TRANSCRIPT
- Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton have just one more day to convince voters they should lead the nation
- Ukraine signs a minerals deal with the United States
- Australian basketball player Dyson Daniels wins the Most Improved Player in the NBA.
Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton have just one more day to convince voters they should lead the nation, as the election campaign nears the finish line.
The prime minister and opposition leader will embark on a last-minute blitz of marginal seats across Australia today, the final full day of campaigning before polls open.
Having already visited Western Australia and South Australia, Mr Albanese will look to round off the remaining four states as part of his six-state whistle-stop tour in the election's last days.
Meanwhile, Mr Dutton is hoping to gain ground in battleground electorates during his sweep of 28 marginal seats for the final week.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he won't proceed with religious discrimination legislation without broad parliamentary support, if he wins a second term.
Labor abandoned a bill last year that was set to ban discrimination based on religious belief or activity, in workplaces, schools, clubs and healthcare settings.
The Prime Minister blamed a lack of support from the Opposition and rising community tensions for the decision.
He now says he is reluctant to re-ignite the debate on religious discrimination when the situation has not yet improved.
"This is the last time in Australia, the last time that you would wanna have a divisive debate about religion. So I'm up for legislation that has broad support, but we do not need further issues created."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the signing of a minerals deal with the United States was a result of negotiation that has led to what he calls a truly equal agreement.
After months of tense negotiations, the U-S and Ukraine signed a deal that is expected to give Washington access to the country’s critical minerals and other natural resources.
Kyiv hopes to secure long-term support for its defence against Russia.
Mr Zelenskyy says the agreement is now a fair one.
"The agreement has changed significantly. Now it is truly an equal agreement that creates an opportunity for investments in Ukraine. The agreement does not create debt. It establishes a recovery fund, which will invest in Ukraine and generate profits here. It's a joint effort with America built on fair terms."
The agreement — which the Ukrainian parliament must ratify — would establish a reconstruction fund for Ukraine that Ukrainian officials hope will ensure future American military assistance.
US President Donald Trump has replaced his national security adviser Mike Waltz, naming Secretary of State Marco Rubio as acting adviser and nominating Mr Waltz for UN ambassador.
Mr Waltz and his deputy Alex Wong resigned following revelations Mr Waltz had added a journalist to a Signal group where officials discussed sensitive military plans, including precise airstrike timings shared by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Mr Waltz claimed he didn’t know how the journalist got in.
Mr Hegseth is now under Pentagon investigation for bypassing security protocols and using an unsecured computer near classified terminals, fuelling concerns over information security.
Despite bipartisan criticism, Mr Trump continues to back Mr Hegseth as pressure mounts on the administration’s national security leadership.
Former US Vice President Kamala Harris has described Donald Trump's actions over the past 100 days as a high velocity event that has been decades in the making.
The defeated Democratic presidential candidate has told supporters the last three months were part of a plan by conservatives to change the face of government in America.
"An agenda to slash public education. An agenda to shrink government and then privatise its services. All while giving tax breaks to the wealthiest."
Ms Harris' speech to the 20th anniversary gala for Emerge America has come the day after Mr Trump reached 100 days in office.
Officials have confirmed there is currently a shortage of some medications used to treat ADHD.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has identified several brands as being impacted.
The regulator has approved a supply of overseas-registered Concerta tablets to reduce the impact of shortages.
But it says the shortage could last until the end of the year, forcing more than a million Australians to pay more for substitutes.
In basketball, Australian Dyson Daniels has won this season's Most Improved Player award in the NBA in the United States.
The award is voted on by 100 basketball writers and broadcasters from around the world.
The 22-year-old from Bendigo was traded from the New Orleans Pelicans to the Atlanta Hawks last July, and has become entrenched as one of his new side's most important players.
