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TRANSCRIPT:
Five Australians have now been confirmed as safe following the Nepal-Tibet floods.
One Australian has been confirmed safe in Nepal, one in Tibet, and three outside of the crisis location.
But the government says it has grave fears for the 38 Australians still missing in the flood impact zone.
Labor minister Anne Aly has told ABC television there are logistical issues involved, including with communications, as officials try to locate those who remain missing.
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Meanwhile, the United Nations says the response to the disaster is entering a new phase.
UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric says money is being raised to fund intensifying relief efforts and recovery operations.
"The government of Nepal and the head of the U.N. office, our resident coordinator in Nepal, Lila Pieters Yahia, have agreed to launch a four-month Humanitarian Flash Appeal; that would be on Friday. The appeal will support the Government-led response and focus on mobilizing resources to save lives, deliver urgent humanitarian assistance and address the most critical needs to communities impacted by the floods."
As rescue efforts continue, aid organisations say the conditions could still worsen.
Matt Baden is Operations Manager for the Nepal crisis response for the Red Cross.
“Search and rescue is still ongoing, and the monsoon hasn't stopped. Blocked waterways remain at risk to further flooding, and threat of landslides is real and immediate.”
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A woman has been stabbed to death in the iconic Times Square in New York.
US Police say the woman was a 32 year old Bank of America vice president who died in hospital after what they believe was a random and unprovoked attack by a 49 year old woman.
Authorities say the attacker had a documented mental health history with the police department.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani says the officers had no other choice but to shoot the suspect, who also died in the confrontation.
"I want to thank the NYPD officers who stepped in and prevented a horrific attack from becoming even worse. This is what the men and women of this department do every single day to keep our city safe. As is standard, there will be an internal investigation and body worn camera footage will be released to the public."
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Hostilities have again flared in the Middle East between Iran and the United States.
The US has launched new air strikes on Iran which Donald Trump says is retaliation for an Iranian attempt to lay sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz and an attack on a U-S military base in Jordan.
Iran in turn has fired missiles and drones at various sites across the region.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei says Washington is trying to impose its demands rather than negotiate.
"The Americans have mistaken the concept of negotiation with dictation. And that won't work when it comes to Iran. If they continue with that manner they won't get any better results than what they have got so far. We emphasise that we must watch enemy movements with full vigilance and force, and as recently shown, our armed forces will not leave any act of aggression unanswered."
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Tensions over Taiwan are continuing into day three of the Pacific Islands Forum in Palau.
There are broad concerns about geopolitical pressure in the region, with several Pacific leaders absent from this year’s meeting.
China has also objected to Taiwan’s presence at the event, while Australia says Pacific nations must be free to determine their own relationships.
But Beijing’s Pacific envoy Qian Bo says they should not be there.
"We certainly have serious concerns. Taiwan is not a dialogue partner for the (Pacific Islands) Forum, so we have serious concerns. We have made our position very clear to the government of Palau and the (Pacific Islands Forum) secretariat... there will always be consequences. I mean, it should not have happened."
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Back home, and Victorian detectives are reportedly preparing to travel to Sydney to interview five Swans players over an alleged sexual assault at a Melbourne hotel.
Police are expected to seek interviews with Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, Riley Bice and James Jordon.
The investigation relates to allegations made by women who were at the Pullman Hotel following Sydney’s match against Essendon last month.
No charges have been laid, and the players deny any wrongdoing.
