a 30-year-old suspect after the shooting.
The paper said Rhianna was home at the time, but no injuries were reported.
Local media has reported that one shot went through the wall of the house.
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In cricket, Australia is resting star all-rounder Annabel Sutherland for this month's tour of the West Indies.
Sutherland was brilliant again in Australia's Test match victory over India in Perth last weekend, scoring a record third consecutive Test match century, and picking up six wickets.
But she's been left out of the 15-woman squad for the whie-ball tour of the Caribbean, with selectors saying they want to give her a break ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup, which begins in June in England.
The three one dayer, three Twenty20 tour of the Caribbean will be start of Sophie Molineux's reign as Australian captain in all formats, following the retirement of Alyssa Healy.
Molineux missed the test against India with a back injury, but Cricket Australia says she will be ready to go for the tour.
