TRANSCRIPT
- Russia and China blocked a draft UN resolution from the U-S which calls for a ceasefire and hostage releases in Gaza.
- Ukraine's largest dam set on fire after Russian airstrikes.
- Formula 1 drivers test out the track ahead of this weekend's Australian Grand Prix.
Russia and China have blocked a draft UN resolution from the United States which calls for a ceasefire and hostage releases in Gaza.
The US, which is one of five permanent members of the Security Council with the power of veto, has previously blocked resolutions calling for a ceasefire but has now changed its position.
Russia has called the US resolution "exceedingly politicised" accusing it of doing nothing to stop Israel's planned assault on Rafah.
Israel says it's planning to go ahead with that assault with or without the support of the United States.
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Five people have been killed and over a million have been left without power following a series of Russian air strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
Among the targets was the DniproHES dam in Zaporizhzhia, the nation's largest dam, which Ukrainian officials say was struck eight times.
Video footage shows the dam on fire yet officials say there is no threat of a security breach.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says over 60 drones and 90 missiles were launched during the attack.
The International Atomic Energy Agency says the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant lost power for over five hours, highlighting the risk to nuclear safety during the conflict.
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Minor parties and independents look set to play a crucial role as Tasmanians head to the polls today (Sat 23 Mar), in an election predicted to topple the last Liberal government in the country.
Forecasts suggest it's unlikely either the governing Liberals or Labor can win enough seats to form a majority government.
That means gaining support from outside the major parties will be crucial in determining the leader of the next government.
The parliament is also increasing in size at this election from 25 to 35 seats, with the Greens hoping the expand their presence.
Tasmanian Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff has outlined how her party would approach a balance of power situation.
"We're going to go in there and negotiate really hard to get change on the things we've been campaigning on: climate, health, housing,cost of living and protecting the environment, that's what we're going to go in for. We are so concerned to make sure that we can work to get change. There's a lot of things, and we're not picking favourites. It is about working together."
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Faith groups have criticised proposed changes to how discrimination laws apply in religious schools, arguing they tell people what they're allowed to believe.
Leaders of the Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities have signed an open letter to condemn a report which said religious schools should no longer be allowed to expel students or dismiss staff who don't conform to their beliefs.
The Australian Law Reform Commission recommends students and teachers be protected on the basis of sexuality, gender identity, marital or relationship status, or pregnancy.
It also acknowledges the right to religious freedom and says religious schools should still be able to show preference to people of their faith - as long as it doesn't breach existing discrimination laws.
Director of Public Policy at Christian Schools Australia, Mark Spencer, says that recommendation is ineffectual because many faith groups have strong views on issues like gender, sexuality and marital status.
"What that recommendation does is effectively say you can't have beliefs in those areas, you can't hold people to beliefs in those areas. The other recommendations they make make it clear we can't have codes of conducts or other requirements on staff, to actually share our beliefs in those areas and live in accordance with those beliefs. Effectively, it's going to mean we can't be the authentic Christian schools we want to be."
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And in sport,
The world's best Formula 1 drivers have taken to the track to try out the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne ahead of the Australian Grand Prix this weekend ((Sun 24 Mar)).
Two Australians are on the grid for the first time since 2013, with Daniel Ricciardo and Oscar Piastri each hoping to become the first-ever home-grown winner.
Macquarie University Senior Lecturer Sammy Diasinos has worked as an aerodynamicist with F1 drivers for six years.
He says testing out the track is crucial.
"There's a lot of adjustment that can be made to every single one of the cars that can help the driveability and speed of the cars. So from an engineering perspective, the engineers need feedback from these practice sessions to understand how those adjustments are going to react, what's going to make them go faster, what's going to make the tyres last longer, what's going to improve the fuel economy."
