TRANSCRIPT
- A member of the Australian Defence Force charged with espionage.
- US President Joe Biden's health in the spotlight after Ukraine's leader as "President Putin".
- And in football, England's manager says his team will need to play "perfect" in order to beat Spain in the Euro final.
----
A member of the Australian Defence Force has been charged with an espionage offence.
The 40-year-old female army private, and a 62-year-old male labourer - both Russian-born Australian citizens - were arrested in Brisbane yesterday.
Australian Federal Police allege they were working together to obtain sensitive information to share with Russian authorities.
They allege the woman travelled to Russia whilst on leave from the ADF and instructed the man in Australia to log into her work account.
AFP commissioner Reece Kershaw says they were able to put a stop to the alleged espionage.
"This alleged criminality has been disrupted. Currently, no significant compromise has been identified. To the Australian public, espionage is not a victimless crime, and it is certainly growing. It has the potential to impact on Australia's sovereignty, safety and way of life. It happens in the shadows and in the daylight and I ask Australians to call the national security hotline on 1800 123 400 if they feel something does not seem right."
----
United States President Joe Biden accidentally calls Ukraine's leader "President Putin" after announcing a new aid package for Kyiv.
The package - worth over $330 million - includes a Patriot missile system to bolster Ukraine’s air defences against a deadly onslaught of Russian airstrikes.
It also includes Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and more artillery rounds.
But it is Biden's blunder that is dominating the headlines.
"And now I want to hand it over to the president of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he has determination. Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin. President Putin? You're going to beat President Putin. President Zelensky. I'm so focused on beating Putin we got to worry about it, anyway. Mr. President. (Zelensky: "I'm better") You are a hell of a lot better."
In a widely-anticipated media briefing following the incident, Biden doubled down on his decision to run for re-election despite calls from top democrats to step aside.
----
The Israeli military's initial investigation into the 7th of October Hamas attack admits it failed to protect Kibbutz Be'eri, where over 100 residents were killed, and 32 taken hostage, with 11 of those still in Gaza.
The report cited unpreparedness, inadequate forces, poor communication, and an uncoordinated response but did not place responsibility for an Israeli tank firing on a house occupied by hostages.
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant is calling for a national inquiry, including into his and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's roles.
"The probe needs to check me, Minister of Defence. It needs to check the Prime Minister. It needs to check the Chief of Staff, and the head of the Shin Bet."
The report was presented to Be'eri's residents, many of whom remain displaced.
----
Police are probing the death of an elderly man in Sydney's west after it took officers 19 hours to respond to a welfare call.
The dying elderly man was still breathing when police arrived after the significant delay, but investigators say it is too early to know if he could have been saved.
A concerned member of the public had called police about 5.40pm on July 4 about the welfare of an 85-year-old man from Bankstown.
But officers did not attend the unit until 12.30pm the following day, when they found the elderly resident still displaying shallow breathing.
Police started CPR and paramedics also attended the scene, but the man was declared dead.
----
In football,
Gareth Southgate says England must play "perfect" against team of the tournament Spain if their first final on foreign soil is to end in a historic European crown.
A tournament that began with unconvincing displays, fan discontent and widespread criticism will end with a shot at history in Sunday's Berlin showpiece at the Olympiastadion.
England secured a showdown against Spain thanks to Ollie Watkins' stunning strike at the 90-minute mark against the Netherlands, sealing a 2-1 win and their third major final appearance.
This is the first time an England men's team has made it to an overseas final and it's the second successive final for the Euro 2020 runners-up.
Southgate says his side will have to be at their absolute best if they are to join the 1966 World Cup team in football history.
"To be able to take the team to a first final overseas, I'm immensely proud of that. But now, of course, we've come here to win. We play the team who have been the best team in the tournament and we have a day less to prepare so it's a huge task but we're still here and we're fighting."
