Besieged Palestinian families told to leave their West Bank homes ; The report into the government's proposed NDIS reforms is out today; And in sport, The Confederation of African Football says only elections can decide Gianni Infantino's future as FIFA president.
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TRANSCRIPT:
- Besieged Palestinian families told to leave their West Bank homes
- The report into the government's proposed NDIS reforms is out today
- The Confederation of African Football says only elections can decide Gianni Infantino's future as FIFA president
Multiple Palestinian households in a village in the occupied West Bank have been told to leave their properties during an Israeli military operation to remove Israeli settlers.
Families in the town of Qusra say settlers have surrounded homes, cutting electricity and water and preventing residents from safely leaving.
The siege began over the weekend, with the mayor of Qusra, Abed Al Athem Wadi, saying Israeli troops are still holding positions in at least three homes.
Loui Ridi, a Palestinian-American based in Ohio whose brother is among those under siege, says he feels helpless.
"There is a lot of fear of my brother and his son being alone in their house with no food , no supplies , and the settlers walking freely around the house . If they're able to attack the IDF , imagine how easy they can attack my brother and his son . And they know they're alone , and they've done it, they've done it multiple times. They throw rocks and jumping in the fence and in the yard, and they've been doing it, and it's, it's a lot of fear ."
In a statement, the Israeli military says they had deployed soldiers in Qusra to protect residents and maintain security.
An Israeli government spokesman has condemned the action of the settlers as "deplorable" and "unacceptable" - and says the government would investigate and arrest those responsible.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has criticised the days-long siege, calling it quote, "a horrific act of terror".
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The final Senate report on proposed reforms to the National Disability Insurance Scheme is due to be released at Parliament today [[FRI]].
Aimed at cracking down on fraud and spending, the Federal Government's reforms would slash NDIS spending and participation, which advocates warn could have significant consequences.
The cuts will remove around 160,000 participants from the scheme and slash around $37.8 billion from the program over four years.
The government says the cuts are necessary if the scheme is to remain sustainable but Green Senator Jordan Steele-John says the deal hammered out between Labour and the Coalition will be disastrous.
"This will cost thousands of jobs, put disabled people at risk, cause material harm to the life and safety of disabled people across the country."
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Thousands of students gathered in major cities around the nation yesterday, rallying against the political messaging and agenda of the One Nation party.
Crowds gathered at the Australian National University in Canberra, hearing counter-points to anti-migrant sentiment shared by Senator and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson.
ANU Student Union welfare officer, Leila Clarke, says the rise of One Nation is a terrifying reality, citing recent polls in which the party has grown its share of supporters.
"One Nation is polling at 26 per cent nationally. That means one in four Australians that are considering voting for a party built on division, fear and misinformation. We are living with one nation supporters, we are sitting in tutorials with one nation supporters and we could have family who are one nation supporters."
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One Nation Senator Barnaby Joyce has condemned student-led protests against the party, accusing what he says is a socialist, left-leaning movement of attempting to dictate people's views.
Senator Joyce tells Sky News protest organisers were spreading misinformation about the party's policies, which he said are yet to be finalised.
The former Deputy Prime Minister defended the party for having not yet provided detailed policies to the Parliamentary Budgetary Officer for costing, which it is obliged to do as a major party.
"As we get the policies we will put them to the PBO but I am also saying we have to devise the policies, we have to write the policies up, but we are doing that with vastly fewer resources than any of the other political parties. That is a fact, that is a fact. Now, if they want to spread the resources out a bit wider than we have the capacity to get things out to the PBO a lot quicker."
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And to sport, the Confederation of African Football says it backs FIFA President Gianni Infantino - and they say his future should only be decided by elections.
Europe's governing body UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and CONCACAF, which oversees football in the Caribbean, North and Central America, have accused Infantino of "deception" over his now abandoned plan to sell off stakes in the men's World Cup to private investors.
It is understood the three organisations want to give Infantino the chance to resign and leave his position with dignity, without seeking re-election in March next year.
But Confederation of African Football President Patrice Motsepe says if critics want Infantino removed from his role, they must follow procedure and go through the ballot box.
