On a night when West Australian great Bill Walker was officially elevated to Legend status, Ablett was named among the new inductees at Tuesday's gala event in Melbourne.

West Coast premiership captain and coach John Worsfold, Essendon games record holder Dustin Fletcher, Indigenous champion David Kantilla, Port Adelaide goal-kicking machine Tim Evans and five-time AFL grand final umpire Hayden Kennedy were also acknowledged.

Ablett, who retired in 2020 and became eligible for Hall of Fame induction this year, joined Geelong in 2001 as a father-son selection under huge pressure, given Gary Ablett Sr's revered status at Kardinia Park.

But the son of "God" lived up to his name in two stints with the Cats, either side of seven seasons with Gold Coast as the expansion club's marquee signing.

Ablett was a key figure in a dominant midfield in the Cats' premierships in 2007 and 2009 - the year he also won his first Brownlow Medal.

He was lured north to be the face of the Suns for their debut season in 2011, captaining the club for six years, and snared the Brownlow again in 2013.

Dubbed 'The Little Master', Ablett returned to Geelong for 2018-2020, falling just short of a third premiership in his final game when he broke a shoulder in the opening five minutes of the grand final and the Cats were overrun by Richmond.

An eight-time All-Australian, Ablett was also named the AFL Players Association MVP five times and AFL Coaches Association champion player of the year three times.

Ablett joins Cats premiership teammates Jimmy Bartel and Corey Enright in the Hall of Fame, with Joel Selwood and Tom Hawkins almost certain to be included after they become eligible.

Ablett Sr was inducted in 2005 for his football feats, having kicked 1031 goals in 248 games, despite off-field trouble in his life.

Worsfold was captain of West Coast's first two premierships in 1992 and 1994, before coaching the club to the 2006 flag.

He also coached Essendon for five seasons, initially as a steadying figure during the 2016 "top-ups" year after James Hird was sacked.

Fletcher was part of the famous 'Baby Bombers' premiership side in 1993 and won a second flag with Essendon under Kevin Sheedy in 2000, before going on to become the fourth player to play 400 AFL/VFL games.

South Adelaide and St Mary's great Kantilla is recognised as the first Indigenous player to feature in the SANFL.

Kantilla, who died in 1978, played 113 games for South from 1961-1966 and an estimated 180 with St Mary's, as well as four appearances for South Australia in state games.

Evans, originally from Tasmania, spent four seasons with Geelong before making a name for himself as a champion forward with Port Adelaide in the SANFL, winning four premierships.

He played 232 games for the Magpies and kicked 1019 goals - behind only Hall of Fame Legend Ken Farmer.

Field umpire Kennedy officiated in 495 AFL/VFL games, plus three state games, and was AFL umpires coach from 2013-2021.

His tally included 39 finals and five grand finals.

Walker's elevation as the game's 34th Legend was announced in February ahead of the AFL State of Origin fixture in Perth.

He is a four-time Sandover Medal winner and was named Swan Districts' best-and-fairest five times, playing 305 games for the WAFL club from 1961-1976 for three premierships.

Walker also played 21 state games for WA and was named in Swans' team of the century.

The drones have crashed into the chimney of a power plant in Estonia, hit empty fuel tanks in Latvia and been shot down by Romanian fighter jets stationed in Lithuania.

Ukrainian officials apologised, saying the drones had been aimed at military targets inside Russia but were sent off course by Russian electronic interference.

Estonia is hosting the summit in its capital, Tallinn.

The country holds the rotating presidency of the NB8, a regional grouping of the five Nordic countries and the three Baltic states.

It brought together the bloc's prime ministers, along with Zelenskiy.

Zelenskiy and Estonian President Alar Karis agreed to work on cheaper ways to shoot down drones that have flown over Estonia, including one that a NATO fighter jet shot down over the south of the country in May.

"We have shown that we can shoot the drones down with the planes," Karis said on Tuesday during a joint news conference in Tallinn.

But using fighter jets to shoot down the drones is very expensive, Karis said, so he hopes to partner with Ukraine for its technology and expertise to do so more cheaply.

Zelenskiy said Ukraine was ready to do so, drawing on experience it had built up helping countries in the Middle East shoot down drones, where it had sent expert teams to train local forces.

"We did this in the Middle East, and it worked," he said.

He said Ukraine could offer the low-cost interceptor drones it has deployed at home to build an inexpensive shield against Russian drone attacks, and that Kyiv could send expert teams to its European partners "at any moment".

Karis said he expected drones to cross into Baltic airspace as the war continued and urged the public to remain calm.

Estonia and the other Baltic states are among Ukraine's staunchest supporters in its war against Russia.

The Estonian leader said the Baltic country supported Ukraine's bids to join the EU and NATO.

He also called for stronger sanctions on Russia.

Meanwhile, Russia kept up its strikes across Ukraine.

In the northeastern Kharkiv region, three people were killed and 25 others, including three children, were wounded in attacks in the past 24 hours, said Oleh Syniehubov, head of the regional administration.

In the Dnipropetrovsk region, three people were wounded when several districts came under attack overnight, said regional administration head Oleksandr Hanzha.

Russia launched 166 long-range strike drones and two guided missiles at Ukraine overnight, the Ukrainian air force said.

Air defences shot down 146 of the drones, it said.

Russia's defence ministry said air defences downed 140 Ukrainian drones overnight.

