TRANSCRIPT
- Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine says Europe will not be part of peace talks to end the war in Ukraine
- Regional towns in Western Australia deal with the aftermath of Cyclone Zelia
- In Tennis, world No.1 Jannik Sinner accepts a three-month doping ban
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for the creation of a European army, arguing the continent can no longer be sure of protection from the United States.
US President Donald Trump spoke last week with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying that negotiations to end the war should begin now.
Mr Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, has now all but ruled out that Europeans will be included in any Ukraine peace talks.
Speaking to leaders at the Munich Security Conference, Mr Zelenskyy says the time has come for the creation of what he calls an "armed forces of Europe".
"Let's be honest. Now, we can't rule out the possibility that America might say no to Europe on an issue that threatens it. Many leaders have talked about Europe that needs its own military. An army, an army of Europe (clapping) And I really believe the time has come."
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Regional towns lashed by a cyclone face being isolated for days with limited food supplies.
Cyclone Zelia made landfall at Port Hedland, in northwest Western Australia as a category four, bringing heavy rain and damaging winds, but has weakened to a tropical low as it tracks southwards.
There were no reported deaths or injuries in Western Australia.
Premier Roger Cook says communities were on alert and appear to have escaped the worst of the cyclone's impacts.
Emergency crews have begun assessing the damage, but the downgraded weather system is still dumping significant rain on parts of the Pilbara region, exacerbating flooding.
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Three Israeli hostages have been released by Hamas in exchange for 369 Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
Sagui Dekel-Chen, Sasha Troufanov and Iair Horn have been released as part of the sixth exchange under the Gaza ceasefire deal that came into effect a month ago.
The fragile deal appeared close to coming apart earlier this week, after Hamas had said it would pause the release of hostages, accusing Israel of violating the terms of the deal - an allegation denied by Israel.
US President Donald Trump welcomed the hostage release saying they "seem to be in good shape".
The Palestinian Prisoners' Media Office says the Palestinians released include 333 detained without charge in Gaza, and 36 serving life sentences.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society says five of those released in the West Bank city of Ramallah were taken straight to hospital.
Suheil Sultan is among the Palestinians released.
He says the conditions were terrible.
"A very, very cruel prison. Very bad treatment of all prisoners and until now there are prisoners who are being tortured and going through a very harsh period of detention. They are not provided with treatment or food. All the prisoners there have lost half of their weight, (someone) who used to be 100 kilos has now become 50 kilos. Very bad treatment in everything."
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In sports, Tennis world number one Jannik Sinner has accepted a three-month ban for doping, as part of a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency over his two positive drugs tests last year.
The 23-year-old Italian, who won the Australian Open last month, is suspended from 9 February until 4 May.
He will be eligible to play at the next Grand Slam, the French Open, which starts on 19 May.
Wada had been seeking a ban of up to two years, after launching an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport over the 2024 decision by the International Tennis Integrity Agency not to suspend Sinner.
In a statement, Wada says it accepts the three-time Grand Slam champion did not intend to cheat, and the the detection of the banned substance clostebol happened "without his knowledge as the result of negligence of members of his entourage".
In a statement, Sinner says he realises Wada's strict rules are an important protection for the sport - and he decided for an early resolution after having the case hang over him for nearly a year.
