Albanese leads Pope Francis tributes, 12-year-old girl dies riding e-scooter, Russia question Labor won't answer

Yahoo

22-04-2025

Hello and welcome to Yahoo's live news blog this Tuesday. Pope Francis has died at the age of 88. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has led tributes for the leader of the Catholic Church, saying he was "close to the people of Australia".
A 12-year-old girl has died while riding an e-scooter. Police believe she fell into the road before colliding with a passing car.
Labor continues to dodge questions on whether Russia did in fact request to base military aircraft in Indonesia. Defence Minister Richard Marles refused to declare if the Albanese government has been informed of such a development after the prime minister did the same earlier on Monday.
Follow along as we bring you regular updates throughout the day.
A man has been charged with the murder of beloved 19-year-old Audrey Griffin a month after her remains were discovered in a NSW Central Coast creek.
The body of the teenager was found partially submerged in the Erina Creek near The Entrance Rd, Erina, on the Central Coast at about 3.45pm on Monday, March 24.
She had been reported missing only a few hours earlier, with her friends last seeing the 19-year-old at about 2am on a night out at the Gosford Hotel.
Initial inquiries led police to believe the death wasn't suspicious.
However after further investigation, police arrested a 53-year-old man in Surry Hills at about 12.20pm on Monday.
He has been charged with murder and 11 other unrelated domestic violence matters.
Police will allege the man had a physical altercation with the teenager.
He was refused bail and is due to appear before Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday.
Ms Griffin's death rocked the local community, who remembered her as a 'beautiful girl' who was 'treasured by a lot of people'.
'She touched the hearts of so many people and always had a smile,' a friend penned on social media.
- NCA NewsWire
It's the simple question Labor is refusing to answer.
Did Russia make a request to position military aircraft in Indonesia?
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese repeatedly dodged that question on Monday morning and now Defence Minister Richard Marles has followed his lead, saying he wouldn't "get into it".
It is of course the possibility that Labor doesn't actually know the answer to that question but Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says if that's the case, it should just simply be said.
Marles argued however it was not Labor's position to be declaring such information.
"What we know about that is not something I'm going to ventilate in the public domain, nor am I going to comment on it," he told Sky News.
'What matters is the assurance that Indonesia has provided to us, which they did, with great speed when we reached out and that was to assure us that there was no prospect of Russian aircraft operating from their soil.'
High school student Summah Richards has been remembered for having a smile that could light up a room.
Summah, 12, was riding her e-scooter in the quiet town of Laidley in rural Queensland before a tragic collision took her life about 3pm on Saturday.
According to police, initial investigations indicated that both vehicles were travelling south on Vaux Street and around 3pm the rider of the scooter fell into the path of a grey Holden Barina on Vaux Street.
Police said Summah was declared dead at the scene. The driver and passenger of the Holden Barina were not injured. Investigations are ongoing.
Stacey Ardrey, the best friend of Summah's mother, has remembered Summah as 'a remarkable young girl with such a vibrant spirit'.
Read more from NCA NewsWire here.
Pope Francis has been remembered as a leader who was determined to be with the people until the end as millions of Australian Catholics mourn the pontiff's passing.
The 88-year-old's death on Monday after a recent serious battle with double pneumonia was marked by tolling church bells and preparations for scores of memorial masses for the Catholic leader.
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference president and Perth archbishop Tim Costelloe reflected on images taken just hours before the Pope's death, when Francis made a public appearance at St Peter's Square.
"Even though he was so sick, and so weak, he was determined to be with his people," Archbishop Costelloe told ABC Radio National on Tuesday.
"And I think being with his people, being present to his people, was probably the great gift that he brought to the church and to the world."
Many mourners attended early masses at local cathedrals following the Pope's passing.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who is Catholic, said the major party leaders had agreed to dial back election campaigning on Tuesday as a sign of respect.
He attended mass at St Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne on a rainy Tuesday morning, when he was greeted by the cathedral's dean, Monsignor Stuart Hall.
