Controversy as Australia's Prime Minister heads to the US for the United Nations general assembly; Fiji declares a national HIV emergency; And in sport, Australian netballer Sarah Klau suspended after being pleading guilty to assault.
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TRANSCRIPT
- Controversy as Australia's Prime Minister heads to the US for the United Nations General Assembly
- Fiji declares a national HIV emergency
- Australian netballer Sarah Klau suspended after being pleading guilty to assault
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is heading to the United States for the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
During his week long trip, Mr Albanese will meet with former Apple chief executive Tim Cook to discuss parental control measures being rolled out, almost a year on from Australia's world-first social media ban for under 16s.
Other world leaders are also making preparations for the trip - except for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other officials, who have been denied visas by US authorities.
Palestinian Foreign Ministry deputy minister, Omar Awadallah, says officials are working with the international community to pressure Washington to reverse the ruling.
"We reject this decision, especially that they are in violation of the host country agreement with the United Nations. The State of Palestine and the Palestinian leadership are going to New York to the General Assembly. No one is going as a tourist or a visit to the United States, so we believe trying to silence the Palestinian leadership, the Palestinian leadership that is seeking to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the Arab-Israeli conflict, is something unacceptable."
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The federal government is defending its major migration crackdown, which tightens rules for international students and backpackers, targets visa over-stayers and visa hopping, and prioritises skilled workers in key industries.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke says he rejects the argument that blocking most international students from bringing family members to Australia will make the country less attractive as a study destination.
"It's actually not for the very simple reason that at the moment we have more students wanting to study in Australia than we have places whereas for skilled workers everyone who an employer can find they take."
The government is targeting net overseas migration of 245,000 this financial year and 225,000 the following year.
Shadow Home Affairs and Immigration Minister Jonno Duniam says that's still too high.
"Two hundred and forty five thousand (245,000) NOM which is projected by this government for the year 2027-28 is still above the long term average pre-COVID, we're still not building enough homes and the system is clearly not working so there's more work to do, happy to work with government but we'd like them to come to the table with some of the things that we've been asking for."
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At least 20 people, including several children, have been killed in the collapse of a residential block in Gaza City.
Around 100 people were inside the six-storey building, which Gaza's Civil Defence says had previously been damaged in the war and was being used to shelter displaced families.
Israel denies ever hitting it during the war.
Authorities say more than 2,000 other damaged buildings across Gaza could also be at risk of collapse.
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The Aboriginal Legal Service is renewing calls for independent police oversight in the ACT, after an internal investigation into the mistaken arrest of an Aboriginal boy.
The child was pulled from a Canberra bus at gunpoint by police who were searching for someone else.
The Australian Federal Police Professional Standards Unit has found racial discrimination did not influence the officers' decision to arrest him.
But the Aboriginal Legal Service says police should not investigate complaints against their own officers, pointing to an ACT Ombudsman finding that unconscious bias may have played a role.
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Fiji has declared a national health emergency as the number of HIV cases in the country surges.
Authorities say new HIV diagnoses rose to just over 2000 [[2,016]] cases in 2025, which means an estimated one in 60 adults in Fiji have HIV - including two in every 100 pregnant women.
UNAIDS says for HIV cases with a known mode of transmission, more than half are linked to sexual transmission and more than 42 percent to injecting drug use.
Health Minister Atonio Lalabalavu says the government is expanding access to free testing, prevention services and treatment.
"We want people to seek testing and care with confidence. No-one should be ashamed or threatened or excluded because of their HIV status. Recognising the seriousness of the epidemic allows us to respond openly and responsibly."
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European Parliament President Roberta Metsola says Australia and New Zealand could follow Canada in pursuing a new form of associate membership with the European Union.
Ms Metsola has told Euronews that the arrangement has yet to be defined, but could involve deeper trade ties, access to critical raw materials and closer cooperation on regulation.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed Canada become the first associate member, as Ottawa seeks to diversify its global partnerships amid trade tensions with the United States.
Ms Metsola has rejected suggestions the initiative was directed against Washington, saying the EU wanted to deepen cooperation with like-minded partners.
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To sport, Australian netballer Sarah Klau has been fined and suspended for two games after pleading guilty to assault.
The 31-year-old had admitted kicking a security guard outside a Sydney pub in June.
Netball Australia has penalised the Diamonds and NSW Swifts defender to the tune of $5,000, with the game ban to hang over her for 12 months.
Klau remains eligible for selection in Australia's squad for next month's Constellation Cup against New Zealand.
