Israel confirms photo of soldier smashing Jesus Christ statue is real

Israel confirms photo of soldier smashing Jesus Christ statue is real

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) has launched an investigation after confirming a photo showing one of its soldiers destroying a statue of Jesus Christ in southern Lebanon is real.

The image, initially shared by Palestinian journalist Younis Tirawi on X, showed a soldier using a hammer to topple a statue of Jesus Christ.

Tirawi claimed the soldier was from the IDF and was operating in southern Lebanon, though it is unclear when the photo was taken.

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The IDF insists the actions of the soldier are "wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops."

The IDF has confirmed through multiple channels that the image is real and is now investigating the incident.

"Following the completion of an initial examination regarding a photograph published earlier today of an IDF soldier harming a Christian symbol, it was determined that the photograph depicts an IDF soldier operating in southern Lebanon," a statement on the IDF's X account read.

The IDF claims they view the incident with "great severity" and that the conduct of the soldier is "wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops."

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Israel had been conducting a military operation in southern Lebanon, where it was launching strikes against the militant group Hezbollah.

Attacks on Lebanon increased after the USA and Iran agreed to a ceasefire to temporarily halt their conflict, though Israel claimed Lebanon was not included.

Lebanon's government claims Israeli strikes have killed more than 2000 people since March 2, and the UN said 303 people alone were killed in a 10-minute bombardment on April 8.

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Displaced people cross a destroyed bridge while returning to their villages on the second day of a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel in Qasmiyeh, near Tyre city, southern Lebanon.

After officials from the two countries met last week, it was finally agreed that Lebanon would be included in the ceasefire.

The IDF claims it is operating in southern Lebanon to disrupt the operations of Hezbollah, which is aligned with Iran.

"The IDF is operating to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure established by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, and has no intention of harming civilian infrastructure, including religious buildings or religious symbols," it said in the statement.

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Rebel Wilson set to star in real-life courtroom drama

Rebel Wilson set to star in real-life courtroom drama

Hollywood actor Rebel Wilson will swap glitz and glamour for a more austere setting when she takes centre stage in a real-life drama that has overshadowed her directorial debut.

The Pitch Perfect star directed, co-produced and starred in The Deb, a musical comedy set in rural NSW, the release of which was delayed due to various legal battles.

She is being sued by lead actor Charlotte MacInnes over social media posts claiming she confided in Wilson that she had felt uncomfortable with co-producer Amanda Ghost.

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The former co-stars are both set to testify in a fiery nine-day hearing in the Federal Court in Sydney today.

MacInnes has denied making the complaint to Wilson and says she has been seriously harmed by the older actor's suggestions she retracted the alleged comments in return for a lead role and a record deal.

The social media posts damaged her professional reputation and created doubts about her trustworthiness before she could even enjoy the benefits of playing her first lead role in a film, MacInnes claims.

The posts blamed her alleged lies for blocking the film's release and portrayed her as selfishly prioritising her own career over the hundreds of cast and crew who toiled on The Deb, according to her statement of claim.

The up-and-coming actor is seeking aggravated damages for serious harm caused as well as a court order preventing Wilson from repeating the allegedly defamatory claims online.

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Rebel Wilson The Deb directorial debut

Wilson accepts in her defence that she uploaded a series of posts which were available to her 11 million followers for 24 hours, but denies that two of the posts were about MacInnes.

The Bridesmaid actor maintains the younger actor complained to her about being uncomfortable around Ghost and claims MacInnes was being untruthful when she denied it.

MacInnes lied to have a positive relationship with co-producers Ghost, Gregor Cameron and Vince Holden, from which she derived significant career benefits, Wilson alleges.

She is set to take the stand in the second week of the Federal Court hearing, along with her pregnant wife.

The internationally acclaimed star is also facing a separate legal battle in the NSW Supreme Court brought by Ghost, Cameron and Holden over alleged breaches of contract and damaging statements.

The Deb premiered at Toronto International Film Festival in September 2024 but had been blocked from wider distribution by the ongoing legal disputes.

The film was released in Australia on April 9, with some local reviews praising it as "joyous" and "filthy, fun, but most of all moving", while another said "many moments fall flat".

