Albanese Thanks UAE for Stranded Aussies, Flight to Sydney

0:00I'm Cory with the story, bringing you the latest from Sydney News today. Prime Minister Anthony Aboniz has thanked the President of the United Arab Emirates for looking after thousands of stranded Australians amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Aboniz spoke directly with Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahiyan about the situation, highlighting the hospitality given to Aussies caught there. He also chatted with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on the shared consular headaches from the war. This is turning into Australia's biggest consular crisis ever, with more than 24,000 Australians still in the region, mostly in the UAE. As residents or travelers in transit, families back home are understandably worried during this unpredictable time. Foreign Minister Penny Wong says a flight is set to leave Dubai for Sydney this morning, though it depends on the latest developments. She urged everyone stuck there to keep in touch with their airlines, as schedules keep shifting fast. The government is exploring every option to bring people home safely, including possible

1:01charter flights, but commercial routes remain the main plan. Given the huge numbers involved, meanwhile, the conflict has spread wider, with attacks reported in 10 countries including Saudi Arabia. Quick thanks to today's sponsor, see the description for more. Comfort you can hear, sound you can relax into, S-O-L-L-I, solelypillow.com.