A daily 5 minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability.
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TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to SBS News in Easy English. I'm Catriona Stirrat.
The federal government is offering more financial assistance for victims of the flooding in Queensland.
Applications will be open from tomorrow for payments of either 1,000 dollars per adult and 400 dollars per child, or 13 weeks of income support, depending on a person's circumstances.
People in the local government areas of Cairns, the Cassowary Coast, Cook, Douglas, Hope Vale, Mareeba, Tablelands, Wujal Wujal, and Yarrabah can apply for the assistance.
They are also eligible to temporarily pause Centrelink repayments.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will visit flood-affected in Far North Queensland on Thursday and Friday.
He says everyone needs to take into account not only the physical and financial health, but the mental health also, of the flood victims.
"After the floodwaters have receded, and after some of the physical aspect of damage has gone, some of the scars will remain as well. So, we need to, as governments, but also as a community, be very conscious about mental health issues about the trauma that people have suffered from during this difficult time."
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The United States is hoping revived talks between the US, Israel, and Qatar will bring about another temporary truce in the Israel-Hamas conflict, and the release of Israeli hostages.
US intelligence chief William Buns has met his Israeli counterpart, David Barnea, and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammad al-Thani in the Polish capital, Warsaw, for talks.
It's the first known meeting between the three since early this month.
US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby says there is no time to waste when it comes to trying to free hostages.
"We're concerned about the tyranny of the clock. I mean, every minute that passes is a minute that they shouldn't be held hostage. Is a minute that they're in harm's way, that this a minute that they could be tortured, raped, beaten or denied basic medical care. I mean, we have to assume that these people are being held in horrific conditions. And so that's why when I say we're working it hour by hour, that's not hyperbole."
Hamas is thought to still be holding 129 hostages.
Hamas has previously said it won't agree to release hostages for anything other than a permanent end to Israel's military offensive in Gaza, and the release of all Palestinians detained by Israel.
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Residents of New South Wales are being told to shelter as out of control bushfires in the state's north are fuelling dangerous thunderstorms.
The New South Wales Rural Fire Service says the fire generated a thunderstorm overnight and is causing the fire to act dangerously and erratically, with warnings the storm could cause embers to fly far ahead of the main flames.
Residents of Baan Baa, Willala and Goolhi have been told to seek shelter as it is too late to leave and their lives are at risk.
Evacuation centres have been set up at Narrabri and Gunnedah.
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At least 111 people have died and more than 230 have been injured after an earthquake struck China's Gansu-Qinghai region.
Chinese State media says the earthquake was registered as 6.2 magnitude.
Officials in Xinhua say rescue efforts are underway in the high altitude region to prevent more disasters from occurring in the aftermath.
CCTV says over nine aftershocks registered as around magnitude 3.0 have been recorded since the first quake.
That was SBS News in Easy English. I'm Catriona Stirrat.
