A news bulletin for English language learners.
Listen to Australian and world news and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts.
TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to SBS News in Easy English. I'm Biwa Kwan.
The royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion has continued to hear testimony from Jewish university students and academics.
This week, the commission is examining responses by universities to combat antisemitism on-campus, particularly following the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel in 2023 - and Israel's subsequent war in Gaza.
University of Melbourne professor Steven Prawer says he had concerns about his safety, with the increase in pro-Palestinian protests on campus.
He recalled an incident when he found between 15 and 20 people - with their faces covered - in his office.
"And this was only one year after the atrocities in Israel, so I was very perturbed. I had no idea at this stage, if it was a protest, if it was a terrorist attack."
On Monday, the president of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Hugh de Kretser, told the royal commission there had been a large increase in racist incidents following October 2023, affecting Jewish, Israeli, Palestinian, Muslim, and Middle Eastern staff and students.
He says the majority of those who complained to universities were disappointed with the outcome of the process.
.
The federal government says universities could face fines - if they fail to combat racism under new standards.
The changes require universities to adopt definitions of racism, including of antisemitism, Islamophobia and racism towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Universities will also need to implement transparent complaints processes, and provide clear guidance to students and staff on actions that enhance safety and security on campus and online.
Federal Education Minister Jason Clare says the government plans to introduce tougher powers to make it easier for the regulator to impose fines on universities that fail to act.
"We said last year that we would change the law to mandate or require universities to take certain steps in relation to antisemitism, to make sure that they've got plans and policies and complaint systems for when people make a complaint, to make sure that it's fixed - that's for students and for staff - and that becomes the law. But that's just the next step. What we also need to do is give the regulator of universities more teeth and more powers when universities fail to act, to be able to fine them."
.
The United States says it is reinstating its blockade of Iranian ports, as fighting with Iran continues to escalate.
President Donald Trump says the move will target vessels travelling to and from Iranian ports through the Strait of Hormuz.
The announcement comes after another exchange of military strikes between the United States and Iran, with tensions spreading across the Gulf.
The United Nations is urging both sides to return to negotiations and resolve the crisis through diplomacy. "Mr Guterres calls on the parties to exercise maximum restraint, avoid further escalatory action and take immediate steps to, in fact, de-escalate. The secretary-general reiterates that a return to full-scale hostilities would have catastrophic consequences for the people of the region, for international peace and security, and for the global economy."
.
Actors, directors and musicians have paid tribute to Sam Neill.
The actor has died at the age of 78 after career spanning five decades, with over 150 film and television credits.
In a statement, director Steven Spielberg said he "adored making all the Jurassic movies with him", while actor Richard E. Grant described Neill as a "Gentleman in the truest sense".
Neill, whose career included more than 50 movies, said in an interview in 2024 that he was grateful for the life he had led.
"There's nothing I like better than getting on a plane and going somewhere I haven't been before and working with a new cast and having another adventure. And, it's a very privileged life I've had, I have to say. And that's down to acting. It wasn't something that I expected. I never expected to have a career as an actor at all. I come from a very tiny little place in New Zealand. There were about six professional actors in the whole country when I started out."
.
In Tennis,
Alex de Minaur has achieved a career-high ranking of world no. 5.
He is the first Australian to be ranked inside the top five of the men's rankings since Lleyton Hewitt in 2009 - and seventh Australian man to be in the top 5.
The 27-year-old won 11 of his first 13 matches this year, and claimed his 12th ATP singles title in Rotterdam in February, taking him from world No.8 to No.6.
Despite his defeat to Flavio Cobolli at Wimbledon, de Minaur has reached the semifinals on each surface for the first time in four years.
