A landmark Gaza disarmament deal faces its first major test; Spotlight on Indigenous child safety at the Garma Festival; Oliver Bleddyn breaks the Commonwealth Games record to win cycling gold.
Listen to Australian and world news and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts.
TRANSCRIPT
- A landmark Gaza disarmament deal faces its first major test.
- Spotlight on Indigenous child safety at the Garma Festival.
- Oliver Bleddyn breaks the Commonwealth Games record to win cycling gold.
A proposed Gaza disarmament deal is facing immediate questions over whether Israel and Hamas will carry it out.
The plan would see Hamas surrender its weapons as Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza in stages.
But Israel says there will be no withdrawal without genuine disarmament, while Hamas says Israel must first commit to pulling its troops out.
Israel has not formally endorsed the agreement, despite US President Donald Trump saying it is very happy with the plan.
"It's a great breakthrough that nobody's ever thought would be possible to disarm Hamas. That shows you how much success we are having with Iran, because if you went four months ago, five months ago, a deal like that would have been impossible. So, it's a big step for the Middle East, and people are really impressed by it. And they're surprised by it."
++++++
The number of confirmed H5 bird flu cases has jumped from 33 to 52 in less than 24 hours.
Australian Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Beth Cookson, says testing from the C-S-I-R-O has confirmed the presence of H5 bird flu in 19 greater crested terns from several locations along South Australia's southeast coast and Kangaroo Island.
Local transmission of the variant among the native bird population has been confirmed in South Australia this week.
The C-S-I-R-O is also testing for the presence of H5 bird flu in a seagull found at Robe in the southeast of South Australia.
Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt says it is reasonable to expect the number of cases will rise.
"We have been the last continent in the world to have bird flu reach our shores. And what that has meant is that it has given us time to work with industry, environment groups and the general community to make sure that we are well-prepared. We have invested as a government around $113 million already in preparedness activities. You know, it is a serious matter both for our wildlife and more generally. It is important to recognise that there have been no mass mortalities at this point reported. And also there has been no reported impact on our poultry industry."
++++++
The National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children says she is looking forward to hearing from First Nations youths at the Garma Festival about solutions on child safety.
The issue has been brought into the spotlight with the policies enacted in the Northern Territory and also the latest Closing the Gap report this week, which shows worsening outcomes in child protection and youth justice.
[[The Productivity Commission’s annual update shows the targets on developmental readiness for school, out-of-home-care, and youth detention are stagnating or stalling.]]
Sue-Anne Hunter has told NITV News, as the inaugural commissioner, it is an honour to be invited to attend the Youth Forum at Garma.
"The system does not listen to our children and we need to focus. I sit around tables all the time where people say this is what children want and when you ask them - have they asked the children? No. That is what adults want. If we go in. Part of my role now is to go in and ask the children. And they always say, I want to feel safe. It is that simple. They do not feel safe."
++++++
A parliamentary inquiry has heard from community leaders from Thursday Island in the Torres Strait about the impacts of racism, hate and violence directed at First Nations peoples.
Patrick Mooka, deputy chair of the Torres Strait Regional Authority, says the remote location shapes the lives of local residents, but that should not block opportunities or life outcomes.
"Racism is not only individual acts. We feel it is the systems, policies and funding models that fail our islands, communities and ignore our people. I will give you one example, when the season is on, all the islanders go out and fish. And we heavily regulated, but when the illegal fishers happen, I see no compliance. I see that as a form of racism. When the issue gets pushed up to the right authorities, it gets passed around - and nothing even gets done about it."
The inquiry is due to hear from witnesses in Hobart and Melbourne next week.
++++++
Australia has swept the medals in the men’s four-thousand-metre individual pursuit at the Commonwealth Games.
Oliver Bleddyn won gold, beating teammate Conor Leahy by almost four seconds, with James Moriarty taking bronze.
Bleddyn’s time of four minutes 3.898 seconds was a Games record and also broke Leahy’s Australian record.
It was the first time Bleddyn had beaten his Olympic teammate in the individual pursuit.
"Yeah I knew it would be really tough against Conner I've been in that situation a few times with him in the final and he's actually smoked me so I knew it was going to take everything I had and a little bit more and yeah I just kind of followed my own process and yeah run a good race and managed to get the better of them."
For the latest from SBS News, download our app and subscribe to our newsletter.
