Morning News Bulletin 27 February 2024

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Source: SBS News

A US airman dies after setting himself ablaze in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington DC, The search for the bodies of Luke Davies and Jesse Baird continues, Adam Reynolds signs with the Brisbane Broncos for another year.


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TRANSCRIPT
  • A US airman dies after setting himself ablaze in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington DC.
  • The search for the bodies of Luke Davies and Jesse Baird continues.
  • And in rugby league, Adam Reynolds signs with Brisbane for another year.
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A serving member of the United States air force has died in Washington D-C after setting himself on fire in front of the Israeli embassy.

25-year-old Aaron Bushnell said he would, as he described, "no longer be complicit in genocide" before carrying out the extreme act of protest.

He was seen repeatedly shouting "free Palestine" after setting himself ablaze.

Members of the US Secret Service extinguished the flames before Mr Bushnell was taken to hospital in critical condition, where he later died.

This comes as Israel continues its war in Gaza, where almost 30,000 Palestinians have been killed according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

This follows a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel where militants killed close to 1,200 people and took 253 others hostage.

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Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh has offered his government's resignation to President Mahmoud Abbas.

The Palestinian Authority rules parts of the occupied West Bank.

He says he's resigning due to the escalating violence in the territory and the war on Gaza.

"This decision comes based on the political, security and economic developments that are related to the offensive on our people in Gaza, and the unprecedented escalation in the West Bank and Jerusalem, and to what our people and Palestinian cause are facing, as well as our political system that had been aggressively attacked in an unprecedented manner."

It comes amid pressure from the US for the Palestinian Authority to work on a political structure that can govern a Palestinian state when the war ends.

However, Israel says it will not accept Palestinian Authority rule over Gaza after the war.

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Police say they've failed to find anything of interest after a search of a property at Bungonia south-west of Sydney, as they look for the bodies of Luke Davies and Jesse Baird.

Divers had been searching several dams at the property after establishing the couple's accused killer had travelled to the location in a rented van.

Police allege the couple was murdered by 28-year-old police constable Beau Lamarre-Condon, Mr Baird's ex-boyfriend.

He's been charged with two counts of murder and police say he's not co-operating with the investigation on the advice of his lawyer.

Deputy Commissioner David Hudson says investigators made a deliberate decision to delay announcing that they were looking for a serving member of the police force.

David Hudson: "We were concerned of self-harming or the disposing of evidence once that focus came down to even admitting that it was a serving police office that was of interest to us."
Journalist Jason Om: "Why not be upfront about that as early as possible?"
David Hudson: "As I said, as soon as we became aware, if we'd made known that aware, evidence which we have collected, subsequently, would have been disposed of."

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New South Wales Police say their invitation to march at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade has been withdrawn.

It comes after the Mardi Gras board met to discuss calls for the police to be banned, which were sparked after a serving police officer was charged with murder following the disappearance of a Sydney couple.

Police Commissioner Karen Webb has told The Daily Telegraph she's disappointed and dismayed by the decision, after saying earlier it would be a real travesty if members of the force were not allowed to participate in Saturday's parade.

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Hungary's parliament has ratified Sweden's bid to join NATO, clearing the last hurdle to the Nordic country's membership.

Hungary's vote has ended months of delays to complete Sweden's security policy shift and followed a visit by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Friday during which the two countries signed an arms deal.

Sweden's NATO membership was supported by 188 MPs in the Hungarian parliament, with six against and no abstentions, after pressure on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government from NATO allies.

Sweden's neutrality has lasted through two world wars as well as the Cold War, but the country applied to join the alliance after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson says the decision is a big step, but a "natural" one.

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And in rugby league,

Adam Reynolds has signed a one-year contract extension with Brisbane.

Inaugural Broncos captain Wally Lewis has welcomed the signing, saying the veteran half is a great communicator in the mould of club legend Allan Langer.

The 33-year-old skipper, who was off-contract at the end of this season after spending two years at the club, will now be on deck until the end of 2025.

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Morning News Bulletin 27 February 2024 | SBS News