In this bulletin;
- Three people missing in central Victoria as out-of-control bushfires rage;
- US federal agents shoot two more civilians after fatal Minneapolis shooting;
- And in the NRL, the Dolphins struck by injury once again.
Three people are missing in central Victoria as out-of-control bushfires destroy properties in hot and windy conditions.
Dozens of fires are burning statewide, with temperatures expected to reach 43C degrees in Melbourne and 47C degrees in parts of inland Victoria.
Victoria Police say three people, including a child, who were advised to shelter in their property were unaccounted for.
Conditions have been described as the most dangerous bushfire days the state has seen in years.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan is urging Victorians to heed all warnings and monitor the Vic Emergency website.
"There are fires across the state, and the conditions are already extremely dangerous. That is why the decisions that Victorians make right now matter so much. If you've already listened to the advice and have left home, or perhaps the location where you've been holidaying with family and friends, we thank you for heeding that advice for taking that advice."
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US federal agents have shot and wounded two people in the city of Portland, just one day after immigration enforcement officials shot a 37-year-old woman dead in Minneapolis.
The two victims are in hospital with their conditions unknown and Portland Police have stressed their officers were not involved in the shooting.
This comes as tensions mount over the killing of mother of three Renee Nicole Good, with around 1000 demonstrators gathering outside an immigration court in Minneapolis chanting "shame" and "murder".
Portland City Council President Elana Pirtle-Guiney called a council meeting in response.
"Just a day after the shooting in Minneapolis of Renee Good, there was a shooting involving two Portlanders in East Portland with federal agents. We are still waiting for more details, but needed to pull councilors to get a briefing and an update so that we could ensure that we were prepared to respond. I'm sorry to be delivering this news today."
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A Commonwealth Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion has now officially been established with a signing at Admiralty House.
Governor-General Sam Mostyn presided over the Federal Executive Council meeting and signed Letters Patent establishing the probe, which is to be led by former High Court Justice Virginia Bell.
Prime minister Anthony Albanese announced yesterday that a federal royal commission would be held into the Bondi attack.
CEO of the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies Michele Goldman says the community are relieved.
"There's been a clear outpouring of support for a royal commission from all walks of life across Australia. It's clear Australians have been horrified by what's unfolded in this country, not just in the last few weeks, but over the course of the last couple of years. And I think we have got to where we need to be, where we either have the highest order of inquiry with the power and the independence that's needed to understand the failures that led us here."
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Dozens of authors, journalists, media personalities and a sponsor say they will boycott the Adelaide festival after it dropped Palestinian Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah from its annual Writers’ Week lineup.
The festival board announced on Thursday that it would be dropping the author, citing concerns over "cultural sensitivity" after the Bondi attack.
The board insisted that they are not suggesting the author had any connections to the attack, saying instead her "past statements" were the reason for the decision.
It is unclear which past statement the board is referring to and Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah has condemned the decision, calling the board "egregiously racist".
More speakers are now expected to withdraw from the festival, with speculation that other high-profile figures were coordinating their exit announcements.
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And in the NRL,
The Dolphins have been struck by injury once again, with hooker Jeremy Marshall-King out for up to four months after suffering a knee injury at his home.
The 30-year-old New Zealand international slipped over accidentally and injured a meniscus and has already undergone surgery.
He is not expected back until mid to late April in a huge blow to the Dolphins in their quest to play finals for the first time.
Last year they were without star forwards Tom Flegler, Tom Gilbert, Daniel Saifiti and Max Plath for most or all of the year.
