TRANSCRIPT
- Another Sydney school found to have asbestos contamination
- Western nations blame Vladimir Putin for the reported death of Alexei Navalny
- Donald Trump says the fraud charges against him are politically motivated
A second primary school in northern Sydney has been added to a growing list of 32 locations that have returned positive results for asbestos contamination.
The New South Wales Environment Protection Authority has now confirmed that Allambie Heights Public School, two residential estates and Munn Park in Millers Point are the latest sites to test positive for asbestos.
Authorities say there are four more schools currently identified as potential contamination sites and that the University of Sydney is also a potential site.
C-E-O of the E-P-A, Tony Chappel says the investigation into the source of the contaminated mulch is ongoing.
"The community will see today, starting today and tomorrow, and in the coming days, Fire and Rescue crews assisting with testing. This is a major boost to our ability to rapidly test and trace this supply chain issue down to a firm conclusion as quickly as possible. The asbestos taskforce met earlier today and is engaged now across government on a range of measures to help accelerate and conclude this important work. "
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Cyclone Lincoln has now been downgraded after weakening in intensity but the Bureau of Meteorology says the system remains at moderate risk of becoming a cyclone again.
Coastal communities received alerts on Friday warning the already storm battered regions of more potential evacuations.
Several communities in Queensland's northwest remain isolated following the widespread flooding caused by Cyclone Kirrily weeks ago.
Over sixty residents have been evacuated from Burketown which recorded 135 millimetres of rain in past 24 hours.
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Western leaders say Russian President Vladimir Putin is to blame for the reported death of Alexei Navalny, Russia's most prominent opposition figure.
The reported death of Mr Navalny means there are currently no prominent political opposition figures left in Russia, which will hold an election in March of this year.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong says the news of his reported death is shocking.
"We are shocked and saddened by the death of Alexei Navalny. His resistance, his opposition to a repressive regime was inspiring to so many people around the world and we made clear that we hold the Russian government solely responsible for his treatment and his death. "
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the work Mr Navalny did was terrifying for Mr Putin.
"You know, we'll we'll find out more about these reports of his death. But there is no question that he knew that this was always going to be a possibility. And he continued to exhort everyone to continue to fight and to stand up for what is right.
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Vigils are being held in Melbourne and Sydney for Mr Navalny, with many of his supporters in Australia devastated by the reports of his death.
Petr Kuzmin, official representative of Alexei Navalny's team in Australia, spoke to SBS Russian.
Russian then English voiceover: "Today we are holding a spontaneous action in memory of Alexei Navalny. Late yesterday evening we received news that he died in the colony. It was, of course, a murder. And, naturally, his supporters, supporters of Alexei Navalny, supporters of a civilized, democratic, normal Russia, – we are now experiencing very difficult feelings. We have lost our leader, but, as just like he himself always said, it is at this moment that we must not give up."
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Former U-S President Donald Trump says the fraud charges against him are politically motivated and denies any wrongdoing.
The denials come following a New York judge ordering the former President and his companies to pay over $535 million for the manipulation of net worth and annual financial statements.
The penalty comes just weeks after Mr Trump was ordered to pay $127 million to the writer E. Jean Carroll for defamation after she accused him of sexual assault.
As well as the fines imposed against him, Mr Trump is also barred from working for any New York based company for three years.
Donald Trump says he will appeal the decision and that he expects to win.
“They use a statute, it's a consumer fraud statute that's never been used for a thing like this before. They used it on me because I'm running for president. I'm beating Biden by a lot. We're beating not only the Republicans we’re beating Biden by a lot. A poll came out today, we're up 20 points on Biden. If I weren't running, none of this stuff would have ever happened. None of these lawsuits would have ever happened.”
