This morning’s headlines at a glance
Good morning and welcome to our national news live coverage for Wednesday, July 22. I’m Ellie Busby, and I will be bringing you the news from around Australia and the world as it happens this morning.
Here are our top stories so far today:
- Eastern suburbs developer Arash Tavakoli bypassed Sydney’s Woollahra Council to gain approval for a 25-storey tower in Edgecliff. It’s a win not only for Tavakoli, but also for former premier-turned-lobbyist Morris Iemma, given his work in recent years shepherding the development through the state’s planning approval processes.
- Victorian apartment buyers are forking out a “Gatto tax” as plastering, precast and other businesses allegedly pay gangland figure Mick Gatto for CFMEU-backed, privileged access to the state’s high-rise housing sector.
- The Labor Party collected more than $4 million in gambling donations in five years, including $1.5 million around the last election, as it dithered on reform before backing down from a full crackdown on betting advertising. On Wednesday, the party’s left faction will consider whether they should make a last-ditch effort to push Prime Minister Anthony Albanese into a tougher position on reducing gambling harm.
- Opposition leader Angus Taylor has killed off the idea of a merger with One Nation, as Senator Malcolm Roberts’ fringe views continue to attract scrutiny and party leader Pauline Hanson returns to Australia.
Zelensky fires Ukraine military chief after protests
Kyiv: President Volodymyr Zelensky fired General Oleksandr Syrskyi as commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces, following days of mass protests in Kyiv and other cities nationwide demanding his removal.
Zelensky appointed Mykhailo Drapatyi as the new army chief, according to a statement on social media.
In an evening address, Zelensky also said that he had offered former defence minister and so-called drone mastermind Mykhailo Fedorov – whose surprise dismissal sparked a political crisis – a “decent post” to oversee defence technology.
Ukraine would continue its deep strikes on Russia under the new commander in chief, Zelensky said.
AP, Reuters
France follows Australia and bans social media for children
Paris: French lawmakers approved a ban on social media access for children under the age of 15, as concerns grow around the world over the impact social media have on the health and safety of minors.
France becomes the first in Europe to follow Australia, where the world’s first ban for under-16s on platforms including Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube came into force in December.
Both houses of parliament adopted the ban on Tuesday (France time).
French President Emmanuel Macron wants the law to take effect at the start of the new school year.
“France is leading the way in Europe in protecting our children and our teenagers,” he said. “We will keep on going.”
This morning’s headlines at a glance
Good morning and welcome to our national news live coverage for Wednesday, July 22. I’m Ellie Busby, and I will be bringing you the news from around Australia and the world as it happens this morning.
Here are our top stories so far today:
- Eastern suburbs developer Arash Tavakoli bypassed Sydney’s Woollahra Council to gain approval for a 25-storey tower in Edgecliff. It’s a win not only for Tavakoli, but also for former premier-turned-lobbyist Morris Iemma, given his work in recent years shepherding the development through the state’s planning approval processes.
- Victorian apartment buyers are forking out a “Gatto tax” as plastering, precast and other businesses allegedly pay gangland figure Mick Gatto for CFMEU-backed, privileged access to the state’s high-rise housing sector.
- The Labor Party collected more than $4 million in gambling donations in five years, including $1.5 million around the last election, as it dithered on reform before backing down from a full crackdown on betting advertising. On Wednesday, the party’s left faction will consider whether they should make a last-ditch effort to push Prime Minister Anthony Albanese into a tougher position on reducing gambling harm.
- Opposition leader Angus Taylor has killed off the idea of a merger with One Nation, as Senator Malcolm Roberts’ fringe views continue to attract scrutiny and party leader Pauline Hanson returns to Australia.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
