CANBERRA: Energy Minister, Chris Bowen, has set two new world running records when abruptly leaving a news conference in Canberra this morning. (main picture)

Video of the incident shows Mr Bowen initially broke US sprinter Usain Bolt’s record of 9.58 seconds over 100 metres by 0.05 seconds after deciding against answering a question about what Australia would do if President Donald Trump made good on his latest threats and used the US military to forcibly withhold oil shipped through the Strait of Hormuz from allies such as the UK, France, Australia, and others who have not joined his and Israel’s war against Iran.

He maintained the new record time of 9.53 second time for well over 100 metres and set an even lower time after being asked a follow-up question on the Albanese Government’s moves to halve federal fuel taxes to soften rising petrol and diesel prices.

A reporter trying valiantly to keep up with Mr Bowen asked about the caution he had given to motorists not to expect immediate price drops at the fuel pump because retailers needed to first sell the supplies currently in service station underground tanks that had been bought at the higher price including the full excise.

“How come the reverse of that argument has never applied before the current crisis when fuel companies have shifted prices up and down several times a week and even several times a day and blaming movements in world fuel pricing?” the reported had asked.

The video footage reveals Mr Bowen speeding up and shaving a further 0.03 seconds off his own world record to set a new time of 9.5 seconds.

When last seen Mr Bowen was still running and had reached the outskirts of Canberra where observers said he might well have set a new world marathon record too.

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TEL AVIV: The Netanyahu Government says it will amend its recently passed laws that single out Palestinians for capital punishment.

Israel’s far right-wing Minister for National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, (below) said while he rejected criticisms of the law he would now move to amend it.

“I reject claims that the law is unconstitutional,” Mr Ben-Gvir said. “It is perfectly in line with the standards set by the Netanyahu Government and Israel’s constitution.

“Nevertheless, to head off criticisms and any court challenges I will amend the law to make capital punishment contingent on Palestinians actually committing an offence…. any offence.”

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NEW YORK: The General-Secretary of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, says he doesn’t know “how much more trauma the world can take” from multiple disasters afflicting the world.

At a speech to the UN General Assembly, an emotional Mr Guterres listed multiple conflicts in the Middle East, the Russia-Ukraine war, various civil wars on the African continent, and the ongoing tragedies of refugee movements all such events had caused.

While he was saying that the world population had only a limited ability to deal with multiple tragedies an aide passed him a note and, after reading it, the UN chief completely broke down and left the podium muttering through tears that it was “all too much”.

Mr Guterres office later explained that the note had advised him that Canadian entertainer Celine Dion had announced her return to the stage in a planned series of concerts in Paris.

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