The Federal Opposition questions Penny Wong's call for the recognition of a Palestinian state; Millions of Muslims mark the end of Ramadan; And the Matildas take on Mexico in Texas.
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TRANSCRIPT
In this bulletin,
- The Federal Opposition questions Penny Wong's call for the recognition of a Palestinian state;
- Millions of Muslims mark the end of Ramadan;
- And the Matildas take on Mexico in Texas.
The Federal Opposition has questioned Penny Wong's call for the recognition of a Palestinian state as part of a two-state solution.
Senator Wong says recognition is an important step towards that goal and says a two-state solution is the only hope for long term peace and security for Israel.
But Coalition Senator Simon Birmingham has told the ABC Senator Wong needs to clarify her position.
"These things are easy to say but to be simultaneously urging for a ceasefire that would seem to leave Hamas in place is, of course, not going to achieve the type of outcome or environment that could give you a secure environment for a two-state solution to be negotiated."
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Millions of Muslims across the world are celebrating Eid Al Fitr, known as the festival of breaking the fast to mark the end of Ramadan.
It's known as the holiest month in the Islamic calendar where Muslims fast from dawn to dusk.
In a statement, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said many Muslims in Australia will mark the festival with sorrow due to the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
He says it's a difficult and anxious time for many.
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The Mayor of Alice Springs Mat Paterson wants the extra police that have been deployed in the town to remain beyond the end of the youth curfew.
The curfew has been extended until next Tuesday.
Mayor Paterson has told the ABC the additional police resources need to stay in place.
"We all understand the resourcing is a massive challenge to implement the proactive stuff as need be. Look, quite clearly the levels we have now are the levels that work."
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An expert in environment and climate change law says a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights that found Switzerland's government violated the right of its citizens because of climate change inaction sets a new precedent for litigation.
The case involved a group of more than 2,500 elderly Swiss women arguing that the government's climate inaction violated their human rights because it undermined their health and quality of life.
Professor Annalisa Saveresi says the ruling is very significant within the Council of Europe, but also across the world.
"This shows that there is a truly global movement here that uses human rights law as a tool to hold states to account for doing what they said they would do under the Paris (climate) agreement. So this is actually giving teeth to an international instrument that has been criticised by many for being not enforceable enough. Clearly here we have human rights court stepping up to the plate."
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In the United States, the Biden administration has condemned an Arizona Supreme Court ruling that would end virtually all abortions in the state, calling it 'devastating and alarming'.
The state Supreme Court has ruled that Arizona can soon enforce a long-dormant civil war-era law criminalising all abortions except when a mother’s life is at stake, opening the door to prosecuting doctors who perform the procedures.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says the ruling is devastating and alarming.
''With today's decision, millions of Arizonans will soon face an even more extreme and dangerous abortion ban than they did before. This Arizona law which was initially enacted in 1864, more than 150 years ago, fails to protect women even when their health is at risk or in horrific cases of rape or incest. There are now 21 extreme state abortion bans in effect across the country.''
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In football,
Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson says fans can expect to see the side to go hard in their friendly underway against Mexico in Texas.
Speaking before the match, he told Channel 10 the encounter will be good preparation for the Paris Olympics.
"We might take some hits and learn from that but we're going to get some good pictures as well so we're going to be extremely brave on the ball tonight and aggressive in pressing when the period is there to do that. So, you're going to see a very, very brave Matildas on the ball tonight."
