UN condemns the latest Israeli strikes in Lebanon; Labor criticises the Liberal party as Tony Abbott is elected federal party president; Socceroos heading to Los Angeles ahead of opening World Cup game.
Listen to Australian and world news and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts.
TRANSCRIPT:
- UN condemns the latest Israeli strikes in Lebanon
- Labor criticises the Liberal party as Tony Abbott is elected federal party president
- Socceroos heading to Los Angeles ahead of opening World Cup game
The United Nations has condemned Israel’s latest attack on a suburb in southern Beirut, saying it is deeply concerned by the escalation of hostilities.
The strike hit an apartment near Beirut’s international airport, amid escalating tensions in southern Lebanon, where Israeli troops have crossed the Litani River.
Israeli attacks against Hezbollah have killed at least 14 people across the south, while Hezbollah has claimed multiple drone and rocket attacks targeting Israeli troops in southern Lebanon and northern Israel.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric says both the Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, and the Head of the Peacekeeping Force in southern Lebanon, Major General Diodato Abagnara, are trying to ease tensions.
“We, again, urge all to respect the cessation of hostilities and stop any further attacks. We reiterate that civilians, and civilian infrastructure, must never be targeted. We condemn the loss of civilian life."
-
Environment Minister Murray Watt has criticised the Liberal Party after the election of former prime minister Tony Abbott to the federal presidency of the party.
The leadership role is part of the Liberal Party’s organisational wing, but remains influential within the party.
Mr Abbott served as prime minister from 2013 to 2015 and remains a prominent conservative figure.
Speaking in Canberra, Senator Watt has said the opposition had failed to respond to voters after recent election setbacks.
"This is the man who, as Prime Minister, delivered savage attacks on health budgets, led the charge against net zero, made himself the Minister for Women, and, of course, appointed Prince Philip as a Knight of Australia. And by electing him as their president, the Liberal Party have shown that they continue to be locked in the past themselves."
-
New modelling suggests South Australia’s harmful algal bloom will continue in coming months.
Independent oceanographer Dr Jochen Kaempf says the bloom is likely to move through Spencer Gulf, in a clockwise direction, after authorities confirm elevated levels of harmful algae at Boston Bay on the lower Eyre Peninsula.
Dr Kaempf says the model suggests there could be a second wave of the bloom, which has caused mass marine deaths and badly affected fisheries and tourism.
“You know, this is now the second time that I'm the first one out there actually alerting people. Look, you have to watch out again, you know, you have to get your monitoring ready, start your measurements again, you know, you can't just say it's not there.”
-
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is suing Amazon over its sale of some battery products.
The ACCC alleges that the global giant sold children's unicorn backpacks on its online marketplace which did not comply with mandatory button battery safety warnings.
The commission says the backpacks featured a detachable light-up unicorn plush toy containing button batteries.
Button batteries are considered a serious hazard, posing a health risk for children if they're swallowed or inserted.
-
The US Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into writer and former advice columnist E. Jean Carroll, who successfully sued Donald Trump for sexual abuse and defamation.
The investigation is examining whether Ms Carroll committed perjury during the civil proceedings, after questions were raised about outside funding connected to her legal costs.
Ms Carroll accused Mr Trump of sexually assaulting her in a New York department store in the mid-1990s.
Mr Trump denies the allegations.
The President of Women's Justice NOW group, Sonia Ossorio, says it's an act of political retaliation.
"E. Jean Carroll went through the court system. She did what every American has the right to do. A jury of 12 people in a civil court found Donald Trump liable for sexual abuse. And now at 82 years old, she has to worry about the full weight of the largest law enforcement division in the world coming after her."
-
The Socceroos are heading to Los Angeles for a World Cup warm-up against Mexico.
Australia has left its training camp Florida for the clash with El Tri at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, which was the venue for the 1994 men’s World Cup final and the 1999 women’s decider.
The players are still fighting for a place in Australia’s final squad, with coach Tony Popovic needing to trim his extended 29-man squad to 26 before submitting the final list to FIFA on 1 June.
Former Socceroo Archie Thompson says he understands the pressure facing players trying to impress Popovic ahead of selection, after going through a similar battle before the 2006 World Cup.
