TRANSCRIPT
- Israel expands operations in Gaza ahead of a possible ground offensive
- Queensland calls for interstate reinforcements for its exhausted firefighters
- A new dress code introduced ahead of next week's Melbourne Cup
Israeli air and ground forces have stepped up operations in the Gaza strip with heavy bombardment seen on the border between Gaza and Israel.
Israel's chief military spokesperson has said that Israeli Defence Forces are "expanding their operations" in the region with troops massed outside Gaza and has conducted its second raid into the region in several days.
A ground offensive is expected in retaliation for Hamas' October 7 attacks on Israel which Israel says have killed more than 1,400 people, and led to at least 224 hostages being taken into Gaza.
Hamas' health ministry says that more than 7,000 people have died since in reliatory airstrikes, while the U-N says more than a million people have been internally displaced in Gaza.
I-D-F spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari has defended bombardments on hospitals, claiming Hamas militants were hiding in tunnels under the Al Shifa hospital in Gaza, which a senior Hamas official has dismissed as baseless.
Mr Hagari says the I-D-F will make efforts to minimize harm to the civilian population and act in accordance with international law.
"When medical facilities are used for terror purposes, they are liable to lose their protection from attack in accordance with international law. The IDF has called and continue calling the civilians of northern Gaza and Gaza City to temporarily move to your own safety, move south toward to Wadi Gaza."
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The United Nations says the monitoring of aid deliveries into Gaza should be adjusted to permit more deliveries to enter via the Rafah crossing with Egypt.
Rafah is the main crossing in and out of Gaza that does not border Israel and has become the main point of aid delivery.
Each truck currently has to offload its cargo at a checkpoint for inspection for possible arms and ammunition before being reloaded when the check is complete.
The U-N says while before the conflict around 500 trucks a day were crossing into Gaza, an average of only 12 trucks a day have entered in recent days.
United Nations Spokesperson Stephane Dijarric says the verification system needs to be improved to allow more desperately-needed aid to enter into Gaza.
"The verification system for the movement of goods through Rafah Crossing must be adjusted to allow for more trucks to enter Gaza without delay. We must meet the expectations and the core needs of civilians in Gaza. Lifesaving humanitarian aid, food, water, medicine, fuel must be allowed to reach all civilians swiftly, safely and at scale."
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Queensland has formally requested the assistance of crews from interstate and New Zealand as it fights a series of fires across the state.
Emergency Services Minister Mark Ryan says the extra firefighters are being brought in to help relieve Queensland crews, who are exhausted.
"We do need to look after our people and that's why we're acting early around getting some interstate support, providing some relief now because we know that this will be an extended fire season. The southern states, their fire season starts generally later. Our fire season stops generally earlier, but the prediction is that we'll have a very busy period up until perhaps January."
Crews are still battling a ferocious fire that has claimed at least one life and burned more than 11,000 hectares at Tara in the Western Downs region, one of three blazes in the area.
But firefighters are on high alert with more than 70 fires burning across the state and reports of up to 32 houses destroyed.
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Organisers of the iconic Melbourne Cup have made a shock call ahead of the famous race next week: men are now allowed to wear shorts.
The Victorian Racing Club says racegoers coming into the Members Enclosure at Flemington can be assured tailored shorts on or below the knee are now acceptable.
It's a call that not everyone was expecting, with creative director Arthur Gallan saying it's definitely a pleasant surprise.
"Because the VRC can be quite traditional and conservative... However in saying that, things move and change, and it's all about making sure that everyone's happy wearing what they're wearing."
