SBS News in Easy English Bulletin 7 December 2022

A high-angle photo shows a small inflatable boat with people in it, positioned next to a large whale. The whale is partially tangled in a fishing net, and a rescue effort appears to be underway.

Rescuers help a whale caught in a shark net off the coast of Queensland. Source: AAP / Jerome Delay

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


This is SBS News in Easy English. I'm Hannah Kwon.

The United States will have a greater military presence in Australia.

U-S Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin says growing threats to peace in the Indo-Pacific have caused the changed in security settings.

"And we committed ourselves to concrete steps to deepen our co-operation in both diplomacy and defence. The United States and Australia share a vision of a region where countries can determine their own futures. Unfortunately, that vision is being challenged today. China's dangerous and coercive actions throughout the Indo-Pacific, including around Taiwan, toward the Pacific Island countries, and in the East and South China Seas - threaten regional peace and stability."

Meanwhile, Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong says Australia's position on Taiwan has not changed.

"We collectively (Australia and the US) have a strong stake in preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. And Australia has made its view clear about of the important that there is no unilateral change to the status quo. And we value our longstanding unofficial relationship with Taiwan, underpinned by cultural, economic and people-to-people ties."


Donald Trump's real estate company has been convicted of tax fraud.

The Trump Organization - which operates hotels, golf courses, and other real estate around the world - faces up to $2.39 million in fines.

Donald Trump himself was not charged in the case.

Alan Futerfas is a lawyer for the Trump Organization and says the company plans to file an appeal.

"We'll certainly be appealing, of course. A novel and really interesting issue developed during the trial, obviously the definition of 'in behalf of,' what that means, and we filed a lot of papers, the defense team, about what those words mean. They were enacted in 1965. The judge recognized that there was not a lot of definition on that at all."]]


Uber is being fined $21 million by the Federal Court for misleading customers about their fare estimates and trip cancellation fees.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission launched the court case in April.

It alleged that, from at least December 2017 to September 2021, Uber's app displayed a misleading cancellation warning.

When consumers tried to cancel their bookings, they received a message saying they would be charged a small fee "since your driver is already on their way".


Turning to sport and in football, teammates of Portugal's Gonçalo Ramos are celebrating the player, after his performance proved crucial to the team's win over Switzerland at the World Cup, six goals to one.

Portugal controversially benched superstar and captain Cristiano Ronaldo.

But his replacement, 21-year-old Ramos, was superb, scoring three goals.

Portugese football player Bruno Fernandes says it is incredible to see these results.

"Really young age - doing his first game as a starter in the World Cup: three goals, one assist, a lot of work. It is amazing for him. Everyone is really happy for him obviously. He deserved that because of his work rate. He gets his chance, he scored. He was important before this game, and he will be important for the next games too!"

Portugal and Morocco meet in the quarter-finals on Sunday morning (0200 AEDT).

You've been listening to SBS News in Easy English. I'm Hannah Kwon.

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