A woman was killed when a Ukrainian drone hit an apartment building in the Belgorod region, regional emergency officials said.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also travelled to Tallinn, where he met his Estonian counterpart, Margus Tsahkna.

The two discussed Ukraine's security, pressure on Russia, and Kyiv's bid to join the European Union, Tsahkna said.

"Estonia will continue to stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes," Tsahkna wrote on X.

As Russian President Vladimir Putin "intensifies his attacks and shows no sign of abandoning his imperial ambitions, our responsibility is to increase pressure, not offer concessions".

Separately, Zelenskiy said on Monday that he had held positive talks with US representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner during a stopover at an airport in Moldova's capital, describing them as focused on ending the war.

After losing 1-0 to the Mexicans in Saturday's series opener, the Matildas prevailed in the second and final friendly on Tuesday night.

Strikes from Kennedy and Foord, in her 150th international, and an own goal delivered victory before an 18,441-strong crowd in Parramatta.

Veteran Kennedy scored in the 22nd minute before Mexico's Diana Ordonez, who netted the late winner in the opening fixture, replied four minutes later.

Australia's star striker Sam Kerr played a role in the home side's second goal, with her crisp right-footer hitting a post before hitting the Mexican goalkeeper Esthefanny Torres's back and rolling back into the net.

The world No.15 Matildas enjoyed the bulk of early possession but two shaky passes in defence by Winonah Heatley gifted the visitors, ranked 29th in the world, separate chances they couldn't convert.

Kennedy then gave Australia the lead with a neatly taken goal.

From a Kerr header, Kennedy won a contested possession and, swivelling on her right foot, scored into the left corner of the net with a  strike that deflected from Torres's leg.

Mexico levelled just two minutes later when Ordonez, who scored the winner in the first friendly in Newcastle last Saturday night, netted a sweetly-struck right-footer from 10 metres out.

But in the 36th minute, Australia regained ascendancy after the influential Ellie Carpenter made ground along the right flank and crossed to Kerr in the danger area.

Kerr's instinctive first-timer beat a diving Torres but struck the right goalpost, only for the ball to rebound into the back of the Mexican 'keeper and roll into the net for an own goal.

The Australians went 3-1 ahead in the 70th minute when Foord scored in her milestone match after a downfield dash by teammate Kaitlyn Torpey.

Taking possession some 25 metres inside her own half, Torpey tore into attack before delivering a superbly weighted pass into Foord's path.

Foord, after having her jersey tugged by a Mexican defender, broke free, turned on her right foot, and unleashed a curling strike into the net.

"It's an honour to represent my country so many times," Foord told host broadcaster Paramount.

"And to top it off with a goal is special, but I am just happy that we won the game.

"We want to be the team that dominates ... that is something we have got to build on now and continue going on to the (2027) World Cup."

A US Navy surface drone found and rescued the two crew from the waters of the strait, the US military's Central Command told Reuters.

The pair were rescued within about two ‌hours and were in stable condition, Centcom said in a statement on Tuesday.

It was not immediately clear whether the Apache had been shot down by Iranian fire, experienced mechanical failure, or encountered another problem. 

Asked if he knew what had brought the helicopter down, Trump said a report would be issued later on Tuesday.

"The pilots are fine," Trump said, speaking on the runway at New York's John F Kennedy International Airport before returning to Washington, DC. 

"Nobody injured."

Iran and Israel said on Monday that they had halted attacks on each other after an appeal from Trump, settling ‌back into a tenuous ceasefire ‌announced on April 8.

Two Iranian ⁠air defence personnel were killed in Israeli strikes on Monday, Iran's military said, and their funerals were due to be held ​on Tuesday afternoon in Tehran. 

No deaths were reported in Israel after the Iranian strikes.

Oil prices, which had risen on the exchanges of fire, gave up most of their gains on Tuesday after the two sides paused attacks. 

Tehran warned, however, that it would resume hostilities if Israel continued to hit Iran's Hezbollah allies in Lebanon. 

On Tuesday, the Israeli military issued an evacuation order for the Lebanese city of Tyre before possible strikes.

Israel's campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon ⁠helped trigger the latest missile exchanges between Iran and Israel - the most direct confrontation since the April ceasefire - complicating Trump's ‌push to end ​a war that the US and Israel launched on February 28.

Trump also told reporters he might have "an idea" for an Iran deal within a few days, without elaborating. 

The Republican president, struggling with ​record low approval ‌ratings as November's midterm elections approach, has often hinted at an imminent deal with Tehran, but none has yet materialised.

Iran had fired missiles towards Israeli territory late on Sunday, calling the strikes ​retaliation for attacks on the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia on the outskirts of Beirut.

Israel then hit Iranian air defence systems and a petrochemical plant that it said was used to produce ballistic missiles. 

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it retaliated with a strike aimed at a similar Israeli plant in the city of Haifa. 

US and ​Israeli ​officials said Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Monday.

In an interview ​with Axios, Trump said he had warned the Israeli leader not to return to war ‌with Iran: "I said, 'Bibi, you better be careful, or you will be on your own very soon.'"

Tehran has long said any peace deal with the US depends in part on an end to fighting in Lebanon, which Israel invaded in March in pursuit of Hezbollah fighters who had fired across the border.

Israel has never halted its Lebanon campaign, which has killed thousands of people, saying the conflict should be treated separately from any US-Iranian ceasefire. Hezbollah has also continued its attacks.

At the same time, Tehran has continued to block most shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which before the war carried a fifth ​of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas. 

