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TRANSCRIPT:
- Communities brace for impact as Tropical Cyclone Narelle bears down on Queensland
- Global energy prices surge as energy infrastructure targeted in the Middle East
- Record ticket sales for the Matilda's finals clash with Japan
Tropical Cyclone Narelle is expected to hit Queensland as a Category Five system this morning.
The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast the cyclone will make landfall around 7am near Cape York and the town of Coen, bringing with it wind gusts of up to 315 kilometres per hour.
It is set to be the first category five system to hit Cape York since Cyclone Mahina killed more than 300 people in March 1899.
Queensland disaster co-ordinator assistant commissioner Chris Stream has warned communities to be prepared.
"The type of wind that is being predicted is the sort of thing that will blow apart sheds, that will blow caravans down roadways and create fields of airborne debris. and i talked yesterday about those wind speeds, so those types of objects being propelled at over 100 kilometres an hour will have a fatal outcome."
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An Iranian missile attack has hit Israel's oil refineries in the northern port city of Haifa.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has confirmed it had targeted refineries in Haifa, Israel's third-largest city, and in Ashdod in the country's south, along with a range of security targets and military support centres.
Israel's energy minister Eli Cohen says the attack did not cause significant damage.
But Israel Electric Corp says a power line in the Haifa area was hit by shrapnel, causing a brief outage, with electricity restored to all customers within about 45 minutes.
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Global energy prices have surged after Israel attacked Iran's natural South Pars natural gas field, prompting retaliatory attacks on energy infrastructure across the Gulf region.
Oil prices have increased 10 per cent after Qatar reported extensive damage to one of its liquefied natural gas facilities, while in Europe, gas prices surged by 25 per cent.
Arriving at an EU leaders' summit, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has urged an end to the fighting.
“This morning we are seeing energy prices rising sharply across Europe and around the world. The main cause of this, of course, lies in developments in the Middle East. We will also be discussing this in detail. I want us to send a clear signal that we are ready to help. But for that to happen, the fighting must cease."
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Service station staff are in the firing line from customers, as the conflict in the Middle East continues to push up petrol prices.
Motor Trades Association interim executive director Peter Jones, who represents independent service stations, says customers desperate for petrol or frustrated with high prices are taking it out on workers behind the counter.
Along with increasing levels of abuse directed at staff, there are also reports of fuel siphoning, where fuel is stolen directly from a car's tank.
The Motor Trades Association says it is reminding consumers that those working behind the counter at service stations don't set the price of fuel.
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Justice reform advocates are urgently calling for government investment in community-led preventative solutions to address rising rates of Indigenous incarceration.
Closing the Gap data released on Thursday shows one of the key targets Australia is failing to meet is a reduction in the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults held in prison by at least 15 per cent over the next five years.
As of June 2025, data shows almost 17,500 Indigenous Australians were behind bars, accounting for more than 35 per cent of the overall adult prison population.
Acting chair of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service Nerrita Waight has told NITV the root causes of incarceration are being neglected.
"If you look at the drivers of offending, they are things such as mental health, poverty, substance abuse, intergenerational trauma. And we know that when it comes to these service systems, it is incredibly hard to get adequate responses or any response at all. And particularly when you look at housing and mental health and disability in particular."
Listeners seeking support can ring Lifeline crisis support on 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14, visit lifeline.org.au or find an Aboriginal Medical Service.
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A WARNING THAT THIS STORY MAY BE DISTRESSING FOR SOME LISTENERS
A major union is taking up the cause of sexual assault survivors in the country's most-populous state.
Currently, defence lawyers in sexual assault trials can subpoena notes from therapy sessions.
The NSW Labor Council and Unions NSW have written a joint letter to state Attorney-General Michael Daley urging the state government to give counselling notes absolute privilege, the same status as legal advice.
The union says it's intervening because sexual assault is a significant workplace issue, with nearly 100,000 Australian women being sexually assaulted by a co-worker in the last ten years.
If you or someone you know wants to talk about sexual assault or harassment, family or domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.
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To sport now and in football news, tickets are selling fast for the Asian Cup final fixture between the Matildas and Japan this weekend.
The Matildas will face an in-form Japanese squad in Sydney on Saturday night.
Women's Asian Cup Chief Operating Officer Sarah Walsh says six games during the tournament have broken the previous record for ticket sales.
"We've broken all the records, and what I can tell you today is, we have already, in terms of sales for Saturday night, we've already broken the record we broke for the Korea Republic versus Australia match which was over 60,000. So we are heading to the late 60s, close to 70."
