TRANSCRIPT
- Pro Palestinian protesters urged by police and the New South Wales Premier not to protest this weekend.
- Opposition leader Peter Dutton says the Iranian ambassador should be expelled.
- And in sport, another win for Aussie coach Ange Postecoglou and his Tottenham side.
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Police chiefs have issued a rare joint call ahead of pro-Palestine rallies planned over the weekend warning that inciting violence on race or religious grounds is illegal including through the public display of prohibited symbols.
Rally organisers of the typically peaceful protests have resisted political pressure and court action to cancel events this weekend, dismissing suggestions their gathering would be provocative or insensitive towards the Jewish community.
Monday marks the first anniversary of the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas and the start of an Israeli assault on Gaza that has all but levelled the homes of 2.1 million Gazans.
Organisers say the events would be vigils to remember the tens of thousands of Gazans killed in the past year.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns says he's convinced it is an offensive gesture considering the roughly 1,200 Israelis killed by militants one year ago.
"We remain and I remain of the view that it is hugely insensitive at best to hold a vigil or a rally on that day, the 7th of October. Now, New South Wales Police will be on site in massive numbers. There will be an overwhelming police response on Sunday and Monday in particular. And if, as we fear, the vigil becomes some kind of protest or march through the streets of Sydney then police will be there to meet people who commit those acts."
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The Coalition have called for the Iranian ambassador to be expelled from Australia over a post praising Hezbollah's leader after he was killed in an Israeli strike.
In a post on X on September 29th, Ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi said Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was a 'great personality, and exceptional leader'.
The government have condemned the comments by Mr Sadeghi, but say they will not remove him from the country.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton says that's not good enough.
"Do I think the Iranian Ambassador should be expelled from our country? Should be should he be persona non grata? Absolutely he should. It's not his first time, and he's been warned by the government before the Prime Minister has to start showing some strength of leadership and some character here and standing up for our values and what's right."
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Safety advocates say more medically-supervised injecting centres are needed across Australia to help prevent drug overdose deaths.
Alcohol and Drug Foundation chief executive Erin Lalor says action is overdue and urgently required as dangerous synthetic opioids continue to be detected.
Dr Lalor says governments must provide better access to opioid overdose reversal drug, naloxone, and increase public drug checking services and overdose prevention services.
Her calls come after Victoria recorded 547 fatal overdoses in 2023 according to an annual report released on Thursday by the Coroners Court.
About three quarters of these overdose deaths occurred in metropolitan Melbourne.
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In the United States,
The union representing 45,000 striking dockworkers at East and Gulf coast ports has reached a deal to suspend a three-day strike until January 15 to provide time to negotiate a new contract.
Workers from the International Longshoremen's Association are to resume working immediately, averting disruptions to international trade.
The temporary end to the strike came after the union and the U-S Maritime Alliance, which represents ports and shipping companies, reached a tentative agreement on wages.
A person briefed on the agreement says the ports sweetened their wage offer from about 50 per cent over six years to 62 per cent.
However, the agreement is tentative and any wage increase would have to be approved by union members as part of the ratification of a final contract.
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In football, Australian coach Ange Postecoglou is two wins from two games in the Europa League this season.
His Tottenham Hotspur side has defeated Hungarian team Ferencvaros, two goals to one, in Budapest.
Postecoglou shuffled his starting lineup for this game, making seven changes from the lineup that beat Manchester United in domestic play last weekend- including starting four teenagers.
Midfielder Pape Matar Sarr scored the game's first goal, in the 23rd minute.
Substitute Brennan Johnson doubled the lead with a goal in the 86th minute.
That makes for the fifth game in a row that Tottenham have won in all competitions with Johnson scoring in all five matches.
