TRANSCRIPT
- Egypt proposes a temporary Gaza ceasefire to allow for a hostage exchange.
- David Crisafulli to be sworn in as Queensland's premier.
- Australia books a spot in the Pacific Cup final.
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Egypt says it has proposed an initial two-day ceasefire in Gaza.
Egypt's President, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, says the arrangement would allow for an exchange of four Israeli hostages with Palestinian prisoners.
He says a negotiation would follow to turn the ceasefire into a permanent truce.
Efforts by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar to secure a ceasefire and facilitate a prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas have so far stalled, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refusing to consider ending the conflict.
Israeli strikes killed at least 45 Palestinians in Gaza on Sunday and the conditions in northern Gaza are being described as unbearable, with the U-N warning Israel is waging attacks with little regard for humanitarian law.
Speaking alongside Mr Al-Sisi at Cairo Airport, Algeria's President Abdelmadjid Tebboune says the idea of two-day ceasefire has his support.
"Of course, we are in pain over the ongoing daily genocide in Gaza, we are in pain over the famine created by the Israeli colonizer in Gaza, water scarcity, medicine shortage, closed hospitals, food scarcity, genocide in all its aspect."
There has been no comment from Israel or Hamas regarding the proposal.
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David Crisafulli is set to be sworn in as the new Queensland Premier later today.
The Liberal National Party has secured a narrow victory in the state election and is projected to win 49 seats to form a majority government.
The result ends Labor's nine years of governing in Queensland.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the state election was a tough one for Queensland Labor, as they were trying to secure a fourth term, and that is always challenging.
Michael Berkman is the Greens MP for Maiwar in Brisbane's inner west.
He says Queensland Labor had the wrong approach in this state election.
"Labor managed to recover some of their plummeting votes in this election, by rolling out popular Greens policies, like 50 per cent public transport, free school lunches, and free GP visits. What this election shows is that Greens' policies are popular, that our movements are growing, and Labor knows this. They managed to hang on some inner city by partially copying Greens' policies and pouring more resources into keeping us out, than they did in challenging the LNP. And as a result, we've got a conservative government in Queensland now."
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The second hearing of the inquiry into nuclear power generation in Australia is due to convene today in Canberra.
Scientists, energy union representatives and economists will be giving testimonies to Australia's nuclear energy future.
During the first hearing last week, the inquiry heard that it could take up to 15 years to establish nuclear power plants in Australia.
For facilities that dispose of high-level nuclear waste, it could take up around 30 years.
Experts also told the inquiry waste produced by the power plants might have to be stored at the nuclear sites, until "Deep geological facilities" could be developed.
The inquiry was launched five months after the Opposition leader Peter Dutton vowed that if his party wins the next election, he will establish seven nuclear power plants across Australia, with two in Queensland.
The Nationals leader David Littleproud says he is optimistic about the plan, particularly after the Queensland election result.
"I think if David comes with me, even into my electorate in Kingaroy, he will see where one of the nuclear power plants is going to Tarong, is very popular, I have the courage and my conviction to say I want it to in one of my communities and I gotta say we've been working that community to make sure that they do have a future. Not the one that lasts for ten years with a solar panel or wind turbine, but last 80 to 100 years, so that they have jobs, and their kids have jobs, and their grand kids will have jobs, that's a legacy I've been giving a privilege to go to parliament to live to the next generation, that's what Peter Dutton and I get on the job and do, and I'm very confident that we can work with David."
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In sport, Australia's Kangaroos are into the men's 2024 Pacific Cup final, after defeating New Zealand 22-10 in the rugby league Test in Christchurch.
They'll face New Zealand or Tonga in the final on November 10th.
Australia lost to the Kiwis in last year's final - a 30-0 result that counts as the country's biggest defeat.
Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga says the team still has more work to do to ensure they are in a winning position this year.
"I'm really pleased with the defensive effort and obviously, we scored a few more points in the last week as well. There is still improvement in us but that is a good thing. It was about our execution again. We probably can play a bit smarter with the footy. In saying that our control was a lot better this week than it was last week definitely. We got out of our end better than last week, so it was pretty good improvements from our first game. But I still think there is a bit in us."
