TRANSCRIPT:
- More details about the deadly strike on a Gaza hospital, as Israelis protest against the war
- Manhunt continues after two police officers shot dead in regional Victoria
- Kirby Bentley calls for greater Indigenous representation in AFLW
The initial Israeli inquiry into a strike on a Gaza hospital that killed at least 20 people, including five journalists, claims the strike was intended to take out a Hamas camera that was positioned there to observe its forces.
The Israelis say six Hamas targets were killed in the attack on the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, but none of these include the five journalists who died.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the death of the journalists was a tragic accident.
However United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric has told journalists Israel must provide greater accountability.
"Look, I think there will be a good start when there is accountability for those who have lost their lives, your colleagues, the medical workers and all other civilians."
Israel says there will be further investigation into the authorisation process for the strike, and decision-making in the field surrounding the strike.
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Israeli protesters have blocked several roads as part of a nationwide protest calling for the government to reach an agreement with Hamas to end the war in Gaza and release the remaining captives.
A rally outside Israel's defence headquarters has attracted thousands of people.
Other protesters blocking a main road in Tel Aviv scuffled with police and were removed from the protest.
Yehuda Cohen, the father of Israeli hostage Nimrod Cohen, was among the protesters.
He says Israel's main ally, the United States, has to apply pressure to Israel.
"Trump, if he's declaring for ending wars, if he's declaring for releasing hostages, should stand by his word and force Netanyahu to end the war and get a hostage deal. He can do it if he wants."
The current proposal calls for a 60-day ceasefire and the release of 10 living hostages held and 18 bodies, in return for the release of 200 long-serving Palestinian prisoners by Israel.
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Police in Victoria continue to search for a man suspected of of fatally shooting two police officers yesterday.
The officers were attending a property in Porepunkah, about 300 kilometres north-east of Melbourne, to execute a warrant when they were attacked.
Victoria Chief Police Commissioner Mike Bush has confirmed the victims were a 59 year old detective and a 35-year-old Senior Constable.
A third officer was also shot and has undergone surgery in Melbourne.
Commissioner Bush is trying to reassure the community.
"The suspect for this horrific event is still at large. We believe he is armed. We have deployed every specialist resource into this area to locate him. It is our priority."
A local school was temporarily locked down, and police have urged residents in the area to stay indoors while the shooter remains on the run.
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Fresh figures are expected to show a rise in inflation - but not enough to cause the Reserve Bank any concern.
July's Consumer Price Index figures are due to be released today with the monthly inflation figure expected to come in at 2.3 per cent.
That's up from the 1.9 per cent figure recorded in June, but still well within the two to three per cent target band of the Reserve Bank.
Unacceptable inflation figures have been used as a premise by the central bank to raise interest rates.
Whilst the central bank generally relies more on quarterly, rather than monthly, inflation figures, the monthly figures are still watched closely.
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Rural Australians are dying up to 13 years earlier than their city peers, with an annual healthcare spending deficit in the bush reaching $8.35 billion.
New figures released by the National Rural Health Alliance show those who live outside the cities miss out on $1,090 in health spending per person every year.
The Forgotten Health Spend report indicates the gap between metropolitan and rural health expenditure has widened since 2023, when the annual deficit was $6.55 billion - or roughly $850 per person per year.
The report says the gap has been driven by public and private hospitals, Medicare billing, dentistry and allied healthcare and is directly responsible for long wait times, specialist shortages and ageing health infrastructure.
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Having more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in all ranks of the AFLW is critical to increasing Indigenous player participation.
That's the view of former Fremantle and Carlton forward Kirby Bentley, who has been named the 2025 AFLW Indigenous Round honouree.
There are 22 Indigenous players on AFLW lists this season, making up four per cent of the 540-strong cohort.
Thirty-nine year-old Bentley says it's important to support more Indigenous players from different communities to reach the top.
"The contribution from is crucial in that game for growth. And that is not only players, but coaching staff, management, umpires, in all layers and levels, and without that, we can't really create that shift that we're looking for, and until then, we don't really understand what support looks like for those players in the system too."
