The United States backs Israel's claims of Hamas using hospitals in Gaza for military operations; Bunnings to stop selling engineered stone and in cricket, Australia set for tomorrow's clash against South Africa in the World Cup semi-finals
Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts.
TRANSCRIPT
- The United States backs Israel's claims of Hamas using hospitals in Gaza for military operations;
- Bunnings to stop selling engineered stone;
- And in cricket, Australia set for tomorrow's clash against South Africa in the World Cup semi-finals
The United States has backed Israeli claims that Hamas is using hospitals in Gaza City for its military operations.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby says the U-S has unspecified intelligence from a variety of sources that show Hamas and other Palestinian militants are using tunnels underneath the hospitals to move weapons and hide hostages.
"I can confirm for you that we have information that Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad used some hospitals in the Gaza Strip, including al-Shifa and tunnels underneath them to conceal and to support their military operations and to hold hostages. Hamas and the Palestinian, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, PIJ, members operate a command-and-control node from al-Shifa in Gaza City. They have stored weapons there, and they're prepared to respond to an Israeli military operation against that facility."
Denying the claims, the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry says it has invited international organisations to investigate the facility.
-
Australia's hold on social cohesion may be changing with declines reported on several fronts.
The 2023 Scanlon Foundation's assessment of social cohesion collected responses from nearly 5800 people, with over 90 questions covering topics such as immigration, multiculturalism, major issues confronting Australia, government, and community life.
According to the report, economic pressures and inequality are affecting Australians' sense of belonging.
Carlo Carli, Chair of the Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia, believes that heated and politically charged debates on local and international issues, as well as recent financial pressures, may be to blame for a less socially cohesive Australia.
"Social cohesion is an area which Australia has invested a lot of effort and its whole multicultural project is about improving social cohesion. It does fluctuate at times. And I think at the moment we've got a number of stresses on our social cohesion. We've had a very difficult debate around the referendum on the voice to Parliament. We have had a drop in the finances of Australian households and finally, we have the conflict in the Middle East which is also creating difficulties."
_
Bunnings is set to stop selling engineered stone as pressure mounts for a national ban on the silicosis-causing material.
Unions have been campaigning for the chain, owned by retail and industrial conglomerate Wesfarmers, to pull kitchen bench tops from its product line-up to protect workers from the deadly condition.
The household hardware and garden giant confirmed it would stop selling the products from December 31.
_
Almost a third of GPs plan to retire in the next five years, prompting a call from their professional body to boost doctor numbers in the community.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners has released its 7th annual Health of the Nation report, which focuses on the attraction and retention of the GP workforce.
It found GPs are seeing more patients than ever and less than one per cent of people are unable to see a GP when they need to.
At the same time, the average time GPs spend with patients has increased.
However, the workforce needs to be boosted as fewer medical students choose GP training and more GPs look to reduce their hours or leave the profession.
_
In cricket,
Travis Head will revive his battle against South African bowler Gerald Coetzee in Australia's semi-final at the Cricket World Cup in India tomorrow.
Head had his hand broken by a delivery from Coetzee in Australia's one-day series against South Africa in September, forcing him to join Australia's World Cup squad late.
Opening batter Head has told Fox Sports he is ready to face Coetzee again and wants the Proteas to bring the 23-year-old second change bowler on early.
"Go for it. Did me a favour, I got four weeks at home with the family, refreshed and energised and can perform at the back end of the tournament, might be a blessing in disguise."
