The Prime Minister confirms Australia will not support South Africa's genocide case against Israel, The Chinese ambassador says China is not pleased with congratulatory messages towards Taiwan's new president, and World-number-six Ons Jabeur falls victim to the first major upset of this year's Australian Open.
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TRANSCRIPT
- The Prime Minister confirms Australia will not support South Africa's genocide case against Israel.
- The Chinese ambassador says China is not pleased with congratulatory messages towards Taiwan's new president.
- And in tennis, world-number-six Ons Jabeur falls victim to the first major upset of this year's Australian Open.
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has reiterated Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong's position that Australia has no intention of supporting South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
There have been calls for the federal government to join countries such as Malaysia, Brazil and Turkiye in support of the South African case by multiple parties including the Palestinian Ambassador to Australia.
South Africa has accused Israel of committing acts of genocide against the Palestinian people in their war in Gaza, which has taken the lives of over 24,000 Gazans according to local health authorities.
But Mr Albanese says this is a matter for the South Africans and there are several points of the case that the government does not agree with.
"No, well we're not participants in this. This is actions of South Africa, taking action at the ICJ. The foreign minister made clear Australia's position. That doesn't mean that we agree with some of the assumptions that are there in the South African case, at all. It means that we respect the independence of the ICJ and the role that they are playing."
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The Chinese ambassador to Australia says he plans to have discussions with Australian officials due to their congratulatory message towards Taiwan's new president following their elections.
The Taiwanese re-elected the Democratic Progressive Party, with former vice-president William Lai as their new leader, a move that doesn't sit well with Beijing due to Mr Lai's rejection of China's claim over Taiwan.
Ambassador Xiao Qian says Australia should not interfere with Chinese internal affairs.
"We are strongly opposed to such a statement. A statement by a government on China's local providential elections. We will continue to talk and share our views with our Australian colleagues. Actually, I'm now seeking an opportunity to talk to my Australian colleagues in the DFAT in the coming days."
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French President Emmanuel Macron has announced the provision of further military support to Ukraine.
During a live press conference, Mr Macron outlined his government's plans to deliver more long-range cruise missiles and bombs to Kyiv to aid them in their attempt to fend off the Russian military.
The French President has told journalists at the Elysee Palace that he plans to visit Ukraine sometime in February.
"We are going to make new deliveries - about 40 Scalp missiles and several hundred bombs that our Ukrainian friends are expecting. We've also ramped up production within this war economy to enable us to provide much more equipment to our Ukrainian partners, including Caesar trucks (artillery trucks) that are expected and much needed."
President Macron has also said that his country will not be joining the US-led efforts in attacking the Houthi militants in the Red Sea, as his country is seeking to ease tensions in the Middle East.
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In tennis,
Women's world-number-six Ons Jabeur has fallen victim to the first major upset at this year's Australian Open.
The Tunisian never really showed up in her match against 16-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva, who won their match 6-0 6-2 in less than an hour of play and secured her place in the third round.
Andreeva, who earned the respect of the Melbourne crowd with her performance, says she is proud of her accomplishment against one of her idols.
"Before I started to play on a WTA tour, I always watched her (Jabeur) matches and I was always so inspired by the way she plays and now I had a chance to play against her and honestly in the first set I showed amazing tennis. I honestly didn't expect that from myself and it's..."
In the third round, the 16-year-old is set to face the winner of the Kamilla Rakhimova-Diane Parry match up.
