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Welcome to SBS News in Easy English. I’m Greg Dyett.
Health Minister Mark Butler says the federal government is determined to reduce vaping by delivering new laws against the importation of vaping devices.
Minister Butler has told Channel Nine vaping is a health hazard that’s mostly affecting young Australians.
“These laws, which will ban the sale, the supply, the manufacture and the advertising of vapes, other than for genuine therapeutic purposes, are going to have very strong offences behind them. They’re going to be backed up by terms of imprisonment up to seven years, fines up to $2.2 million, because we are determined to stamp out this public health menace which is particularly affecting our youngest Australians.”
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says although it may still take some time, preparations for an invasion of Rafah in southern Gaza have already begun.
A large number of people displaced by the war have sought refuge in Rafah and there are warnings a Israeli military operation there would lead to greater hardship.
It comes as U-S Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives in the Middle East, where he is expected to continue to push for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Mr Netanyahu says he has made his intentions clear to U-S President Joe Biden.
“In the beginning, I told the president (Biden): Hamas cannot be defeated without the IDF entering the Gaza Strip. In our last conversation I told him: It would be impossible to complete the victory without the IDF entering Rafah, and this in order to eliminate the rest of the Hamas battalions. We will do the same this time.”
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The World Food Program says Sudan is experiencing a hunger crisis as over one million people across the country face starvation.
The nation has been torn by a civil war that has left tens of thousands of people dead and created horrific circumstances in the streets of the nation’s capital, Khartoum.
Carl Skau is the Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Program.
“WFP’s inability to move aid in since permissions were revoked has impeded our plan to reach about 1 million people each month across Darfur. But more border crossing must also, reopen to get aid into the greater Darfur region, which has recorded some of the highest rates of hunger and malnutrition.”
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The Matildas say they’re prepared for their opponents in the group stage of the 2024 Olympic Games tournament.
The Tillies are set to face seven-times gold medalists U-S-A and Germany, who have also won the gold medal once in 2016.
Completing the group will be the winner of the second qualifying match from the African zone to be held between Zambia or Morocco.
Matildas vice-captain Emily Van Egmond has told Channel Nine the team is ready for the challenge ahead.
“I think you saw how hard it was for all the European teams to qualify with England, Sweden missing out in particular. So, for us, it’ws just focusing on ourselves. We’re obviously used to these kind of things. We did well in Tokyo and now in Paris we have a new challenge and one that we’ll be excited for.”
This year’s Olympic Games are set to be played in Paris between July 25 to August 10.
I’m Greg Dyett and that’s SBS News in Easy English.
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