TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to SBS News in Easy English, I'm Camille Bianchi.
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From next week, ten major social media platforms, Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube and Twitch must pay fines of up to $50 million dollars if they fail to remove accounts for users under age 16.
Communications Minister Anika Wells says the government expects platforms to implement age checks carefully but firmly.
“The government recognises that age assurance may require several days or weeks to complete fairly and accurately … One week from today, this law is starting. Over the coming months, we will fight to defend this law in the High Court because parents right across Australia asked the government to step up.”
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At least 159 people have died in a fire in eight Hong Kong apartment buildings.
Six people are suspected of turning fire alarms off, when repairs were being done on the buildings.
Commissioner of Police Joe Chow says the investigation is not over.
“So this is the interim, but we have not finished our work yet because as you can see the scaffoldings, a lot of bamboos, that they have fallen down. So we still need to do some work on those bamboos to see any remainings or any bodies were covered by these bamboos.”
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United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the COP30 climate summit in Brazil in November, was disappointing.
A deal made by countries did not include plans to stop using fossil fuels for energy.
"I think it is remarkable that with the United States out and campaigning against, with the fossil fuel industry, clearly determined to make sure that things will not move forward because today it is clear that renewables are cheaper. And it is clear that they are the solution from the point of view of climate. With all these movements against it was possible to have an agreement. And this shows that multilateralism works.”
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In cricket, Australian captain Pat Cummins may play at the second Ashes game, today.
It would be a suprise return, because he has had a back injury and missed the first test.
But he has been training with the team in the leadup to this match, and teammates say he is playing well.
Australia beat England in the first of five games in the series.
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That's the latest SBS News in Easy English.
