A temporary ceasefire in the Middle East, the Northern Territory town of Alyangula celebrates the return of a collection of cultural items, and in football, Brazil coach Fernando Diniz says Brazil were the more dangerous team despite their 1-0 loss to Argentina.
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TRANSCRIPT
- A temporary ceasefire in the Middle East
- The Northern Territory town of Alyangula celebrates the return of a collection of cultural items
- Brazil coach Fernando Diniz says Brazil were the more dangerous team despite their 1-0 loss to Argentina
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has praised the brokering efforts of Qatar [[cutter]], Egypt and the United States in securing a four-day pause in Israel's bombardment of the Gaza Strip.
Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza for at least four days to allow in aid and release at least 50 hostages captured by militants in exchange for at least 150 Palestinians jailed in Israel.
The start date for the four-day pause has yet to be confirmed.
The Israeli military has held Gaza under siege and relentless bombardment since Hamas militants attacked in Israel on October the 7th, killing 1,200 people and taking around 240 hostages.
Since then, Israel has killed more than 14,000 Palestinians according to Gaza's health officials - figures deemed reliable by the United Nations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says this ceasefire is only temporary and the assault on Gaza is far from over.
Despite this, Minister Wong says the Australian government is hopeful that the pause in violence will move the warring parties closer towards a lasting peace.
"Australia has consistently called for the release of hostages for humanitarian access and for the protection of civilian lives. We have also said that we want to see the next steps towards a sustainable cease-fire. What we see today is progress towards each of these goals and we commend it."
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The United Nations says it is putting together a plan to distribute aid in Gaza once fighting pauses.
Israel and Hamas have both confirmed the deal for a four-day pause in fighting, but its commencement is yet to be announced.
UN spokesman Farhan Haq says the organisation has been working with both sides to make sure aid can enter the Gaza Strip as soon as possible.
"What we are doing is trying to make sure that we are ready. So if there is any pause in fighting, which is what we've been asking for, we would be able to deliver humanitarian aid more effectively. So we're putting in place arrangements, including through discussions with the with the needed authorities."
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The town of Alyangula on Groote Eylandt is celebrating as a collection of cultural items have now been returned home from a museum in Britain.
The collection of 174 items was acquired by British anthropologist Professor Peter Worsley, who undertook P-H-D research at the Gulf of Carpentaria island in the 1950s, and had been held in Manchester Museum for more than 50 years.
In September three senior Anindilyakwa women travelled to the United Kingdom to start the official handover.
The collection will hold pride of place in Alyangula with some items to be displayed at the local art centre.
One elder says he is happy that his father's things have been returned so the future generations can gain a better understand of their culture.
"I saw my dad's stuff come back to Groote Eylandt. I'm really happy to see everything. I feel proud, happy all that stuff came back to me for my children, grandchildren, so they can see it for future."
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In sport,
Brazil's new coach Fernando Diniz claims Brazil were the more dangerous team despite their 1-0 loss to Argentina in a World Cup qualifier in Rio de Janeiro.
Nicolas Otamendi scored with a towering header from a Giovani Lo Celso corner in the 63rd minute with Argentina's only shot on target.
Brazil's misery was compounded when substitute Joelinton was sent off for hitting Rodrigo de Paul in the face in the 82nd - another negative mark for coach Fernando Diniz.
However, Diniz says the result was very unfair.
"Brazil were much more dangerous than Argentina. We didn't have any chances to score. The chance Argentina had was a corner kick that we miscued and obviously they managed to score. And we had almost as many chances, a lot of half-clear counter-attacks in order to get the final pass to finish. We were much closer to victory throughout the game than Argentina and the result, I thought, was quite unfair today."
It's Brazil's third loss in a row and first ever World Cup qualifying loss, having gone 63 unbeaten.
