SBS News in Easy English 31 May 2024

BS Easy English bulletin image square.png

A daily 5-minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability. 


Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts.

TRANSCRIPT:

An Australian is one of 14 pro-democracy activists convicted by a Hong Kong court on national security charges.

He has been identified as dual citizen Gordon Ng.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has expressed concern over the verdicts and the application of national security legislation in Hong Kong.

The Senator says consular assistance has been requested for Mr Ng.

.

Senior politicians have reacted to the conviction of Donald Trump in the US on criminal hush money charges.

Cabinet minister Bill Shorten has said it's "not sensible" for the government to comment on a court case in another jurisdiction.

Deputy Liberal Leader Sussan Ley and Labor Minister Jason Clare have both taken a similar line in their appearance on Channel 7.

LEY: "We're not going to comment on the matter given this is a domestic political development in the US. But the relationship we have with the US is more important and bigger than any one individual, any one leader or any one government."
CLARE: "We haven't seen anything like this before. Obviously, we need to now wait and see what the sentence is that the judge will hand down. But I'm reticent to comment on court proceedings in another country or to say anything about the domestic politics of the United States."

.

Anthony Albanese says Australia's relationship with New Zealand remains strong, despite tensions over a controversial immigration direction.

Several tribunal decisions have allowed foreign nationals guilty of serious crimes to avoid having their visa cancelled.

Those decisions were based on a ministerial note known as direction 99.

New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon says he has "grave concerns" about Australia updating that advice, but Mr Albanese says that doesn't mean relations have been damaged.

"I had a chat with him yesterday, we talk regularly between Prime Ministers. I know, Prime Minister Luxon for a long period of time, because he was a former CEO of Air New Zealand. So we have a good relationship, we had a good chat yesterday. Australia makes our decisions in our national interests."

.

An investigation is underway after a spate of vandalism on key political office buildings.

Victoria Police say red paint was thrown over several Labor MPs offices early this morning, including that of federal Attorney General Mark Dreyfus.

The United States Consulate General in Melbourne has also been covered in red paint, and several windows smashed.

The attack is believed to be the work of activists in a pro-Palestine movement.

.

Labor senator Fatima Payman has resigned from a parliamentary foreign affairs committee.

The West Australian senator had been under pressure to step down after a Parliamentary speech accusing Israel of genocide.

She used the phrase "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free", which is regarded by some Jewish communities as a call for the destruction of Israel.

Pro-Palestinian supporters say it is a call for freedom.

.

The Queensland government is banning carbon capture projects in the state.

It says it's to protect the Great Artesian Basin, because 70 per cent of its area sits beneath Queensland.

It holds an estimated 65 million gigalitres and is a water source for 180,000 inland people.

Premier Steven Miles says the Basin's unique significance is worth protecting.

.

An intense search is underway for a man who has gone missing on an outback trail in the Northern Territory.

Police say 64 year old Alistair Thomson left Alice Springs to hike the Larapinta Trail along the West McDonnell Ranges ten days ago.

Mr Thomson is reportedly an experienced hiker and authorities believe he left with "adequate" food and water.

But he hasn't been heard from since the 21st of May when he sent a text update on his trip.

.

The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting a warmer-than-expected winter for large parts of Australia.

It has released its long-range winter forecast, which says there's a strong chance of higher than usual temperatures for this time of year.

The forecast also says above average rainfall is likely for some southern central and western parts of Australia.

Share

Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world
SBS News in Easy English 31 May 2024 | SBS News