TRANSCRIPT
- Donald Trump says Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a Gaza peace plan
- An Australian scientist wins the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
- In sports, Cristiano Ronaldo becomes the first footballer to reach billionaire status
US President Donald Trump says Israel and Hamas have agreed on the first phase of a peace framework that will allow for the release of all hostages.
In a post on social media, he said the release of hostages is imminent, adding that "All Parties will be treated fairly!".
The exchange of the remaining hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners could happen within 72 hours of the deal's implementation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says a cabinet vote will be held tomorrow to approve the peace deal.
When that happens, Israel must retreat to an agreed upon line within 24 hours, and then the 72-hour clock to release the Israeli hostages begins.
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Australia's federal opposition has welcomed the development.
A statement from Opposition leader Sussan Ley and Foreign Affairs spokesperson Michaelia Cash said the move inspired hope and a step towards the release of hostages held for over two years, and the end of the war between Israel and Hamas.
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The New South Wales Court of Appeal has blocked a planned march to the Sydney Opera House, citing public safety risk with the potential for large crowd numbers.
The decision exposes protesters to potential criminal sanctions, if they press ahead with a protest route that includes the Opera House.
The Palestine Action Group says it is planning to appeal the court decision.
The group's Josh Lee says the plan for now is to take a different march route this weekend - through central Sydney.
"We’re going to fill George Street with people demanding an end to this genocide, an end to the trade of military equipment to a country which has killed hundreds of thousands of people in the last two years. And we'll also be calling, on that day for Chris Minns to light up the Opera House in the colours of the Palestinian flag."
Israel has repeatedly denied allegations of genocide, even after an independent UN inquiry in September concluded that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
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Australian Richard Robson has won a Nobel Prize in chemistry.
Along with Omar Yaghi and Susumu Kitagawa, the scientists were recognised for their development of a new type of molecular architecture that could eventually help reduce pollution and combat climate change.
The Nobel Committee said the trio are being awarded the prize for groundbreaking discoveries that may contribute to solving some of humankind’s greatest challenges.
University of Melbourne professor Robson says at the age of 88, he has mixed feelings about winning the prize.
"Well, there are upsides and downsides. I'm quite old now. And handling all the nonsense that might happen. It is going to be hard work. The facility with words that I had a quarter century ago has disappeared. So it is a bit of a struggle. Any how, this is a taste of what is to come."
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In sports, Cristiano Ronaldo has become football's first billionaire player.
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, the athlete has a net worth of $US1.4 billion ($A2.1 billion).
The valuation includes: career earnings, investments and endorsement.
The 40-year-old signed a new contract with Saudi side Al-Nassr in June reportedly worth more than US$400 million (A$608 million).
His long-term partnership with Nike is worth about $US18 million ($A27 million) a year.
