The death toll rises to 250 after Colombia’s powerful earthquake; Australia and Vietnam deepen military ties; And in football, Chelsea Women prepare for a high-profile clash with the A-League All Stars in Sydney.
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TRANSCRIPT
- The death toll rises to 250 after Colombia’s powerful earthquake.
- Australia and Vietnam deepen military ties.
- And in football, Chelsea Women prepare for a high-profile clash with the A-League All Stars in Sydney.
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Rescue efforts are continuing across western Colombia after the country’s most powerful earthquake in decades killed at least 250 people.
Emergency crews have worked through the night, digging through collapsed buildings and flattened homes in the search for survivors.
The magnitude 7-point-4 quake caused widespread damage in cities including Pereira, Cali and Manizales.
Authorities fear the death toll could rise further as police, soldiers and volunteers continue searching the rubble.
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A Syrian court has sentenced ousted leader Bashar al-Assad and his brother Maher to death, after a trial in absentia.
The court convicted Assad of crimes including killings, torture, and arbitrary arrest during the country's nearly 14-year war.
It's the first Syrian conviction against the former president, who was ousted in a rebel offensive in December 2024 that ended decades of his family's rule over Syria.
Prosecutor Noha Al-Masri says holding Assad and other officials to account is significant for the Syrian people, who have lived through the brutal war that killed hundreds of thousands of people.
Arabic then English vo: “We consider this ruling as a first real and important step on the path of transitional justice in modern Syria. We seek to uphold the principle of no impunity through our objective of holding accountable all those who have violated or committed any crime against Syrians.”
Assad fled the capital Damascus nearly two years ago, and is currently in Russia, where he and his family were granted asylum on humanitarian grounds.
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Yemen's coastguard says at least six people have been killed in strikes by Iran-backed Houthi rebels on a cargo ship near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait off the country's coast.
The coastguard says four sailors aboard the cargo vessel are among the dead, along with two members of the forces deployed during a rescue mission to evacuate the ship.
Officials say the bombardment caused a fire to break out aboard the vessel, inflicting extensive damage.
The strikes are the latest in a number of deadly attacks against ships in and around the entrance to the Red Sea, since the Houthis announced a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia last month.
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The United Nations says 76 Palestinians, including 18 children, have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the occupied West Bank so far this year.
UNICEF says more than 800,000 Palestinian children are also facing barriers to education because of insecurity, movement restrictions and school closures.
The warnings come as the U-N says violence by Israeli settlers has reached the highest sustained level it has ever recorded.
The UN's Middle East envoy Ramiz Alakbarov says more than 14-hundred incidents involving casualties or property damage have been documented this year.
"Settler violence has reached unprecedented levels. So far this year, the UN has documented more than 1430 incidents involving Israeli settlers that resulted in casualties or property damage, or both. .. "Significant resources are being allocated towards settlement expansion. On 14th July, the government announced sum of 431 million of US dollars to support the establishment of 34 new settlements approved earlier this year."
The UN says three Israelis have also been killed in confrontations with Palestinians and an alleged vehicle ramming in the West Bank this year.
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Australia and Vietnam have agreed to deepen military ties, including closer cooperation on maritime security and joint training.
The agreement followed talks in Canberra between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Vietnamese leader To Lam.
It comes amid growing strategic tensions in the region, including in the South China Sea.
Mr Lam’s visit also drew protests in Canberra, with one demonstrator criticising his leadership.
"Send him a message! To Lam is unfit needs to represent any Vietnamese especially the Vietnamese of the Republic of Vietnam."
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The A-League All Stars Women will face English giants Chelsea at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium today.
It will be just the second appearance by the women’s All Stars, after they faced Arsenal in 2024.
Melbourne Victory coach Jeff Hopkins will lead the side, which includes players from across Australia and New Zealand.
Chelsea coach Sonia Bompastor says she expects a tough contest as her side builds towards the Champions League.
"I'm expecting a strong game a really difficult one and we'll be prepared for that but it's actually good because it's what we need for us to be ready for the champions league."
