Bigger US military presence flagged on Australian soil | ABC News Top Stories

The US has declared it will accelerate its military presence in Australia, following a meeting between Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles and his US counterpart Pete Hegseth in Washington DC. Any expansion would come on top of the existing US presence in Australia, including US Marine rotations through Darwin and the creation of Submarine Rotational Force - West in WA. The Acting New South Wales Premier has hit back at state opposition claims that government has lost control of crime, after the suspected mistaken identity murders of two men in Sydney this week. A man in his forties was shot yesterday at a house in Merrylands West while university student Marco Tapia was killed earlier this week in his Glen Alpine home. And the Sydney Swans' five exiled players will remain stood down until the end of the AFL season, regardless of how an ongoing police investigation into sexual assault  allegations unfolds. The ABC understands Riley Bice is not being investigated Victoria Police while Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, James Jordan and Nick Blakey have all been spoken to by Sexual Crimes Squad Detectives. No-one has been arrested and no charges have been laid. The police investigation is separate to the club-ordered suspensions. Press the 'Follow' or '+' button on this show page to add us to your playlist, so you never miss an episode. For more news, politics and current affairs podcasts go to ABC listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices