Hello, it's Tuesday, September 20. Here's what you need to get caught up on today's news.
In local news: Tax relief on fuel ends next week
Here's the lowdown:
- The federal government is cutting the fuel discount from next Friday, nearly seven months after it halved the tax by 22 cents
- The temporary measure was introduced in response to surging global oil prices after Russia's invasion of Ukraine
- But Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the measure is too expensive to continue
- Drivers are being told not to panic though. NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury said he doesn't expect fuel to surge as high as $2.20 a litre for unleaded like earlier this year
- He said while there are still global supply chain issues, fuel prices appear to be easing across the board
In international news…
Ukraine has extended its hold on recently recaptured territory in the country's east.
Troops have marched further east into areas abandoned by Russia.
In a sign of nervousness from a Moscow-backed administration in Donbas about the success of Ukraine's offensive, its leader has called for urgent referendums on the region becoming part of Russia.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said "the occupiers" were "clearly in a panic".
The Ukrainian governor of Luhansk — a province in Donbas now under control of Russian troops — said Ukrainian forces had regained control of the town of Kreminna and the village of Bilohorivka close to the city of Lysychansk, which fell after weeks of grinding battles in July.
"Luhansk region is right next door. De-occupation is not far away," he wrote on Telegram.
The news Australia is searching for
- Adnan Syed: A Baltimore judge ordered his release on Monday, after overturning his conviction for the 1999 murder of his high school girlfriend Hae Min Lee. If you're wondering why his name sounds so familiar, it's because his case was chronicled in the hit podcast Serial.
News you might have missed
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Every DNA sample connected to a major crime since early 2018 will be reviewed after an inquiry into a Queensland forensics lab
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A 32-year-old man has been charged over the shooting murder of underworld boss Bilal Hamze
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Australia's oldest man, Frank Mawer, has died aged 110 after contracting COVID
One more thing…
A hacker has released test gameplay footage of upcoming video game Grand Theft Auto VI, in what has been described as one of the biggest leaks in video game history.
The footage consists of more than 90 separate video clips showing animation tests, level layouts and full-blown gameplay demonstrations.
Developer Rockstar Games confirmed the leak was genuine on Monday, blaming a "network intrusion" by an unauthorised third party for the leak and promising to properly introduce players to the game when it is ready.
GTA is one of the most successful franchises in video game history, bringing in more than $11.4 billion in net revenue since its last major instalment in 2013.
The leak could lead to a delay in the latest game's release if the source code is published.
That's it for now
We'll be back tomorrow with more.
ABC/wires
