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Ex-Tropical Cyclone Narelle dumps heavy rain on march across Top End

Ex-Tropical Cyclone Narelle is dumping heavy rainfall across the Top End triggering flood warnings, as it moves west towards the Kimberley today.

The severe tropical cyclone made landfall in the Northern Territoryas a category 3 system early on Sunday bringing with it wind gusts of up to 185km/h after moving across Queensland on Friday.

The system, which has now weakened to a tropical low brought heavy rainfall yesterday and overnight, up to 200mm in some areas, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

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Adelaide River received 197 mm, Central Plateau copped 170mm and 166mm fell at Howley Creek.

"We have major flood warnings current for the Upper Adelaide River, the Daly River, the Katherine and Waterhouse Rivers," Bureau meteorologist Ilana Cherny said.

"Even after this rainfall eases, we are likely to see flooding impacts persist into the coming week."

READ MORE: Clean up under way after Tropical Cyclone Narelle hits Far North Queensland

Tropical Cyclone Narelle

Narelle will today move over the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf and into the Northern Kimberley.

Forecasters expect it to continue dumping heavy rain across that region into tomorrow before it moves offshore of the west Kimberley coast where it could restrengthen into a tropical cyclone by Wednesday.

"It is a high chance of redeveloping into a tropical cyclone by early Wednesday morning," Cherny said.

This would place it north of the Pilbara coast and moving west southwest.

READ MORE: Almost half of all Australians think an attack on the country is 'probable'

Tropical Cyclone Narelle

A tropical cyclone warning has been issued for the area from Mitchell Plateau to the Western Australia and Northern Territory border, with a watch area from Beagle Bay to Mitchell Plateau.

While it is likely to remain mostly offshore, it could cause large waves, squally showers and gale force winds along the Pilbara coast.

After Thursday, the path of the system becomes more difficult to predict.

"There is a possibility that the system will directly impact Perth during next weekend, however, models are currently showing a range of different scenarios," Cherny said.

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Think Australian petrol prices are bad? NZ soars past $3 a litre

Australians feeling the pain at the bowser might spare a thought for their cousins across the ditch.

In New Zealand, the price of regular unleaded petrol has surged to an average of $NZ3.32 ($2.76) a litre.

Some service stations are currently selling petrol for as high as $NZ3.49 ($2.90) a litre, with economists forecasting prices could soon hit $NZ4 a litre.

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The country is also facing major shortages of diesel, with Finance Minister Nicola Willis warning thousands of jobs are at risk if supplies dry up.

In Australia, while the price of diesel is approaching $3 a litre in some regions, the average price of unleaded is still sitting at $2.20 a litre nationally, according to the latest report from the Australian Institute of Petroleum.

Petrol prices in New Zealand are typically higher than in Australia due to higher taxes, including a higher fuel excise, as well as levies for an emissions trading scheme and 15 per cent GST.

It comes as oil prices jumped overnight after Iran threatened to shut down the Strait of Hormuz indefinitely in response to Trump's ultimatum demanding the restoration of oil traffic through the critical waterway.

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Brent crude, the global benchmark, climbed 1.69 per cent to about US$114.09 ($162) a barrel while US crude rose 2 per cent to US$100.29.

If they persist, those prices will see the amount consumers pay at the bowser climb still higher, once they flow through to retail supply.

In yet more grim news, global investment bank Goldman Sachs said last week that elevated prices could persist through next year.

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Almost half of all Australians think an attack on the country is ‘probable’

Australians believe the country is at greater risk of a military attack in the next five years, with anxiety growing that Australia is not prepared for such an event, a new study has revealed.

About 68 per cent of Aussies believe the country will be involved in a military conflict in the next five years, with half believing Australia will be attacked itself, according to a study from the Australian National University.

From this, 43 per cent of Aussies believe such an attack would have a catastrophic impact on the country, but not many think the country is equipped to deal with such a serious event.

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Shoppers at Pitt Street Mall in Sydneys

"Fewer than one-in-five respondents believed the nation is 'very' or 'fully' prepared," the study said.

