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Any energy price relief from the federal government will be limited to "responsible" payments, with the states expected to take on a greater share in the solution, Treasurer Jim Chalmers has indicated.

Dr Chalmers said the government was considering all options ahead of a national cabinet meeting on Friday, in a bid to help Australians with soaring energy bills before the end of the year.

His comments came as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reportedly issued a list of demands to the NSW and Queensland governments to impose their own coal price caps, and recall parliaments to enact them.

A proposal from the Prime Minister's office and Energy Minister Chris Bowen was provided to the states late on Tuesday calling on them to enact a coal price cap, The Australian newspaper has reported.

Speaking after the Reserve Bank hiked the cash rate for the eight consecutive time on Tuesday to 3.1 per cent, Dr Chalmers said the government was negotiating with the states in good faith and they had a greater share to take on.

"We would prefer where possible a regulatory response here but we said we are prepared to consider other options as well, including if there's a case for some responsible contribution from the Commonwealth," he told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday.

The government has been wary of handing out cash in fear of adding to inflationary pressures and took a "bread and butter" approach to cost of living relief in the October budget.

Dr Chalmers said any response would be "temporary and meaningful".

"Our target and objective is to take some of the sting out of these price rises next year," he said.

The treasurer said the shocking forecasts in the budget showing the price of electricity would rise 56 per cent over the next year "created a responsibility on governments, plural, to act on this challenge and that's what we intend to do".

National cabinet will be held virtually on Friday after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tested positive to COVID-19.

Nationals leader David Littleproud called on Mr Albanese to reconsider a national energy summit where stakeholders could have a "mature conversation" about power alternatives, including nuclear.

Energy ministers are due to meet in Brisbane on Thursday to discuss long-term strategies to drive down power prices and reduce emissions.

© AAP 2022

Morocco have become the first Arab nation to reach the last eight of the World Cup finals.

The north African country defeated Spain on penalties after a goalless draw in Doha on Tuesday.

It was the third successive major tournament in which Spain have been beaten on penalties following the 2018 World Cup and the Euros in 2021. They failed to score in three attempts.

Morocco scored three of four, with the winning kick converted by Achraf Hakimi, who was born in the Spanish capital Madrid.

That followed two spot-kick saves by goalkeeper Bono, who plays for LaLiga club Sevilla.

"We were unable to score ... so no matter how much we say that we deserved to win... it is not going to change anything," Spanish keeper Unai Simon, who saved one penalty, said.

"The only thing left for us is to accept that we have been eliminated."

"We completely dominated the match, it's a shame it went that way," Spain manager Luis Enrique added.

The Atlas Lions are the first African team into the quarter-finals since Ghana in 2010, with only Senegal (2002) and Cameroon (1990) having done so previously.

"We fought and made the Moroccan people happy, we made history and Morocco deserve it, Moroccan people made us united on the pitch," coach Walid Regragui said.

Morocco were not just the last Arab or African team left, they were the only nation from outside the customary European-South American axis that has dominated the World Cup throughout it's 92-year history.

Against them were Spain, the 2010 winners, and European Championships semi-finalists. But Morocco, though in the last 16 for the first time since 1986, were not wide-eyed naifs.

All the starting XI play for European clubs, including giants such as Paris St Germain (Hakimi), Chelsea (Hakim Ziyech) and Bayern Munich (Noussair Mazraoui).

That the two nations are separated only by the 13km-wide Strait of Gibraltar, and have often been intertwined, added spice.

Morocco were heavily supported and not just by their own nationals. Inside the ground their dogged and disciplined defending was cheered on and Spain's passing carousel whistled at incessantly.

Outside the ground, following ticketless fans attempting to force access to previous Morocco games, there was heavy security, with rows of riot police on foot, with dogs, and on horseback. On several occasions they intervened as supporters tried to break through the cordon.

Those that made it inside the Education City Stadium saw Spain dominate possession without bringing a save from Bono in the opening half.

Indeed the only save was made at the other end, Simon gathering Mazraoui's 32nd-minute 30-yard drive. That was followed ten minutes later by the best chance of the period, Nayef Aguerd heading over.

Spain finally had a shot on target from Dani Olmo after 55 minutes, but it was from too tight an angle to worry Bono.

Forty minutes later Olmo had the game's next shot on target, a free-kick that went through a crowd of players deep in injury time before being palmed away by Bono.

Spain had scored in their previous 24 matches, dating back to June 2021, but the 90 minutes finished goalless and extra-time ensued.

The pattern remained the same, Spain possession, Moroccan breaks. From one of the latter Walid Cheddira should have scored, but was denied by Simon.

Spain's best chance came with the very last kick, Pablo Sarabia, a 119th-minute sub, striking the post from a tight angle.

A few minutes later Sarabia struck the other post, Spain's first penalty failure. Bono then saved from Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets before Hakimi put Morocco through.

© AAP 2022

The suspect accused of killing five people inside a Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub last month before patrons stopped the attack has been formally charged with murder, hate crimes and assault.

The suspect, Anderson Lee Aldrich, appeared for a hearing in El Paso District Court where the charges against the 22-year-old were read.

Aldrich has been held without bond since the November 19 rampage at Club Q in Colorado Springs.

In addition to the five people killed, 22 others suffered gunshot wounds or other injuries.

Aldrich, wearing yellow jail clothing and sitting at a table with defence lawyers, did not speak during the hearing.

Aldrich did not enter a plea to the 305 charges that were filed.

Aldrich, who was clad in body armour, stormed the club armed with a rifle and handgun and opened fire indiscriminately, police and witnesses said.

Those killed were identified as Kelly Loving, 40; Daniel Aston, 28; Derrick Rump, 38; Ashley Paugh, 34; and Raymond Green Vance, 22.

Two men with military backgrounds subdued Aldrich until police arrived.

A former army major and decorated Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran, Richard Fierro, told reporters that he disarmed Aldrich and pistol-whipped the suspect into submission.

In a booking photo and during an earlier court appearance, Aldrich appeared battered, apparently because of a beating by the bar's patrons.

On Tuesday, Aldrich's face and neck did not appear to be bruised.

The other man credited with subduing Aldrich, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Thomas James, said in a written statement that he just wanted "to save the family I found".

Although authorities have not publicly identified a motive, the Colorado shooting was reminiscent of the 2016 Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, Florida, where a gunman killed 49 people before police shot him dead.

If convicted of first-degree murder, Aldrich faces a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Colorado no longer has a death-penalty statute.

However, Aldrich could face a death sentence in federal court if prosecutors decide to bring charges under the US code, which still has capital punishment on its books for certain crimes.

Lawyers assigned to represent Aldrich from the Colorado public defender's office have said in court filings that their client identifies as nonbinary and prefers "they" and "them" pronouns.

District Attorney Michael Allen said after Aldrich's initial court appearance on November 23 that the suspect's gender identity would have no bearing on how the case would be prosecuted.

On Tuesday, Allen told reporters he thought evidence supported bias motivated charges.

"We're not going to tolerate actions against community members based on their sexual identity," Allen told reporters after the hearing.

"Members of that community have been harassed, intimidated and abused for too long."

Prosecutors were set to present evidence at the next hearing, scheduled for February 22-24.

Aldrich was previously arrested in June 2021 in Colorado Springs after the suspect had threatened to detonate a bomb and harm their mother with multiple weapons, according to a news release from the El Paso County Sheriff's Office.

© RAW 2022