Washington has imposed its own blockade of Iranian ports.

Trump has said any peace deal must ensure Iran cannot develop a nuclear ​weapon. 

Iran's demands include the lifting of international sanctions, ⁠the release of billions of dollars in frozen assets and recognition of its control of the strait.

The 66-year-old actor, who played grumpy doctor Gregory House in the medical drama, responded with a scathing retort after freelance journalist Janet Murray poked fun at the show's formulaic episodes, which the journalist claimed led to her being heavily trolled online.

In response, Laurie wrote on X: "I'm sorry if people have been having a go at you because of my tweet.

"Not at all the plan. I was very slightly drunk and already upset about something that had nothing to do with you.

"If it's any comfort, I got it in the neck too. I'm a thin-skinned twat, apparently, even though it wasn't my skin. I was sticking up for the writers who I adored.

"Obviously I shouldn't have cited Bach/Kahlo/Moore - asking for trouble - and would have done better to go for the 10,000 blues songs written around the same 12-bar chord structure.

"I've listened to most of them and will keep doing so. Because we love what we love."

In her original post, which has been viewed more than two million times, Murray revealed she had just started watching the first season of House.

She wrote: "Same narrative every episode: Patient has mysterious illness. Hugh Laurie (House) gets diagnosis wrong. Patient nearly dies.

"Hugh Laurie gets diagnosis wrong again. Gets threatened with being fired. Patient nearly dies again. Hugh Laurie has last minute leftfield idea. Gets diagnosis right. Doesn't get fired. Eight seasons of this?"

Laurie caught wind of the tweet, and issued a brutal response, including claiming that her critique could apply to "other art forms".

He commented: "Thanks for your critique, Murray. We actually tried a couple of episodes where House (Laurie Laurie) (please put the brackets in the right place) gets it right first time, but they were only 6 minutes long. NBC weren't happy.

"Then we tried some where House never gets it right and the patient dies. The audience wasn't happy.

"One could apply your trenchant analysis to other art forms: JS Bach wrote 30 Goldberg variations on the same chord structure; Frida Kahlo painted 50 portraits of herself; Henry Moore, what??

"The point is, or was, variations on a theme; if all you see is hospital, medical blah blah, then it wasn't meant for you.

"Nonetheless, I look forward to your first novel."

House ran for eight seasons between 2004 and 2012, with Laurie getting six Emmy nominations for his role, while the show also got nominated for outstanding drama series on four occasions.

Attacks on health workers from angry residents, scepticism among some locals and armed conflict in hot spots continue to challenge efforts to stop the outbreak declared on May 15, which has been caused by a severe form of Ebola disease.

Out of the 550 cases of the disease confirmed as of Sunday, there have been 101 deaths and 19 recoveries, according to the latest situation report released late on Monday.  

The outbreak is concentrated in Congo's eastern province of Ituri, which accounts for more than 90 per cent of the cases. 

Cases have also been recorded in the North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, and has spread across the border to Uganda.

The number of cases in Congo is believed to be higher because the outbreak was confirmed weeks late and the contact tracing coverage rate, which has improved in recent days, is still at 64 per cent.

The latest Ebola disease outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which does not have an approved vaccine or treatment unlike the "Zaire virus", another name for the Ebola virus, responsible for most of Congo's past 16 outbreaks of the disease.

The rapid increase in the number of cases is in part due to the scale up of diagnostic capacities, enabling testing of the backlog of previously collected samples, authorities said.

There is still widespread scepticism and disregard for health protocols in some parts of Ituri province.

Survivors of Congo's 2018 Ebola outbreak, the second-biggest in history, have warned that a repeat of past mistakes could lead to a high number of preventable deaths.

Frontline health workers, with little pay or rest, have been attacked multiple times by angry residents and have not been able to reach some communities due conflict involving armed rebel groups.

Eastern Congo has for years seen attacks by dozens of separate rebel and militant groups, some of them with links to foreign countries or to the extremist Islamic State group.

Conflict was "constraining access for the response, disrupting surveillance and response activities, and increasing the risk of undetected transmission", the World Health Organisation said on Monday. 

"Such incidents underline the challenges of the context and the importance of working closely with local leaders and communities."

Nearly a million people have been displaced by conflict in Ituri, according to the UN humanitarian office, making contact tracing difficult as people flee attacks or move frequently in the vast province with dense forests, poor roads and remote villages that can take days to reach.

Tracing also is difficult among the thousands of artisanal miners who regularly move between remote sites in the mineral-rich region.

WHO assesses the risk of spread for the rest of Africa and at the global level as low.

The company was placed into voluntary administration in February, with receivers tasked with finding a new buyer.

While there were several interested parties, receivers said there were no acceptable offers to recapitalise the business by late May.

The business's 62 company-owned stores will start winding down from June 16, with transitional arrangements under way for the remaining 27 franchise-owned stores, administrators from consultancy firm Ankura said on Tuesday.

The outdoor retailer's closure will make 500 staff redundant.

"All employees will be paid their full accrued redundancies and termination payments in the ordinary course of separation," the receivers said in a statement.

Stores will continue to trade remaining stock and suppliers will continue to be paid until liquidators step in on the June 16 deadline.

Customers with gift cards will have their balances honoured until June 30, but they must spend $2 for every $1 on the card.

To redeem a $50 gift card, the consumer must make a purchase of at least $150, of which $100 is paid on top of the card's value.