The Pope's death could also prove a turning point in Australia's relationship with the Vatican after Francis overlooked local archbishops when selecting the nation's sole cardinal in December.
Cardinal Mykola Bychok said he was filled with sadness for the loss of a "pope of peace" and a man of simple piety.
Read more here.
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A man has been charged with the murder of beloved 19-year-old Audrey Griffin a month after her remains were discovered in a NSW Central Coast creek.
The body of the teenager was found partially submerged in the Erina Creek near The Entrance Rd, Erina, on the Central Coast at about 3.45pm on Monday, March 24.
She had been reported missing only a few hours earlier, with her friends last seeing the 19-year-old at about 2am on a night out at the Gosford Hotel.
Initial inquiries led police to believe the death wasn't suspicious.
However after further investigation, police arrested a 53-year-old man in Surry Hills at about 12.20pm on Monday.
He has been charged with murder and 11 other unrelated domestic violence matters.
Police will allege the man had a physical altercation with the teenager.
He was refused bail and is due to appear before Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday.
Ms Griffin's death rocked the local community, who remembered her as a 'beautiful girl' who was 'treasured by a lot of people'.
'She touched the hearts of so many people and always had a smile,' a friend penned on social media.
- NCA NewsWire
It's the simple question Labor is refusing to answer.
Did Russia make a request to position military aircraft in Indonesia?
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese repeatedly dodged that question on Monday morning and now Defence Minister Richard Marles has followed his lead, saying he wouldn't "get into it".
It is of course the possibility that Labor doesn't actually know the answer to that question but Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says if that's the case, it should just simply be said.
Marles argued however it was not Labor's position to be declaring such information.
"What we know about that is not something I'm going to ventilate in the public domain, nor am I going to comment on it," he told Sky News.
'What matters is the assurance that Indonesia has provided to us, which they did, with great speed when we reached out and that was to assure us that there was no prospect of Russian aircraft operating from their soil.'
High school student Summah Richards has been remembered for having a smile that could light up a room.
Summah, 12, was riding her e-scooter in the quiet town of Laidley in rural Queensland before a tragic collision took her life about 3pm on Saturday.
According to police, initial investigations indicated that both vehicles were travelling south on Vaux Street and around 3pm the rider of the scooter fell into the path of a grey Holden Barina on Vaux Street.
Police said Summah was declared dead at the scene. The driver and passenger of the Holden Barina were not injured. Investigations are ongoing.
Stacey Ardrey, the best friend of Summah's mother, has remembered Summah as 'a remarkable young girl with such a vibrant spirit'.
Read more from NCA NewsWire here.
Pope Francis has been remembered as a leader who was determined to be with the people until the end as millions of Australian Catholics mourn the pontiff's passing.
The 88-year-old's death on Monday after a recent serious battle with double pneumonia was marked by tolling church bells and preparations for scores of memorial masses for the Catholic leader.
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference president and Perth archbishop Tim Costelloe reflected on images taken just hours before the Pope's death, when Francis made a public appearance at St Peter's Square.
"Even though he was so sick, and so weak, he was determined to be with his people," Archbishop Costelloe told ABC Radio National on Tuesday.
"And I think being with his people, being present to his people, was probably the great gift that he brought to the church and to the world."
Many mourners attended early masses at local cathedrals following the Pope's passing.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who is Catholic, said the major party leaders had agreed to dial back election campaigning on Tuesday as a sign of respect.
He attended mass at St Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne on a rainy Tuesday morning, when he was greeted by the cathedral's dean, Monsignor Stuart Hall.
The Pope's death could also prove a turning point in Australia's relationship with the Vatican after Francis overlooked local archbishops when selecting the nation's sole cardinal in December.
Cardinal Mykola Bychok said he was filled with sadness for the loss of a "pope of peace" and a man of simple piety.
Read more here.