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Australia will be left with no submarines if it abandons Aukus, senior defence official warns

Malcolm Turnbull asks defence department official what Australia would do if the promised Virginia-class and Aukus-class submarines don’t arrive Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia will be left with no submarines if it abandons the Aukus deal with the US and UK, a senior defence official has warned, declining to publicly countenance an alternative plan if Australia’s promised nuclear-powered fleet does not arrive under Australian command.“Defence has been directed to pursue Aukus and we are pursuing Aukus and that’s our plan. I would not venture into the space about ‘Plan B’ or ‘Plan C’,” defence department deputy secretary, Hugh Jeffrey, told a Sovereignty and Security Forum in Canberra on Friday. Continue reading...

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Wild autumn weather delivers snow, storms and power cuts to eastern Australia

East coast slammed on Thursday night with wind and rain, with more warnings in place for FridayCyclone Narelle to make landfall today and bring possible flash flooding to PerthFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThousands of Australians woke without power on Friday after a series of wild autumn storms soaked communities in multiple states – and the high country recorded its first big snowfall of 2026.While many storm watchers kept their eyes on the west and the path of Tropical Cyclone Narelle, Australia’s east coast was slammed on Thursday night, with more warnings in place for Friday. Continue reading...

Blasts heard in southern Beirut – as it happened

This blog is closed. Follow our new liveblog hereAn Iranian envoy has said South Korean ships can pass through the strait of Hormuz only after coordinating with Tehran, the Yonhap News Agency has reported.Such an agreement had to be reached in advance of the transit, said Saeed Khuzechi, the Iranian ambassador to South Korea, at a press conference in response to a question about guarantees for South Korean vessels to navigate the vital conduit for oil. Continue reading...

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Iran War LIVE: Trump Extends Deadline For Iran To Open Strait Of Hormuz To April 6

The war in the Middle East began when the US and Israel conducted strikes on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other senior leaders.

Two humanitarian aid boats heading to Cuba have gone missing, Mexico says

Navy searching for two boats that left Isla Mujeres last week bound for Havana with nine crew members of different nationalities on boardMexico’s navy said on Thursday it had activated a search-and-rescue operation in the Caribbean to locate two sailboats carrying humanitarian aid to Cuba after the vessels failed to arrive in Havana as scheduled.In a statement, the navy said the two boats left Isla Mujeres, in the Mexican Caribbean state of Quintana Roo, last week bound for Havana with nine crew members of different nationalities on board. Continue reading...