"On most issues surveyed, most respondents said Australia is either 'slightly' or 'moderately' prepared."

Terrorism has also become a bigger fear since the Bondi Beach shooting last year, with almost three-quarters of Australians rating it a serious issue in February, compared to just 55 per cent when asked the same question in November 2024.

"In a time when our security landscape is changing, it would be wrong to assume that Australians are complacent. Most are concerned and want to know more," said ANU Professor Rory Medcalf.

MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT: Iran hits back after Trump's chilling deadline

Petrol bowsers across NSW have begun running out of fuel.

The Australian government's terrorism threat level is currently listed as "probable", which means there is a more than 50 per cent chance of an attack in the next 12 months, or an attack being planned during this time.

Australia's national spy agency ASIO said there was a "normalisation of provocative and inflammatory behaviours", and warned the current conflict in the Middle East was resonating in Australia, and could motivate potential attacks.

They said any attack was most likely to be conducted by a lone perpetrator or a small group in a simple and low-cost manner.

"Basic weapons, such as knives, vehicles, explosives, and firearms can maximise casualties when combined with simple tactics," the agency warns.

The survey, which took in responses from 20,000 people across the country, found non-military threats were viewed as more serious, with AI-attacks, severe economic crisis, and disruption to critical supplies viewed as significant fears for Australians.

With a disrupted oil supply leading to skyrocketing fuel prices and demand for petrol across the country due to the Middle East conflict, Australians' fears may not be completely unfounded.

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Kyle kicks off legal battle against ARN days after being sacked

Kyle Sandilands has officially kicked off legal proceedings against former employer ARN Media after it ripped up his $100 million contract last week.

Court documents were served on Commonwealth Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), a subsidiary of ARN that holds the licence for KIIS 1065 Sydney and the contract with Sandilands, on Friday.

ARN announced the news in an ASX market update released this morning.

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Radio host Kyle Sandilands leaves  is home in, Vaucluse, 17 March 2026. Image 2

Sandilands' legal team is arguing that ARN's claim he committed "serious misconduct" during an on-air bust-up with co-host Jackie O Henderson is untrue.

They argue his termination on the grounds of serious misconduct is therefore invalid.

"They allege that there was no act of serious misconduct or breach of contract, and that the termination was unconscionable under the Australian Consumer Law," the statement from ARN reads.

"The applicants seek an order for specific performance of two contracts, payment of whatever amounts are due and payable under the contracts at the time of judgment, and damages."

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Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson

ARN disputes Sandilands' claims and said it intends to defend the proceedings.

It could be a costly legal battle, given that there was believed to be more than $80 million still on Sandilands' 10-year contract.

"Given the early stage of the matter, ARN is unable to reliably estimate the outcome or any potential financial impact," the statement said.

Sandilands announced his contract with ARN had been terminated last Wednesday.

He said in a statement at the time that he planned to take legal action and alleged that the network wanted a way out of the $100 million deal with him.

"They thought they saw a chance to get out of the contract they signed with me a year ago, and they ran with it," Sandilands claimed.

Henderson is also reportedly considering legal action after she was taken off air in February.

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Record Earnings by Major Firms Signal Strength of St. Kitts and Nevis Economy

Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis, March 21, 2025 — The Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis’ sustained focus on economic stability, diversification, and private sector development continues to deliver measurable outcomes, as two of the Federation’s крупней multi-sector corporations—TDC Group and S.L. Horsford & Co. Ltd.—have reported record-breaking revenue and profit performances for 2025. These […]

ECLAC report highlights poverty gaps, modest growth and climate risks in region

SANTIAGO, Mar. 21, CMC – The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has released its 2025 Statistical Yearbook, outlining key trends in the region’s social, economic and environmental landscape. The report shows that multidimensional poverty remains a major challenge, affecting 27.4 percent of the population, with wide disparities among countries. It also […]

Rowley responds to TATT’s notice

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Mar 22, CMC -Former prime minister Dr. Keith Rowley is questioning the impartiality of  the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) and has warned he will respond as he sees “see fit outside of the Parliament” any any slanderous allegation made against by the current Prime Minister Kammla Persad-Bissessar. Last […]