Welcome to SBS News In Easy English. I'm Catriona Stirrat.
A Lithuanian rower has been rescued off the Queensland coast, after he was caught in the waves and wind generated by a tropical cyclone.
Aurimas Mockus first went missing about 740 kilometres east of Mackay while attempting to row solo across the Pacific Ocean from San Diego to Brisbane.
A 16-thousand tonne Royal Australian Navy ship rescued Mockus this morning, after Cyclone Alfred intensified to a category-two system with wind gusts of up to 130 kilometres an hour.
Mr Mockus first activated his emergency beacon late on Friday, before the Australian Maritime Safety Authority communicated with him on Sunday.
The agency reported no injuries for the rower.
—
Israel has been sharply criticised for stopping the entry of all food and other supplies into Gaza.
Israel's Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa'ar, says there will be additional consequences if Hamas doesn't accept a new proposal to extend a fragile ceasefire, now the first phase of the agreement has expired.
"Negotiations should be connected to the release of hostages. This is very important. As long as this principle will be met, we are ready for that. For 50 days or 30 days extension to phase one. Whatever."
Badr Abdelatty, the foreign minister of Egypt, a key mediator in the conflict, has accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon.
"Regarding the second phase of the ceasefire deal, each party must implement its obligations. This agreement must be implemented and it includes the full flow of aid. The use of aid as a weapon of collective punishment and starvation must not, cannot, and should not be allowed or accepted. This is completely unacceptable and represents a flagrant and explicit violation of international humanitarian law."
Hunger has been an issue throughout the war for Gaza’s over 2 million people, and some aid experts had warned of possible famine.
Negotiations on the second phase were meant to start a month ago, increasing the uncertainty around the fragile truce.
—
A private spacecraft called Blue Ghost has became the second private spacecraft ever to soft-land on the moon.
The spacecraft touched down smoothly, after orbiting the Moon for the last two weeks.
The project is the latest collaboration by US space agency NASA and private companies.
Chris Culbert - from NASA - says the landing is a significant achievement.
"This was designed to help us learn how to go to the Moon. We haven't done it in 60 years. And we're doing it in a different way - utilising commercial companies to get us there. We're using multiple commercial companies because we want to be able to fly a lot of missions relatively quickly. So we're going to get lower-cost missions at a faster pace. And we just have proof it works. We landed on the moon, almost perfectly."
Five nations have made successful soft landings in the past — the then-Soviet Union, the US, China, India; and last year, Japan.
—
The Oscars are underway* in Hollywood, with 10 contenders for the best pictures category.
The nominees include: Conclave, Anora, Emilia Pérez, Wicked and The Brutalist.
Michael Jackman is the producer of the papal thriller, Conclave.
It was adapted from the 2016 novel by British writer Robert Harris, who was inspired by the conclave of 2005 that elected Pope Benedict XVI.
The film has already won top honours in other award categories.
Mr Jackman says being involved with the film has been a very rewarding experience.
"It is living the dream. When you start doing this you go (say to yourself): maybe one day, I will get to be on that red carpet. And so it has been wonderful. Surreal and thrilling."
That was SBS News In Easy English. I'm Catriona Stirrat.
