Australians will go to the polls on May 18, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced, adding that voters "now is not the time to turn back" to Labor.
The election will pit Morrison against Bill Shorten, a former labour union leader.
Arthur Stevens reports from Melbourne:
Spanish rescuers search for victims as train crash death toll rises to 69
Rescuers searched through wrecked carriages on Thursday in the desperate hope of finding more survivors of Spain's second deadly high-speed train crash this year, which has so far claimed 69 lives and injured more than 100 people.
At least 6 killed in cyclone off India's eastern coast
At least six people have been killed, and power supply in several areas along India's eastern coast remained disrupted on Thursday, one day after Cyclone Arnab barrelled through the region, bringing heavy rain and gusty winds, officials said.
Russian drone attack on train station kills 13 in Ukraine’s Dnipro
A Russian drone has killed 13 people at the main railway station in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, hitting a platform crowded with people boarding a train, officials said.
Netanyahu set to remain caretaker after inconclusive Israeli election
Benjamin Netanyahu looked set to remain Israel's caretaker prime minister after unexpectedly strong backing among Jewish voters left his opponents' little apparent prospect of unseating him, despite his right-wing bloc losing its parliamentary majority.
At least 68 people killed in Spain after two high-speed trains collide
At least 68 people died when two Spanish high-speed trains collided on Wednesday, with rescuers scouring the wreckage for more bodies after Spain's second deadly rail accident this year and Europe's deadliest since 2013.