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Big hint Apple's first foldable smartphone is coming this year

Big hint Apple's first foldable smartphone is coming this year

After years of rumours, it seems more likely than ever that Apple will introduce a foldable smartphone this year as part of a shake-up of its entire iPhone line-up this September.

9News.com.au has received "dummy" mock-ups of the next iPhones, produced by factories in China using leaked specifications from within Apple's supply chain.

These "dummy" models are built to allow third-party case manufacturers to build accessories for the iPhone in readiness for its release.

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Apple's biggest competitor in the smartphone business is Samsung, a company which released a "foldable" smartphone - the Samsung Galaxy Fold almost seven years ago, and as is always the case in this market, since then rumours of an Apple foldable phone have been consistent.

However, what those rumours lacked was any substantiation, something we now have with the existence of a dummy mock-up of a foldable iPhone device.

These mock-up models have reliably showcased the iPhone ahead of its release for many years now, meaning there's a strong reliability to this evidence.

Perhaps just as interesting, though not as headline-grabbing, is the lack of a standard iPhone 18 model. Last September, Apple released the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max, along with the iPhone Air.

This year, it appears Apple will switch its September launch event to the premium range of iPhones, with just an iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the foldable iPhone to be released.

Both the Pro model devices look to continue the exact specifications of the previous generation; any improvement in the processing power, performance, battery life, and camera specifications is unable to be gleaned from these mock-up models.

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An iPhone Ultra - a possible name for Apple's foldable phone - features the ultra-thin design and construction launched last year with the iPhone Air, but in two halves. Critically, it has a design more akin to a passport (with a similar aspect to the Microsoft Duo device) rather than a traditional smartphone that opens like a book.

This design allows the "opened" format to be an aspect ratio more useful for watching video content as well as operating apps side by side.

A dual-camera system appears on the back, a step up from what was launched on the iPhone Air last year, and there also appear to be speakers top and bottom, something the iPhone Air was criticised for not having.

By the time Apple is able to announce this phone and bring it to market, Samsung will be on its eighth generation of Galaxy Fold. Meanwhile, Motorola continues its flip-folding Razr smartphone models, and Oppo just released its foldable Find N6 into Australia.

This year is shaping up as a battle of foldable products, and while Apple isn't first to market, far from it, like with many other products before it, the tech giant may well define a market segment and create a new demand which all its competitors may in fact benefit from.

Whatever the case, I'm now confident in calling it - Apple will release a foldable iPhone in 2026, what it's called we most certainly don't know.

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Mass shooting in Ukraine's capital leaves six dead

Mass shooting in Ukraine's capital leaves six dead

Warning: This story contains details and content that some readers may find distressing.

A gunman wielding an automatic weapon killed six people and barricaded himself inside a supermarket with hostages in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, on Saturday, before he was shot and killed by police, authorities said.

At least 14 people were wounded and taken to hospital.

The 58-year-old attacker was not named by police, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was born in Russia, as authorities worked to piece together a motive for the violence.

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A police officer inspects the site where a gunman killed at least six people in the streets before being shot dead by police, in Kyiv

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The mass shooting — unheard of in wartime Kyiv following Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022 — took place in a busy central district of the city, outside an apartment block and a nearby shopping centre, leaving bodies on a crowded street as bystanders fled for safety.

An Associated Press reporter at the scene saw victims’ bodies in the street covered with emergency blankets before they were taken away.

“The assailant has been neutralized. He had taken hostages and, tragically, killed one of them. He also murdered four people on the street. Another woman died in the hospital due to severe injuries,” Zelenskyy said.

“It has been established that the attacker set fire to an apartment before taking to the streets with a weapon," Zelenskyy said in a video posted online.

"He had a prior criminal record, had lived in the Donetsk region (in eastern Ukraine) for a long period, and was born in Russia.”

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Police officers are seen at the site where a gunman killed at least six people in the streets before being shot dead by police, in Kyiv

Ukraine’s special tactical police units stormed the convenience store after attempts to contact the gunman with a negotiator failed, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said.

The hostages were supermarket customers and staff.

