The surprise assault by Hamas against Israel was a meticulously planned offensive that the Palestinian militant group is capable of keeping up, with a risk of even greater escalation, analysts say. Hamas can count on a deep arsenal of rockets to use against Israel but key questions include how much support it has received from Iran, which has expressed its backing for the offensive, and whether the Tehran-backed Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah will enter the fray. More than 700 Israelis have been killed in the country's worst losses since the 1973 Yom Kippur war -- when it was also caught flat-footed by a combined Egyptian and Syrian attack -- and over 400 Palestinians slain as Israel presses a relentless bombardment of Hamas' Gaza stronghold.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/risks-escalating-in-wellplanned-hamas-assault-on-israel-analysts/news-story/df85c01f373cc404c1db9afff3c4698b?nk=fe9b409003fd2c14a438c184eb5783f8-1696843928

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UK special forces allegedly had a policy of executing "fighting age" males in Afghanistan even if they posed no threat, an independent inquiry probing claims of unlawful killings was told on Monday. The inquiry, which opened in March but has now started substantive hearings at London's Royal Courts of Justice, is investigating accusations about the special forces' conduct in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2013. It is examining so-called deliberate detention operations during that period and how allegations of unlawful killings were investigated by Britain's military police, in particular whether there were any cover-ups.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/inquiry-hears-afghan-unlawful-killings-claims-against-uk-special-forces/news-story/3f572c0869b2d368c52a36a5721a5fe5?nk=79838301c8bf1264f815d574c7dae4a0-1696860121

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The UK government on Monday insisted that Rwanda is an appropriate place to deport failed asylum seekers, as it tried to overturn a court ruling that the policy is unlawful. Three appeal court judges in London blocked the controversial plan in June, assessing that the African nation could not be considered a safe, third country. At the start of a three-day hearing at the Supreme Court on Monday, lawyer James Eadie, representing the interior ministry, conceded that Rwanda was "a country less attractive" than the UK.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/rwanda-safe-for-deported-asylum-seekers-uk-court-told/news-story/4fb761488672534c304f43dcbde1ceb9?nk=25bc7d207c64c5bd5bc8bc3f1b514f88-1696862832

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Mahjoob Zweiri discusses how social media and the spread of information are shaping the narratives in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/how-the-spread-of-information-shapes-the-narrative-in-israelhamas-war/video/9008936581d5750a7507cf0f126e2948

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The Israeli army has continued its air and artillery strikes on the Gaza Strip.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/israeli-army-restarts-launch-of-air-and-artillery-strikes-on-gaza/video/180c040320cfec999e6bc882eafb814d

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From the moment the first group of black-clad fighters crossed the border fence from Gaza into southern Israel, it was clear that this was an extraordinary moment of success, however bloody and fleeting, for Hamas. It was also clear that they could not have done it alone. How could this have happened? How could a terrorist group operating in a 140-square-mile patch of land, hemmed in by Israeli and Egyptian blockades and the Mediterranean, break through and launch a brazen and effective attack on one of the best-funded and most developed militaries in the Middle East? The group, which has roots in the Muslim Brotherhood, was formed in 1987 at the beginning of the first Palestinian intifada, or uprising.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/the-times/israelgaza-conflict-who-are-hamas-and-why-are-they-attacking-now/news-story/db39d637631b59631e4730285cc30ff3

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Separately, Egyptian police officer has killed two Israeli tourists in the city of Alexandria.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/egypt-shooting-two-israeli-tourists-killed-in-alexandria/video/96776d3f680f5cef0fb517e7d0cf71a3

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The number of Israelis killed has surged to 659 since Hamas launched its surprise attack on Israel.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/gazaisrael-war-israeli-deaths-surges-as-hamas-attack-continues/video/ec6c853e4db271982b34fc52a29a7b90

