Australia news LIVE: PM arrives in South Africa for G20 summit; NSW Liberals meet to decide new leader after Speakman resigns; Fatigue cracks found in cargo plane that crashed and killed 14

Fatigue cracks and evidence of stress failures were found in key parts of a cargo plane that lost an engine and crashed on take-off in the US state of Kentucky earlier this month, killing 14 people.

In a preliminary report, the US National Transportation Safety Board said it found the evidence in mechanical structures that attached the left engine to the underside of the wing of the aircraft.

New images from an airport surveillance camera, released by the NTSB overnight, show the left engine and pylon separated from the wing just as the plane began to lift off from the runway in Louisville.

The left engine is seen to detach, catch fire and propel through the air as the wing also ignited, and the plane struggled to climb. It never made it higher than 30 feet above ground level, the NTSB said.

Read the full report by North America correspondent Michael Koziol.

The NSW Liberals will vote on a new leader at 9am today, after deposed NSW Liberal leader Mark Speakman endorsed Vaucluse MP Kellie Sloane to replace him, insisting she was the best person to deliver “renewal and regeneration” to the besieged party.

Speakman resigned as opposition leader yesterday afternoon, just hours after vowing he would continue fighting for the leadership and take the Coalition to the March 2027 election.

Vaucluse MP Kellie Sloane and former NSW Liberal leader Mark Speakman.Credit: Sydney Morning Herald

He was finally convinced to quit as leader after factional allies told him he had lost the support of his colleagues. Sloane also told him she believed she was best placed to lead the party.

In a brief statement, Sloane confirmed she would nominate for the leadership at the party room meeting this morning.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has touched down in South Africa this morning for a summit of G20 nations set to be held over the weekend.

US President Donald Trump will not be in attendance and said he would be boycotting the leader’s summit.

Earlier this month, he wrote on Truth Social: “It is a total disgrace that the G20 will be held in South Africa.“

And repeating an unfounded claim he made to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House he said: “Afrikaners [people who are manly descended from Dutch settlers, but also French and German immigrants] are being killed and slaughtered, and their land and farms are being illegally confiscated.”

The G20 is made up of 19 countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union and since 2023, the African Union.

Good morning and welcome to our national news live blog for Friday, November 21. My name is Emily Kaine, and I’ll be helming our coverage this morning. Here’s what is making news today.

• Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has touched down in South Africa this morning for a summit of G20 nations. US President Donald Trump said he would be boycotting the leader’s summit, claiming on Truth Social earlier this month: “It is a total disgrace that the G20 will be held in South Africa. Afrikaners [people who are descended manly from Dutch settlers, but also French and German immigrants] are being killed and slaughtered, and their land and farms are being illegally confiscated.”

• Deposed NSW Liberal leader Mark Speakman has endorsed Vaucluse MP Kellie Sloane to replace him, insisting she is the best person to deliver “renewal and regeneration” to the besieged party. Speakman resigned as opposition leader late yesterday, just hours after vowing he would continue fighting for the leadership and take the Coalition to the March 2027 election. Sloane has confirmed she will nominate for the leadership at a party room meeting which is set to start at about 9am today.

• Fatigue cracks and evidence of stress failures were found in key parts of the cargo plane that lost an engine and crashed on take-off in the US state of Kentucky earlier this month, killing 14 people. In a preliminary report, the US National Transportation Safety Board said it found the evidence in mechanical structures that attached the left engine to the underside of the wing of the aircraft.

• The Ashes will start today, with the first match set to be played between Australia and England at Perth’s Optus Stadium. Crowds are set to surge past last year’s day two Optus Stadium record of 32,368, with day one sold out and day two close behind. The 60,000 seat venue is expected to host a sizeable chunk of the 30,000 English supporters who have travelled for this series.

Stay with us as we continue to bring you rolling news updates throughout the day.