A third batch of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners released as mediators push for an extension of a four-day ceasefire, Mike Pezullo sacked as Home Affairs Secretary following a texting scandal, and in tennis, Australia's Davis Cup dreams shattered, as the Aussies finish runner up to Italy.
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TRANSCRIPT
- A third batch of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners released as mediators push for an extension of a four-day ceasefire ...
- Mike Pezullo sacked as Home Affairs Secretary following a texting scandal ...
- England and Socceroos legend Terry Venables has died aged 80.
Seventeen Israeli hostages have been released in exchange for 39 Palestinian prisoners on the third day of a four-day truce between Israel and Hamas.
Mediators led by Qatar are pushing for an extension of the ceasefire.
A four-year-old American-Israeli girl, Abigail Edan, is among the Israeli hostages and was orphaned when her parents were killed by Hamas on October the 7th.
Her aunt Ella Mor says she is in the hospital and is being taken care of.
"I want to thank everybody for all your love and support. It's amazing. And thank you so much. I just want to say she has family and we're taking care of her, so don't worry about it. And it's very important to let her be now with the family. And no press and photographs and the paparazzi. It's very important for her and safety and health right now. So thank you so much. And that's it."
Mike Pezzullo has been sacked as Home Affairs secretary after a code of conduct breach finding.
He was stood down following a text message scandal, with leaked messages revealing the secretary repeatedly lobbied for his department and pushed his personal views in breach of public service standards, over a five-year period.
A statement issued by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's office said this action was based on a recommendation made following an independent inquiry.
Mr Pezullo is said to have fully cooperated with the he inquiry, led by Lynelle Briggs, which found Mr Pezullo breached of the Australian Public Service Code of conduct.
Stephanie Foster will act as Secretary of the Department until a permanent appointment can be made.
Labor and the Greens have secured a deal that could see hundreds of gigalitres of water currently used for farming allocated to the environment through Commonwealth buybacks across the Murray-Darling basin.
The deal includes a new deadline for returning water to the Murray-Darling basin under the $13 billion Murray-Darling Basin Plan, which aimed to return 450 gigalitres of water to the environment by June 2024.
The deadline has now been pushed back to the end of 2027.
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has announced key amendments in exchange for the Green's support, which include improvements to transparency around water delivery and ensuring First Nations people play a stronger role in decision making.
Ms Plibersek says the amendments improve the bill, and allow for progress at a critical time.
"We know that as we go into another hot dry spell, it is more critical than ever that we deliver fully on the Murray Darling Basin Plan. I'm very pleased to say today that Labor has been negotiating with the Greens party, and that we have agreed to a number of significant amendments to the restoring our rivers bill, which will improve the bill and allow the Greens party to vote to support the restoring our rivers bill in the Senate."
The proposed laws will be introduced to the Senate this week, after previous negotiations with the Greens had stalled.
Tributes are pouring in for former England and Socceroos coach Terry Venables, who has died aged 80 after a long illness.
A former England player, Venables coached the national team to the semi-finals of the European Championship in 1994, before being persuaded to coach Australia, where he had played towards the end of his career for Canterbury-Marrickville Olympic.
It was hoped Venables, who also had successful spells managing Barcelona and his former club Tottenham in the 1980s, could end a 24-year wait for the Soccerroos to appear in the World Cup finals, nearly doing so in 1998.
The English Football Association and Tottenham Hotspur are among those paying tribute to Venables, with Gareth Southgate, the current coach of England’s men’s team, describing Venables as "tactically excellent" and able to manage "everyone from the youngest player to the biggest star."
Remembered for his charming and lovable nature, here he was, speaking in 1994 on Wembley Stadium pitch during his time as England Manager.
"It's not the actual job, doing of it, it's the results... and we'll only find out the results... and if we don't get the results, that's making a hash of it."
