TRANSCRIPT
- Debate over energy policy intensifies
- Vladimir Putin says nuclear weapons aren't needed in the war with Ukraine
- England fails in its final test before the start of the Euro 2024 tournament
Energy Minister Chris Bowen has criticised Opposition leader Peter Dutton saying his energy policies are out of touch with global targets.
In an interview with The Australian, Mr Dutton described the next federal election as a referendum on energy policies.
The Opposition leader has said the government has no chance of reaching its energy targets, adding that he would remove the 43 per cent emissions goal by 2030 if elected.
Mr Bowen says Peter Dutton's proposed energy policies would put Australia into an isolated category of nations.
"The Paris Accord's very clear. You can't backslide. You can't reduce your commitments. So is Mr Dutton proposing to leave the Paris Accord or is he just hoping no one notices? At the moment, the countries outside the Paris Accord are Libya, Yemen and Iran. Is Mr Dutton proposing to take Australia into that company? Did Mr Dutton take this extraordinary policy to his shadow cabinet or to his party room?"
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New South Wales Emergency Services has urged people planning to travel across the state this long weekend to review their plans.
It comes as multiple roads have closed due to minor to major flood warnings that remain in place for several areas in the state.
Residents of areas that include parts of Sackville, Cumberland and Lower Portland have been ordered to evacuate, with up to 700 people affected so far.
Andrew Edmunds from the State Emergency Service says he's concerned for anyone who's planning to visit those areas this long weekend.
"Unfortunately, they've had repeated flooding this year, so they're well versed in what they need to do. But obviously, a timely reminder for anyone visiting the area over the long weekend roads may be cut and access could leave them isolated for a period of time."
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Russian President Vladimir Putin says he's ready for peace talks to end the conflict in Ukraine- but only if it can get agreements that are in Russia's interests.
Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, and Russian forces have been making advances in eastern Ukraine in recent months.
Mr Putin says peace will be secured by Russia's military strength.
"All armed conflicts end with some form of peace agreements. To tell the truth, as one a former leader of quite a significant European country said to me - all these agreements may be based either on a military defeat or a military victory. Of course, we aim to and we will achieve victory."
Russia is a nuclear power, but Mr Putin says there will be no need to use atomic weapons to win the war in Ukraine.
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French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that his country will "immediately" begin training Ukrainian forces with Mirage combat aircraft.
Mr Macron says this does not mean an escalation of the war.
“When Ukraine asks us to train on its sovereign soil mobilised soldiers, is it - it's an escalation? No, it's not deploying European or allied soldiers, people, to the front line. It's recognising Ukraine's sovereignty over its territory who would we be to give in to Russia's invocations or threats?”
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The Victorian government is urging people to reach out to trauma departments and triple zero only for life-threatening emergencies as cases of flu and COVID-19 rise across the state.
The Minister for Health Marianne Thomas has urged people to use alternative care for urgent injuries and illnesses over the long weekend.
The request comes at a time when health services are facing high demand due to flu cases increasing by more than 61 per cent in the last two weeks, and COVID-19 hospitalisations rising to a daily average of 412 cases.
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U-K Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is facing strong criticism for his decision to not attend D-Day commemorations to take part in a scheduled interview.
The political parties in the U-K are entering the final stretch of their campaigns ahead of the general election on July 4.
Mr Sunak gave a speech at the U-K event commemorating the 80 years since the Normandy landings but chose to delegate the rest of his duties to his other ministers.
U-K Foreign Minister David Cameron represented the nation in his place.
Leader of the right-wing Reform U-K party Nigel Farage says Mr Sunak is unpatriotic.
"If he's not prepared to go to the international commemoration with the heads of so many different countries overlooking a beach which our American allies lost, thousands of men, that says a lot about him. He is completely disconnected from the centre of this country. And he's proved to me that he basically is not a patriotic leader of the Conservative Party."
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In football,
England have failed in their final test before the start of the Euro 2024 tournament, losing 1-nil to Iceland at Wembley.
The loss will raise questions for the team's performance at the European tournament finals, with England placed in the same group as Denmark, Serbia and Slovenia.
England coach Gareth Southgate says there are reasons for the result but his team does need to show improvement.
"These last games going into tournaments can be a little bit scrappy like that in terms of focus, because players are worried about picking up an injury. The most disappointing part tonight was out of possession, we didn't press well, we were too stretched. And we've actually, in the last two to three games in particular, been excellent at that. So, that's the bit that we've really got to rectify."
In other games, Germany came from behind to beat Greece 2-1, as Scotland were held to a 2-2 draw by Finland.