Receivers had negotiated with major creditor Gordon Brothers to keep the business going, and talks took place with landlords and suppliers.

"Following negotiations in recent weeks, the BBQG Group has reached the position where the conditions to the (proposal) are not capable of being implemented," they said.

Barbeques Galore is synonymous with Australia's barbecue culture, supplying barbecues since 1977 after being founded by entrepreneur Max Mason in Sydney. 

The Demons said the forward is recovering well and is already walking after the Monday night operation.

Mihocek was hurt in a tackle and play was held up for 10 minutes before he was taken off the ground and sent to hospital in an ambulance.

"Mihocek successfully underwent surgery overnight and doctors have since provided a positive update, confirming he is up and walking today," the Demons said in a statement.

Melbourne football boss Alan Richardson expressed relief that the operation had gone as planned.

."You never want to see an incident in our game like what we saw with Brody on Monday," Richardson said.

"Brody is in the very best of care and was able to undergo surgery last night, which, thankfully, went as planned.

"Our primary focus right now is supporting Brody, his partner Polly and their family through his recovery, while ensuring his return to full health."

There was also injury fallout for Collingwood after Monday's tight loss to Melbourne, with defender Brayden Maynard hoping he can return to the AFL quickly after suffering two shoulder dislocations during the game.

The Collingwood defender went in for scans on Tuesday morning and confessed to being unsure whether he would need surgery.

An operation on Maynard's right shoulder would most likely end his season.

Maynard's injury compounded a tough day for the Magpies, whose loss  left them languishing 11th on the ladder with a 5-7-1 record.

"Hopefully I can just strengthen the bastard and get back out there within a couple of weeks," Maynard said.

"But we'll see how we go. If I have to get surgery, I will have to get surgery.

"I've been in this situation before and I've been able to stick fat with it and strengthen it up, just get on with it.

"Hopefully I can do that, but time will tell."

Asked for his gut feeling about what will happen, Maynard channelled FightMND great Neale Daniher.

"I don't know, it's a bit of a tough one, but I feel like the stuff and the strengthening I've done over the couple of years that I've had shoulder issues, I've been able to get over it and just get going," he said.

"'Play on' - as Neale said. Keep playing on."

Elsewhere, struggling Essendon have been dealt another blow with Archie May to undergo surgery on the shoulder he dislocated and miss the rest of the season.

Geelong's Tom Stewart (concussion) and Gold Coast's Wil Powell (shoulder) are unavailable for their sides' clash on Friday night.

Stewart has entered concussion protocols after a contest in the final moments of the Cats' loss to Adelaide last week.

"Tom was assessed post-game by our medical team and subsequently has entered the concussion protocol," Geelong football manager Andrew Mackie said. 

"He will miss Friday night's match and we will continue to monitor him through the protocols."

Powell joins Suns teammates Lachie Weller and Will Graham (both hamstring) on the sidelines after the trio were injured in last week's loss to Brisbane.

The 18 club presidents were briefed in Melbourne on Tuesday, amid renewed speculation in particular about the cost of the stadium.

AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said the two tenderers for the stadium construction were working with the state government.

Dillon described the meeting as "collegiate". Club bosses agreed, with Sydney chairman Andrew Pridham calling it "line and length".

But Pridham remains concerned about the overall cost of the Tasmania Devils joining the AFL, having speculated in an April media interview that the total cost could blow out to more than $3 billion.

Tasmania are scheduled to join the AFL in 2028, with the new venue a condition of their entry. The stadium is due to be built by late 2030, but vehement local opposition has arisen surrounding its construction and costs.

"We're really confident that they'll hit the timelines and it will come in where they need it to be," Dillon told AAP about the stadium.

"What we do know is that with the club's training and admin centre, that the costs have come in there and it's really competitive.

"It's a super-competitive market down there in Tasmania and what I am confident on is the work that (Devils chief executive) Brendan Gale and (chairman) Grant O'Brien and the team at the Devils are doing."

Pridham said it was a straightforward meeting with no angst.

"There wasn't much discussion on Tasmania, other than it's on track, which is good. Overall, the meeting was pretty-much line and length - a lot of information, discussion about how the crowds are going, revenues," he said.

"Everything is looking really solid, so it was actually a really positive, calm meeting with no drama."

But his background in finance means Pridham is keeping an eye on the costs around the Devils.

"I'm very positive about having a team based in Tasmania. I've always had questions about the economics ... being a finance guy, looking at things in terms of how does it stack up financially," he said.

"I'm always cautious that you don't put numbers into spreadsheets, assuming that industry revenues just keep going up and you can keep spending money.

"You have to keep investing. So in terms of Tasmania having a team, absolutely. Have I been concerned about the cost? Yes. 

"I'm told it's all looking good, so I genuinely hope it is."

Once the Devils join the AFL, it will beg the question as to whether the league stays at 19 teams or returns to an even number.

"It will bring some challenges in terms of list management, as they're integrated with the draft and the priority picks they get," Pridham said.

"Longer-term, it will have challenges in terms of fixturing, which will be the next thing people focus on. They're fair questions and they're quite complex."

Also on Tuesday, the AFL reported a record attendance from the long weekend of 390,752 for a round of eight matches.  

"What that says to me is we have an incredible game and amazing fans. Our amazing fans want to watch some incredible athletes do what they do," Dillon said.

Martin Wiberg was assaulted at Casuarina in Darwin on March 12 and died of his injuries two months later.