“We tried to persuade him, knowing that there was likely a wounded person inside. We even offered to bring in tourniquets to stop the bleeding, but he did not respond,” Klymenko said.

“Consequently, the order was given to neutralize him.”

The minister said the gunman had a valid weapon's permit.

During the 40-minute standoff, a female negotiator wearing body armour and standing behind an armoured vehicle used a loudspeaker to call out to the assailant, urging him: “The people are not to blame for this. Please let them go, and we will talk with you.”

Ukraine’s security service, or SBU, described the killings as an act of terrorism.

The shooting took place in Kyiv’s Holosiivskyi district, where several residents said they recognized the gunman.

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“I knew him by sight. He seemed like an educated, refined man. You’d never guess he was some kind of criminal,” said 75-year-old Hanna Kulyk, who lived in the same apartment block as the attacker.

“He didn’t socialize much with people — just a greeting and he’d be on his way,” she said. “He lived alone.”

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Pope rejects claims of feud with Trump over Iran war

Pope rejects claims of feud with Trump over Iran war

Pope Leo XIV has said he is not seeking to debate US President Donald Trump over the Iran conflict, but pledged to continue preaching his message of peace.

The pontiff sought to clarify his recent comments on the war as he flew out from a visit to Cameroon, speaking with journalists aboard his plane, reports the Vatican News Agency.

"There's been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all of its aspects, but because of the political situation created when, on the first day of the trip, the President of the United States made some comments about myself," Pope Leo said.

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He was referring to accusations that Trump had directed at him early last week to which the pope had already responded.

The president accused Pope Leo, the first American pontiff, of being weak on crime, and a closet left-winger who owed his election to Trump.

US Vice President JD Vance, who converted to Catholicism seven years ago, also joined the criticism of Leo, saying the pope "needs to be careful" when commenting on theology.

"Much of what has been written since then has been more commentary on commentary, trying to interpret what has been said," Pope Leo said.

The pope has called for peace and negotiation, and has criticised the use of religion as grounds for waging war.

In one speech, he accused "tyrants" of waging war and spending billions of dollars.

He also slammed Trump's threat to wipe out Iranian civilisation as "truly unacceptable."

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Why a controversial shopping habit is now 'non-negotiable' for certain Aussies

Why a controversial shopping habit is now 'non-negotiable' for certain Aussies

Managing multiple autoimmune conditions leaves Lauren Antonenko with almost no flexibility in what she can eat.

She lives with ankylosing spondylitis, ulcerative colitis and fibromyalgia, relying on a tightly controlled diet to manage her health – this includes a large portion of canned goods.

Rising fuel costs are prompting shoppers to change how they buy these staple groceries.

grocery prices supermarkets eggs olive oil and chocolate

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Referred to as "pantry loading," it involves grabbing non-perishables when they're on special to avoid paying more for them later.

Rather than panic-buying or emptying shelves as we saw during the pandemic, people are securing more of what they normally use. The goal isn't to hoard, but to make the most of price promotions.

For Antonenko, it's also about making sure the foods she depends on are always within reach.

"When fuel prices started climbing, the first thing I noticed was how quickly the mental calculus around shopping changed," she explained.

She sticks to the "non-negotiable" items her body can handle, like canned fish, vegetables, rice, and certain long-life broths.

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"There's no urgency in it, no drama ... I'm only stocking long-life and frozen foods I know my body tolerates and that I actually use."

Sales data from major suppliers is starting to reflect that trend.

Manufacturer SPC Global told nine.com.au that, as shoppers pared back spending, demand for basics, like canned baked beans, canned tomatoes and packaged fruit, rose by up to 20 per cent in late March.

At a household level, the focus on essentials is taking different forms. Some are cautious at the checkout, while others are stepping away from supermarkets entirely and turning to their back garden.

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Aussie business The Diggers Club has recorded a 94 per cent surge in seed sales recently, driven by everyday vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli and peas.

Anna-Lize Pretorius has started making the most of what she can grow at home, trimming her weekly grocery bill by $30 to $60.

"When you step into the garden instead of the supermarket … that's money you're simply not spending," she said.

