TRANSCRIPT
- An Israeli air strike on a United Nations school in Gaza kills at least 16
- Voting underway in France's runoff election
- England reach the Euro semi-finals after a tense penalty shootout win over Switzerland
An Israeli air strike has killed at least 16 Palestinians at a United Nations school in Gaza according to local authorities.
The targeted UNRWA school in Gaza's central al-Nuseirat region has been a home for sheltering displaced civilians.
This local says they came running to the area right after the Israeli strike.
“We came here running to see the targeted area, we saw bodies of children, in pieces, this is a playground, there was a trampoline here, there were swing-sets, and vendors. Civilians were killed, it's a civilian school, these are United Nations' schools, for the UNRWA, it is supposed to be safe for people and should bot be targeted anytime. Every strike we find bodies blown to pieces, we do not see identified humans bodies. Children, I swear to God I took out children with my own hands. We took out children, in pieces, what are their targets."
The Palestinian health ministry says the attack on the school killed at least 16 people and wounded more than 50.
The Israeli military claims it targeted gunmen operating in the vicinity, saying it took precautions to minimise risk to civilians.
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The Opposition's spokesman for Home Affairs James Paterson says the government's new foreign interference policy has a gaping hole in it's scope.
He also says, while it's welcome news that the government is taking foreign interference seriously, some aspects of the announcement were disappointing.
Mr Patterson says claims the Labor government will make a foreign interference task-force a permanent feature are false, and says that this was in fact already implemented by the former government.
He says the opposition's main concern with the policy is that the plan falls silent on the issue of cyber-enabled foreign interference.
"The biggest problem with the government's announcement is the gaping hole at the heart of the announcement. And that is that it's completely silent on the question of cyber enabled foreign interference, including through social media. The reason why this is a gaping hole is it is the number one source of foreign interference in our economy. You know, in a country, it is the dominant source, the dominant victim of foreign interference, because it's cheap, it is deniable, and it can be done remotely. And if you don't have a plan to deal with foreign interference through social media and cyber enabled foreign interference, then you're not serious about tackling it."
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Abortion services across Queensland are set to receive more than $20 million in funding to improve access for women seeking to terminate a pregnancy.
Healthcare services will use the increased funding to recruit 22 full time nurses, midwives, social workers and senior medical officers.
The funding boost comes alongside legislation that will allow nurses and midwives to prescribe medication used to terminate a pregnancy in the first trimester.
Queensland Health Minister Shannon Fentiman says allowing nurses and midwives to prescribe the medical abortion drugs means women in regional and rural areas of the state will have greater access to the services.
The changes in legislation are expected to come into effect later this year.
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Voters in France are headed to the polls to decide the future of the country in parliamentary runoff elections.
Pre-polling and first round voting has suggested Marine Le Pen's anti-immigration party National Rally is leading with President Emmanuel Macron's centrist alliance in third.
The elections will wrap up today in mainland France but voting has also taken place in French territories and with French voters living abroad.
Political scientist Dominique Moïsi says public opinion has been mixed during the election campaign.
"Well, it looks as if on the first ballot, the French wanted to punish their president Emmanuel Macron. But on the second ballot, they seem to be scared with their own audacity and don't want to give power to the extreme right, and, will make sure that they do not have a majority to govern, even if they will have, a slim relative majority, probably."
Early official results are expected early this week.
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England have reached their third semi-final in four tournaments after Trent Alexander-Arnold slammed home the decisive strike in a penalty shootout win over Switzerland in a tense European Championships quarter-final.
The shootout came after the teams had drawn 1-1 in a tense quarter-final.
Breel Embolo put Switzerland ahead after 75 minutes, with Bukayo Saka levelling five minutes later in a game of few chances.
Here was the moment of Alexander-Arnold's winning penalty strike as seen on Optus Sport.
"And England are in to the semi-finals! Alexander-Arnold with an arrow into the net! And having been on the cusp of going out, England have rescued themselves again."
In Thursday's semi-final in Dortmund, England will meet either Netherlands or Turkiye.
