logo
Australia on the verge of recognising Palestine as a state

Australia on the verge of recognising Palestine as a state

SBS Australia18 hours ago
Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts .
TRANSCRIPT:
Australia on the verge of recognising Palestine as a state;
One killed in an earthquake in Turkiye;
Australia triumphs over South Africa in their first T20 match in Darwin. The federal government is considering announcing its intention to formally recognise the state of Palestine as early as today. A high-level federal government source has confirmed to SBS World News that Cabinet is set to meet in Canberra today, with the expectation amongst senior ministers that it will sign off on statehood. France has already announced its intention to recognise a Palestinian State at the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York in September, while the UK has moved to support recognition of Palestine if Israel fails to meet a series of conditions. Australia is expected to follow the same timeline of moving to formal recognition at the UN talks in September. Israel's Prime Minister has spoken with U-S President Donald Trump about a new military offensive in Gaza City that he says will be finished quickly. Benjamin Netanyahu says it is the best way to move forward. "Israel's security cabinet instructed the IDF to dismantle the two remaining Hamas strongholds in Gaza City and the central camps. Contrary to false claims, this is the best way to end the war and the best way to end it speedily." The PM's announcement has been met with alarm and condemnation by the international community. The U-K, China, France and Slovenia are among the member nations to condemn Israel's actions at an emergency U-N security council meeting, which Palestinian Permanent Observer to the U-N, Riyad Mansour, says he wishes was the start of something more. "While this is okay, it is not sufficient. You have to act. You have do something about it. You have stop it." At least one person has been killed in an earthquake in Turkiye. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya says the elderly woman died shortly after being pulled out alive from the debris of a collapsed building in Sindirgi, in the country's northwestern province of Balikesir. Officials say the earthquake measured 6.1 in magnitude and caused about a dozen buildings to collapse. The shocks of the earthquake have reportedly been widely felt, some from 200 kilometres to the north in Istanbul, a city of more than 16 million people. The Victorian government is under pressure to bring forward anti-hate laws which are due to come into effect next month, after around 100 neo-NAZIs marched down Melbourne's main street at the weekend. Victorian premier Jacinta Allan has released a statement saying the police did what they could to maintain public order during the march - and the state's anti-vilification statute will give them even more powers. The state's Opposition leader Brad Battin says her government has lost control over the matter. But Attorney General Sonya Kilkenny says that's far from the truth. "We are working on additional powers so police will be able to unmask these cowards, these cowards who are hiding behind these masks and who are walking our streets in the middle of the night." Early findings from an upcoming Diversity Council Australia report suggests social class can hinder people's careers. The early data indicates Australian workers face a "class ceiling" that leaves some with less chance for job progression, confounding the nation's image as an egalitarian society. It's found only 44 per cent of disadvantaged workers have been offered career-development opportunities in the past year, compared to 76 per cent who were privileged due to their social class. The study also found that one in four marginalised workers felt valued and respected in their teams, compared to 41 per cent of privileged workers. The federal environment minister has apologised for an escalating marine crisis in South Australia, saying authorities have been too slow to respond to the algal bloom that's killing vast swathes of marine life. Tens of thousands of marine animals have been killed since the bloom was identified off the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia in March, and has since spread along the coastline. Murray Watt says that the official response could have been better - but he says the government's recently announced jointly funded $28 million package will make a positive difference. To sport now and in cricket, Australia have beaten South Africa in the first match of a three-game Twenty20 series in Darwin. South Africa lost by 17 runs in the clash at Marrara Oval. Josh Hazlewood was the hero for Australia, claiming 3 for29, while veteran legspinner Adam Zampa finished with 2 for 32 from his four overs. Tim David hammered eight sixes in a powerful 83, telling Channel 9 next time it will likely be a teammate who does the heavy lifting.
"We went pretty hard today but you know there are not going to be that many occasions when that many of our batters miss out, I don't think. So it will be someone in the next match who will get us the runs and over the line."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Timbuktu's famed manuscripts return home after 13 years
Timbuktu's famed manuscripts return home after 13 years

