TRANSCRIPT
- The United States still refuses to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, despite repeated calls from humanitarian workers.
- An extreme heatwave warning for parts of Western Australia and South Australia.
- Alex De Minaur quietly confident as he advances into the fourth round of the Australian Open.
The United States is still opposed to a general ceasefire in Gaza, claiming it will only benefit Hamas.
This comes as there are reports a Palestinian-American teenager was killed by Israeli forces.
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby justified the US' stance against a ceasefire at a press conference briefing.
"Do we still oppose a general ceasefire? Yes. Right. For the same reason that we have in the past, we don't believe a ceasefire is going to be to the benefit of anybody but Hamas. We do support humanitarian pauses, as I said, to try to get hostages out and more aid in. But we don't support a ceasefire at this time."
The White House has also said it was "seriously concerned" about reports a Palestinian-American teenager was killed by Israeli security forces in the occupied West Bank.
The American-born youth was 17 years old, the boy's uncle told Reuters, adding that the incident occurred during clashes with the Israeli military that included stone-throwing by Palestinians.
"We're seriously concerned about these reports. The information is scant at this time. We don't have perfect context about exactly what happened here. Seriously concerned about it. And we're going to be in constant touch with counterparts in the region to get more information."
The Palestinian official news agency WAFA said the youth had been killed by Israeli gunfire.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
.
Parts of the country are bracing for a heatwave, while far north Queensland is anticipating another tropical cyclone.
Far north Queensland is bracing for a second natural disaster in barely a month while flooding has forced people to flee their homes in the Northern Territory.
Senior Meteorologist Dean Narramore told Channel Nine the tropical low is creating storms over the Coral Sea and expects a cycone to develop in late Sunday or early Monday.
Meanwhile, severe to extreme heatwave conditions are hitting W-A, particularly in the Pilbara and central parts of the state, even hitting 48 and 49 degrees in parts.
"Could even possible see 50 degrees in some of those locations, so very hot there. That 40 degree heat extends to central parts of the country in coming days and then it will get into eastern parts of the country on Sunday and Monday. And even to the coast we could see temperatures into the mid-30s."
.
Japan has become the fifth country to put a spacecraft on the moon.
But the space agency said the probe was not generating solar power during a mission to prove a 'precision' landing technology and revitalise a space programme that has suffered setbacks.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said its Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, or SLIM, landed the moon's surface at around 12.20am and re-established communication with earth, but its solar panels were not able to generate electricity, possibly because they are angled wrong.
The head of JAXA's research centre, Hitoshi Kuninaka told a press conference that SLIM is not operating only on its battery and they are priortising the transfer of its data onto earth.
"It takes 30 days for the solar angle to change on the moon. So when the solar direction changes, and the light shines from a different direction, the light could end up hitting the solar cell from a direction other than what we have in the current situation."
Japan is increasingly looking to play a bigger role in space, partnering with ally the United States to counter China.
.
Australian Alex De Minaur has advanced to the fourth round of the Australian Open, winning in straight sets against Italian qualifier Flavio Cobolli.
The 6-3 '6-3 6-1 victory on Friday night makes de Minaur the first local man in almost two decades to make the second week of the Australian Open in three successive years.
He was calm as he spoke on court following the victory.
"He's a great competitor, he's shown what he's been able to do this whole tournament, coming through, qualifying and getting through to the third round, and beating seed and great players. So a lot of respect for him, it was a great match and I wish him the best for the rest of the season. I struggled a bit to find my rhythm throughout the match, but I stayed in the moment, I stayed composed, I tried to play some good tennis, and it worked out in the end."
The first Aussie man since Hewitt in 2006 to make the world's top 10 following a sizzling start to the year, de Minaur will play Russia's Andrey Rublev, who beat Sebastian Korda 6-2 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 in the late game.
