TRANSCRIPT
I'm Biwa Kwan. This is SBS News in Easy English.
The Nationals and Liberals are ending a 79-year partnership.
The agreement between the two parties was being renegotiated, after the results from the federal election.
The Liberals lost 11 seats in the House of Representatives, while the Nationals lost just one seat.
Nationals Leader David Littleproud says the two parties have decided to go their separate ways.
"Our party room has got to a position we will not be re-entering a Coalition agreement with the Liberal Party after this election. What we have got to a position is that the National Party will sit alone on a principle basis."
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The Vatican says a meeting between Pope Leo the Fourteenth and Australia's Prime Minister has been cordial, with an focus on strengthening bilateral relations.
It is the first time an Australian prime minister has had a private audience with the head of the Catholic Church since 2008.
Anthony Albanese says he took the opportunity to formally invite the new pontiff to Australia for a major Catholic conference to be hosted in Sydney in 2028.
"I spoke to him about my mother would be - is I am sure looking down from heaven with the biggest smile she has ever had. The fact that her son was at the inaugural mass of a pope in Vatican. It was quite extraordinary. So for me, it was a very personal moment."
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Foreign Minister Penny Wong has begun a three-country tour of the Pacific.
She is planning to visit Vanuatu, Tonga and Fiji across three days this week.
The UN climate change conference COP31 will be on the agenda.
Australia is hoping to co-host the event with the region next year, with Adelaide proposed as the host city.
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A new report, marking World Bee Day, has highlighted emerging threats to their existence.
Experts say a decline in bee populations globally will have a huge impact on food security, reducing the quality and quantity of crops, including the micronutrients in food.
Ecologist Dr Deepa Senapathi - at the University of Reading [[Red-ing]] in the UK - is the co-author of the report.
She has identified the 12 top new threats to bees, including pollution related to plastics, artificial light and antibiotics.
"I think we need stronger policies and regulations. We also can, I think, take advantage of lots of new and emerging technology that can help us monitor pollinator populations. So unless we know what's there and whether it's doing better or worse or at a status quo, unless we have those monitoring initiatives in place, we won't be able to know if something is declining."
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Oscar-winning Australian actress, Nicole Kidman, has been awarded with the 2025 Women in Motion Award at the Cannes Film Festival.
Ms Kidman was praised for her commitment to supporting female filmmakers, including working with a female director every 18 months since 2017.
She has worked with 27 female directors in eight years as a actor and producer, and was praised for her "bold" and "uncompromising" storytelling.
Ms Kidman says she is detemined to continue to support female filmmakers.
"I am very happy to be here in support of women's voices and storytelling - not just directors, but writers, producers, actors, cinematographers - just so that we can start to have more parity."
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In cycling, Isaac del Toro says he does not know how long he can hold onto the leader's jersey in the Giro d’Italia.
The 21-year-old has become the first Mexican cyclist to lead the Giro.
Del Toro has an overall lead of 1 minute, 13 seconds going into the stage 10.
He says it is incredible to achieve this result in his first time competing in the Giro.
"It's unbelievable for me. It is so difficult to describe. Everyone wants to wear it when they (dream about it) as a child. For me, I want to do it. Now, it's insane. And I cannot describe this feeling now."
I'm Biwa Kwan and this is SBS News in Easy English.
