Sydney air travellers are facing a second consecutive day of disruptions, with delays expected to last throughout the day. Air Services Australia attributes the ongoing issues to a shortage of air traffic control staff, stating that operational restrictions have led to a reduction in departing and arriving flights to ensure passenger safety.
Yesterday, passengers experienced delays of up to two hours on both domestic and international services. The industry group Airlines for Australia described the situation as 'catastrophic'. Former airline pilot Richard de Crespigny told Channel 7 that the day would be frustrating for travellers, explaining: "There's a shortage of air traffic controllers and they're doubling the separation between aircraft to halve the flow which will cause delays of up to an hour all day today out of Sydney."
Thailand Tightens Gun Laws After School Shooting
In Thailand, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has called for stricter enforcement of gun laws following a school shooting outside Bangkok that left eight people dead and more than 30 injured. Police report that a 14-year-old gunman killed his grandparents before opening fire at Debsirin Nonthaburi School, killing five teachers and then taking his own life. The handgun recovered at the school is believed to have belonged to the boy's grandfather.
The Prime Minister stated that existing laws banning civilians from carrying firearms in public must be more strictly enforced. Nine people remain critically injured, with Public Health Minister Pattana Promphat expressing particular concern about one student: "We are very worried about one of the girls that got shot in the head. She is in a very severe condition. So all the doctors insist and try their best to take care of her and her family whatever it takes, yes."
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Defence Pact and New Ambassador
Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan have signed a joint defence agreement, pledging to treat an armed attack against any one of them as an attack against all three. The deal was signed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and is intended to strengthen collective deterrence and regional security without targeting any particular country. Türkiye has NATO's second-largest military, Pakistan is a nuclear-armed state, and Saudi Arabia is one of the world's biggest oil exporters. The agreement comes amid heightened tensions following the US-Israel war with Iran in February, which has seen Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states targeted.
In other news, former Republican congressman David Brat has been confirmed by the US Senate as the next ambassador to Australia. Mr Brat was among a block of 74 nominees approved on Friday US time. The post has been vacant since Caroline Kennedy ended her term in late 2024. He is expected to take up the post in Canberra ahead of next month's 75th anniversary of the ANZUS treaty. During his confirmation hearing, Mr Brat described Australia as integral to US interests, identifying defence cooperation, critical minerals and the Indo-Pacific partnership as priorities.
Bird Flu Measures and Tennis Carnival
Poultry producers in Victoria are being ordered to house their birds rather than allow free-range access to stem the spread of H5-N1 bird flu. Any farm with more than 50 birds will be affected by the state government's order. Victoria's chief veterinary officer Graeme Cook told radio station 3AW that the detection of cases in coastal areas requires a stronger response: "The reason why we're introducing a precautionary housing requirement is because within distance of our coastline we do have a large amount of poultry industry."
Three-time Grand Slam champion Ash Barty has joined more than 160 aspiring tennis players in the Top End for the National Indigenous Tennis Carnival. The four-day event is Australia's largest gathering of young First Nations tennis players, bringing together sport, culture, health and education. Players have travelled from every state and territory, including nine teams from Northern Territory communities and players from Badu Island in the Torres Strait. The former world number one, who retired in 2022, told SBS News that making the special appearance inspired her to dust off her racket: "Yeah, when I was at home, I got my racket out of my bag, it was a little bit dusty, but I can't wait to get it out and have a good time with these kids on the court." The carnival's winning cup is named in Ash Barty's honour, and her home state of Queensland are the reigning champions.
