Australia news as it happened: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested over links to Epstein; Trump says decision on bombing Iran to be made within 10 days

Thanks for reading the national news blog. This is where we’ll end today’s coverage.

To conclude, here’s a look back at the day’s major stories:

• Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor – formerly Prince Andrew – was arrested last night over suspicion of misconduct while in public office. He was held in police custody for 11 hours, years after the revelations of his ties to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and the publication of the notorious photograph showing him with his hand on the waist of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who accused him of sexual assault. He is yet to be charged.
• Australian politicians reacted to the historic arrest, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese describing it as an “extraordinary fall from grace”, and Opposition Leader Angus Taylor saying, “He needs to stand before law enforcement and the courts in the UK, and that’s absolutely appropriate.”
• The Australian Federal Police say they have “received reports of a crime” related to One Nation leader Pauline Hanson’s anti-Muslim comments earlier this week.
• Senior Labor minister Tanya Plibersek delivered some of the strongest criticism yet of the women who took their children to the Middle East during the rise of Islamic State, accusing them of “child abuse”.
• And, in further world news, US President Donald Trump says he will likely decide whether to launch strikes against Iran in the next 10 days, as he continues the biggest American military build-up in the Middle East since the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
• Epstein’s estate and its two co-executors have agreed to pay as much as $US35 million ($50 million) to resolve outstanding legal claims of his victims who haven’t already reached settlements.

Thanks again for joining us. This is Cassandra Morgan, signing off.

A bushfire which began in Victoria overnight has escalated to the highest threat level, with nearby residents told to flee their homes.

The bushfire at Gaffneys Creek, in Victoria’s forested east about 42 kilometres south of Jamieson, reached “emergency level” late last hour, and people nearby are being told to leave early, as it is the safest option before it becomes more dangerous.

The bushfire is travelling from Gaffney’s Creek in a south-easterly direction towards the German Spur Track.

Earlier this week, another bushfire at Trawool in central Victoria also threatened homes.

Since Victoria’s fire season began last October, more than 436,200 hectares of land have been burnt, a man has died, and almost 1600 buildings have been destroyed.

The Australian Federal Police say they have “received reports of a crime” related to One Nation leader Pauline Hanson’s anti-Muslim comments earlier this week.

An AFP spokesperson said they were “aware of comments made during a media interview earlier this week”, and had “received reports of crime in relation to this matter”.

In an interview on Wednesday, Hanson singled out Lakemba in Sydney’s south west as a suburb where she felt unsafe and unwelcome, having suggested on Monday there were no “good Muslims”, and that “they hate Westerners”.

It’s unclear if the One Nation leader’s comments would constitute a crime, but the AFP spokesperson said that “further comment will be made at an appropriate time”.

Hanson was criticised by opponents from across the political spectrum this week, as the prime minister, opposition leader and members of the Greens and Nationals all slammed her comments.