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TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to SBS News In Easy English. I'm Biwa Kwan.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley says she is confident she will remain leader of the Liberals, after the Nationals called an end to the Coalition partnership for the second time in less than a year.
Nationals leader David Littleproud blamed Ms Ley for the split, declaring the Coalition arrangement cannot continue with Ms Ley as Liberals leader.
Earlier this week, three Nationals senators breached the rules on shadow cabinet solidarity in their vote against proposed laws on hate speech.
Ms Ley told Channel Nine, the Liberals are a united team.
"I am absolutely confident in the leadership that I have delivered, the leadership I will deliver and the strength of effort that my party and I are making every single day on behalf of the people. The millions of Australians who sent us to Canberra. But what is really going on here is the business of opposition. And it matters. And the government has made mistakes and will continue to make mistakes when we hold them to account."
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US President Donald Trump says he is open to more European countries - like Italy and Poland - joining his Board of Peace for Gaza.
In a joint statement, seven countries - including Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt - say they have accepted an invitation to join the board.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says his country is still considering the invitation.
That has raised concerns from leaders of countries, including the UK and Ireland, who say the involvement of Mr Putin - who is still waging war in Ukraine - is a red flag.
Speaking to reporters on a plane departing Davos, Mr Trump says a number of countries are in the process of formally accepting an invitation to join the board.
"There are some countries like Italy, whose leader told me she wants to sign desperately. But I think she has to go back to her legislative branch. And we have that with Poland too."
On the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Mr Trump held a ceremony to formally launch the board, claiming 59 countries had signed on, but only 19 countries had officials present at the event.
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Australia's southeastern states are preparing for what's forecast to be a severe heatwave this weekend.
Temperatures as high as 48 degrees Celsius are being forecast.
Spokesperson for Victoria State Control Centre, David Nugent warns the heatwave has the potential to fuel another round of dangerous bushfires - and worsen those that are currently burning.
"Three of our major fires that are still going a number of other fires that we have been able to contain over the last last few days, but as these conditions get hot and we have extreme fire danger ratings in some district tomorrow and that will occur again. Next week is that we are particularly focused on on the effort. It's to make sure our fires don't spread significantly of those conditions."
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A number of prestigious prizes in Australian music is to be awarded this weekend at the Tamworth Country Music Festival [[ends Monday 26 Jan]].
Musicians from around the country are in the New South Wales town, with buskers as usual taking centre stage.
Calling themselves 'the Curry Mob', child performers Mickaela and Mick Curry told NITV they hope to win the People's Choice prize, but the main thing is to have fun.
"Last year was what really kicked us off, because we were popular here last year busking because of the music. But really we just do it for the fun."
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To sport now,
Fifty-three Australians will represent the nation at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games, with half the team making their Olympic debut.
The team is more than 62 per cent female - with more women than any previous national Olympic team - as well as five teenagers.
Twenty-seven members of Team Australia have never competed at an Olympics before - but they're not alone.
Allan Corona has learned cross country skiing as an adult- after moving from Mexico to Norway during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Well, it has definitely been a difficult journey, but a very rewarding one. And I think those go hand in hand. If it were easy, it might not be as rewarding. I knew what I was getting into. I am happy to have chosen it, to have stayed firm in the most difficult moments, when we felt alone, far away, perhaps without a great structure like our competitors have."
That was SBS News In Easy English. I'm Biwa Kwan.
