And today has been declared a national day of mourning for the victims of the Malaysian plane shot down in Ukraine. The country's leaders will join the families and friends of the victims at a memorial service in Melbourne this morning. Victoria's premier Denis Napthine told us a short time ago it's a chance for the nation to unite in grief. 

 

We want to say that all Australians and all Victorians put their arms around them and want to work with them through this very, very difficult grieving process. 

 

And at the site of the plane disaster the search for more victims has now been stopped. The Dutch Prime Minister says fighting in the area is posing too great a risk to the recovery team. 

 

Meanwhile Russia's president Vladimir Putin has now announced his own sanctions against those countries who imposed sanctions on Russia over the crisis in Ukraine. 

 

Court documents have revealed the father at the center of the baby Gammy surrogacy controversy has been convicted of more than 20 child sex offences. In Thailand the agent who brokered the deal now claims the couple originally offered to take home baby Gammy who has Down's syndrome. 

 

Israel has agreed to extend the three-day ceasefire in Gaza. Indirect peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian representatives are taking place in the Egyptian capital Cairo. In the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has made an emotional plea for peace.