In this bulletin, Australian equipment and aid en route to Nepal to support search and recovery efforts; Beijing denies comments over Taiwan at the Pacific Islands Forum meeting were a threat; and in tennis, Aryna Sabalenka defeats Colombia's Camila Osorio in New York
TRANSCRIPT
In this bulletin,
- Australian equipment and aid en route to Nepal to support search and recovery efforts
- Beijing denies comments over Taiwan at the Pacific Islands Forum meeting were a threat
- And in tennis, Aryna Sabalenka defeats Colombia's Camila Osorio in New York
The federal government says an RAAF flight containing hygiene kits, shelter equipment and solar lights is on its way to Nepal.
More than 930 people have been confirmed dead after the devastating floods, and more than 4,400 people are missing, including 43 Australians.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong says Australia has been engaging with the Nepali and Chinese governments to search for those still missing, but that recovery efforts are taking place under difficult circumstances.
UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric says as emergency workers continue to assess the situation on the ground, the extent of the damage and what's needed is becoming clearer.
"Some 65,000 people require emergency water, sanitation, hygiene support. More than 22,000 children need protection. 2,600 children under five are expected to need treatment for severe wasting. And around 10,500 pregnant and breastfeeding women need nutrition assistance. Nineteen schools have been damaged, nine of them completely destroyed. Eight more are being used to shelter displaced families."
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Australia says it respects the sovereign decisions of Pacific nations, after China delivered a strong warning against Taiwan at the Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Palau.
Beijing's special envoy for Pacific Island Countries Affairs Qian Bo said there would be "consequences" for Taiwan's strong presence at the meeting.
Beijing has since denied the comments were a threat - as it defends itself against allegations of foreign interference at the summit.
While countries including the United States and China are attending the forum as dialogue partners, Taiwan is attending as a development partner, and has sent a sizable delegation.
Palau is one of only three Pacific nations to have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, and Senator Wong says while Australia remains committed to a One China policy, it respects others have different positions.
"Well, I think the Pacific should be able to determine its own relationships. Obviously Australia has a One China policy, we have diplomatic relationships with Beijing and we maintain an economic engagement with Taiwan. There are Pacific Island countries who have a different position and we respect their right to make their sovereign decisions."
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says global warming and security will be Australia's key areas of focus at the Pacific Islands Forum this week.
Speaking on the sidelines of the leaders meeting in Palau, Mr Albanese has acknowledged the direct threat climate change poses to the existence of some Pacific countries.
He says tackling trans-national crime also needs to be high on the agenda in talks this week, stressing the key role Australia plays in strengthening regional security more broadly.
"We are a leader here in the Pacific. But it's important as well that we engage respectfully, and that's something that I've always sought to do with the Pacific Islands Forum. And I think that is one of the reasons why we have really improved relations right across the Pacific, whether it be the alliance, uh, with Papua New Guinea that has now come into effect, or whether it be our 4th alliance, which is on the way with Fiji.
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A Las Vegas jury has found former gang leader Duane Keith Davis guilty of the 1996 murder of rap icon Tupac Shakur.
63-year-old Davis was charged in Nevada's Clark County with a single count of murder using a deadly weapon, after being accused of leading a group of men to kill Shakur in retaliation for the beating of Davis' nephew.
Prosecutors have not named the shooter, and the three other men who were in the car have since died.
Under Nevada law, Davis can be charged with murder even though he did not pull the trigger, bringing a decades-long case to a close.
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Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is set to reach a political milestone later this week when her government becomes the longest-lasting in the history of the Italian Republic.
Friday will mark 1,413 days in office, surpassing Silvio Berlusconi's second administration.
It's notable for a country known for short-lived governments and shifting coalitions.
Meloni is seeking a second mandate in Italy's next election in 2027,.
Italy has five-year government terms but with 68 governments in the last 80 years, roughly one a year.
Many European capitals were wary of her nationalist credentials when she came to power but she's taken a pragmatic approach, working closely with EU partners and reassuring financial markets
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And to sport, in tennis,
World number One Aryna Sabalenka has launched her attempt for a third consecutive US Open title, winning 6-2 6-4 against Colombia's Camila Osorio in New York.
Sabalenka struck 32 winners to move past Osorio and into the second round, where she will face Russia's Polina Iatcenko.
Her win comes after a spell of uneven form for the Belarusian top-seed.
When asked about previous disappointments at US Open, she says she's got to be focused on staying in the moment.
"I think the good thing for me is not looking back no matter what, if it's good or bad, because I feel a good result can also stop you from performing well because you're basically focusing on the past, you know. So, I never, like, look back. If I win the tournament or lose the tournament, for me today is a new day and I have to be focused."
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