Police say a suspicious Melbourne fire not connected to the owner's attendance at a pro-Palestine rally, the health system in Gaza reported to be "on its knees", and in sport, Sri Lanka suspended from the International Cricket Council.
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TRANSCRIPT
- Police say a suspicious Melbourne fire not connected to the owner's attendance at a pro-Palestine rally
- The health system in Gaza reported to be "on its knees"
- Sri Lanka suspended from the International Cricket Council
A fire at a south-east Melbourne business is being treated as suspicious, amid claims by the owner that they were targeted because they had recently attended a pro-Palestinian rally.
The building was completely destroyed in the blaze, two weeks after Burgertory owner and CEO Hash Tayeh said he had started to receive threats, because he had been filmed at a pro-Palestine rally leading a "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" chant.
But Inspector Scott Dwyer says Moorabbin Crime Investigation Unit detectives investigating the fire do not believe the fire is politically or religiously motivated.
"I would warn people not to make assumptions or draw lines of inquiry that aren't there between this incident and anything else that is occurring. We are treating this as a stand-alone incident until - I would encourage the community to treat it as such as well."
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More than 100,000 residents of the Gaza Strip have fled southwards over the last two days as Israeli forces operate deep in Gaza City and negotiations continue for the release of hostages held by Hamas.
Chief military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari says the movement of the population is happening in an "organised manner" and in a way that does not interfere with the fighting.
He says there have also been reports about an agreement to free hostages.
But the Rear Admiral says people should be wary of anything that does not come from Israel.
"I say to the public: heed only official Israeli announcements. If and when there is something to communicate, we will communicate it first to the families, and after that to the public, through communication channels."
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The head of the World Health Organisation says the healthcare system in Gaza is "on its knees" because of a lack of medical supplies and fuel.
Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says 20 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are no longer functioning, including a pediatric hospital that has stopped operations after a reported Israeli strike in the area.
He says the extent of the crisis is impossible to describe.
"Hospital corridors crammed with the injured, the sick, the dying. Morgues overflowing. Surgery without anesthesia. Tens of thousands of displaced people sheltering at hospitals. Families crammed into overcrowded schools, desperate for food and water."
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The US says it is confident that its nuclear submarine technology being handed to Australia will stand the test of time - but still has concerns about the pace of investment by China.
US defence department undersecretary Dr Mara Karlin says there have been "worrisome steps by China in terms of its technological investments", particularly around modernising and diversifying its nuclear arsenal.
But Dr Karlin says she is not concerned that expanding the US military presence could make Australia a target for China or another adversary.
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Two teenagers have died and three others are injured after their car crashed into a tree in northern New South Wales.
One of the surviving passengers is understood to be in a serious condition in hospital, while two others have been treated for minor injuries.
An investigation is underway into the circumstances surrounding the crash, which happened on Plains Station Road in Tabulam, about 60 kilometres west of Casino, in the early hours of this morning (November 11).
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To sport,
And Sri Lanka's membership of the International Cricket Council has been suspended with immediate effect, with government interference cited as the reason.
The decision follows the sacking of the board of Sri Lanka Cricket by the country's ministry of sport after the national team's poor performance at this year's World Cup, a decision later stayed by Sri Lanka's Court of Appeal.
Sri Lanka won only two of their nine games at the World Cup and sit ninth in the 10-team standings.
