TRANSCRIPT
- Fire authorities warn Victoria set to endure extreme fire conditions amid an ongoing heatwave.
- The US says it's actively discussing buying Greenland.
- Australia within sight of 4-1 Ashes series victory as the Sydney Test enters its final day.
Fire authorities say the entirety of Victoria can expect to see extreme fire conditions on Friday amid an ongoing heatwave, warning that any fires that do break out will likely be uncontrollable.
Total fire bans are expected to continue throughout Victoria over the coming days, with expectations Friday will see the peak of extreme temperatures and fire danger across the state.
Several fires are already burning throughout Victoria, with hot, dry and windy conditions hampering the efforts of firefighters.
CFA Chief Jason Heffernan says Victorians should have a fire plan ready for Friday.
"Fires under these conditions are uncontrollable. If a fire starts and takes hold, it will spread very quickly, and I would like to echo the minister's advice, in respect to Victorians having your bushfire survival plan. Now is the time to review it, have a conversation with your family about what you are to do, what your trigger points are, where you are going to go."
A bushfire in the Mount Lawson State Park in Victoria's north-east has already burnt 900 hectares which is expected to grow to 2,000 hectares once planned backburning operations are completed.
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The United States says it is actively discussing buying Greenland.
President Donald Trump has again floated the possibility of the US controlling the island in recent days.
Fears have been expressed that the United States' involvement in the military operation last weekend in Venezuela could serve as some sort of template or inspiration for U-S action in Greenland.
The large island of 57,000 people is controlled by Denmark- a NATO ally of the United States.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says Mr Trump views Greenland as strategically important.
"The president has been very open and clear with all of you and with the world that he views it in the best interests of the United States to deter Russian and Chinese aggression in the Arctic region. And so that's why his team is currently talking about what a potential purchase would look like.”
Germany's Foreign Minister, Johann Wadepuhl, says the future of Greenland is for Denmark and the people of Greenland to decide.
Whilst the UN has re-iterated it believes in the territorial integrity of member states.
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The United States has seized two sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela.
One, a merchant vessel named Bella 1, has been seized in the North Atlantic.
The US had been pursuing this tanker since last month after it tried to evade as US blockade on sanctioned oil vessels around Venezuela.
It was sanctioned in 2024 for allegedly smuggling cargo for a company linked to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
The second vessel, named Sophia, has been seized in the Caribbean.
US Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem, claims both tankers are part of what she calls a ghost fleet of vessels that carry oil from Russia, Iran, and Venezuela in defiance of sanctions, mainly to customers in Asia.
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In cricket, Australia are within sight of a 4-1 Ashes series victory after Beau Webster's spin bowling put a dent in England's chances at the SCG.
Webster has proven himself as cricket's triple threat, taking three wickets in 51 balls on day four, as Jacob Bethell's century took England to 8 for 302 in their second innings, pulling into a 119-run lead at stumps.
After already hitting an unbeaten 71 runs for Australia, Webster says he was happy to prove himself as a threat on the ball too.
"If you told me I was going to take 'three-for' with off-spin, I'd have probably taken that. No, it was satisfying to get some runs, no doubt, it's nice to be out in the middle, albeit batting at nine, I didn't predict to be there, but no, I'll take both the runs and the wickets."
Meanwhile, England's Jacob Bethell has become just the third player in 132 years to score his maiden first-class century in an Ashes Test, finishing the day on 142 not out.
His efforts have left Australia with a potentially tricky fourth-innings chase on the final day of the action today amid intrigue over whether Usman Khawaja will open the batting in his final Test match.