Following his death, Northern Territory Police said the Director of Public Prosecutions had accepted an application to have charges against the three accused men upgraded from aggravated assault to murder. 

Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Morrissey said the victim's family remained at the forefront of investigators' minds.

''Our thoughts remain with the family and loved ones of this man as they continue to endure an unimaginable loss,'' he said in a statement.

''This was a vicious attack and the level of violence displayed was reprehensible and has no place in our community.''

Mr Wiberg was allegedly assaulted and had his head stomped on, rendering him unconscious.

Two men, aged 26 and 31, are due to appear before Darwin Local Court on Wednesday and a 19-year-old man is due to appear in the same court on August 12.

The long-awaited update supersedes a list from early 2025, and comes less than a month after President Donald Trump met China's Xi Jinping on a visit to Beijing, where the two leaders maintained a delicate trade war truce.

China's foreign ministry said on Tuesday that ‌the list was discriminatory and "unreasonably suppressed" Chinese companies, urging the US to "correct its mistaken practices".

"China will take necessary measures to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises," ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters at a briefing on Tuesday.

The list now includes a broad swathe of China's top technology firms key to advancing Beijing's military and industrial prowess, reflecting Washington's security concerns amid intense geopolitical competition between the countries.

In February, when Trump's trip to China had been pending, the Pentagon briefly posted an updated list, known as the 1260H or CMC list, but then quickly withdrew it with little explanation.

The new version released on Monday mirrors the withdrawn February list with the exception of the inclusion of China's top memory chipmakers CXMT and YMTC, two companies that had been removed from the short-lived February index to the ire of Washington's China ‌hawks.

Other companies added include biotech firm ‌WuXi AppTec , AI-driven robotics company RoboSense ⁠Technology Co Ltd and Unitree, a leading Chinese maker of humanoid and quadruped robots. 

On June 1, US AI chipmaker Nvidia said it plans to work with Unitree to build ​robots for researchers.

BYD, the world's largest EV seller, said in a statement to Reuters that it firmly opposed being labelled a military company and would use all "feasible administrative and legal means" to safeguard its rights and interests, adding that the decision harmed "its development achievements in the United States".

Alibaba said there was "no basis" for its inclusion on the list. 

"Alibaba is not a Chinese military company nor part of any military-civil fusion strategy. We will take all available legal action against attempts to misrepresent our company," the e-commerce and tech conglomerate said.

WuXi AppTec responded that its inclusion on the list was "incorrect", and said in a statement that it would "take immediate actions to challenge and correct this erroneous designation."

Search engine and AI giant Baidu "categorically" rejected its inclusion on the list, and in a statement said: "The suggestion that ⁠Baidu is a military company is entirely baseless. We will not hesitate to use all options available to us to have the company removed ‌from the list."

But hybrid vehicles, rather than electric models, are proving to be in highest demand and the most resistant to price reductions.

The Australian Automotive Dealer Association and AutoGrab revealed the trends on Tuesday in used car sales figures from May, which also showed the automotive market had bounced back from a sales dip in April.

The news comes one week after new hybrid and electric vehicles sales broke records to represent almost half of all new cars sold in Australia during the month.

The latest sales report showed Australian drivers bought 221,323 second-hand vehicles during May – a rise of more than 17,700 cars compared to April.

Standard hybrid vehicles made up one in 10 used cars up to five years of age, while electric and plug-in hybrid models represented six per cent of sales.

The trend towards low-emission cars reflected consumer efforts to avoid petrol and diesel price rises caused by conflict in the Middle East, association chief executive James Voortman said.

"It's no surprise to see hybrids performing so strongly," he said.

"With household budgets still under pressure, many consumers are looking for ways to reduce fuel costs and hybrids offer a practical and proven solution."

Hybrid cars were also the most likely to withstand discounting to secure a sale, the report found, and retained 93.4 per cent of their value.

By contrast, more than half of second-hand petrol and diesel vehicles were discounted before finding a buyer in May, which Mr Voortman said showed consumers were in the driver's seat.

"The increase in discounting reflects a strong level of competition in the used vehicle market at the moment," he said.

"Buyers are in a good position to compare options and negotiate on price."

The report came on the same day BYD Australia revealed it had signed a three-year deal with Pickles to auction its second-hand fleet vehicles.

The agreement was another sign that Australia's used electric vehicle market had evolved, Pickles motor vehicles general manager Chris Shaw said, and the move would make them accessible to a wider motoring audience

"We're seeing increased confidence in used electric vehicles from both private buyers and the trade as the market develops, pricing becomes more accessible, and understanding of EV ownership continues to improve," he said.

Zac Swettenham, 37, faced Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday afternoon via video link from a police station after being charged with one count of murder.

He is the son of Barry Michael, 71, a former Australian boxer who won an international super featherweight title in 1985 and unsuccessfully ran for a Senate seat in 2013 for the Palmer United Party.

South Yarra man Millenium Nyolic, 25, was found with serious injuries about 7.45pm on Sunday, behind the Courthouse Hotel on Nicholson Street in Footscray, Melbourne's inner-west.

Emergency services tried to save Mr Nyolic but he died at the scene.

Police alleged the two parties were known to one another, and said the accused killer was arrested without incident at Yarraville Railway Station about 8.30pm on Monday.

Swettenham was dressed in white with a blanket draped across his knees as he faced the court.

His defence lawyer told the court he identified as Aboriginal and suffered from several conditions, including psychosis, schizophrenia and akathisia, which is a movement disorder.

