Relations between Australia and China are at a new low this morning, after the dramatic withdrawal of two Australian journalists yesterday. The ABC's Bill Birtles and Mike Smith from the Financial Review were rushed home after being questioned by Chinese police. No this means Australia's media outlets now have no correspondents in China at all.
And there are fresh concerns this morning for Australian TV anchor Cheng Lei, who's currently detained in Beijing. It's been revealed she's facing accusations of 'criminal activities endangering China's national security'.
Beaches at the southern end of the Gold Coast are closed today after a fatal shark attack near one of Australia's best known surf breaks. It happened at Greenmount Beach at Coolangatta yesterday afternoon. The victim, 46-year-old Nick Slater, was pulled from the water by fellow surfers and life savers, he suffered critical leg injuries. Paramedics rushed to his aid, but he couldn't be saved. It's believed to be the first fatal shark attack on the Gold Coast since 1958, when drum lines and shark nets were first introduced.
Schools and social media safety experts are warning parents and children to avoid viewing a violent video on Tiktok. The video was originally 'live streamed' on Facebook and has been widely viewed. Parents are urged to keep their children off social media, including Twitter and Instagram, over the coming days.