TRANSCRIPT
- Hamas hands over the bodies of four Israeli hostages to the Red Cross in Gaza
- The former boss of the Spanish football federation is found guilty of sexual assault for his World Cup final kiss
- Former Labor senator Stephen Conroy appointed executive chairman of Australian Premier Leagues
Palestinian militant group Hamas has handed over the bodies of four Israeli hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The bodies are said to include a woman, her two infant children and an 83-year-old Israeli man who were taken captive during the October 2023 attack.
A spokesman for Hamas claims all four were killed in Israeli air attacks.
The handover took place under the Gaza ceasefire agreement reached last month with the backing of the United States and the mediation of Qatar [[cutter]] and Egypt.
Nicky Cregor, an Israeli social worker who closely followed the handover, says it was one of her saddest days in Israel.
"Not only specifically for this poor family who did not ... I mean, I don't even think we thought that the babies were alive for a long time. But I feel terrified that our government is not.. is going to continue not making the right decisions to end the war."
**
The former boss of the Spanish football federation has been found guilty by the country's high court of sexual assault for kissing the Spanish women's team captain on the lips without her consent on stage after the 2023 Women's World Cup final in Sydney.
Luis Rubiales will be fined more than $15,000 for that kiss of Jenni Hermoso.
He will also have to pay her around $5,000 compensation, and he's banned from going near her or communicating with her for one year.
Rubiales claimed the kiss was consensual, but the court has accepted Hermoso's testimony that it was not.
Prosecutors had sought a prison sentence for Rubiales.
The case has caused widespread furore and debate about sexism.
Spain's Minister for Equality, Ana Redondo, says the verdict is a step forward.
“We cannot re-victimise the victim and in that sense I think it is a step forward and it is a sentence that proves that our law is a good law, it is a law that protects women against aggression. Consent, and this is the important thing, is the cornerstone of every relationship.”
**
A woman accused of attacking two Muslim women at a shopping centre in Melbourne has been released on bail.
Suzan Gonulalan is charged with intentionally and recklessly causing injury, unlawful assault and aggravated assault, after an alleged assault on the women who were wearing hijabs.
Victoria Police, who opposed bail, allege she targeted the victims because of their head coverings.
**
Impeached South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol has appeared in court in Seoul.
Mr Yoon's lawyer has told the court he declared martial law to prevent South Korea from being run by what he called a legislative dictatorship, run by his political opponent.
Around 3,200 police officers were mobilised, as hundreds of Mr Yoon's supporters gathered outside the court building.
Joo Jong-dae, a 66-year-old protester, is calling for Mr Yoon's immediate release.
“As long as the law of the Republic of Korea (South Korea’s official name) exists, the arrest of President Yoon Suk Yeol must be cancelled immediately, and the criminal trial also must be cancelled because it is illegal.”
**
Three students have been suspended from a public school in northern New South Wales, after allegedly performing a Nazi salute at school.
The incident occurred at Bonalbo Central School in the upper Clarence Valley on Wednesday and was reported to police.
A spokesperson for the New South Wales Education Department says the students' behaviour was unacceptable, stating there's no place for racism in schools.
The state's Jewish Board of Deputies, David Ossip, has also condemned the behaviour, saying it is disturbing and completely unacceptable.
**
The New South Wales government has successfully pushed a contentious hate speech bill through the legislative assembly.
Introduced to parliament last week, the first element of the bill strengthens protections for places of worship, while the second makes incitement of hatred a criminal offence.
The state government scrambled to pull together the legislation after a sharp rise in public attacks on the Jewish community.
Premier Chris Minns says while the speed of the process isn't ideal, he could not risk delay.
"We don't like doing it particularly in a hung parliament. We only ever truncate debate and push it through the parliament if we've got support because we don't have the numbers in either house on our own. In the circumstances, however, delaying the legislation would mean that it wouldn't come into effect and the police couldn't begin the process of ensuring that it was up and running until the parliament resumed."
Faith groups involved in the consultation say the bill is flawed, calling for the laws to be applied uniformly so as to not further erode social cohesion.
The bill will proceed to the upper house as soon as possible.
**
Former Labor party senator Stephen Conroy will take charge of Australia's men and women's football competitions.
It comes after A-Leagues commissioner Nick Garcia left his role, and Mr Conroy stepped up to become the Australian Premier Leagues' Executive Chairman.
In a statement, the APL says the board has been conducting a comprehensive organisational transformation last year, and there has been significant progress.
The APL has been struggling financially in recent years.
One year ago, it made a massive staff cuts in a restructure, closing down its digital arm.