She confirmed he had not yet been seen by a nurse in custody.

Magistrate Brett Sonnet asked Swettenham if he could hear and see the court, to which the accused said: "Yes I can, Your Honour."

He told Swettenham he had been charged with murder and as such the court had no jurisdiction to hear an application for his bail.

Swettenham was remanded in custody and will return to court on October 13.

A study has found male construction workers have an elevated suicide risk, prompting warnings over workplace bullying.

The Australian construction sector employs about nine per cent of the working population.

New data shows workers aged 25 to 34 have the highest suicide rates in the sector, at around 35 deaths per 100,000.

With a 400,000 strong workforce, NSW has the highest number of male construction worker suicides of any Australian jurisdiction, with 1176 deaths recorded in the past 19 years, according to latest official figures.

This was followed by Tasmania with 124 deaths over the same period.

Long-term analysis of national coronial data shows male construction workers in NSW have a suicide rate of 24.3 per 100,000 compared with 13.1 per 100,000 for other employed men.

Marti Amos, founder of support platform The Professional Builder, said the industry could no longer treat bullying, isolation and psychological pressure as secondary workplace issues.

"Many of the younger people the (construction) industry needs most are entering worksites where bullying, long hours, financial pressure and isolation can become part of the culture if they are not actively addressed," he said.

"That should be a wake-up call for every builder, subcontractor and site manager in NSW."

The NSW government says efforts are under way to embed mental health awareness and psychological safety into workplace training as core capabilities.

This includes helping workers recognise the early signs of mental health challenges and encouraging help-seeking behaviours.

"Young tradies play a vital role in building a better NSW, and we are committed to addressing the pressures that can affect their mental health and wellbeing," a spokesperson said.

Researchers from RMIT, Deakin University, and University of Melbourne identified a range of factors linked to elevated suicide risk.

These included mental health stigma, masculine norms that discourage help-seeking, low job control and periods away from family and support networks.

Mr Amos says these pressures are now being intensified by tighter project margins, labour shortages, rising operating costs and increasing pressure on builders to deliver homes at a time when affordability is already stretched.

That's compounded by the pressure to deliver large-scale housing and infrastructure programs, including 1.2 million new homes by 2029 under the National Housing Accord.

"The sector cannot meet these targets if our apprentices are burning out, leaving the industry, or being exposed to workplace cultures that increase psychological distress," Mr Amos noted.

"If the people building the homes are under unsustainable pressure, the pipeline itself is at risk."

AAP has contacted NSW's Building Commission for comment.

Lifeline 13 11 14

beyondblue 1300 22 4636

Keith Andrew Chambers faces up to 20 years in jail under new state legislation over the horror crash that killed the child as his family were riding e-bikes on the Gold Coast.

Chambers was at least three times over the legal blood-alcohol limit and driving up to 60km/h over the speed limit when he struck Aiden Guimaraes and his father David in October 2024.

Aiden was riding pillion with his dad in a designated lane ahead of his mother Andrea and brother Gabriel who were travelling on another e-bike.

The father was critically injured and remained unconscious when Ms Guimaraes had to make the heartbreaking decision to turn off the boy's life support later that day.

Prosecutor Nathan Crane told Brisbane Supreme Court on Tuesday Chambers' driving was deliberately anti-social.

"It must be that driving for him, in this way, was a thrill," he said.

Chambers was driving between 113km/h and 134km/h at the time of impact - as much as 64km/h over the 70km/h speed limit.

The battery for the e-bike hit in the crash was found more than 60m away because of the force of the collision.

Chambers' blood-alcohol content was measured at between 0.176 and 0.193 per cent nearly two hours after the collision.

Aiden's mother wept as she read a victim impact statement to the court, saying Chambers' name was now etched into her brain "like cancer".

"A parent should never have to bury their child," she said.

"Look around - the people here today represent some of the many lives affected by what Keith Andrew Chambers did.

"Keith Andrew Chambers has devastated my family and taken from us a future that will never be restored."

Moving statements by Aiden's father and brother were also read to the packed court, with David Guimaraes saying he lived with constant pain from his injuries.

A large gathering was present in support of Aiden's family, with a separate courtroom reserved to accommodate the overflow.

Chambers, who has a criminal history in NSW and an extensive record of driving offences in Queensland, struggled to control his emotions as he pleaded guilty to the charges.

Defence barrister Ambyr Cousen submitted Chambers' apology to the Guimaraes family to the court.

"Nothing I say today is intended to take away from the consequences of his actions," she said.

"His letter to the court does show that his remorse is genuine".

She argued for a sentence of less than 10 years, with parole set between four and five years.

Chambers has already served 489 days in custody.

Mr Crane said under state legislation passed in April 2024, Chambers could serve up to 20 years in prison, listing the speed, high level of intoxication and the death of a child under 12 as aggravating circumstances.

He told Justice Glenn Martin defence lawyers often used the word "crushing" to argue against heavy sentences in such cases.

"Overused," the judge replied.

Justice Martin said he would take up to a week to consider Chambers' sentence.

Work has officially started on the long-awaited follow-up to the 1997 cult classic comedy after the two returning stars shared a photo of themselves on set in their iconic quirky style.

The professional photo was also shared by 20th Century Studios, with the caption: "The reunion you've been waiting for! The Romy and Michele sequel is now in production."

The project is set to be released exclusively as a Hulu Original via streaming, rather than in cinemas.

