Here is a look at what is making news around the country today.
Today’s national news includes Australia urging Israel to change course in Gaza to keep international support, Australia providing $42 million to ASEAN countries for maritime security in the South China Sea, business conditions improving in February, and AirAsia Malaysia flying to Perth.
Politics
Australia provides $42 million to ASEAN countries for maritime security
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has announced $64 million in funding for maritime security on the first day of a special summit with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Melbourne, Aljazeera reports. The funds come after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr told the Australian parliament he would ‘not yield’ a ‘square inch’ in the South China Sea. The extraordinary summit hosted in Melbourne marks 50 years since Australia became a “dialogue partner” of ASEAN, whose members are countries in Southeast Asia, and comes as its members last year held their first-ever joint military drills.
Australia to Israel: Change Course in Gaza to Keep International Support
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was undermining Israel with his approach to the war in Gaza and urged the country to change course or lose even more international support, U.S. News has reported. Ms Wong said international support for Israel would continue to fray unless it addressed the “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza. The conflict has displaced most of Gaza’s 2.3 million people, and the U.N. estimates a quarter of the population is at risk of starvation. Her comments on Israel are part of a growing chorus of voices among even its stalwart allies calling for the country to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as it plans for an assault on the southern city of Rafah.
Economy
Business conditions improve in February
Australian business conditions rebounded in February as sales and profits picked up, while retail prices jumped in a possible red flag to progress on slowing inflation, Reuters reported. The survey from National Australia Bank (NAB) showed its index of business conditions rose 3 points to +10, taking it back above the long-run average of +7. The survey’s measure of business sales climbed 5 points to +14, while profitability rose 3 points to +9, and employment added 1 point to +6. Capacity utilisation dipped to 83.4% from 83.7%.
https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/australia-business-conditions-improve-in-feb-prices-rise
Travel
AirAsia Malaysia flies to Perth
AirAsia Malaysia said it is celebrating another milestone in its expansion strategy with its maiden flight to Perth, Australia. The inaugural flight using AirAsia’s Airbus A321neo aircraft departed from Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 2:10 pm. It landed at Perth International Airport on the same day at 7:50 pm local time with a substantial load of 95 per cent. AirAsia said it would soon increase its daily flights to 14 flights weekly.
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