Midday News Bulletin 10 November 2024

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TRANSCRIPT
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attends the APEC summit in Peru
The RSV vaccine to be available for free under Australia’s national immunisation program
Alex de Minaur set to make his ATP Finals debut
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Thirty-five years on from the fall of the Berlin Wall, leaders say there are important lessons that should be remembered.
For nearly three decades, the Berlin Wall stood as a physical barrier dividing East Germany – and West Germany.
The fall of the Wall contributed to the collapse of Communism in eastern Europe – and the reunification of Germany.
Speaking to SBS German, Germany’s Ambassador to Australia, Beate Grzeski, says the lessons from those times have great relevance to the challenges we face today.
“We should remember the courageous men and women that had demonstrated months before in East Germany against a then communist regime – we must not forget that. It’s good to keep up your ideals, fight against obstacles, although it might take a long time. The Baltic states, as well, had to wait many years. And had not to give up their ideal of freedom and unity. And finally, they also were rewarded.”
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Transitioning to cleaner energy and working to reduce food wastage will feature at the APEC summit in Peru this weekend.
The APEC grouping brings together more than 20 economies to promote trade and investment.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will be among those attending.
Peru’s ambassador to Australia, Vitaliano Gallardo, says the South American nation will be pushing for more investment in its mining and critical mineral sectors.
He says the summit could result in nations agreeing to a roadmap on green hydrogen and regional standards to avoid food waste.
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Advocacy group, the Immunisation Foundation of Australia, has welcomed the federal government’s new immunisation program offering free vaccinations for pregnant mums and newborns against RSV.
It is the leading cause of hospitalisation for Australian babies, with around 12,000 babies admitted to hospital each winter after contracting a severe form of the virus.
As part of the National Immunisation Program, the vaccine will be available through hospitals, immunisation clinics and general practitioners.
The $174.5
m
illion program is expected to keep about 10,000 babies out of hospital.
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler told Channel Nine, the vaccinations are set to roll out in 2025.
“We think this vaccine program will drop hospitalisations by up to 90 per cent. A huge, huge win for mums and for babies – and for taking pressure off the hospital system as well. So for the months leading into next winter, all mums – pregnant mums – will be able to get access to this vaccine, free of charge. They will otherwise be paying $300 – and it will make a big impact on the health of our babies.”
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The family of Neale Daniher says they are honoured that he has been recognised for his advocacy for those living with motor neurone disease, by being named the 2025 Victorian Australian of the Year.
In 2013, the former Australian rules footballer was diagnosed with M-N-D, a disease which progressively damages parts of the nervous system.
It takes away a person’s use of their arms and legs, and then their ability to eat, speak and breathe.
Neale’s wife, Jan, says she couldn’t be prouder.
“You know when Neale was diagnosed there were no clinical trials. There was no hope. He and Pat Cunningham – and Ian Davis – got together and said: right, we need to do something about this. And the reason we keep going is in the years ahead, when we hear that someone has been diagnosed with MND, we want them to have hope. We want there to be some treatment. We want there to be a cure. So we will keep fighting.”
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In Tennis, Australian Alex de Minaur says he feels good about his preparation, ahead of his ATP Finals debut against Italy’s Jannik Sinner.
De Minaur is the first Australian to compete in the men’s tour’s end-of-season championship for two decades – and he has never beaten the world no.1 in seven attempts.
The world No.8 told beIN Sports he is doing his best to savour the moment.
“Things just click. You look, you try to find… you try to tweak a couple of things here and there until you hit the right spot. And then the confidence works and it doesn’t get anymore (bigger than) starting off against Jannik. So from the very start, I have got to be ready. I have got to compete. It’s going to be a great experience, a great challenge. But this is where I have wanted to be all these years. So, I am going to take every opportunity, I can get.”