Perth Now

time5 minutes ago

  • Perth Now

Timbuktu's famed manuscripts return home after 13 years

The Malian military government has started returning home the historic manuscripts of Timbuktu, which were spirited out of their fabled northern city when it was occupied by al-Qaida-linked militants more than a decade ago. Islamic extremists destroyed more than 4000 manuscripts, some dating back to the 13th century, after they seized Timbuktu in 2012, according to the findings of a United Nations expert mission. They also destroyed nine mausoleums and a mosque's door — all but one of the buildings on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The majority of the documents dating back to the 13th century — more than 27,000 — were saved by the devotion of the Timbuktu library's Malian custodians, who carried them out of the occupied city in rice sacks, on donkey carts, by motorcycle, by boat and four-wheel drive vehicles. The first batch of the manuscripts were brought to Timbuktu by plane from the capital of Bamako on Monday. Authorities said that the return was necessary to protect them from the threats of Bamako's humidity. The shipment consisted of more than 200 crates and weighed some 5.5 tonnes. The rest would be shipped in the coming days, officials said. About 706 kilometres from Bamako, Timbuktu sits on the edge of the Sahara Desert and has a dry climate. For years, the local municipal and religious authorities have asked for the return of the manuscripts. Diahara Touré, Timbuktu's deputy mayor, said the famous documents are important to the local people as they "reflect our civilisation and spiritual and intellectual heritage". In February, the military government committed to return the manuscripts, according to Bouréma Kansaye, the Malian Minister of Higher Education. He described them as a "legacy that bears witness to the intellectual greatness and crossroads of civilisation" of the city of Timbuktu — "a bridge between the past and the future". "We now have a responsibility to protect, digitise, study, and promote these treasures so that they continue to enlighten Mali, Africa, and the world," Kansaye said during Monday's return ceremony. The manuscripts, which UNESCO has designated as part of the World Cultural Heritage, cover a myriad subjects, from Islamic theology and jurisprudence, astronomy, medicine, mathematics, history, and geography. They are a testimony to the rich cultural heritage of the Mali and Songhai empires in West Africa. Mali, along with neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, has long battled an insurgency by armed militants, including some allied with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. Following two military coups, the ruling junta expelled French troops and instead turned to Russia for security assistance. Still, 13 years after the occupation of Timbuktu, the security situation in Mali remains precarious and analysts say it has worsened in recent months. Although the city is back under government control, militants continue attacking its surroundings, including as recently as last month.

Timbuktu's famed manuscripts return home after 13 years
Timbuktu's famed manuscripts return home after 13 years

West Australian

time5 minutes ago

  • West Australian

Timbuktu's famed manuscripts return home after 13 years

The Malian military government has started returning home the historic manuscripts of Timbuktu, which were spirited out of their fabled northern city when it was occupied by al-Qaida-linked militants more than a decade ago. Islamic extremists destroyed more than 4000 manuscripts, some dating back to the 13th century, after they seized Timbuktu in 2012, according to the findings of a United Nations expert mission. They also destroyed nine mausoleums and a mosque's door — all but one of the buildings on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The majority of the documents dating back to the 13th century — more than 27,000 — were saved by the devotion of the Timbuktu library's Malian custodians, who carried them out of the occupied city in rice sacks, on donkey carts, by motorcycle, by boat and four-wheel drive vehicles. The first batch of the manuscripts were brought to Timbuktu by plane from the capital of Bamako on Monday. Authorities said that the return was necessary to protect them from the threats of Bamako's humidity. The shipment consisted of more than 200 crates and weighed some 5.5 tonnes. The rest would be shipped in the coming days, officials said. About 706 kilometres from Bamako, Timbuktu sits on the edge of the Sahara Desert and has a dry climate. For years, the local municipal and religious authorities have asked for the return of the manuscripts. Diahara Touré, Timbuktu's deputy mayor, said the famous documents are important to the local people as they "reflect our civilisation and spiritual and intellectual heritage". In February, the military government committed to return the manuscripts, according to Bouréma Kansaye, the Malian Minister of Higher Education. He described them as a "legacy that bears witness to the intellectual greatness and crossroads of civilisation" of the city of Timbuktu — "a bridge between the past and the future". "We now have a responsibility to protect, digitise, study, and promote these treasures so that they continue to enlighten Mali, Africa, and the world," Kansaye said during Monday's return ceremony. The manuscripts, which UNESCO has designated as part of the World Cultural Heritage, cover a myriad subjects, from Islamic theology and jurisprudence, astronomy, medicine, mathematics, history, and geography. They are a testimony to the rich cultural heritage of the Mali and Songhai empires in West Africa. Mali, along with neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, has long battled an insurgency by armed militants, including some allied with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. Following two military coups, the ruling junta expelled French troops and instead turned to Russia for security assistance. Still, 13 years after the occupation of Timbuktu, the security situation in Mali remains precarious and analysts say it has worsened in recent months. Although the city is back under government control, militants continue attacking its surroundings, including as recently as last month.

