A daily 5 minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability.
This is SBS News in Easy English, I'm Biwa Kwan.
//
New workplace laws in Australia are set to come into effect, after the legislation passed the final hurdle in Parliament.
The changes would include an end to clauses on pay secrecy, and a ban on job ads advertising salaries less than the legal minimum wage.
Employer groups say they are worried about how the new laws will operate and the impact on employers.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the laws will help female workers in industries that have historically been lower paid.
"Today is a win for the heroes of the pandemic. The cleaners, the disability workers, the aged care workers, the early childhood educators. Heroes of the pandemic and heroes each and every day. They got our thanks but they deserve more than that. They deserve better conditions and they deserve better pay. This legislation will get that moving again."
//
Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong and her NZ counterpart Nanaia Mahuta have progressed talks on citizenship and voting rights for New Zealanders in Australia.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese indicated earlier this year that a framework will be ready by early next year on an easier pathway to citizenship and voting rights for New Zealanders.
Senator Wong says a common sense approach is being taken to the relationship.
"We want to progress issues that affect the lives of those New Zealanders resident in Australia in ways that recognise our deep friendship. And that apply commonsense outcomes. And that is what the prime minister said after his meeting with Prime Minister Ardern. And we will work through those (issues) with New Zealand, as you would expect."
//
Sanna Marin has become the first Finnish Prime Minister to visit Australia.
Addressing the Lowy Institute in Sydney, Ms Marin says she appreciates Australia's support in Finland's historic decision to seek NATO membership, triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
She says countries need to work together to continue to weaken Russia's ability to wage war.
"We should continue to weaken Russia's ability to finance the war. We must make the sanctions more effective. Our focus should also be on closing the loopholes in the current sanctions - and cracking down on attempts to circumvent them. Here too, we need partners like Australia. Finland has been an important transit country - and tourist nation - for Russians. We have therefore stopped issuing tourist visas to Russian citizens."
The rising cost of living is making the world’s most expensive cities even costlier.
Cities have been ranked in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Worldwide Cost of Living survey.
At the top of the list is Singapore, which has the world’s highest transport prices, followed by New York, as interest rates rise in the US.
Last year’s winner, Tel Aviv, is at number three.
As for Australia’s most expensive city - it’s Sydney - which is at number 10 on the global survey.
//
Almost a million stillbirths a year can be attributed to air pollution, according to a new study published by UNICEF.
The report found that almost half of all stillbirths can be linked to exposure to pollution particles that are mostly produced by burning fossil fuels.
The study is the first global analysis to assess the number of stillbirth deaths and includes 137 countries across Asia, Africa and Latin America.
//
A team at US space agency NASA is preparing to bring the Artemis rocket back to earth, after a successful orbit around the moon.
NASA flight director Zebulon Scoville says officials are preparing for the Orion capsule to perform what is called a distant retrograde burn.
He says the space agency considers this flight a test run for the next moon flyby in 2024.
"This vehicle really needs to be thought of a human craft that will take humanity to the moon on Artemis II and III and subsequent missions... This is a ship that's going to take humans to explore the solar system and cislunar space, and we're just thrilled to be a part of it."
//
In football, Roberto Martinez has quit as coach of the Belgium national side, after the team's early exit from the World Cup.
Belgium, ranked second in the world and semi-finalists four years ago, needed a win against Croatia to keep their hopes alive - but the game ended in a scoreless draw.
Martinezrevealed after the game that he had already made the decision before the World Cup to quit after the tournament.
//
You've been listening to SBS News in Easy English.
