TRANSCRIPT
- The Albanese government downplays a pre-parliament cost of living meeting.
- Iran says four of its Revolutionary Guards have been killed in an Israeli Damascus strike.
- Women's world number one Iga Swiatek [[EE-gah shvee-AWN-teck]] is dumped out in round three of the Australian Open.
The federal government has sought to downplay alarm after it was revealed the Prime Minister is recalling Labor colleagues two weeks before parliament resumes to discuss cost of living pressures.
The Labor caucus will meet in Canberra on Wednesday ((January 31)) with some of the most pressing everyday issues facing Australians, including inflation and energy costs, expected to be on the agenda.
Some Labor M-Ps say the meeting is routine, amid concern about inflation pushing interest rates markedly higher than COVID-19 pandemic levels and energy costs climbing because of domestic and overseas factors.
Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth says she stands by the government's cost of living policies, including increased rent assistance and energy rebates and price caps, dismissing suggestions of urgent measures.
"We need to see inflation coming down and so finding cost of living relief that doesn't add to the challenge - the inflation challenge - is something our government's been very focused on. I don't think it'll be over one meeting or a couple of meetings. This has been a constant role that our government's played and we're seeing impacts."
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An Israeli missile strike on Syria's capital Damascus has killed four members of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, a security source in the regional pro-Syria alliance says.
In a statement carried on Iranian state television, the Revolutionary Guards confirmed that four of its military advisers were killed in the Israeli strike on Saturday ((January 20)).
This comes after Syrian state media said a building in the Mazzeh neighbourhood of Damascus was targeted in a likely Israeli attack, without giving further details.
Israel, which, following Hamas October 7 attacks, has moved to deadlier strikes after a long bombing campaign against Iran-linked targets in Syria, did not immediately comment.
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Fears of potential attacks by the U-S and British navies have upset the livelihood of fisherman in Yemen's port city of Aden.
This comes after U-S Central Command announced it had struck and destroyed three anti-ship missiles that belonged to the Houthi rebels, in the latest action by the U-S which it claims will make international waters safe for navy and merchant vessels.
Yemen, whose population faced mass starvation and hunger following its 2014 civil war, borders the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, where because of the conflict in the Middle East's impact on the crucial local fishing industry, fish prices have surged by as much as 56 per cent.
Mohammad Hadi, chairman of the Fishermen Associations in Aden says tension in the Red Sea has also heavily reduced fishermen's income.
"Every fisherman is afraid, worrying that the US and British navies might attack them. The presence of the US and British naval forces has become an obstacle, impeding fishermen from setting out to the sea. This has certainly negatively impacted on the fishing industry, market, fishermen's income, and local people's livelihood."
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A heatwave expected to scorch parts of Western Australia over the weekend is set to spread east across the country.
Parts of the state's north are forecast to reach around 50 degrees Celsius, with the Pilbara region expected to hit those intense temperatures either this weekend or early next week.
Residents of Kalgoorlie, Australia's largest outback city, are facing up to a week without power amid the heatwave, with around 1600 homes still without electricity following blackouts which saw more than 20,000 homes and business affected.
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Women's world number one Iga Swiatek [[EE-gah shvee-AWN-teck]] has been dumped out of the Australian Open in the third round by unseeded Czech teenager Linda Noskova.
Swiatek claimed the first set against world number 50 Noskova and appeared poised to claim her 19th consecutive win and seal progression to the fourth round at Melbourne Park.
But the 19-year-old Czech, who made her main-draw debut this year, fought back and broke Swiatek in the second set, before brilliantly serving out the biggest win of her career 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 at Rod Laver arena on Saturday ((January 20)).
Noskova has told official broadcaster Channel 9 her victory against the world number one, throwing the race for the women's title wide open, had left her "speechless".
"I knew it was going to be an amazing match, with the world number one , and such a player, but I didn't really think that it would end up like this, but I'm just really, I'm just really glad to get through this round."
