TRANSCRIPT:
- Israel pounds Gaza, killing 89 Palestinians in one day...
- The White House says Putin meeting will be a listening exercise for President Trump...
- High-tech impact sensing mouthguards to be worn in Women's Rugby World Cup.
Health authorities in Gaza say Israeli attacks have killed at least 89 Palestinians, including 31 aid seekers, in the past 24 hours ahead of talks to revive a U-S backed ceasefire plan in Cairo.
Health authorities also say five more people*, including two children, have died of starvation and malnutrition in the past 24 hours.
Israeli bombardment of Gaza City has intensified since Israel announced plans to seize and occupy the city in a new assault, drawing widespread international condemnation.
Ahmed Al-Mashharawi says his sister died in the latest attacks and his nephew was seriously injured.
“This is my sister and this is her husband. The building was full of residents. My nephew was present there and he was seriously injured. I call on the whole world to stand with my nephew, he is injured in his leg and can't move it, his whole face is wounded. You have to send him to doctors, because there are no doctors, no medicine, no hospitals, and there is no bed for patients or the wounded. The world must intervene, this can't go on. Every day we die, every day we lose loved ones."
The latest round of indirect peace talks ended in late July, with Israel and Hamas accusing each other of stalling progress.
The White House says an Alaskan summit between United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin is a listening exercise for the president, tempering expectations for a quick Russia-Ukraine ceasefire deal.
The White House says Mr Trump will meet one-on-one with Putin during the talks, which will take place in Anchorage, Alaska.
Mr Trump will hold virtual talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy before his meeting with President Putin.
The US President says he will know quite quickly whether President Putin is willing to seek a peace deal.
"At the end of that meeting, probably in the first two minutes, I’ll know exactly whether or not a deal can be made. This is really a feel out meeting, a little bit. And President Putin invited me to get involved. He wants to get involved. I think, I believe he wants to get it over with. Now, I’ve said that a few times and I’ve been disappointed.”
Mr Trump says the two sides will need to cede land to end the bloody three and a half-year-old conflict.
Mr Zelenskyy says Ukraine will not cede territory in exchange for a ceasefire.
The number of people dying from drug overdoses in Victoria has reached its highest number in a decade, prompting health advocates to call for urgent reforms.A report from the State Coroner has shown there were 584 fatal drug overdoses recorded in 2024, with a significant proportion involving illegal drugs like heroin, methamphetamine, and MDMA.
Monash Addiction Research Centre associate professor Shalini Arunogiri says deaths can be prevented with drug checking and early-risk detection alongside rapid-access opioid treatment, but that timely access to proven medical responses are still lacking.
Premier Jacinta Allan says the government is well aware of the crisis and is doing its best to confront it.
"The work that Minister (Ingrid) Stitt has been leading through our statewide drug action plan is so important. We understand the need to expand drug services across the state, because this is often seen in the context of the inner city. This is a statewide challenge. I know it from my own community."
The Tasmanian Greens say they are unable to support the state Labor Party, with the rule of the minority Liberal government appearing increasingly likely to continue.
After the July 19 state election resulted in another hung parliament, both major parties have been working to secure support from a cross-bench of five Greens, five Independents, and one Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MP.
State Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff says Labor is unwilling to budge on issues such as environmental protections or native forest logging.
Labor leader Dean Winter has held talks with independents but has continually ruled out "doing a deal" with the Greens, despite needing their numbers to govern.
To sport now...
Players at the upcoming Women's Rugby World Cup will sport high-tech mouthguards that light up red when they suffer heavy head impacts, in a move aimed at improving player safety and reducing concussion.
The smart gumshields will send an alert to the match-day doctor warning of possible concussions during the tournament in England, while referees will be advised to stop play upon seeing the red flash.
The LED mouthguards are set to be implemented in top-flight rugby next season following the Women's Rugby World Cup.
The technology builds on World Rugby's introduction of smart mouthguards as part of the Head Injury Assessment process in October 2023.
