TRANSCRIPT
- A suspected Israeli strike destroys the Iranian consulate in Syria's capital
- The Israeli miltiary ends a two-week operation at Gaza's Al Shifa hospital
- Geelong has defeated Hawthorn by 36 points at the MCG
A suspected Israeli strike has destroyed the Iranian consulate in Syria's capital, Damascus.
Iranian state media say a senior Revolutionary Guards commander, Brigadier-General Mohammad Reza Zahedi is among the dead.
The Syrian defence ministry says Israeli aircraft targeted the consulate around 5pm local time.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says eight people were killed.
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The Health Ministry in Gaza says at least 400 people and 21 patients have been killed in al-Shifa in the past two weeks as the Israeli military withdraws troops from al-Shifa Hospital.
Israel's military is describing its deadly operation on one of Gaza's last remaining functional hospitals as one of its most successful operations in the past six months.
Palestinian residents say numerous bodies have been left behind as well as a vast area of destruction, with over one hundred patients requiring urgent care needing to be relocated.
One patient trapped inside al-Shifa hospital, Barra Al-Shawish says there was insufficient supplies for the whole two weeks.
"They let in a very small amount of food that was not enough. We were 150 patients and 50 members of the medical staff - (the food) was not sufficient at all. No treatment, no medicine, nothing and bombing for 24 hours that didn't stop and immense destruction in the hospital. Sleep - no sleep. And fear and worry. We waited for them (referring to Israeli troops) to leave, they didn't leave until today - 15 days in this state."
Israel's offensive in Gaza has so far killed at least 32,782 Palestinians, with thousands more casualties expected to be trapped underneath the rubble.
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Victoria has had an overnight soaking with heavy rainfall and damaging wind gusts.
Soggy conditions and thunderstorms in the state's west on Monday caused major delays at the Stawell Gift running carnival, forcing organisers to push back finals.
The Bureau says there's the risk of flash flooding this morning and a road weather alert has also been issued for Melbourne.
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Police are accusing a man of being under the influence and speeding in a stolen car that crashed and killed a woman on Easter Sunday.
Queensland police say a stolen car struck another vehicle north of Brisbane after veering onto the other side of the road.
Police have charged a 25-year-old man with several offences, including dangerous driving causing death while driving under the influence of an intoxicating substance and speeding.
He has also been charged with stealing, possessing dangerous drugs and two counts each of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, and driving while unlicensed.
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A man has died and another is in a critical condition after the their quad-bike crashed and rolled into Lake Macquarie in the Hunter Region of New South Wales.
The 35-year-old passenger was treated at the scene by paramedics but died at the scene whilst the 30-year-old driver remains in a critical condition.
Police will prepare a report for the coroner.
**
Protesters in Mexico City marked this year's International Transgender Day of Visibility with calls for laws that will protect the rights of transgender people in Mexico
In November of 2023, Mexico's first openly non-binary magistrate and prominent LGBTIQ+ activist Ociel Baena was found dead at their home, prompting calls for greater protection.
This comes as at least four members of Mexico's transgender community were murdered within the first two weeks of 2024 too, sparking a nationwide outcry.
One protester, Jennifer Rodriguez, says the community needs freedom and security.
“We want respect for our human rights, we don’t want to be discriminated against when we apply for a job, we want the medical assistance we deserve, we want to be able to get a house and all the benefits free marriage provides. We don’t want to be killed only for being different. We don't want sex work to be our one unique option to survive. While the government doesn’t provide all these, we want our integral trans law that gives us the right to express our identity and change our gender and make hormonal changes when we come to legal age."
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To AFL now, Geelong has taken down Hawthorn at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, winning by 36 points despite torrential rain stopping the game before the final quarter.
Geelong was up by six goals before players were told to leave the field after the Bureau of Meteorology warned AFL officials that lightning was within a 10km radius of the stadium, leading to 43-minute lightning delay.
Cats legend Tom Hawkins played a valuable role in the win, marking his 350th game with two first-quarter goals and finishing with an equal game-high four.
In an interview with Fox Sports after the game, Hawkins says it was the first time he's had to stop playing because of thunderstorms.
"I said to Jezza , I said mate there's one way to warm up here and, and, and he looked at me and he knew exactly what I was talking about so we popped into the little team coffee room for Moccona and just chewed the fat for a bit so it was actually perfect. "
