The Australian government says it's working to bring home 77 Australians trapped in Gaza; The Prime Minister touches down in Maryland for his United States visit; A dog attack puts acting Australian captain Alyssa Healy on the bench.
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TRANSCRIPT
- The Australian government says it's working to bring home 77 Australians trapped in Gaza
- The Prime Minister touches down in Maryland for his United States visit
- A dog attack puts acting Australian captain Alyssa Healy on the bench
Defence Minister Richard Marles says the federal government is working closely with the international community to help bring the 77 Australians trapped in the Gaza Strip back home.
Gaza's Health Ministry says at least 4,651 people have died in the region due to an air bombardment by the Israeli military, which follows an October 7 attack by Hamas militants which killed 1,400 people in Israel.
The Red Crescent Society also warns that an imminent Israeli ground offensive into Gaza also threatens to make the region more dangerous for civilians.
Mr Marles has encouraged people still in the area to move to the southern border with Egypt in case a humanitarian corridor is able to be opened.
"Look, we're working very closely with them, obviously they're in a very difficult situation. We're working closely with the international community about establishing a humanitarian corridor. And we obviously encourage those people to move south, in accordance with the warnings that Israel have put in place."
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will push for progress on Australia's acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines when he meets United States President Joe Biden.
The prime minister landed in Maryland this afternoon and was greeted on the tarmac by Australia's ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd and the US ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy.
Speaking after his arrival in Washington DC, Mr Albanese has said working together in the Indo-Pacific, the clean energy transition, and critical minerals were top of the agenda.
"The relationship between Australia and the United States is so important and today's turbulent world, it is a relationship that provides security, stability, based upon our common values and our position as great democratic nations, working together to promote those values throughout the Indo-Pacific and throughout the world."
Mr Albanese has resisted repeated pressure from the Opposition to visit Tel Aviv while overseas, saying he has no plans to meet with his Israeli counterpart.
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The Chair of the Women's Economic Equality Taskforce, Sam Austin, says women need to be recognised for their essential and specific role in the Australian economy and community.
The taskforce has delivered its final report today , making 7 recommendations as part of a 10-year plan to reduce gender inequality in Australia.
It found the economic inequality between men and women costs the economy $128 billion a year.
The report calls for universal childcare to be established, and for the current parental leave scheme to be extended to 52 weeks and cover super payments for parents on leave.
Ms Austin says the taskforce consulted with thousands of women, both individually and in groups.
"And we heard the same thing over and over, it was that women are exhausted at having to make this argument, to be considered an essential part of an economy. We're 50 per cent of this economy and of this community and yet we're the last to be thought of when it comes to our impact on the economy more generally. And it's for that reason that policies designed in the general don't pick up the specific issues for women, which we've identified in our report."
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A dog attack has forced Australia's acting captain and wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy to the sidelines as she deals with an injury to her hand.
Healy was a late withdrawal from her Sydney Sixers team on Sunday ahead of their 42-run defeat to Sydney Thunder in the Women's Big Bash League.
Ms Healy says she had intervened when her two puppies were playing and her index finger got "a battering".
"That's basically the extent of it, there doesn't really need to be more detail than that. It was quite gory, so, we don't need to know. But I guess the positive side of it is that the surgery all went well and yeah - I got a few appointments this week just to work out what exactly the prognosis is but I'll hopefully know more by the end of the week."
Cricket Australia's website says she is doubt for the rest of the WBBL season.