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Malarndirri McCarthy 'very quietly confident' the Voice will get 'over the line' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has doubled down in declaring one of the No campaign's key arguments 'the great lie'. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper Anthony Albanese has doubled down in declaring one of the No campaign's key arguments 'the great lie', as he pleads with undecided Australians to vote Yes in the Voice to Parliament referendum. On Saturday, Australians will head to the polls to vote in the first referendum since 1999, where they will be asked whether they agree to enshrine an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice in the constitution.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/anthony-albanese-says-race-division-argument-the-great-lie-ahead-of-voice-referendum/news-story/f0b1825371104f396e17acc235cf14ef?nk=8cb96da1f9623111dc41f4bc9fe3dc60-1696725986

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FOX 32 meteorologist Mark Strehl has your Saturday night forecast. Expect temperatures in the 30's in the northwest suburbs this evening while Sunday will only reach the 50's.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/chicago-weather-cloudy-and-cold-saturday-night-and-sunday/video/91b0c8de7c62e5a57ce84fc975d06afe

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Othelia Chief Executive and founder Kate Armstrong-Smith says it's been a "really busy week" in LA with the Writers Guild of America being able to negotiate some 'excellent terms' for writers regarding AI. 'We've got some very happy but tired writers who are now allowed to get back to work and there's been a flurry of activity," she told Sky News Australia. She said the regulations now say that writers can use generative AI but producers and the studios can only use it with permission from the writers.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/excellent-terms-reached-in-writers-strike-regarding-use-of-ai-in-filmmaking/video/affd09d087e7ae727f5b8cb50b443f65

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Cricket: The bowlers of the Australian women's cricket team stole the show in the first ODI against the West Indies.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/aussie-bowlers-lead-the-odi-charge/video/63318b78f05fc2b3504ac2ae20ea659b

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Sky News Business Editor Ross Greenwood sat down with ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb to discuss the ACCC and its role in competition in different work industries. Ms Cass-Gottlieb says the ACCC monitors when they have either a 'regulatory monitoring role' or are looking due to their 'core responsibility to protect consumers and to ensure there is competition occurring'. 'We're taking account in order to ensure that the conditions deliver workably competitive markets,' Ms Cass-Gottlieb told Sky News Business Editor Ross Greenwood.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/accc-ensuring-competitive-markets-result-in-good-consumer-outcomes/video/054c106e2a3ddc1cc720d7dc5a9e58bf

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Australia's best business newsletter. Get the edge with AM and PM briefings, plus breaking news alerts in your inbox. Thanks for signing up to The Australian Business newsletter Othelia Chief Executive and founder Kate Armstrong-Smith says the 2023 writers' strike has been a "precedent-forming event'. The Writers' Guild of America has reached negotiations after a near-record 148-day-long strike. 'It means ... that the human creativity is still at the centre,' Ms Armstrong-Smith told Sky News Australia.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/writers-strike-negotiations-mean-human-creativity-is-still-at-the-centre/video/9e891e3c213c1f17a866f268a6179a8e

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The Dolphins added to their wide receiver room on Friday, trading for former Bears receiver Chase Claypool. The move, which cost Miami a sixth-round pick while they got a seventh-round pick back as well, is a fresh start for Claypool after he fell out of favor in Chicago.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/dolphins-tyreek-hill-excited-about-teams-trade-for-chase-claypool/video/6aae85110f175f7426e04ab1be432d04

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Katharine McPhee has relished the experience of touring with her husband.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/katharine-mcphee-and-david-foster-argued-a-little-bit-over-their-new-single/video/bea85c76ef8814cef568d631d754bd86

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England survived a huge scare in the Rugby World Cup on Saturday, coming from behind courtesy of a late Danny Care try to beat Samoa 18-17. Wales, meanwhile, secured top spot in Pool C with a 43-19 win over Georgia before Ireland faced Scotland in Paris with the Scots aiming to cause a major upset. England, who were already guaranteed to finish top of Group D after wins over Argentina, Japan and Chile, opened brightly in Lille with a try by lock Ollie Chessum and a penalty from Owen Farrell, which took the captain past Jonny Wilkinson's points record for England.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/care-spares-england-blushes-as-wales-see-off-georgia/news-story/08228c2421ffa08076e30ab5f1c78842?nk=d1df84bfedd4f5ffbe0e5da8bcefa011-1696710712

