TRANSCRIPT
- Iran says it is open to diplomacy, if Israel stops its attacks
- Two killed after Hurricane Erick makes landfall in Mexico's south
- Netball Australia signs a television deal with the newly launched All Women’s Sports Network
Iran says it is ready to consider diplomacy if Israeli aggression is stopped.
Iran's Foreign Minister held talks with counterparts from France, Germany and the United Kingdom in Geneva overnight, in the first meeting with the West since conflict erupted with Israel.
Following the meeting, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran was open to future meetings with Europe.
But he's criticised European leaders for failing to speak out against Israel's attacks in Iran.
" I expressed Iran's serious concern on non-action of E3 and EU to condemn Israeli regime aggression against Iran and its threats, that Iran will continue exercising its legitimate right of self-defense against the regime and we will continue to do so as long as the atrocities continue."
Hurricane Erick has made landfall in Mexico's southern state of Oaxaca, killing at least two people and causing widespread destruction.
The powerful storm, which was downgraded to a Category 3 before making landfall and has since weakened to a low-pressure system and has brought with it powerful winds and heavy rain in the region.
Authorities say a man was electrocuted while helping with debris removal in the southern Oaxaca state.
They also report that a child has died in neighbouring Guerrero state after being swept away by a swollen stream as his mother tried to carry him across in the town of San Marcos.
Infrastructure has been disrupted, with 15 road sections impacted, and more than 120 thousand people without power.
A new report from the Australian Council for International Development has found more than 120 Australian-run peace-building and development projects have been negatively impacted by Donald Trump’s cuts to the US aid budget.
The report says programs in the Indo-Pacific region were hardest hit, with $113 million worth of funding lost, closely followed by $111 million in Southeast Asia.
Child-related programs encompassing education, health, nutrition, and anti-child trafficking experienced the greatest financial loss, closely followed by projects focused on climate change.
ACFID's Director of Policy and Advocacy Jessica McKenzie has told SBS News the cost of the cuts is in the hundreds of millions.
"$400 million worth of programming has been cut. Twenty country offices have closed, and we've seen a number of staff laid off. Just one agency had to let go of 200 local staff, not even their own staff, and they would have been single income families. And so you can imagine the flow on effects of this."
The leader of the Liberals in Victoria has called for party unity after it approved a $1.5m bailout for John Pesutto.
Opposition Leader Brad Battin voted to support the deal, with the money to be paid directly to Moira Deeming to settle her legal costs after the Federal Court found Mr Pesutto defamed her by implying she was associated with neo-Nazis.
The former Liberal leader is set to repay it at market-rate interest.
Mr Battin has denied effectively siding with Mr Pesutto by backing the loan agreement.
Netball Australia has signed a television deal with the newly launched All Women’s Sports Network, founded by iconic US actress Whoopi Goldberg.
The multi-year agreement means the Suncorp Super Netball tournament will be broadcast to over 65 new countries across the next three years, dramatically expanding the sport’s global reach and connecting new audiences to the world’s best netball league.
It's a boon for the sport, which hit financial troubles during the COVID-19 pandemic, making headlines for a $4 million debt before protracted pay talks with players led to Kelly Ryan's resignation as NA boss in late 2023.
Super Netball balls and merchandise have been express posted to the United States, while Goldberg has shared her excitement about the partnership online.
"I just think it's terrific, and I think you all are terrific. I just watched you play and I see your fans are - they're really loving you. So we want to make sure that we put you everywhere in the world so that everybody knows about you."
