TRANSCRIPT
- Buckingham Palace announces King Charles has been diagnosed with cancer.
- The federal opposition condemns China's decision to hand Australian writer Yang Hengjun a suspended death sentence.
- Hawthorn’s AFLW team appoints Daniel Webster as their new coach.
King Charles has been diagnosed with cancer, and is postponing public duties after starting treatment this week.
A statement from Buckingham Palace has revealed the condition was detected during a recent stay in hospital for a corrective procedure on an enlarged prostate.
Subsequent tests have diagnosed a form of cancer which has not been identified, but which a Palace source says is not prostate cancer.
The King is said to be "wholly positive" about his treatment and looking forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible.
His staff say he has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it will "assist public understanding" for all those around the world who are affected by the disease
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Senate Opposition Leader Simon Birmingham has condemned Chinese authorities' decision to hand Australian writer Yang Hengjun a suspended death sentence.
Dr Yang was detained in 2019 on charges of espionage, but has consistently denied the allegations.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong says she has been told this can be commuted to life in prison after two years.
Mr Birmingham says all legal avenues need to be explored.
"I'm sure Australians will be aghast and appalled at the decision of Chinese authorities to level a sentence of this nature against an Australian citizen. Dr Yang Hengjun has endured five years of unjust detention of uncertainty and now faces the prospect of indefinite detention. This family face the prospect of never being reunited with their loved one. "
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The Prime Minister has criticised the opposition's failure to reach a position on his proposed stage three tax cuts, as federal parliament gets set to resume.
Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers is due to introduce the revised tax legislation when parliament sits today for the first time this year.
The opposition has not yet come to a formal position on the changes, but has attacked the government for breaking a promise it took to the last election to leave the cuts unchanged.
Speaking to colleagues in a party meeting, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the tax cuts will help both lower and middle-income households.
"It's what we do - we look after people. We look after people who need that assistance, but we also look after people's aspiration as well. And this package does both. Our opposition now have struggled now for two weeks to come up with a position. Their natural instinct, of course, kicked in, of saying no to everything. And we know they want to say no to this."
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At least 122 people have been killed and an estimated 14,000 homes have been damaged as firefighters continue to struggle against bushfires in central Chile.
Chilean authorities have issued curfews in the cities worst affected by the flames, which began in mountainous forested areas but have made their way down into more densely populated areas.
Chilean authorities say hundreds of people are still missing.
The country is experiencing a streak of hot and dry weather which has been exacerbated by the El Nino climate phenomenon.
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Taylor Swift has made history at the Grammy Awards, winning Album of the Year for the fourth year in a row, for her album Midnights.
Swift thanked her fans, saying the real reward was her work.
"All I want to do is keep doing this. I love it so much. It makes me so happy. It makes me unbelievably blown away that it makes some people happy who voted for this. All I want to do is keep doing this so thank you so much for giving me the opportunity."
Song of the Year went to Billie Eilish for the ballad What Was I Made For? from the film Barbie.
Indie rock band boygenius claimed three awards, while Miley Cyrus took home two prizes for her track Flowers.
Kylie Minogue claimed her first Grammy in 18 years for best pop dance record for Padam Padam.
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In AFLW, Hawthorn has officially appointed Daniel Webster as their new coach.
It comes after former coach Bec Goddard's shock retirement in November last year.
Webster has been an assistant coach for Brisbane’s AFLW's team for the past two seasons, helping the Lions win the 2023 flag.
He says he feels privileged to now be part of the brown and gold family.
