US officials say two Blackhawk helicopters involved in the search effort for a downed American fighter jet were hit by Iranian fire but managed to escape and land safely. A number of the crew were reportedly wounded by the small arms fire. It comes after Iran claimed to have shot down two US aircraft, an F-15 Strike Eagle and an A-10 Warthog. One of the crew members from the F-15 has been rescued, while the pilot of the A-10 – which was involved in the search and rescue effort – managed to eject over the Gulf and has been recovered.
More than 50 fuel shipments are on their way to Australia, as the federal government moves to shore up supply amid a global energy crisis. Energy minister Chris Bowen says 53 ships carrying 3.7 billion litres of fuel are expected to arrive this month, after talks with international suppliers. However, freight operators say delays and cancellations remain a real risk – warning the shipments won’t cover a full month of national demand.
Australian children can now have a nasal spray vaccine for influenza – rather than an injection. The needle-free influenza vaccine is now available for children and teenagers aged from two to 17 years old. Health authorities hope the spray vaccine will boost the number of children vaccinated this flu season.
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