SBS News in Easy English 4 August 2025
Welcome to SBS News in Easy English, I'm Camille Bianchi.
New South Wales Police say around 90,000 people walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge in a rainstorm, to support of Palestinians in Gaza. The protesters want the Albanese government to sanction Israel. Sunday was the first time the iconic bridge has been closed for an anti-war protest. "We might be standing in the rain but it's nothing compared to the rain of the bombs and the bullets." "This is nothing compared to what's happening in Palestine." "We are not a noisy minority; this is the majority. The tide has turned. Sanction Israel now!"
"We're here using our voice, trying to make a change and pressure the government into doing something and taking a stand for these people."
Police are asking for any information that could help solve cases of missing persons in Australia during National Missing Persons week. Around 2,700 Australians have been missing for a long time. Heather Marks went missing 42 years ago in Sydney. Heather's granddaughter, Natalie Jackson, is asking anyone who may know more about her grandmother's disappearance – to come forward.
"On the 13th of April, Heather went missing last seen walking along Glover St, Rozelle, heading towards Leichhardt pool. If you were that day and know anything - no matter how small - I urge you to come forward. To the rest of Australia, she may be a missing person, but to us she is family. And we missing her dearly. A long-term missing person case brings immense emotional distress. For families, it is an endless journey of uncertainty marked by sadness, guilt and anger. Yet there is always a flicker of hope that one day we will have answers."
The federal government has named Australia's first National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People. Sue-Anne Hunter will speak with Indigenous children and young people to make meaningful change on social issues and help meet Closing the Gap targets. Professor Hunter says she wants to build on work that has already been done. "Most of his work isn't new. It just hasn't progressed. So how do we actually do, and progress - reduce the rate of children in care, reduce our children in youth detention. How do we get better health outcomes, better education outcomes, how do we keep kids connected to their family, their country, their culture."
The latest Closing the Gap report showed the rate of Indigenous children in out-of-home care is getting worse... while Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are 27 times more likely to be in youth detention.
In cycling, Australian Lauretta Hanson says she is proud of her performance at the Tour de France Femmes]. Eight Australians participated in the race. Hanson finished 75th out of 154 riders. She says it takes dedication to compete.
"You see the level of professionalism in the athletes who have really dedicated a lot to be here. My preparation wasn't perfect, but it still takes a lot of hard work to be able to start the Tour de France. There are some incredibly strong athletes. They have dedicated a lot of time, their friends, their families, their teams as well. Spending a lot of time on altitude really focusing on their preparation and performance to give themselves and the team the best opportunity for yellow. It has been a very tough week. You have seen really exciting racing, really fast racing. And yeah, I am proud to be part of it."
That's the latest SBS News in Easy English.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
21 minutes ago
- ABC News
QTU President Cresta Richardson says teachers are tired and frustrated
More than 50,000 Queensland school teachers will strike for the first time in 16 years today, after negotiations with the government over pay and conditions broke down last week.
7NEWS
an hour ago
- 7NEWS
Sunrise's Nat Barr confronts Liberal senator on ‘starving children' in Gaza amid controversial Penny Wong remarks
Sunrise host Nat Barr has confronted Liberal Senator Bridget McKenzie over the plight of 'starving children' in Gaza on Wednesday, as they discussed Foreign Minister Penny Wong's latest remarks on the Israeli-Hamas conflict. On Tuesday, Wong made a significant shift away from calls for Hamas to release the 50 Israeli hostages as a priority before a deal can be struck and the conflict ended, which has been her past position. Instead, she advocated for a deal to be struck before the hostages are released. Wong said there would be 'no Palestine left to recognise' should the international community wait much longer. Hamas took the hostages during a terror attack on October 7, 2023. Just days ago, a distressing video was released of an emaciated Israeli hostage in an underground tunnel digging his own grave. Speaking about the change in tone from Wong, McKenzie said: 'Israel did not start this war, Hamas started this war by their atrocities nearly two years ago. 'It has been clear that the pathway to peace from day one is to return the hostages to Israel, dead or alive, and for Hamas, a terrorist organisation, to lay down their weapons and surrender.' Barr pressed: 'Bridget, when you have got hundreds and hundreds of starving children where we are now, what do we do?' McKenzie replied: 'You don't give in to terrorists. The pathway to peace is not giving in to the oppressors and giving in to the terrorists. Hamas needs to allow the aid to get where it's needed. 