"Food tastes better when you've grown it yourself. There's no question about that."

Meanwhile, for those without access to a home garden, buying in bulk has become a practical way to manage rising costs.

Dr Timothy Neal, a Scientia Senior Lecturer in Economics at UNSW, said the behaviour is consistent with how consumers respond to uncertainty.

"If one expects either price increases or supply constraints of a particular good in the near future, it's rational for the consumer to increase their stockpile," he said.

Food items on a supermarket shelf

With more of the weekly budget absorbed by fuel and mortgage repayments, spending in other areas tends to fall, as fewer meals are eaten out and demand for basic food items rises.

Dr Neal said a simple check can help households buying too much.

"Families can distinguish between being prepared and over-purchasing by thinking before buying whether they will have a real need for the good over the coming few weeks or a month."

"If not, then it's probably better to put it back."

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Major grocers, including Woolworths, IGA and Aldi, say stock levels remain steady.

"We're continuing to see consistent supply, and there's no need to over-purchase or stockpile," an IGA spokesperson said.

"By buying only what you need and being mindful of others, it helps ensure everyone in the community can access the essentials they rely on."

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Trump nears deal with tax office that could see him given $14 billion taxpayer money

Trump nears deal with tax office that could see him given $14 billion taxpayer money

Donald Trump may have arranged himself a 11-figure payday after his own tax office signalled they would settle a lawsuit with him.

The US president and two of his sons have sued the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for $US10 billion ($14 billion) after his tax information was leaked to the media in 2018 and 2020.

Today both Trump and the IRS asked a court to grant a 90-day extension so they could resolve the matter.

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Donald Trump has the ability to fire anyone who would stop him getting a multi-billion settlement from the IRS.

"The extension will promote judicial economy and allow the Parties to explore avenues that could narrow or resolve the issues efficiently," the statement to court read.

Given the president has appointed the senior staff at the IRS and the Department of Treasury and has the power to fire them, the lawsuit has raised the ire of ethics watchdogs.

One such group, Democracy Forward, has filed a brief opposing the lawsuit.

Democracy Forward CEO Skye Perryman said Trump was "seeking to further illegally line his own pockets at the public's expense".

"The president's corruption continues, this time in an attempt to take $10 billion dollars of the taxpayers' money, which threatens to make a mockery out of our justice system," Perryman said.

"Not only does the president's baseless case have significant legal defects, but there are colossal conflicts of interest at play."

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Donald Trump has sued his own tax office for $14 billion.

Trump had already claimed to have won the lawsuit in the days after it was filed.

"Essentially, the lawsuit's been won. I guess I won a lotta money," he said.

A former IRS contractor has already been jailed over the leak, which exposed Trump's claims of incredible business success to be in part, false.

Some years Trump paid nothing in taxes because of the vast amount of money he had lost in bad investments.

The year he ran for president he paid barely $1000 in taxes.

In February Trump suggested he might make a contribution to charity with the money he was getting from the taxpayer.

"We could make it a substantial amount," he said.

"Nobody would care because it's going to go to numerous very good charities."

Trump has a long history of promising money to charities and then not paying.

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Elizabeth Warren has described Donald Trump's actions as "theft".

Senator Elizabeth Warren has now introduced a bill that would stop Trump profiting from suing his own agency.

"Right out in the open, Donald Trump is suing his own IRS to try to steal $10 BILLION taxpayer dollars," she said on Bluesky.

"I just introduced a bill that would make this theft ILLEGAL."

The subject of Trump's tax returns has been a long running source of scrutiny and criticism.

Presidential candidates have for decades released their tax returns to the public.

In 2016, Trump broke that tradition on the justification that he was being audited.

There is no legal reason why a person being audited cannot do so.

Ten years later, he has still not voluntarily released any tax returns. 

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Machete attack on group in Melbourne hospitalises man

Machete attack on group in Melbourne hospitalises man

A teenager was taken to hospital after a masked group attacked a gathering with machetes in Melbourne last night.

It's believed about 12 people were seated outside a business at Eaton Mall when a large group of unknown offenders wearing balaclavas approached at about 7.45pm.