The new Romy and Michele movie will be helmed by Tim Federle, while Robin Schiff - who created the characters and wrote the original - will pen the script.

As for the cast, Janeane Garofalo returns as Heather, while Alan Cumming (Sandy Frink), Camryn Manheim (Toby) and Julia Campbell (Christie) are reprising their roles, with Keegan-Michael Key, Rob Huebel, Breckin Meyer, Patrick Warburton and Nathan Lee Graham joining in as-yet-unrevealed parts.

Some producers and executive producers from the original film, including Laurence Mark and Barry Kemp, will be involved again this time around.

In the 1997 comedy, Romy and Michele return to Tucson, Arizona, for their 10-year high school reunion, where they try to convince their classmates they were successful businesswomen who had invented Post-It notes.

Plans for the follow-up were first discussed after Kudrow and Sorvino returned to their characters in 2022 to present the outstanding ensemble in a comedy series prize at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Evan Huw Prowse and Steven Lockwood Brown have both pleaded not guilty to the common assault of Canberra Raiders hooker Tom Starling at a 21st birthday party in December 2020.

Starling, his brothers Jackson and Josh and friend Jesse Byrne, had originally been charged with assaulting police and resisting arrest after a drunken night out on the NSW Central Coast.

But those charges were later dropped, and Brown and Prowse were subsequently charged with assaulting the NRL player, who suffered concussion and a bloodied face in the incident.

A security guard working at the Shady Palms bar in Kincumber that night told the Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday he saw Starling jump from a stage onto a crowd of officers while his brother Josh was being arrested.

"Once he jumped, I just remember everything started to happen ... I just knew he was challenging towards the police," Stuart McDonald said.

Mr McDonald did not know who Starling was at the time but recognised him as the man who jumped on officers in media coverage the following day.

Starling had only just completed his first full season of NRL at the time.

"You were able to identify him because you saw some Channel Nine footage the next night?" Prowse's barrister Stephen Russell asked Mr McDonald.

"That's right," the security guard replied.

But a childhood friend of Starling testified the 146-game veteran did not jump on officers, but was grabbed and pulled down as police tried to contain the escalating situation.

"As (Starling) was trying to step down off the stage he was pulled down by a police officer," Oscar Mitchell told the court.

"I was yelling to my friends and other people to leave ... then Tom was grabbed by a big commotion of policemen."

Mr Mitchell said he saw Starling being struck by police in the body while he was on the ground.

But Brown's barrister argued Mr Mitchell's evidence was incorrect and suggested the Raiders star had rushed forward to try grab Brown's right arm while he was involved in arresting Starling's brother.

"I want to suggest to you that this evidence of him being pulled to the ground and being struck on the ground is untrue," Jeremy Morris SC said.

"That's not true," Mr Mitchell said.

The charges against Brown and Prowse have gained significant prominence in recent weeks after an ABC Four Corners program highlighted them as an example of complaints about police behaviour.

Before Tuesday's proceedings began, Judge Lisa Graham told the parties she had deliberately avoided watching the program to not have her judgment clouded.

"It's not appropriate for the court to consider any outside media coverage," she said.

The hearing resumed on Tuesday after 13 months in legal limbo while the courthouse underwent extensive renovations after major flooding.

Starling previously described being hit with a "coward punch" to the back of his head as he moved towards the bar's exit. 

He told the court his head had been shoved down and he had been hit with a "barrage of punches" from an unknown person subjecting him to an "all-out attack". 

The NRL player said he tried to keep his head up as he was pushed backwards so he could see his assailant, but he was struck by another "three or four punches" that knocked him out.

While the prosecutor has argued the use of force was unreasonable and unlawful, lawyers for the police officers have maintained it was a proportional response to a volatile situation. 

Lifeline 13 11 14

beyondblue 1300 22 4636

Most of Western Australia's correctional facilities are in crisis, with an increased level of harm observed across the system, Custodial Services Inspector Eamon Ryan said in a report tabled in parliament on Tuesday.

There was a potentially serious risk to the security, control, safety, care and welfare of prisoners in the Hakea, Melaleuca and Casuarina facilities, he said.

"This is no longer a problem confined to a single facility — it reflects a systemic failure across multiple prisons," Mr Ryan said.

Conditions pose a serious risk to the safety and wellbeing of prisoners and staff, and in some cases may amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

"The system is operating beyond its capacity, with overcrowding, workforce pressures and restrictive regimes now embedded as the norm," Mr Ryan said.

WA's adult prisons were operating in a sustained state of unsafe failure, driven by unprecedented population growth - 37 per cent over three years - and chronic workforce instability that had outpaced the system's capacity to respond, the report said.

Widespread overcrowding, including triple-bunking and prisoners sleeping on mattresses on the floor, has eroded infrastructure resilience to the point the system is unable to safely absorb or respond to major incidents. 

Chronic staff shortfalls have triggered routine lockdowns to maintain control, significantly reduced time out of cell, cancelled family contact and limited access to basic services, leading to the routine denial of fundamental entitlements, the report said.

Hakea, Casuarina and Melaleuca prisons account for a disproportionately high share of use of force incidents, assaults and fatal self-harm events. 

"The environments in each of these prisons materially increase the risk of serious harm and death in custody," the report said. 

"There are strong parallels with warning signs present prior to the 2018 Greenough Regional Prison riot."

The Greenough riot in July 2018 led to the escape of 10 inmates and caused millions of dollars in damage.

