TRANSCRIPT
- Australians in Lebanon told again to leave immediately
- Over 140 people arrested after a weekend of rioting in the UK
- The IOC says gender tests on two female boxers were flawed and illegitimate
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong has repeated calls for Australians in Lebanon to leave immediately.
She says Australians should take whatever option is available to them - even if it is not a direct route.
There are growing fears conflict could escalate between Israel and Lebanon.
The United States, France, Sweden, Jordan and the United Kingdom have also issued travel warnings to their citizens, urging them to leave Lebanon before commercial flights cease to operate.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the situation could change at any moment.
"These are volatile circumstances, and we want to make sure that Australians are safe, which is why we repeat our request that people while commercial flights are still available. And the latest figures that I received the briefing was that some 11 per cent of flights had been cancelled. Fifty per cent had been delayed, but there were still flights available."
**
Two people have been killed and another two wounded after a stabbing attack in Israel.
A Palestinian man from the West Bank allegedly attacked several people near a petrol station south of Tel Aviv, killing an elderly man and woman and wounding two others.
Israeli police spokesperson Dean Elsdunne says the attacker was shot by police.
"So we're starting off this morning with a senseless terror attack that took place in central Israel, the city of Holon, where a terrorist approached this park area that you could see behind me with a large knife and managed to start stabbing civilians. We're talking about four victims to this terror attack, two of them an elderly couple, which their death has been declared, unfortunately, and our thoughts and our prayers are with their families and also with the families of the victims, the other two who are in various conditions, according to medical sources."
Local media reports say far right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the scene of the incident and encouraged the citizens to take up arms.
**
Anti-immigration protests and counter protests have continued across the United Kingdom nearly a week after three young girls were stabbed to death near Liverpool.
Online misinformation has seen false claims circulate that the attacker was a Muslim migrant.
Crowds of protesters clashed with police over the weekend, and more than 140 people have been arrested so far.
Thousands of riot police are on standby, as more disorder is expected in the coming days.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued this warning.
"I utterly condemn the far-right thuggery we've seen this weekend. Be in no doubt. Those that have participated in this violence will face the full force of the law. The police will be making arrests. Individuals will be held on remand. Charges will follow and convictions will follow."
**
Gambling reform advocates have criticised the government for failing to ban gambling advertising.
Nine newspapers report the government will limit the number of betting advertisements to two per hour on each channel, with ads banned for an hour on either side of live sporting events.
It will not eliminate them altogether, despite recommendations from a landmark review calling for a blanket ban.
The review was led by late Labor MP Peta Murphy and made 31 recommendations, the key one calling for a phase-out of gambling ads over three years.
Independent Senator David Pocock says the decision it is a 'betrayal' of Peta Murphy's legacy.
**
Tropical storm Debby is expected to develop into a hurricane before making landfall on Florida's northern Gulf Coast shoreline.
Governor Ron DeSantis has called up 3000 National Guard members and placed most of the state under emergency orders.
The National Hurricane Centre is urging Florida residents to follow evacuation orders.
**
The International Olympic Committee says gender tests conducted by the International Boxing Association on two female fighters last year, which led to their disqualification, were illegitimate and lacked credibility.
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif and Taiwan's double world champion Lin Yu-ting were cleared to compete at the Paris Olympics.
They were previously disqualified during the 2023 World Championships, after failing a gender eligibility test.
I-O-C spokesman Mark Adams says the testing process at that event, which only came towards the end of the competition after the boxers had already fought several bouts, was completely arbitrary.
"The tests themselves, the process of the tests, the ad hoc nature of the tests are not legitimate and you'll also expect me to tell you that I'm not going to discuss the individual, intimate details of athletes in public which I think is pretty disgraceful for those who have leaked that material. Frankly, to be put in that position must be awful on top of all the social media harassment that these athletes have had."
Both Khelif and Lin have now reached the semi-finals in their weight categories in Paris.
