A Gaza disarmament deal is announced; Australia sends aerial firefighting support to Europe, and in sport; Australia charges into the Commonwealth Games track finals.
TRANSCRIPT
In this bulletin,
- A Gaza disarmament deal is announced
- Australia sends aerial firefighting support to Europe
- Australia charges into the Commonwealth Games track finals
US President Donald Trump says his Board of Peace has reached what he calls a historic agreement for the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza.
He says the plan would be carried out in phases, with Israeli forces withdrawing as disarmament progresses.
An international stabilisation force would then work alongside a new Palestinian police service to take responsibility for security and prepare for reconstruction.
There has been no immediate confirmation of the agreement from Hamas or Israeli officials.
—
Australia is sending aerial firefighting assets and teams to Europe as France, Spain and Greece battle major wildfires.
Specialist aircraft, including a helicopter with an 11,300-litre water tank will be deployed, accompanied by 24 crew from the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS).
Meanwhile, Spain is facing new threats as intense heat, dry vegetation and powerful winds keep much of southern Europe on alert.
General Secretary of the Farmers' and Livestock Breeders local Union, Carles Peris says the fire has completely destroyed an avocado orchard in eastern Spain town, Nules, which will have a serious economic impact.
Valencian to English "We are talking about a fire that has affected almost 10,000 hectares. In terms of agricultural land, I would estimate that between 5 and 10 percent of the affected area is farmland, as the entire area along the perimeter of the fire has been impacted."
(Earlier, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez downgraded the emergency level for a major fire on the border between Madrid and Castilla y Leon, but warned the danger is still present.)
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The Federal Government is proposing to expand marine parks around Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands, in a bid to conserve more ocean wildlife from fishing and other commerical activity, including drilling.
The proposal would also see protections in the parks lifted to 'highly protected' status, which would mean no seabed mining, no fishing, no windfarms or other energy resource activity.
Minister for the Environment and Water, Murray Watt has promised by 2030 that 30 per cent of Australian waters would be highly protected, up from 24 per cent to protect rare and endangered species.
"But it is also really important for the longterm survival of those coastal communities, to the tourism industry and indeed to the fishing industry which requires sustainable, longterm species to be able to survive well into the future."
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Thousands of people are gathering in remote northeast Arnhem Land for the Garma Festival, Australia's largest Indigenous cultural gathering.
The annual festival is famous for facilitating conversations about Indigenous affairs and spectacular displays of song, dance, culture and art.
Alongside the influential Key Forum, a four-day Youth Forum will bring together children from schools across Australia with local and regional schools.
Wurundjeri and Ngurai Illum Wurrung woman Sue-Anne Hunter is the National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People.
She spoke with NITV about the Garma youth forum.
"I've been in contact with them, and I've been invited in, so I'm very excited, you know. And they said, "Is there any questions you wanna ask?" And I'm like, "No, I want you to tell me. I don't think it's my agenda. I wanna hear what you've got going on." And I know last year there was a great outcome. I just wanna get in there with the youth, listen to them, 'cause that'll help me shape... We're only a year old in this commission. That'll help me shape the future of where we go with the commission."
—
In football,
Socceroos legend and human rights advocate, Craig Foster, has backed European football's (UEFA) decision to boycott future World Cups if the body accepts private venture funding.
UEFA's proposed boycott follows FIFA President Gianni Infantino's announcement he planned to accept venture capital to help expand the sport.
In a social media post, Foster said such boycotts are critical in stopping FIFA from accepting private funding in the short term, urging other Confederations to follow suit.
Foster says any Federation or Confederation willing to allow this [[the move]] to occur is irreparably broken, and the fans should ensure that domestic reform occurs.
He says it should be both the end of FIFA boss Gianni Infantino's Presidency, and the trigger for FIFA's governance reform.
(All 41 member associations from Concacaf [[Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football]] have also joined UEFA in rejecting FIFA's plan.)
—
To sport,
Australia's Lachie Kennedy and Torrie Lewis have both qualified for the 200 metres finals at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Kennedy progressed after clocking 20.12 seconds, while Lewis secured an automatic place in the women’s final.
Australia will also have three runners in the men’s 800 metres final, with Peter Bol, Luke Boyes and Peyton Craig all advancing.
Craig says he was relieved to find a late opening in his semi-final.
"Yeah look with 200 hundred to go I was in a pretty good spot but I found myself on the rail and sometimes it doesn't quite open up and it only just opened up towards the end so I'm pretty lucky - but yeah look I put myself in it and gave myself every chance so I'm stoked to be through to my first comm game final."
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