TRANSCRIPT:
- A child feared dead in a massive Toowoomba fire;
- The US closes its office of Palestinian affairs in Jerusalem;
- Club officials at Port Adelaide have stern words with Willie Rioli over reports of misbehaviour from the power forward.
It's feared a child has died inside a family home that's burned to the ground in the Queensland city of Toowomba.
Police say one child is unaccounted for after two adults and four children escaped the blaze.
The woman and two children have been rushed to Toowoomba Hospital with critical injuries, while the man is understood to be in a serious condition.
Detective Inspector Renee Garske says police are investigating the cause of the blaze, which will consider any history of domestic violence amongst the residents and if the fire was deliberately lit.
"We always establish a crime scene in relation to any tragic events, and we'll determine that through the course of our investigations. We've got our forensic personnel currently on scene. We've also got our scientific section who will be deployed to assist with those investigations."
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Independent Zoe Daniel has refused to concede the seat of Goldstein in Melbourne, which Liberal Tim Wilson has now claimed victory in.
Ms Daniel says that while several media outlets have called the election for Mr Wilson, she wants to wait for the remaining 12,000 odd votes to be counted.
Zoe Daniel had taken a commanding lead on election night and danced to David Guetta's Titanium on stage, but postal votes have since swung the contest in the other direction, with the Liberal pulling ahead by 676 votes this morning.
Mr Wilson says that it's a done deal for him.
"The reality is three years ago we were written off... I am very proud - genuinely very proud to say - that we are pleased to accept that we have won the seat of Goldstein back for the Liberal party."
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The US has confirmed it's closing its Office of Palestinian Affairs that currently runs in its embassy in Jerusalem.
The State Department says the office will be folded back into the broader diplomatic mission and brought under the direct authority of U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.
The move effectively shuts down Washington's main point of contact with the Palestinian Authority, which has limited autonomy in the occupied West Bank, and with Palestinian populations in the West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza.
It has raised concerns of how the U.S. might manage fragile ties with the Palestinians independent from the close alliance with Israel - but State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce says nothing will materially change.
"It also is not a reflection on any outreach or commitment to outreach to the people of the West Bank or to Gaza. It really is actually very similar to what's happening here with the bureaus, with our reorganisation. It is making sure that the issues that are important are all working together, right, are not segmented out so that the interests of the embassy, very, very much like the interests of our foreign aid and other actions, can work together in the bureau as one entity."
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Russia and Ukraine have released hundreds of prisoners to each other in the fifth exchange so far this year, even as talks with the U-S to end the war appear to have stalled.
205 prisoners of war from each party have been sent home in an exchange brokered by the United Arab Emirates.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed on social media that the released Ukrainian soldiers included troops who defended Mariupol, which fell at the start of the invasion in 2022.
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New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb has resigned from the top job after three years in the role.
Police Minister Yasmin Catley confirmed the resignation in state parliament, indicating it will take effect later this year.
Commissioner Webb says she'd been considering quitting for a while - and had originally flagged May 18 as the day she would announce her stepping down.
"Anyway... it's out now, and it's only shortened it up a few days. The important thing is I got an announcement out to the staff today, and everyone else obviously has heard."
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Valerie the Daschund has been reunited with her owners 540 days after going missing on Kangaroo Island in South Australia.
The dog had vanished during a trip the island in November 2023, with her owners Georgia Gardner and Josh Fishlock unable to find her despite a five day search.
The couple has shared an emotional reunion with Valerie, thanking wildlife group Kangala Wildlife Rescue for bringing her home.
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Port Adelaide are in damage control over star player Willie Rioli, as further reports emerge about the power forward's conduct.
It has been revealed the 29-year-old used verbal threats during two games in the past 12 months, prompting the AFL to consider further action against the Port player now those allegations have come to light.
Port Adelaide president David Koch has told 5-A-A Radio Rioli knows how the team feels about the behaviour.
"We're incredibly angry about the situation and Willie knows that. And what's said on the field is one thing, what's done off the field and particularly on social media ... We've talked pretty sternly to Willie about it and said it's just not on."