Speaker's role set to play big part in Tasmanian parliament's future
Speaker's role set to play big part in Tasmanian parliament's future

ABC News

time5 minutes ago

  • ABC News

Speaker's role set to play big part in Tasmanian parliament's future

When the Tasmanian parliament returns next week, the first order of business will be selecting the speaker of the House of Assembly. While the no-confidence motion promised by Labor leader Dean Winter in Premier Jeremy Rockliff looms over the first sitting day, the vote to select the speaker will be a first test of how the new parliament might function. Whoever assumes the speakership will be required to chair the lower house — or House of Assembly. Usually, the government will nominate one of its own members as a candidate for speaker, and for governments with a large enough majority, losing one vote (as the speaker will only vote when there is a tie) won't make passing legislation more difficult. But for a minority government, the choice of speaker is "critical", according to political scientist Richard Herr. "It is actually the first electoral act of the parliament," Dr Herr said. Tasmania's political history provides some insight into just how critical that appointment can be. The first sitting day of parliament in 2018 was a case in point. Long-serving Liberal MP Rene Hidding had given up his ministerial portfolios after then-premier Will Hodgman announced him as the party's nominee as speaker. It seemed assured, with the Liberals holding a majority of votes by one seat. The speaker is expected to adopt an apolitical approach while presiding over the passage of new legislation. Their casting vote as a tie-breaker won't necessarily fall along party lines, with convention being the speaker keeps the status quo in the event of tied votes. But it was freshly minted Liberal MP Sue Hickey who took the speakership, after a surprise nomination orchestrated and supported by Labor and the Greens. The manoeuvre blindsided the Liberals — but Mr Hidding told the ABC later that morning he wasn't surprised. Ms Hickey remained a member of the Liberal Party after the speakership coup and promised to support the government with a guarantee of confidence and supply. But the Hodgman government's grasp on majority was now tenuous, with Ms Hickey holding the casting vote and vowing to vote on each bill on its merits. The maverick speaker voted with Labor and the Greens to pass landmark transgender reforms and mandatory sentencing for serious child sexual assaults. She was ultimately disendorsed by the party in 2021. After the 2024 election, the Liberals didn't put a candidate for speaker forward, to avoid "unnecessary division and dissent" after realising their nominee wouldn't get enough votes. The make-up of that parliament was similar to the current arrangement; the Liberals with 14 seats, Labor with 10, the Greens with four, the Jacqui Lambie Network with three and three independents. The Liberal minority government got rolled on the first day of parliament, with Labor and the crossbench voting together to install long-serving Labor MP Michelle O'Byrne in the role — the first speaker from the opposition in more than 60 years. In that instance, it wasn't a total surprise for the government. The three Jacqui Lambie Network MPs had given the government advance notice of their intention to vote for Ms O'Byrne. Her speakership would further undermine Mr Rockliff's control over parliament, with Ms O'Byrne providing the pivotal vote to pass the no-confidence motion that led to last month's election. "No one in this chamber could realistically expect me to provide confidence to a Liberal government," she told parliament at the time. Now, Mr Rockliff's new cabinet has been announced and parliament will return in just over a week. "The next speaker is not determined by the Liberal Party, the next speaker is determined by the parliament," Mr Rockliff said last Wednesday. "To that end, I commend the previous speaker, Michelle O'Byrne, who in my personal opinion did an outstanding job as speaker of the House of Assembly." Ms O'Byrne retired from Tasmanian parliament at the election after spending 25 years in federal and state politics. Asked who he would nominate as speaker, Mr Rockliff said there was "a lot of water to go under the bridge yet". "But that's up to our party." Dr Herr said without the numbers, it was not clear the Liberals would nominate one of their own this time. Instead, he said an independent such as former Labor leader-turned-crossbencher, David O'Byrne, could be nominated. But Mr O'Byrne has said he isn't interested in becoming speaker or a minister. An independent member hasn't assumed the position in Tasmania since 1949. Dr Herr said there is another potential scenario. "But then the Greens might feel that that's wedging them out of having a policy influence or even the possibility of forcing Labor to change its rules and accept a Green minister." The first sitting day for the new Tasmanian parliament will be on Tuesday, August 19.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store