A new report finds a sharp rise in Islamaphobia; Meta appears at the Royal Commission into antisemitism; Mexico and England fans gather ahead of their high-stakes match.
Listen to Australian and world news and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts.
TRANSCRIPT
- A new report finds a sharp rise in Islamaphobia
- Meta appears at the Royal Commission into antisemitism
- Mexico and England fans gather ahead of their high-stakes match
New research has found anti-Muslim hate in Australia has risen sharply since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, with another surge following the Bondi terror attack.
A Tackling Hate Lab report analysed more than one million social media posts and hundreds of reported anti-Muslim incidents between 2023 and 2026.
It found online anti-Muslim hate increased from an average of 18 posts a day before October 7, 2023, to more than 120 posts a day afterwards, then surging to almost 1,900 posts a day in the month following the Bondi terror attack.
Australia's Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, Aftab Malik, has launched a campaign encouraging people to recognise, report and respond to incidents, saying better reporting will help build a clearer picture of Islamophobia across the country.
.
Meta has defended its removal of fact-checking processes in 2025, despite data suggesting that the company's removal of hateful content significantly dropped since the changes were implemented.
Meta's Global Director of Content Policy, Benjamin Good, has told the inquiry that the company took action on 5.8 million Facebook posts from October to December 2024, that number dropping to 1.2 million from July after the fact checking change.
Meta's appearance at the Royal Commission follows testimony from eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant that criticised the action taken by social media companies on hateful posts.
Mr Good says Meta tries to find a balance between acting on hateful content and protecting free speech.
"In the area of hate speech which we now call hateful conduct, that is a very serious problem we have to avoid, of course we want to remove as much violating content as possible. But in this area, if we over-enforce, there is a considerable risk that we will silence people who are actually members of the affected communities trying to speak out against hate."
.
A two-day farewell ceremony for Iran's slain leader has come to a close.
The capital is now preparing for a massive funeral procession for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with the mourning period to see Khamenei’s body carried through cities in both Iran and neighboring Iraq.
During the memorial service, hundreds of thousands chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel,” and called for revenge over the February 28 attack that killed the 86-year-old supreme leader and other top officials.
The rhetoric comes despite Iran and the United States continuing negotiations aimed at securing a permanent end to the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
.
Coalition leader Angus Taylor says there are no plans to form a coalition with One Nation, despite the party's recent rise in opinion polls.
Mr Taylor says that while many Australians are frustrated by cost-of-living pressures and the direction of the country, he does not believe One Nation is equipped to govern.
He says the Coalition's goal is to win the next election outright, not govern with One Nation.
Mr Taylor has told Channel Nine's Today program the Coalition believes it offers the stronger alternative.
"We do understand that grievance and anger, it's real. We don't think, and I don't think, that One Nation provides the answers. It is a one-person show. It's always been a one-person show, and it always will be a one-person show."
.
A man has been charged after an alleged one-punch attack on an older man in Queensland at the weekend.
The 27 year old will appear in court this morning after allegedly striking a 66 year old, causing him to fall and hit his head in the inner Brisbane suburb of West End.
Queensland Police say a fight had broken out between the pair, who did not know each other, just after midnight on Sunday.
.
Mexican and English fans have gathered around Mexico City's Angel of Independence before their World Cup last-16 match at Azteca Stadium.
England fan Declan Davies says their opponents will be hard to beat.
"The Mexicans are very hard to play against, especially in the Azteca. Their record speaks for itself: 70 games, two losses in 70 games. I think it's going to be very hard and I think that Mexico will actually win."
Authorities have deployed police and barriers along Paseo de la Reforma, as fans from both teams posed for photos, waved flags and chanted near the monument, a traditional gathering point for Mexican football celebrations.
Similar scenes of high security were seen earlier around the England team's hotel, with fences installed around the building and guards deployed to prevent Mexican fans from getting too close and disrupting the squad's sleep.
