Good afternoon.
Anthony Albanese has announced a royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion after the Bondi attack in December, in which 15 people were killed.
The prime minister said he had asked the former high court justice Virginia Bell to lead the national inquiry, which would cover four key areas: investigating antisemitism’s nature, prevalence and key drivers including “religious and motivated extremism and radicalisation”; making recommendations to enforcement, border immigration and security agencies; examining the circumstances surrounding the attack; and making any other recommendations to strengthen social cohesion and counter the spread of “ideological and religiously motivated extremism in Australia”.
“This royal commission is the right format, the right duration and the right terms of reference to deliver the right outcome for our national unity and our national security,” Albanese said.
“Here in Australia, light will always triumph over darkness.”
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In pictures
Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of cities across Colombia to decry Donald Trump’s threats to expand his military campaign into their territory after last weekend’s deadly attack on Venezuela.
What they said …
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“To ICE, get the fuck out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here. Your stated reason for being in this city is to create some kind of safety and you are doing exactly the opposite.” – Jacob Frey.
US federal agents shot and killed a woman during a large-scale immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis on Wednesday. Frey, the city’s mayor, has called ICE’s claims that the incident was self-defence untrue as Democrats call for an investigation and Republican lawmakers call for Frey’s arrest.
Full Story
Why has Trump seized a Russia-linked oil tanker?
The US has dramatically seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker between the UK and Iceland, with the support of the UK government. The operation comes after US attacks on Venezuela, the abduction of President Nicolás Maduro and threats against Greenland. Lucy Hough speaks to Russian affairs correspondent Pjotr Sauer. Watch it on YouTube, and listen to the episode here.
Before bed read
“There’s-a nothing so lonesome, morbid or drear” – the patron saint of Australian country music, Slim Dusty, long deplored – “than to stand in the bar of a pub with no beer”.
As Joe Hinchcliffe reports, a remote Northern Territory hotel run by an “authentic outback character” has become such a pub, though perhaps not forever.
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: PERP. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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