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UK makes strong war pledge to Australia, Virgin Australia plane in tarmac collision, state cops 'wettest day of year'

UK makes strong war pledge to Australia, Virgin Australia plane in tarmac collision, state cops 'wettest day of year'

Yahoo28-07-2025
Hello and welcome to Yahoo's live news blog this Monday. The UK's Defence Secretary John Healey says the UK is "ready to fight" alongside Australia if war was to break out in the Indo-Pacific. Healey was pressed on whether British forces would step in if China attempted to forcibly reunite Taiwan with the mainland, and offered a telling insight on the UK's position despite Canberra's reluctance to commit to possible conflict.
A Virgin Australia plane has been damaged in a collision on the tarmac at Melbourne Airport.
Follow along as we bring you regular updates throughout the day.
UK's big war call on visit to Australia
The UK's defence secretary has suggested Australia will join the UK in conflict if China attempts to forcibly reunite Taiwan with the mainland.
Pressed on what the UK would do to help Taiwan in such a scenario, Defence Secretary John Healey said the UK would go to war if needs be.
'If we have to fight, as we have done in the past, Australia and the UK are nations that will fight together. We exercise together and by exercising together and being more ready to fight, we deter better together," he said on Sunday alongside Defence Minister Richard Marles in Darwin.
It was a statement of clear intent from Healey and one the Albanese government has avoided making in relation to Taiwan. Marles did not express any intent from Australia to go to war in the region and once again reiterated Labor's position that Australia respects the current status quo.
It comes after the Trump administration ramped up pressure on allies to make their positions clear if a war was to develop in the Indo-Pacific.
Virgin Australia plane damaged in airport collision
A Virgin Australia aeroplane has collided with a vehicle during a ground transfer at a major Melbourne airport.
The Virgin Australia Boeing 737 was being towed to the hangar for maintenance at Melbourne Airport in Tullamarine on Sunday night.
During the tow, the aircraft became disconnected from the tug vehicle, causing the two to collide.
The tug hit the side of the plane, causing a large tear in the side of the aircraft.
Crews were on the scene attempting to patch the impacted aircraft.
'The aircraft was being towed to the maintenance hangar, so there were no passengers on board,' a Melbourne Airport spokesman told NewsWire.
'An investigation is under way, and the relevant authorities have been notified.'
A Virgin spokesman confirmed the collision would not impact the airline's flight schedule for Monday.
- NewsWire
Fears popular phone could catch fire
An urgent update has been pushed to a range of Google phones due to the risk they could overheat and even cause fires.
Product Safety Australia (PSA) said incidents involving Google Pixel 6a devices have resulted in 'serious burn injuries'.
A mandatory update has been pushed to a number of phones to reduce the risk, and devices only need to be updated rather than returned.
Owners of a Chalk, Sage or Charcoal coloured Pixel 6a device sold between June 16, 2022 and April 10, 2025 is likely to observe the fault, which PSA said can 'pose a risk of fire and/or burns to a user'.
Read more here.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
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The UK's defence secretary has suggested Australia will join the UK in conflict if China attempts to forcibly reunite Taiwan with the mainland.
Pressed on what the UK would do to help Taiwan in such a scenario, Defence Secretary John Healey said the UK would go to war if needs be.
'If we have to fight, as we have done in the past, Australia and the UK are nations that will fight together. We exercise together and by exercising together and being more ready to fight, we deter better together," he said on Sunday alongside Defence Minister Richard Marles in Darwin.
It was a statement of clear intent from Healey and one the Albanese government has avoided making in relation to Taiwan. Marles did not express any intent from Australia to go to war in the region and once again reiterated Labor's position that Australia respects the current status quo.
It comes after the Trump administration ramped up pressure on allies to make their positions clear if a war was to develop in the Indo-Pacific.
Virgin Australia plane damaged in airport collision
A Virgin Australia aeroplane has collided with a vehicle during a ground transfer at a major Melbourne airport.
The Virgin Australia Boeing 737 was being towed to the hangar for maintenance at Melbourne Airport in Tullamarine on Sunday night.
During the tow, the aircraft became disconnected from the tug vehicle, causing the two to collide.
The tug hit the side of the plane, causing a large tear in the side of the aircraft.
Crews were on the scene attempting to patch the impacted aircraft.
'The aircraft was being towed to the maintenance hangar, so there were no passengers on board,' a Melbourne Airport spokesman told NewsWire.
'An investigation is under way, and the relevant authorities have been notified.'
A Virgin spokesman confirmed the collision would not impact the airline's flight schedule for Monday.
- NewsWire
A Virgin Australia aeroplane has collided with a vehicle during a ground transfer at a major Melbourne airport.
The Virgin Australia Boeing 737 was being towed to the hangar for maintenance at Melbourne Airport in Tullamarine on Sunday night.
During the tow, the aircraft became disconnected from the tug vehicle, causing the two to collide.
The tug hit the side of the plane, causing a large tear in the side of the aircraft.
Crews were on the scene attempting to patch the impacted aircraft.
'The aircraft was being towed to the maintenance hangar, so there were no passengers on board,' a Melbourne Airport spokesman told NewsWire.
'An investigation is under way, and the relevant authorities have been notified.'
A Virgin spokesman confirmed the collision would not impact the airline's flight schedule for Monday.
- NewsWire
Fears popular phone could catch fire
An urgent update has been pushed to a range of Google phones due to the risk they could overheat and even cause fires.
Product Safety Australia (PSA) said incidents involving Google Pixel 6a devices have resulted in 'serious burn injuries'.
A mandatory update has been pushed to a number of phones to reduce the risk, and devices only need to be updated rather than returned.
Owners of a Chalk, Sage or Charcoal coloured Pixel 6a device sold between June 16, 2022 and April 10, 2025 is likely to observe the fault, which PSA said can 'pose a risk of fire and/or burns to a user'.
Read more here.
An urgent update has been pushed to a range of Google phones due to the risk they could overheat and even cause fires.
Product Safety Australia (PSA) said incidents involving Google Pixel 6a devices have resulted in 'serious burn injuries'.
A mandatory update has been pushed to a number of phones to reduce the risk, and devices only need to be updated rather than returned.
Owners of a Chalk, Sage or Charcoal coloured Pixel 6a device sold between June 16, 2022 and April 10, 2025 is likely to observe the fault, which PSA said can 'pose a risk of fire and/or burns to a user'.
Read more here.
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