Good morning. It’s Monday 25th April, and here’s a round up of the latest news.
Australians gather to mark Anzac DAY
Australians are gathering to mark Anzac Day.
There have been dawn services across the country to commemorate the 107th anniversary of the ANZAC landing.
In some states, today's public commemorations are the first in three years, because of COVID-19.
Today is also the first ANZAC Day since Australian forces withdrew from Afghanistan.
Major-General Matthew Pearse has addressed the crowd gathered in the rain for the service at the cenotaph at Martin Place in central Sydney.
He said Australia's military campaigns have been highlighted by remarkable contributions from ordinary people.
Australian, British and New Zealand soldiers attend a ceremony at the Helles Memorial in the Gallipoli peninsula, Turkey, on Sunday 24 April. Source: AP / Emrah Gurel
"They are filled with stories of ordinary Australians who pulled together, despite adversity, to support their mates, and put their lives on the line to defend our national interests and secure a brighter future, free from intimidation from hostile forces.
"On ANZAC Day, we give thanks to all veterans for their service, their sacrifice, and their resilient spirit," he said.
The services will be followed by marches of veterans.
Overseas, services are taking place in France, Turkey, Thailand, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea.
Emmanuel Macron wins French presidential election
His rival, Marine Le Pen, has conceded defeat, shortly after early projections showed him winning by a comfortable margin.
He's currently projected to receive around 57 per cent of the vote.
Mr Macron, 44, becomes just the third French president to serve two terms, although his margin of victory over Ms Le Pen is projected to be smaller than it was in 2017.
French President Emmanuel Macron has been re-elected for a second term. Source: AAP / Lewis Joly/AP
"I fear tonight that the five-year mandate that starts will not break the disdainful and brutal practises of the previous leadership, and that Emmanuel Macron will not do anything to repair the fractures that divide our country and make our fellow citizens suffer," she said.
"So yes, to avoid this hoarding of power by a few, more than ever, I will continue my commitment for France and the French with energy, perseverance and affection, as you know of me."
Embattled Liberal candidate speaks out
Liberal candidate over the controversial comments she made about transgender athletes, causing her family to leave Sydney.
Hand-picked by Prime Minister Scott Morrison to run in the Sydney seat of Warringah, she immediately ignited controversy over a number of comments she'd previously made on social media, causing public outrage and an internal row within the Liberal party.
Ms Deves has told SBS News she's "chastened" by the reaction to her comments, and recognises her arguments weren't conducive to proper reasonable debate.
She said she's had to take extreme measures to ensure her safety and that of her family.
"I have received death threats. I have had to have the police and the AFP involved. My safety has been threatened. My family are away out of Sydney because I don't want them to witness what I'm going through nor do I want their safety put at risk," she said.
Ms Deves said she believes the issue involves a "collision of rights" between women and the trans community, and that in a liberal democracy such collisions should be debated in a reasonable and measured fashion.
Labor defends ad attacking Liberal MP Gladys Liu
, as it vies to reclaim her ultra-marginal Victorian seat.
Ms Liu won Chisholm by fewer than 1,100 votes at the 2019 federal election, making it a key battleground for this poll on May the 21st.
The Labor Party wants voters to remember the MP's record, when she paid for ads on social media raising national security and foreign interference allegations.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has criticised Labor over the ad against Australia's first Chinese-born lower house MP.
"What do they do? They actually go after Gladys Liu because she's Chinese, she's from Hong Kong, and they engaged in what I think is a sewer tactic here," he said.
Top US officials set to meet Volodymyr Zelenskyy
to discuss Ukraine's request for more powerful weapons in their fight against the Russian invasion.
The visit, announced by Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy in his daily address on Saturday, would be the highest-level visit by US officials to the country since the start of the war in February.
The White House has not yet confirmed any travel plans for Mr Blinken and Mr Austin.
