TRANSCRIPT
- Disgraced former minister sentenced with five years and nine months in prison for sexual abuse
- Sudanese Australians concerned for family overseas
- In sport,International Rugby League rules out changes to eligibility rules
A disgraced former minister will spend years behind bars after facing court for the sexual abuse of two young male victims over a decade ago.
Former Kiama state M-P Gareth Ward was found guilty of sexual intercourse without consent and three indecent assaults in July following a New South Wales District Court trial.
Judge Kara Shead has imposed a maximum sentence of five years and nine months in prison, saying the 44-year-old's acts were deliberate and predatory,
During his sentencing at Parramatta District Court, Judge shead he was aware that one of his victims - a 24-year-old man - had voiced his non-consent.
His non-parole period of three years and nine months will expire on April 29, 2029.
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A Sudanese Australian man says his cousin is now being held hostage in Sudan after the latest reports of mass killings and destruction.
The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces seized control of the city of Al-Fashir earlier this week, with the Sudanese government saying at least 2000 residents were killed by militants.
Satellite evidence from the Yale Humanitarian Lab has led researchers to estimate the real death toll could be in the tens of thousands.
In Canberra, Abdullah tells SBS he received a call from his cousin in Al-Fasher on Monday, but was surprised to hear a militant on the other end of the line with an ultimatum.
"I spoke to them, and they told me that your cousins are in our custody. They said we are the ones who have your cousins. If you don't pay the money by tomorrow, Tuesday, you will never see them again."
The men demanded a $127-thousand ransom payment but the call ended abruptly with no further negotiations possible.
Abdullah now waits by the phone for news.
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Opposition leader Sussan Ley has highlighted the Coalitions concerns over energy prices at the Tomago Aluminium smelter in New South Wales.
The smelter is majority-owned by Rio Tinto, which says high energy costs have forced it to consider ending operations when its current electricity supply contracts expire in 2028.
State and federal governments have reportedly offered a bailout worth more than $1 billion, but Ms Ley says the energy mix itself must also be reconsidered.
"When you look around the globe, the cost of energy is what is closing smelters down and affordable, reliable base load power is keeping them open. And when you look around the globe and you see the contrast, you know that something does need to change here in Australia, because if energy is unaffordable, we cannot have smelters, manufacturing. We cannot take advantage of what should be cheap, reliable base load power in this country to power our manufacturing future. "
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Londoners have largely welcomed Britain's King Charles stripping his younger brother Andrew of his title of prince and forcing him out of his Windsor home over alleged ties with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The posthumous memoir of Virginia Giuffre has squarely pointed the finger at the now former prince, accusing him of sexually abusing her when she was 17 after she was sex-trafficked by Epstein.
Andrew, the younger brother of Charles and second son of the late Queen Elizabeth, has come under mounting pressure and was forced to stop using his title of Duke of York earlier this month.
Charles has now escalated his actions against Andrew by stripping him of all his titles, leaving him to be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor
These Londoners say it's not at all surprising.
"I think we all saw it coming to be honest. Prince Harry got kicked out for marrying an American woman. This is way worse. This is way way worse."
"It's a disgrace. I'll be completely honest, is representing the country and he is meant to be the face of England. Is this what we represent? Is this what the people represent? No, it's a disgrace. So I'm happy he's got stripped of his titles, his royal titles as well. He should be kicked out of country because these guys live off us."
1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.
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More people are dying from flu than COVID-19 in Australia in a disturbing turning point for the nation's health.
In August 2025, 265 people in Australia died from or with influenza compared to just 195 deaths associated with COVID-19, according to official data released on Thursday.
Declining vaccination rates and complacency about a virus previously feared are all contributing to the rise in mortality from influenza.
The figures have prompted one of the country's top doctors to urge people to be vigilant against rising vaccine complacency, saying it was a wake-up call.
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International Rugby League boss Troy Grant has ruled out any changes to eligibility rules, adamant the current setup has helped put the global game in its best ever state.
One year out from the 2026 World Cup, international rugby league is riding on a high after more than 120,000 people turned out for Test matches globally last weekend.
Next year's tournament looms as the most anticipated in history, but the growth has also come amid calls for changes to eligibility rules, with the likes of Wayne Bennett leading discussions to stop players swapping between nations.
Players are currently free to change the country they represent each year, with the exception of switching between tier-one nations Australia, New Zealand and England.
