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An Israeli strike on a central Beirut medical centre has killed at least six people, adding to the 46 people who have been killed in Israeli attacks on the city in the previous 24 hours.
Residents in Beirut heard a missile flying above the city before the sound of the explosion. Videos showed the floor of an apartment building burning. Residents living in nearby areas began to flee, driving away quickly in scooters and cars.
The latest strikes come after Israel’s military suffered its deadliest day on the Lebanese front in a year of clashes with Iran-backed Hezbollah, with the IDF confirming that eight soldiers have been killed in ground combat in southern Lebanon.
Israeli airstrikes have repeatedly killed paramedics across Lebanon over the past two weeks, including airstrikes that killed 14 emergency health workers over the last weekend. International human rights groups have stressed that the killing of any healthcare workers is unlawful, regardless of political affiliation, as long as they are not taking part in combat or facilitating it.
Top news
Organisers abandon plans to hold Monday (7 October) pro-Palestine vigil | Palestine Action Group in Sydney said a planned protest for Sunday would still be going ahead “regardless of what happens in the court” after NSW police moved to block the rally. Protesters will begin Sunday’s march from Hyde Park rather than Town Hall.
Chinese media name man suspected of pouring hot coffee on baby | Queensland police’s acting assistant commissioner Andrew Massingham has been asked about the Chinese media outlets’ reports and says the international search is continuing. A warrant was previously issued for the arrest of a 33-year-old foreign national accused of the alleged attack in August.
IMF backs RBA not cutting interest rates | While Australia’s economy remained “resilient” and GDP growth should start to accelerate, it wasn’t yet time to cut official interest rates, the IMF said in its 2024 assessment report released today.
New details of Trump bid to overturn 2020 election | Donald Trump “resorted to crimes” in a failed attempt to cling to power after losing the 2020 election, federal prosecutors said in a newly unsealed court filing that argues the former US president is not entitled to immunity from prosecution.
Boris Johnson interview cancelled | The BBC has cancelled an interview with the former UK prime minister after the presenter of the BBC’s flagship Sunday political interview show, Laura Kuenssberg, accidentally sent him her briefing notes.
North Korean defector crashes stolen bus | A man living in South Korea has been detained after ramming a stolen bus into a barricade on a bridge near the heavily militarised border in a failed attempt to return to his isolated homeland.
Support for Nibi the beaver | A judge has said that a two-year-old beaver, Nibi, will be allowed to stay in her home at Newhouse Wildlife Rescue near Boston as a Massachusetts court considers whether the social media star must be released back into the wild.
Alaska’s Fat Bear Week begins late | The chunk-off begins. Organisers introduced this year’s annual bear competition a day late – because one anticipated participant was killed by a male bear during a fight. We think we’ll stick to bird of the year.
Warm weather forecast for long weekend | Good news for NRL and NRLW: blue skies and sunshine are on the way for NSW this long weekend with Sydney forecast to reach the high 20s on Sunday and during Monday’s public holiday.
In pictures
Two peregrine falcon chicks hatch at Collins Street skyscraper in Melbourne
The two chicks hatched early this morning, as observed on a live feed. As Adeshola Ore has reported, last year’s eggs were unable to hatch after the female stopped incubating them, probably due to a territorial dispute – but there were high hopes for this season.
What they said …
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“Why should anyone other than the woman herself have the power to determine what she does with her own body?”
Melania Trump has expressed passionate support for abortion rights in her anticipated memoir, to be published later in the year. Considering that abortion rights are a major issue in the presidential campaign due to supreme court appointments made by Donald Trump and the overturning of Roe v Wade , people on both sides of the issue have been left less than impressed.
In numbers
The vast majority of Australian women fear they have insufficient education on contraception, despite more than two-thirds opting to use some form of birth control.
Before bed read
Adrian Chiles: what I have learned from five years of oversharing
It is a privilege to be able to express random thoughts, and not one that Adrian Chiles takes lightly.
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: TOD. You have five goes to find the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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