Penny Wong defends the government's humanitarian concerns for the war in the Middle East, Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott says human-induced climate change is utterly implausible, The Matildas edging closer to 2024 Paris Olympics.
- Penny Wong defends the government's humanitarian concerns for the war in the Middle East ...
- Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott says human-induced climate change is utterly implausible ...
- The Matildas edging closer to 2024 Paris Olympics.
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TRANSCRIPT
Foreign Minister Penny Wong is defending the government’s position on the current crisis in the Middle East.
The government is increasingly voicing humanitarian concern for Palestinian civilians along with its support for Israel in its fight against Hamas.
It is echoing emphasis from some in the international community that Israel's response to Hamas' attacks must be proportionate.
Ms Wong has told SBS the government is simply upholding a long-held Australian position.
"This is a very difficult, complex situation, where we do see widespread suffering. And there are some in the Australian political sphere who do wish to have a very black and white argument; an argument where they seek to make difference. What I say is we have always been a country that says civilian lives should be protected. That is a principle that we adhere to; and that the international community has laid down."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has spoken to his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, for the first time since the war started three and half weeks ago.
Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says that conversation taking so long shows a lack of leadership on Mr Albanese's part - an argument Ms Wong dismissed.
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At least 320 foreign passport holders have been allowed to leave Gaza via the Rafah border crossing for the first time since Hamas' attacks of the 7th of October.
Dozens of people have been seen entering the crossing, which links Gaza with Egypt.
Under the deal brokered between Egypt, Israel and Hamas, 81 wounded people and an initial list of 500 foreign passport holders were expected to be allowed out of the Gaza Strip in the coming days.
Around 7500 foreign passport holders will reportedly be allowed to leave Gaza over the course of about two weeks, with Al Arish airport made available to fly people out.
Canadian passport holder Asil Shurab fled to the border as soon at the opening was announced.
"We came here today to the Egyptian borders hoping to leave Gaza, but our Canadian embassy didn’t contact us due to the bad network services. Thhey can’t contact us. But we heard yesterday that the borders will be opening at 7 am. So we came here hoping to leave. We have little hope to leave and save our lives."
DFAT says 20 Australians have entered the crossing from Gaza.
According to the health ministry in Gaza, more than 8,700 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli-Hamas war and over 1,400 people have died on the Israeli side.
Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott has described scientific warnings of human-induced climate change warning as utterly implausible and ahistorical, blaming what he calls the climate cult.
During a speech in London, Mr Abbott has said there is an emissions obsession, describing other historical periods of warmer or cooler weather which were independent of human emissions.
Mr Abbott's speech comes about a week after global scientists delivered a warning that 20 out of 35 of the planet's vital signs have been showing record extremes, with July being the hottest in the last 100,000 years.
China continues to deny claims of wrongdoing in its detention of Australian writer and democracy activist Yang Hengjun.
Dr Yang's two sons have written to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, urging him to raise their father's plight when he travels to Beijing with Foreign Minister Penny Wong this weekend.
Dr Yang is accused of spying; he denies the charges.
His family is afraid he will be left to die in the Chinese jail he's been kept in since 2019.
A letter by him, released by his sons, and consular reports state Dr Yang is in very poor health, with a large cyst on his kidney, amongst other problems, and is kept in squalid condtiions.
But Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin says Dr Yang has not had any of his rights infringed upon.
"Mandarin, then translated “The Chinese side has made clear its position on this case several times. China is a country ruled by law. China's judicial organs handle cases strictly in accordance with the law. China fully granted the individual's rights and interests in accordance with the law and respected Australia's consular rights including visits."
Mr Albanese says he will advocate for Dr Yang in China.
Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson is already dreading the selection headaches he'll encounter at next year's Olympics as his team edges closer to booking their tickets to Paris.
Australia cruised through the second round of Olympic qualifying in Perth, beating Iran 2-0, the Philippines 8-0, and Taiwan 3-0 to top Group A in the Asian Confederation.
The Matildas will now take on Uzbekistan in a two-legged play-off in February, with the winners to secure a spot at the Olympics and the losers to be sent packing.
Game one will be in Uzbekistan on February 24th, with Australia to host game two at a yet-to-be-decided venue four days later.
It marks a dream match-up for Australia, who faced the very real prospect of taking on world number 8 Japan, who were impressive at the Women's World Cup, if other results hadn't fallen their way.
