SBS News in Easy English 6 February 2025

SBS News in Easy English episode

SBS News in Easy English Source: SBS News

A daily news wrap for English learners and people with disability.


Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with

Welcome to SBS News in Easy English, I am Biwa Kwan.

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The White House has strongly defended Donald Trump's proposal to transfer Palestinians out of Gaza and have the US take over the area.

Some experts say the proposed actions could violate international law. Others say the idea is unworkable. Human rights advocates say it would amount to ethnic cleansing.

Russia, China and Germany have also joined international condemnation of the plan, saying it would lead to new suffering and new hatred.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt hailed Mr Trump's proposal as "outside of the box" thinking, but says she wants to issue a clarification on remarks on the permanent relocation of Gazans.

"The president has made it clear that they need to be temporarily relocated out of Gaza for the rebuilding of this effort. Again, it's a demolition site right now. It's not a livable place for any human being. And I think it's actually quite evil to suggest that people should live in such dire conditions."

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Foreign Minister Penny Wong has launched an international gender equality strategy to advance the human rights of women and girls.

The strategy focuses on five priorities, including: ending gender-based violence, protecting women's reproductive health, gender responsive peace and security, and gender equitable climate action.

Senator Wong has told an event in Canberra that gender equality is in the national interest.

"What we do know is gender equality is a stronger predictor of peace than a nation's wealth or a nation's political system. We know that peace agreements are more likely to last when women can participate in them, and we know that gender equality reduces poverty, strengthens social cohesion, unlocks economic productivity and enhances prosperity for current and future generations."

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Ukraine has promised to negotiate a swap for an Australian captured during fighting with Russia.

Ukrainian ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko says his government is pushing for the exchange for Oscar Jenkins, after Russian officials confirmed the 32-year-old Melburnian was alive.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed he raised Mr Jenkins' welfare directly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the first time in a phone call ahead of the three-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion.

He says Mr Zelenskyy wants an investigation into how Mr Jenkins ended up in Russian hands.

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Singapore has loaned Australia two Chinook helicopters, as north Queensland communities face the impact of heavy rain and widespread flooding.

The helicopters have been tasked with airlifting supplies to communities that are low on food and other essential items because of flooding has damaged or cut off transport links and other infrastructure.

Personnel from the military base at Townsville are part of those efforts.

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Insurance claims have been filed by residents in flood-hit north Queensland.

Insurance Australia Group say they have received almost 200 claims since January 26, while Suncorp have registered over 660 claims from customers, largely in Townsville.

Suncorp has confirmed they have a customer support team on the ground at Townsville stadium, with mobile hubs available to help start the rebuild in those communities.

But resident Don McRae says some communities cannot begin the recovery process yet - like Ingham, which is still relatively isolated by flooding and heavy rain, and has issues with power and food supplies.

"We've got a trailer load of 12 generators... and we're just trying to get them across the railway bridge into Ingham community... We've had traffic police here stopping us from going through. Obviously they've got safety in mind, so we're just trying to get authority to walk the generators across the bridge to give people in Ingham some power."

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A gold medal for cycling from the 1956 Melbourne Olympics is going up for auction.

It's estimated the medal will sell for between 30- to 40 thousand dollars.

The medal was originally awarded to Australia's Anthony "Tippy" Marchant in the 2000 metre tandem cycling final, alongside Ian "Joey" Browne.

Leski Auction House says the pair first teamed up just ten months before the start of the Melbourne Olympics.

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In sports, Jordan Mailata is again trying to become the first Australian to win a SuperBowl ring.

His team, the Philadelphia Eagles, is preparing for a SuperBowl showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Eagles narrowly missed out in victory two years ago, losing 38-35 to the Chiefs in that game.

But Mr Mailata says he is convinced history will not repeat itself.

And he says he's proud to be part of the big day.

"It's an honour to represent the Polynesian people. Not only do I represent Samoa - Australia - but being married to my Tongan wife, I kind of feel like I have a responsibility to every other Polynesian nation."

This is SBS News in Easy English, I'm Biwa Kwan.

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