In this bulletin;
- Tasmanians head to the polls for their second state election in two years;
- Heavy fighting resumes in Syria between the Druze and Bedouin tribes;
- And in rugby league, Papua New Guinea's NRL director steps down over corruption allegations.
Tasmanians are heading to the polls today for a second state election in two years, with major parties touting their signature policies and the crossbench hoping to hold on to the balance of power.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff's Liberal government collapsed after a little more than 12 months when crossbench MPs who previously backed the government voted in favour of Labor leader Dean Winter's no-confidence motion.
Mr Winter is hoping to upset 11 years of Liberal leadership in the state, promising to open 10 government-run bulk-billing GP clinics around the state.
"The Liberals have been doing the same thing for 11 years when it comes to health, they've been doing exactly the same thing, we need to change and reform our healthcare system, that means providing more support and health support to Tasmanians where they live."
Meanwhile, Premier Jeremy Rockliff's big campaign promise is a government-run insurance company called TasInsure.
"Setting up TasInsure, ensuring that our breakfast clubs roll out across Tasmania, that we move forward with our strategic agriculture plan as well and including a new minister for ageing."
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Mourners have gathered in Gaza City to bid farewell to two Palestinian Christians who medics say were killed in an Israeli strike on the Holy Family Church.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which oversees the small parish, says an Israeli strike on Gaza's sole Catholic Church killed three people and injured several others.
Father Gabriel Romanelli, a friend to Pope Francis, was among those injured and his church has reportedly sustained damage.
Chuchgoer Musa Ayyad is mourning those who were killed and is calling for the world to help end the violence in Gaza.
"We hope that God will bring peace and guide the political leaders who make these difficult decisions to pay attention to human suffering, to this loss, and to this death. Today we stood at the burial of citizen Saad Salama, who was a guard for the church and the displacement camp, and Mrs. Foumia Ayyad, an educator who was a school principal and teacher of generations. They were coming out of their prayers and then were targeted and killed."
Israel says they are looking into the incident but do not target religious sites.
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Heavy fighting has resumed Syria between the Druze and Bedouin tribes in the restive southern province of Suwayda, after a temporary ceasefire was reached earlier this week.
The province has been engulfed by nearly a week of violence triggered by clashes between Bedouin fighters and factions from the Druze, a minority with followers in Syria, Lebanon and Israel.
Days of bloodshed in the predominantly Druze area has killed over 300 people, according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights.
The spiritual leader of the Druze community, Sheikh Sami Abi al- Muna, has condemned the clashes, and called for all parties to adhere to a ceasefire agreement reached on Wednesday.
"We stand with our people in Sweida our brotherly and humanitarian solidarity with our people in Sweida and with all innocent people injured by the fire of clashes. If the words of condemnation are not sufficient to express our anger and pain at the scenes of violations and mutual criminal acts that have tarnished the image of the mountain and the image of the state."
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In rugby league,
The man who led Papua New Guinea's successful NRL bid in Australia has stood down from the expansion team's board over corruption allegations.
PNG Prime Minister James Marape has confirmed Wapu Sonk has stepped down effective immediately as a franchise board director - but says the move is about allowing due process to be followed, and is not an admission of guilt.
The allegations relate to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald claiming documents and corporate records link the Kumul Petroleum company - which Mr Sonk is managing director of - to suspect dealings with a huge Chinese government firm.
The report also alleges a plot to funnel contracts to a company Mr Sonk owned in Australia.
