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TRANSCRIPT
- Coalition considers reunion as parliament returns and a former Liberal joins One Nation
- Rafah crossing re-opens for a small number of Palestinians on foot
- Cameron Myers makes history as the Wanamaker Mile's youngest winner
It remains unclear whether the Coalition will sit together when Parliament returns later today, after talks between the Liberal and Nationals leaders last night.
The way was cleared for a possible reunion yesterday after Nationals leader David Littleproud saw off an attempted spill motion against his leadership.
He'd previously suggested the Nationals could not rejoin the Liberals while Sussan Ley remained leader, but that position appears to have softened.
Also up in the air is the fate of three Nationals senators accused of breaching shadow cabinet solidarity to vote against hate speech laws.
Queensland Senator Matt Canavan says they should be welcomed back, and the Coalition should be reformed.
CANAVAN: "I mean, it's pretty simple that in any Coalition, the respective leaders of the party should be free to put forward the people they'd like to serve in the shadow ministry without interference. It's as simple as that.
REPORTER: "The Liberals say they didn't know the crossing of the floor was occurring, and it shocked them."
CANAVAN: "Well, look, I can't comment on that. I didn't have those discussions. I think our position was pretty clear. It's also not the first time it's happened, as I said in this hallway a couple of weeks ago."
**
Pauline Hanson has announced former Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi will join One Nation as the party's leader in South Australia and run for state elections next month.
Ms Hanson has been recruiting disaffected Coalition figures as her party enjoys a bounce in the polls, surpassing the Liberal and National parties as the Coalition descended into disarray.
A staunch conservative, Mr Bernardi was a controversial figure in Federal politics as a South Australian Senator for 13 years, until he resigned in 2020.
His move to join One Nation comes after maverick former Nationals MP and two-time leader Barnaby Joyce defected last December.
**
Britain's former US ambassador has quit the Labour Party after newly released files relating to to the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein revealed Peter Mandelson received money from the late sex offender.
Mandelson left the Labour party late on Sunday saying he didn't want to cause "further embarrassment" to the party, saying he wished to apologise to the women and girls whose voices should have been heard long before now.
He added that he had no recollection of any payments after files show he appeared to received donations totalling $75,000 from Epstein.
Among the latest batch of documents released by the US Justice Department, an email suggested Mandelson had shared a confidential government briefing with the financier.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Mandelson should be removed from parliament's upper chamber.
**
Israel has reopened the border between Gaza and Egypt for people on foot, in a move expected to allow some Palestinians to leave the enclave, and others to return.
But only only a small number of Palestinians will be permitted to cross in each direction each day, and Israel says it will continue to block humanitarian aid.
This is just a small fraction of the tens of thousands who either fled before the Rafah crossing closed, or who need to seek medical treatment abroad.
The crossing has been closed for almost two years, and displaced Rafah resident Jihad al-Arja says the re-opening will make a real difference.
“We hear on the news that, God willing, the crossing will open today on a trial basis, and tomorrow it will officially open. We hope things will go smoothly (interrupted by child screaming in Arabic: 'God willing'!) and that the entry and exit of travellers will be easy, because there are a large number of sick and elderly people here who are suffering due to illnesses and need treatment and travel to Egypt or abroad.”
**
Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti has become the first African artist ever to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy at the Grammys Special Merit Awards.
It comes almost three decades after the musician and political activist's death, and two years after the introduction of a new category for Best African Performance.
Also receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award this year were Chaka Khan, Carlos Santana, Paul Simon, Whitney Houston and Cher.
The Turn Back Time star accepted her award at a ceremony on Sunday which was broadcast by Stan.
"I just want to tell you, never give up on your dream. No matter what happens, live it, be it, and if it's not happening now, it will happen soon, so that's all I have to say."
**
Teen-aged middle-distance star Cam Myers has become the youngest runner to win the Wanamaker Mile in New York, claiming the most important victory of his burgeoning career.
The 19-year-old Australian hit the front with 300 metres to run in the feature race at the Millrose Games indoor meet and hung tough to win in three minutes 47.57 seconds.
He told World Athletics he was surprised coming off the last turn that no-one was there.
"I mean, it's great. I mean, yeah, I honestly thought it would take, 3' 45" (or) high 3' 46" to really get the win here, but I mean I got the win. So the time doesn't really matter today so that's all matters."
Three-time defending Wanamaker Mile champ and 2024 Olympics 1500 metre bronze medallist Yared Nuguse was second, finishing in 3 minutes and 48 seconds.
