TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to SBS News In Easy English. I'm Catriona Stirrat.
An Australian woman is reportedly among a group of aid workers killed in Gaza by an Israeli airstrike.
The Gaza government media office says at least five employees from the World Central Kitchen died in the Israeli airstrike.
Journalists in Gaza have posted pictures of three passports from Australia, the UK and Poland with blood on them.
The WCK delivers food relief and prepared meals for people in need.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has told the ABC the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is investigating the reports.
"They are indeed very concerning. I'm very concerned about the loss of life that is occurring in Gaza. My government has supported a sustainable ceasefire. We've called for the release of hostages and there have been far too many innocent lives, both Palestinian and Israeli, lost during the Gaza Hamas conflict."
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Syria's foreign minister has condemned Israel for an airstrike that has destroyed the consular section of Iran's embassy in Damascus, killing or wounding everyone inside.
Iranian state media say a senior Revolutionary Guards commander, Brigadier-General Mohammad Reza Zahedi is among the dead.
Syria's Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad called it a criminal act carried out by Israel.
"We strongly condemn this criminal act carried out by the Zionist enemy, which led to the death of some innocent citizens who were passing by this street. So, again, we emphasise our position beside our brothers in the Iranian Embassy and the Islamic Republic of Iran and we assure that Syria and the Islamic Republic don't forget their enemies."
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Victoria's State Emergency Service is urging the public to avoid travelling through flooded roads, as severe weather lashes the state.
Thunderstorms with heavy rain caused flash flooding in the past 24 hours, causing four flood rescues.
The SES has reported over 100 flood-related incidents in the past 24 hours, as well as 250 reports of property damage.
This comes after a 58-year-old women almost drowned after being swept into a stormwater drain at Daylesford north west of Melbourne.
Fast-flowing water swept her away before she stopped in a culvert and grabbed hold of a metal pole.
The woman was eventually able to climb out of the embankment.
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The Federal Government has released its Draft Autism Strategy, aimed at improving outcomes for Autistic people in Australia.
The strategy identifies four key areas of improvement, including social and economic inclusion, diagnostic and support services, and health.
The draft strategy is the first of its kind in Australia, with hopes a national approach will reduce inconsistencies in care and outcomes for Australia people.
Consultation is open on the strategy until the end of May.
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The federal government is proposing a new body which would alter politician's pay if they were found to breach workplace standards.
Under the leaked proposal, sanctions would be handed down to federal parliament representatives if they are found to have breached codes set by an Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission.
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher says she hopes the changes will get bipartisan support.
"We've all agreed to the recommendations in Set the Standard, this was one of those recommendations. I'm very confident that we will have parliamentary agreement to it, what the final form of that looks like is still to be determined. Hopefully, we get it landed without the need for a parliamentary inquiry into it and then we can get it up and running around the first of October."
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More than $62 million was donated to campaigns during the 2023 Voice to Parliament Referendum.
The Paul Ramsay Foundation was the highest donor during the referendum, with $7 million spent on the Yes campaign.
Australia's Big four banks spent a combined $7.9 million on the Yes campaign.
Australians for Unity received almost $10 million in donations for its No campaign.
That was SBS News In Easy English. I'm Catriona Stirrat.