At least two of the masked group pulled out machetes and attacked an 18-year-old Malvern East man.

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He was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

A 16-year-old boy was also attacked but was physically uninjured.

The attackers fled on foot and no arrests have been made.

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Despite the offenders not yet being identified, police believe it was a targeted incident between parties known to one another.

Police said they would conduct proactive patrols in the area.

Any witnesses or anybody with relevant information or footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers online or on 1800 333 000.

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Trump said he appointed counterterrorism official because his wife died

Trump said he appointed counterterrorism official because his wife died

Donald Trump has said he appointed a supporter for a top national security position because his wife died.

Joe Kent headed the National Counterterrorism Centre until his resignation last month in protest of the Iran war.

He has since become a vocal critic of Trump's foreign policy agenda.

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Donald Trump has lashed out at Joe Kent, saying he only hired him because his wife died.

This morning Trump posted a lengthy message on Truth Social decrying Kent as "dumb".

He recounted meeting Kent at Dover Air Force Base when the body of his wife was being returned to the United States in 2019.

Shannon Mary Kent had been killed by a suicide bomber in Syria when she was serving as a Navy cryptologic technician.

"Her casket was being brought to Dover, along with the rest, although he married again, quite quickly, in my opinion," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

He pointed out that in the years afterwards, Joe Kent had run for Congress twice and lost.

"While I didn't know him other than our brief Dover encounter, but feeling sorry for him after the two Election losses, I told my people, 'Hire him for the White House. Give him a job, make him feel good, he lost his wife and two Elections,'" Trump said.

"They did so and, while I rarely saw him, I certainly didn't expect disloyalty, but that's what I got."

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Donald Trump's post about Joe Kent.

Trump described Kent as a sleazebag and a leaker.

He finished his message by writing about the low IQs of conservative commentators Megyn Kelly, Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens.

Kent, a former Army Ranger who served eleven combat tours during the war on terror, was a controversial pick over his far-right political positions.

But he has broken away from Trump sharply.

"President Trump is sending more military power to the Middle East as Iran rejects our initial peace offers—setting the escalation trap," Kent wrote on X yesterday.

"If we try to impose a maximalist outcome on Iran (zero enrichment, etc.) this war will undoubtedly escalate—costing American lives, billions more dollars, and ultimately eroding our global standing.

"We must learn from our past and recognise when it is time to cut our losses and walk away. 

"In the end, working to restore order will strengthen America far more than any military action ever could."

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Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, testifies during the House Homeland Security Committee hearing, on December 11, 2025.

Kent had served in the Trump administration as the head of the National Counterterrorism Centre, a government group tasked with merging intelligence from multiple agencies to stop terrorism attacks.

He resigned two weeks after the war with Iran began.

"I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran," he said in his resignation letter.

"Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation.

"It is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby."

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UK wargaming food shortage scenarios as Iran turmoil extends

UK wargaming food shortage scenarios as Iran turmoil extends

The UK is reportedly wargaming a food shortage scenario over concerns the war with Iran will continue to impede global trade in the longer term.

The BBC quoted an unnamed government source who said the government was planning for a situation in which the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz and breakdowns in the supply of carbon dioxide impeded food supply.

Carbon dioxide is used in food preservation and for the slaughter of some animals.

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Chicken and pork were among the most likely food staples to be affected, the BBC reported.

The government hosed down fears, with spokespeople saying shortages were not a current concern.

"Right now, people should go on as they are," Business Secretary Peter Kyle told Sky News.

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He said carbon dioxide shortages were not currently an issue.

Industry figures, meanwhile, said price rises were more likely than empty shelves in the shorter term, but conceded to the BBC that the ongoing disruption could affect trade over an extended period.

The UK has flicked the switches back on at its Ensus bioethanol plant, which was shut down last year, in order to boost local carbon dioxide production.

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In Australia, farming groups have warned that increasingly expensive fuel - particularly diesel - is affecting producer output, with crops and goods becoming more expensive to transport to shops.

The NSW Farmers Association yesterday called on supermarkets to take on some of the shared burden of those costs, rather than shovel them onto producers or consumers.

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