TRANSCRIPT
- Residents on high alert ahead of Cylone Alfred making landfall
- Donald Trump delays most tariffs on Mexico
- Australia's tennis great Fred Stolle has died at age 86
Queenslanders are making their final preparations for Tropical Cyclone Alfred, which is now forecast to cross the coast early on Saturday morning.
The category-two system has slowed down and the Bureau of Meteorology estimates it will make landfall on the Queensland coast between between Noosa and Coolangatta.
The impact zone includes Double Island Point in Queensland to Grafton in New South Wales, cover areas such as: Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Byron Bay and Ballina.
The state's commissioner of Fire and Emergency Services, Steve Smith, says residents have been urged to prioritise safety.
"We do have hundreds of Rural Fire Service Queensland and foreign rescue service staff ready to respond when it is safe to do so to support the recovery, so they are in place and are ready to respond, as and when conditions are needed. We are ready, but I do ask you all to please hear the warnings and advice that authorities have provided, and ensure you make good decisions for the process."
US President Donald Trump says he has postponed 25 per cent tariffs on most goods from Mexico for a month.
Mr Trump's announcement comes after a conversation he had with his Mexican counterpart, Claudia Sheinbaum.
The delay applies until April 2.
Prior to that time, Mexico will not be required to pay tariffs on anything that falls under the free trade agreement among the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
President Sheinbaum says she had a constructive conversation with Mr Trump.
"In February alone, the reduction in fentanyl seizures on the US side of the border with Mexico was reduced by 41.5 per cent. Donald Trump was not aware of this graph until we sent it to him. And I also explained to him that what we had decided about the 10,000 guards at the border, the customs review, that is giving us results. So I said to him, we are getting results, President Trump, now that you put in the tariffs how are we going to continue cooperating with something that hurts the people of Mexico?"
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has thanked European leaders for their strong support at an emergency summit in Brussels.
The summit aims to boost support for Ukraine, after the United States suspended military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
Mr Zelenskyy says the support from European countries has been very welcome and appreciated.
"You made a strong signal to Ukrainian people, to Ukrainian warriors, to civilians, to all our families. And it is great that we are not alone. We feel it and we know it. Thank you so much for everything."
Fifteen people have been injured, after South Korean fighter jets dropped eight bombs on a civilian district.
The bombs Pocheon also hit houses and a church about 40 kilometres northeast of Seoul, in Pocheon, near the heavily militarised border with North Korea.
The local mayor Baeck Young-Hyeun says it is shocking this has occurred - and he is calling for action to ensure it doesn't happen again.
"Today, the unthinkable happened in our city of Pocheon. During a South Korea-US joint live-fire exercise at the Seungjin training grounds, shells fell on a civilian residence, causing serious and minor injuries to innocent citizens and severely damaging multiple homes and vehicles."
Now in sports, Australian tennis great Fred Stolle died at the age of 86.
Mr Stolle, whose nickname was Fiery, who won 19 grand slams.
The former world no.1 was also a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame and the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
Tennis Australia's Chief Executive Craig Tiley described Mr Stolle's legacy as "one of excellence, dedication, and a profound love for Tennis".
Mr Stolle is survived by his wife Pat, Son Sandon and daughters Monique and Nadine.