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With interest rates up and inflation remaining high, consumer spending should be on the decline. However, economists say household spending remains robust. Wall Street Journal consumer trends reporter Rachel Wolfe joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss why some Americans are choosing trips and concert tickets over homeownership and retirement saving. Photo: Alex Brandon/Associated Press

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/why-americans-are-choosing-to-splurge-instead-of-save/video/86ced03ec62c67d23e14572998d47c41

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Skateboarding Champion Chloe Covell has her sights set on the Olympic Games. VIDEO Jeremy Piper.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/skateboarding-champion-chloe-covell/video/9b30b6cd61a21a88d0cafc5ea69c0010

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A Russian attack killed at least 49 people, including a six-year-old boy, as they gathered in a cafe for a memorial service in a village in northeastern Ukraine on Thursday (October 5), the country's interior minister said. This edit contains graphic images.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/bodies-recovered-after-deadly-strike-in-ukraine/video/dea60f2492739b9f729bd65cde4fc7e0

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From stars to keys -- the Michelin Guide will start rating hotels in the same way as restaurants, it announced on Thursday.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/michelin-to-rate-hotels-as-well-as-restaurants/news-story/27e86a96350e03f84f3ee1c763ec6de1

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The woman who also lived in the home told officers that someone had broke in and fired the deadly shots.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/man-shot-and-killed-inside-cobb-county-home/video/3aa41fe366ab1acbe0d291c348ac51fc

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Woman charged with murder over ‘suspicious' death of woman known to her A woman has been charged with murder after what police allege is the 'suspicious' death of another woman known to her in central Queensland. Emergency services were called to an address in Burge Crt in Glenella – a suburb of Mackay – at 11.20am on Thursday. Upon arrival, a 73-year-old Bundaberg woman was found dead. A crime scene was declared and a 55-year-old woman was taken into police custody. A Queensland Police spokesperson said the 55-year-old has since been charged with one count of murder (domestic violence).

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/woman-charged-with-murder-over-suspicious-death-of-woman-known-to-her/news-story/31e4002d51e63d5bc2a77bcf043e6579?nk=d92cd59d5dd724da84951de71e21ef17-1696540659

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DR Congo's Denis Mukwege, a surgical gynaecologist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, announced on Monday that he will stand for president in elections planned for December. Speaking to a packed auditorium in the central African nation's capital Kinshasa, the doctor told reporters he wanted to save a country riven by insecurity and poor leadership. "Our country is doing badly," said Mukwege, 68. "We cannot wait to act. "Tomorrow is already too late." Mukwege was jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 alongside Yazidi activist Nadia Murad for efforts to end sexual violence as a weapon of war.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/dr-congo-nobel-prize-winner-denis-mukwege-declares-presidential-bid/news-story/121c899bf9546afe153db972ed0d3fec?nk=285c55d6b556986772ccbc0805313157-1696266129

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European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday that he proposed to Ukraine a new bilateral multi-annual envelope of the European peace facility of up to 5 billion euros ($5.26 billion) for the next year. "I hope we can reach an agreement before the end of the year", he also said at a joint press briefing in Kyiv, Ukraine with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/replay-eus-borrell-and-ukraines-kuleba-address-joint-press-conference-in-kyiv/video/fb03a9df520aa8ee94310a66f9929678

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The Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk in New York City is held each year on the last Sunday of September. What began with 1,500 people in 2002 is now considered by many to be one of the top 5K runs in America.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/full-show-tunnel-to-towers-race-walk-2023/video/79af681bc031f6c0a066394f92cd6fd5

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With just 11 days to go before the biggest constitutional change we've ever been asked to make, tempers are starting to flare, says Sky News host Peta Credlin. Ms Credlin said the Prime Minister was "at it again" today, claiming voting Yes was simply about showing "respect" to Aboriginal people. "Of course, the flip side to that is that it's disrespectful to vote No. "Yet it's pretty clear that Indigenous people are themselves divided, with Warren Mundine and Jacinta Price and leading of course the No case.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/just-absurd-peta-credlin-condemns-idea-that-voting-no-is-disrespectful/video/86e5710dc7af89d7d8839d6903025e08

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