The CEO of Muslim Women Australia, Maha Abdo has condemned Pauline Hanson’s burqa stunt in parliament.
After first wearing a burqa in the Senate in 2017, Ms Hanson repeated the act in the Senate yesterday to further her calls for a ban on the Muslim face covering.
She is citing national security grounds as the reason for the push, despite not being able to name a single safety incident linked to the burqa.
Ms Abdo tells SBS Arabic that Ms Hanson's actions are harmful.
"As we begin 16 days of activism from today - end violence against women, I am deeply disappointed to once again witness Pauline Hanson using her platform as an attention-seeking exercise to mock, belittle and politicise the choices of Muslim women in Australia. And I sincerely call out the right of every woman to be able to live free from harm, racism and misogyny."
An additional $41.8 million funding for domestic violence helpline 1800RESPECT has been announced by the federal government.
Established 15 years ago, the service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week - and is free to access.
In 2023, the service launched an SMS channel followed by video counselling in 2024.
In the last financial year, the service received more than 342,000 calls, video calls, online chats and texts.
Pope Leo XIV is preparing to travel to Turkiye and Lebanon this week to promote Christian unity and urge peace efforts - amid tensions in the Middle East.
The six-day journey is his first overseas trip since his inauguration.
The trip will also include a visit to a recently-discovered basilica in Turkiye.
The head of excavation at the site, Mustafa Sahn, says the final preparations have been made to receive the Pope.
"We believe that after the mid-13th century or towards the end of the 13th century, the church was completely submerged, abandoned, and forgotten until our discovery in 2014. It resurfaced with our discovery and is now a very important site for Christians and the Christian religion. We were able to introduce it to faith tourism."
Australia's two largest on-demand delivery platforms have agreed to minimum pay rates and wide-ranging protections for riders and drivers.
The agreement has been negotiated between the Transport Workers Union, Uber Eats and DoorDash; and requires approval from the Fair Work Commission before coming into effect.
The deal covers dispute resolution processes and accident insurance paid for by the platforms.
Workplace Relations Minister Amanda Rishworth says she welcomes the deal.
"Minimum standards, including minimum rates of pay, to ensure that we don't have sort of sub slavery conditions in this country, and so there are workers that had fallen through the cracks, and we took action to Fix that law and the agreement that's been struck between the TWU and the platforms is a really profound one."
In football, in the English Premier League,
Everton have defeated Manchester United 1-nil, despite playing almost the entire game with 10 men; and also having their midfielder - Idrissa Gana Gueye - sent off for slapping his own teammate.
It is the club's first win at Old Trafford in 12 years.
The result also ends Manchester United's five-game unbeaten run.
