A new head of the Australian Defence Force; A social welfare organisation calls for an increase in social security payments for struggling Australians; And an AFL player strongly condemns the use of a homophobic slur.
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TRANSCRIPT
In this bulletin,
- A new head of the Australian Defence Force;
- A social welfare organisation calls for an increase in social security payments for struggling Australians;
- And an AFL player strongly condemns the use of a homophobic slur.
The federal government has announced changes to the leadership of the Australian Defence Force.
It's named Vice Admiral David Johnston as the new head of the ADF while Air Marshall Robert Chapman will service as deputy.
The changes take effect in July.
Vice Admiral Johnston says he's looking forward to serving as ADF chief.
"I am very conscious of the responsibility that comes with the role, the strategic environment in which we face and most particularly, the responsibility I have to the extraordinary men and women in the Australian Defence Force and the families who support them. Thank you."
—
A social welfare organisation is calling for an increase in social security payments after its latest research found Australians on welfare are struggling to survive one of the toughest cost of living crises in decades.
Research by Anglicare Australia has found in the past two years, housing costs went up by 22 per cent while food and groceries prices rose 17 per cent and electricity costs 17 per cent.
Executive Director of Anglicare Australia Kasy Chambers has told Nine Radio the current payments are insufficient.
"This is yet another indicator that these payments are simply not enough. We're in a cost of living crisis. We've had inflation higher and it's really time to see how that's affecting those who are most disadvantaged."
—
Millions of stargazers in the United States, Mexico and Canada have watched a total solar eclipse.
The Moon completely covered the Sun for more than four minutes in some locations.
Timothy Wright watched from Lakewood, Ohio.
"It's pretty wild. You know, I saw things on the news. They were talking about it being celestial and things like that. But as you experience it, it feels kind of weird like that. I thought it was kind of hokey when they were talking about it. But then as it happened and, you know, it was kind of neat. Like you feel like an invigoration or something. It's weird."
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Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says a date has been chosen for a ground invasion of Rafah.
Mr Netanyahu didn't disclose when the invasion would occur.
The United States opposes an operation in Rafah with a Pentagon spokesman pointing to what she called "substantial" humanitarian concerns about more than a million Palestinians civilians sheltering in Rafah.
Mr Netanyahu made the comments in a video address as ceasefire negotiations took place in Cairo.
“Today, I received a detailed report on the talks in Cairo, we are working all the time to achieve our goals, primarily the release of all our hostages and achieving a complete victory over Hamas. This victory requires entry into Rafah and the elimination of the terrorist battalions there. It will happen - there is a date.”
US National Security Council Coordinator John Kirby says a ceasefire proposal has been submitted to Hamas after the negotiations in Cairo.
"We're taking this very, very seriously. And we really want to do come to closure on a hostage deal as soon as possible. Because, again, with that hostage deal comes a cease fire of some weeks duration, hopefully around six weeks, which could do a lot to to ease the burden on the Gazan people and to help us improve that humanitarian assistance."
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The Vatican has declared gender-affirming surgery and surrogacy as grave violations of human dignity, putting them on par with abortion and euthanasia as practices that "reject God’s plan for human life".
The Vatican’s doctrine office has issued “Infinite Dignity,” a 20-page declaration that has been worked on for five years.
After substantial revision in recent months, it was approved on March the 25th by Pope Francis, who ordered its publication.
—
In the AFL,
Essendon forward Kyle Langford has strongly condemned the use of a homophobic slur by Port Adelaide player Jeremy Finlayson during Friday night's clash at Adelaide Oval.
Finlayson has apologised and the AFL says it will determine a penalty this week.
Langford has told Nine Radio he expects the AFL to deal with it appropriately.
"Any kind of homophobic language is just not acceptable in today's game or even society. That will be dealt with. Host: You sound pretty upset by it?" Kyle Langford: " You know, I'm very close with a lot of people in the LGBTIQ + community."
