TRANSCRIPT
- The Prime Minister heads to China to grow Australia's economic partnership
- A German backpacker missing in W-A for two weeks has been found alive
- Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner to face-off in Wimbledon final
The prime minister faces a delicate task managing Australia’s complex ties with its key trading partner as he begins a week-long visit to China.
Anthony Albanese’s second trip to the country will focus on collaboration in emerging technologies and strengthening personal ties.
He will attend the annual leaders' meeting with Premier Li Qiang and hold his fourth formal meeting with President Xi Jinping.
Mr Albanese departs Sydney for Shanghai today, before travelling to Beijing and Chengdu, the Sichuan capital famed for its giant pandas.
The PM says Australia will always disagree with China on a number of issues but the relationship between the two countries is vital.
"The relationship with China means jobs in Australia. It's as simple as that. Because one in four Australian jobs depends upon our trade and around 25 per cent of our exports go to one destination, China, bigger than the next four of our partners combined of Japan, South Korea, the United States and India. We raise the full range of issues and we're able to have those honest conversations."
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The United Nations has condemned the United States for sanctioning its top expert on Palestinian rights, calling the move unacceptable and a dangerous precedent.
Italian lawyer Francesca Albanese, the UN’s special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, was appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor abuses.
She has frequently criticised Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and recently published a report naming over 60 companies for allegedly supporting Israeli settlements and military actions.
U-S Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the sanctions were in response to her role in what he called illegitimate attempts by the International Criminal Court to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Ms Albanese spoke after the sanctions were announced.
"I'm still evaluating the impact. It's obscene frankly. But right now, I want to remind everyone that the reasons why these sanctions have been imposed is the pursuit of justice."
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A German backpacker is recovering in hospital after being found alive nearly two weeks after going missing in the Australian outback.
Twenty-six year-old Carolina Wilga was last seen on the 29th of June at a general store in Beacon, a town in Western Australia's wheat-belt, about 300 kilometres northeast of Perth.
Her disappearance prompted a large-scale search following a public plea from her mother amid growing fears for her safety.
She was discovered walking along a bush track by a passer-by late Friday afternoon.
W-A Police Inspector Martin Glynn says she had suffered injuries and had been ravaged by mosquitoes.
He thanks members of the local community for their efforts in locating Ms Wilga.
"A great result, really good. We'd just like to thank if we can everyone who in the local community, who's assisted, and people that have made an effort to contact police with the information over the last few days has been really good. A lot of reports which have been followed up, but such a great result today, and such a good opportunity for everyone in the community to congratulate themselves on all gathering around and helping."
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Australia has positioned itself as an open market for Southeast Asian allies looking to diversify their trade as the region is reeling from a new tariff regime from the United States Trump administration.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has distanced Australia from a US protectionist approach and says Australia will remain a reliable partner to Southeast Asian nations and will work to deepen economic ties in the region.
"We know that more trade with Southeast Asia means more jobs, more investment and a stronger and more resilient Australian economy. And in these uncertain times, and they are uncertain, strengthening Australia's relationships with more international partners, into more markets has never been more important. We want to see a region where no one country dominates and no country is dominated. We want to see a region where sovereignty is protected and a region where there is a balance of power."
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Wimbledon has secured the dream final fans were hoping for: defending champion Carlos Alcaraz will face world Number One Jannik Sinner on Centre Court.
Twenty-two year-old Alcaraz moved a step closer to his third straight Wimbledon title after defeating American Taylor Fritz 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 on a sweltering Friday afternoon.
Soon after, 23-year-old Sinner crushed seven-time champion Novak Djokovic’s hopes with a commanding 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 win, reaching his first final at the All England Club in under two hours.
The match sets up a rematch of their thrilling French Open final, an epic five-and-a-half hour battle won by Alcaraz, widely hailed as one of the greatest grand slam finals in history.