'Giving in to terrorists and oppressors is not the way to end wars. I think Penny (Wong) has pulled the wrong lever on this.' Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth said she agreed with Wong's remarks. 'Firstly, I would say that we need this conflict to end. We have called for an immediate ceasefire,' Rishworth said. 'I think it's not only Australia putting this position forward. Of course, we have got 600 former Israeli defence security personnel saying really the best way to get the hostages back is to end the conflict, so this has become very distressing across the board. 'We are seeing a huge human toll in Gaza, it really is time for this to end, for the hostages to be returned and for Palestinians, particularly in Gaza, to have access to food and water.' Barr pressed the issue of Palestinian statehood, asking if the change in tone is paving the way for Australia to recognise Palestinian statehood. 'First, I would say the Prime Minister has been really clear that to recognise a Palestinian state it is (a matter of) when, not if,' Rishworth said. 'Of course, we have been very clear that Hamas should play no role. 'But we have been clear that we do need a pathway to peace. 'Obviously, we continue to work with international partners on the way forward with that as well as taking action to get aid into Gaza. 'I think across the board Australians are pretty distressed about what is happening in Gaza at the moment and do want this conflict to end.'
SBS Australia
an hour ago
- SBS Australia
Albanese and Macron speak about crisis in Gaza, agree to meet at UN summit
In July, France announced its intention to recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly meeting in New York. More than 140 of the 193 UN member states already recognise the State of Palestine. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has revealed Australia is working with other countries on the statehood issue. The leaders of Australia and France have made plans to meet at a United Nations gathering, where Palestinian statehood and the crisis in Gaza will be major issues. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and President Emmanuel Macron spoke overnight on Tuesday, almost two weeks after France announced its intention to recognise a Palestinian state at the general assembly meeting in New York in September. France was followed by Canada and the United Kingdom , which also stated their intentions, with conditions including the exit of Hamas from the Gaza Strip, the reform of the Palestinian Authority and demilitarisation of the state. "The leaders spoke about the crisis in Gaza and their ongoing commitment to getting aid to civilians," according to a readout of the call between Albanese and Macron. "Both leaders discussed their longstanding support for a two-state solution." "The leaders agreed to stay in close touch and meet again at the United Nations General Assembly in September." More than 140 of the 193 UN member states already recognise the State of Palestine, including European Union members Spain and Ireland. Albanese has said recognition by Australia is a matter of "when, not if", but has been hesitant to set a timeline. He's previously stated any UN resolution would need to guarantee the designated terror group Hamas played no role in the future nation. "We understand the urgency, we also understand the importance of having impact, we are obviously discussing and co-ordinating these issues with many countries," she said on Tuesday. "Everybody understands that there is a risk that there will be no Palestine left to recognise unless the international community work together towards two states. "We want to ensure work with others to ensure that Hamas has no role in a future Palestinian state, and we do have a unique opportunity at this time with the international community to isolate Hamas." Albanese spoke with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday morning, when he reiterated Australia's commitment to a two-state solution in the Middle East that would allow a Palestinian state and Israel to peacefully co-exist. Israel has bombarded Gaza since Hamas' October 7 attack in 2023, in which more than 1,200 people, including an estimated 30 children, were killed and over 200 hostages taken, according to the Israeli government. More than 60,430 people have been killed in Gaza since October 7, according to the health ministry in Gaza. The October 7 attack was a significant escalation in the long-standing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Israel has denied the population in Gaza is facing, or succumbing to, starvation. Albanese also stressed to Abbas the need for the immediate delivery of aid to Gaza, a permanent ceasefire and the release of all Israeli hostages taken by Hamas. Abbas thanked Australia for its humanitarian support for Gaza and agreed to meet him on the sidelines of the UN meeting starting on 9 September. In late July, Albanese also had a call with his UK counterpart Keir Starmer about support for a two-state solution. France was the first of the G7 group of major industrialised nations to announce it would recognise a Palestinian state. The G7 includes France, the United States, the UK, Italy, Germany, Canada and Japan.
