The United States has just imposed sanctions on Syria's president and six of his top aides. It's the first time President Bashar al-Assad has been specifically targeted. US President Barack Obama says Syria must stop the violence and begin a transition to democracy. 

 

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen is denying there's any misunderstanding with Malaysia over that asylum seeker deal. The country's home affairs minister has told a local newspaper that Malaysia won't accept any asylum seekers from Australia until that deal is finalised.  But Mr Bowen insists recent arrivals are part of those negotiations. 

 

An inquest into December's asylum seeker boat tragedy off Christmas Island has heard harrowing triple-0 emergency calls from a man on board the doomed boat just minutes before it crashed into rocks. The man became increasingly distressed as he tried to make himself understood. Other passengers, including children, could be heard screaming in the background. 

 

And the Queen has arrived at Dublin Castle for a banquet where she'll deliver the only public speech of her Irish trip. Earlier, she visited Croke Park sports stadium where British troops killed 14 people 91 years ago. The Queen also laid a wreath at Ireland's War Memorial to honour the 50,000 Irish soldiers killed in World War I.