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TRANSCRIPT:
- A car rams into the gates of a major Brisbane synagogue;
- The US carries out another deadly raid on an alleged drug boat;
- Matildas goalkeeper Teagan Micah forced to withdraw from Australia's Asian Cup side.
A car has rammed into the gates of a major synagogue in Brisbane.
Police say they have a man in custody over the incident that took place on Friday night ((20 February)), and he is likely to face Brisbane Magistrates Court today charged with wilful damage.
No-one was injured in the incident.
But Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies Vice president Libby Bourke says it could easily have ended differently.
"This violent attack should shock all of Queenslanders. This is not the sort of hate we want to see in our beautiful, peaceful, sunshine state."
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More details have emerged about the shooting of former Canterbury premiership winger Matt Utai earlier this week.
Police have already said they believe the N-R-L star was caught in the crossfire of an attack targeting his son Iziah Utai, due to Iziah’s alleged gang associations.
Detective Acting Superintendent Brad Abdy says they believe a 25-year-old arrested over the shooting was the alleged gunman, while a 15 year old also taken into custody allegedly drove the getaway car.
He says those charges follow the arrest of others allegedly connected to a spate of shootings and firebombings.
"So we've arrested for people who are accessories in various degrees after the fact of those and participating in a criminal group and two principal offenders for the (Utai) shootings. I will say the reason for that success is the hard work of the people on the strike force and the dedication of the police to identify and apprehend these people for these violent crimes."
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South Australia's premier says his focus has not been changed by the popularity of One Nation, as campaigning for the state election officially gets underway from today.
One Nation has announced 46 candidates for the state election, including former Liberal senator Cory Bernardi.
Two separate surveys from YouGov and Newspoll have suggested overwhelming support for the Labor government, but also puts One Nation well ahead of the Liberals in terms of primary support.
But Peter Malinauskas says he is not concerned by those figures, or the potential for a divisive debate on migration.
"In fact, I think we know what this state is: a rich, diverse, multicultural society that celebrates the fact that we have that sense of inclusion and diversity. It's what makes us so great. We are not an outfit focusing on trying to throw petrol on the bonfire of the culture wars."
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Three people have been killed in another US strike on an alleged drug smuggling boat in the Eastern Pacific ocean.
Donald Trump has justified the attacks as necessary to stem the flow of drugs from the region into the US, while critics have questioned their effectiveness, in part because the fentanyl behind many fatal overdoses is typically trafficked to the US over land from Mexico.
Some have also argued the Pentagon is engaging in a gross abuse of power through extrajudicial killings.
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An amateur mountain climber has been found guilty of manslaughter over the death of his girlfriend near Austria's highest summit in January 2025.
The offence carries a maximum prison sentence of three years - but the man has instead been handed a five-month suspended jail term and a fine for causing her death by gross negligence.
The court heard that the defendant - identified as Thomas P - left his girlfriend exposed to strong winds without wrapping her in her emergency blanket, while he fetched help in a shelter on the other side.
The court also heard that while he made a short call to the mountain police, he did not make clear they needed rescuing, and he failed to answer calls back or WhatsApp messages.
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Nearly 150 years after the last giant tortoises were removed from Floreana Island in Ecuador’s Galápagos archipelago, the species have made a comeback.
Dozens of juvenile hybrids - bred by scientists - have been released to begin restoring the island’s depleted ecosystem.
Two centuries ago, Floreana was home to approximately 20,000 giant tortoises - but whaling, a devastating fire, and relentless human exploitation eventually led to their complete extinction on the island.
Island resident Veronica Mora Flores says the locals are in full support of the project to bring them back.
"It has been a dream come true. We are seeing the reality of a project that has been in the works for several years. It hasn't been easy, but here we are, and this is a reality."
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To sport and in football news,
Matildas goalkeeper Teagan Micah has been forced to withdraw from Australia's Women's Asian Cup squad after suffering another concussion.
She was named in the Matildas squad on Thursday but Football Australia has announced today that she will be replaced by Brisbane Roar No.1 Chloe Lincoln.
The keeper has also issued a statement on social media confirming her withdrawal, which in part reads:
"Sometimes football and elite sports can break your heart and truly test you not just as a player but as a person. My priority is my health, my long term career, and to get back to playing here in OL."