The inspector called on the government to formally commit to and fund the system-level reforms required to address the concerns identified at the prisons.

Mr Ryan also issued a show-cause notice, initially to the WA Justice Department, and then the Minister for Corrective Services, following the department's response.

It's not the first time concerning conditions have been found in a WA prison.

In May 2024, conditions in Hakea were found to have deteriorated to the point where it was suspected that prisoners were being held in conditions that were cruel, inhuman or degrading. 

A show-cause notice was issued. Follow-up reports in 2025 also highlighted problems at the facility.

The department said it was addressing the problems at the three prisons as part of system-wide reforms. 

These included "operational, workforce and infrastructure measures" to manage the growing prisoner population, capacity constraints and staffing challenges.

"These measures are supporting more stable operations and reducing reliance on restrictive routines across parts of the estate, with Hakea particularly benefiting," Corrective Services Commissioner Brad Royce said. 

Strengthened governance, targeted interventions, and sustained investment in staff and infrastructure were making Hakea, Casuarina and Melaleuca safer and more resilient, he said.

Lifeline 13 11 14

beyondblue 1300 22 4636

Making his first visit in seven years to China's only formal treaty ally, Xi told Kim he aimed to drive progress in ties, and both agreed to strive for closer ‌strategic communication through visits by high-level officials, KCNA said on Tuesday.

Kim told Xi he would fully support the "One China principle", which Beijing viewed as meaning that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belonged to one country, regardless of changes in the international situation, it said.

China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under Beijing's control, although Taipei rejects the sovereignty claims.

On Tuesday, Xi visited Pyongyang's Sino-Korean Friendship Tower that commemorates Chinese soldiers who died in the Korean War, China's official Xinhua news agency said.

It was not immediately clear if the leaders planned further talks, but they jointly planted ‌a fir tree in ‌the grounds of a key political ⁠training school for party cadres, which Xinhua said symbolised "ever-renewing friendship".

Despite the expressions of goodwill, however, analysts saw contrasting priorities in ​the official summaries of the visit.

While Xinhua detailed proposals ranging from high-level exchanges to trade and agriculture, along with restoration of transport links, KCNA cast the summit more broadly as a pact of equal partners, the analysts said.

Pyongyang stressed regime dignity and the neighbours' "special relationship," said Lim Eul-chul, a professor at South Korea's Kyungnam University, while Beijing emphasised practical state-to-state ties and its initiatives for international order.

"North Korea removed elements that could make it look like a subordinate, dependent or beneficiary party, and rewrote the relationship as one between equals," said Hong Min, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification.

"It amplified signals of solidarity, such ⁠as anti-US and Taiwan-related messages, while erasing signals of dependence or subordination."

China is North Korea's biggest trade partner and analysts have ‌said Xi's trip could ​focus on trade and tourism.

Xi and first lady Peng Liyuan attended a performance of Chinese ​and North Korean songs, accompanied by Kim and his wife, Ri Sol-ju, along with high-ranking officials.

The songs highlighted "the value and closeness of DPRK-China friendship", KCNA said, referring to the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Kim also hosted a banquet for Xi and his delegation, at which Xi voiced his desire to "share friendship" with Kim, the news agency said.

Chinese-North Korean ​relations ​had reached a "new historical starting point", Xi said at the event marking the 65th anniversary of ​the neighbours' friendship treaty, KCNA said.

Xi vowed that Beijing would not swerve from its commitment to ‌safeguard common interests, Xinhua said on Monday.

But North Korean media did not say if Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program or relations with the United States figured in the talks.

Xi was set to ⁠return to China on Tuesday afternoon.

with AP

Australian cattle farmers are well positioned to benefit from tightening global supply and firm international demand, says a new report from Rabobank, an agribusiness banking specialist.

But they could face consumers buying cheaper-priced meat cuts if the Middle East war continues.

The conflict was increasing cost pressures across Australia's beef supply chain, with flow‐on impacts for producers and consumers, RaboResearch senior analyst Angus Gidley-Baird told AAP.

"In a market where beef prices are already elevated, any softening in demand could place margin pressure across the supply chain, limiting the ability to pass on further cost increases."

Consumers on tightened budgets could shift their spending behaviour to lower‐priced beef cuts over premium products, affecting the overall value of the beef carcase, Mr Gidley-Baird said.

"They'll still have a beef meal but it might be mince and sausages as opposed to rib-eye streaks and sirloins."

The challenge for beef producers would be if they were losing sales on the higher-priced items could they make up for it by marginally increasing prices of lower-priced items, Mr Gidley-Baird said.

"Someone in that supply chain wears a haircut on the margin."

The Rabobank report said global beef production was expected to fall by 2.2 per cent this year, with contractions in Brazil, the US and China, while cattle prices rose in the first quarter of 2026.

"Australia is expected to continue delivering historically-high beef production and export volumes, reinforcing its role as a key supplier into undersupplied global markets," Mr Gidley-Baird said.

"Australia is well placed to capture demand where supply from competitors becomes tighter or less consistent."

The report noted the recent provisional implementation of the EU-Mercosur agreement with South American countries, a new Australia-EU trade outcome and renewed export licences for US beef plants into China.

Australia reached 90 per cent of its Chinese beef quota on June 2 with the full quota likely to be hit in coming weeks.

Some disruption was expected as exporters pivoted to other markets but ongoing strong prices and high slaughter volumes indicated a confidence in the market that any disruptions would be minor, Mr Gidley-Baird said.