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TRANSCRIPT
- Human remains found in the search for Chris Baghsarian...
- The royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion commences...
- And in women's cricket, Australia faces India in the first of three ODIs.
Police say they have found what they believe to be the remains of 85-year-old Chris Baghsarian.
Almost a fortnight ago, Mr Baghsarian was taken hostage from his Sydney home in what police say is a suspected case of mistaken identity.
Detectives investigating the case have found human remains this morning near a golf club at Pitt Town on Sydney’s north-west fringe.
No further information has been provided, as the investigation continues.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns says the opening of the royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion is an opportunity to confront these issues and enact real change.
Called a month after the Bondi terror attack, the inquiry will probe the nature, prevalence and key drivers of antisemitism in Australia's society and institutions.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also tasked the royal commission with making recommendations that strengthen wider social cohesion and counter the spread of ideological and religious extremism.
Mr Minns says it is important that people feel safe.
"So the stakes are very high here. We're not doing anything other than confronting this terrible scourge. The worse thing possible is if it starts to be, I guess, swept under the carpet. And there is a general consensus that these issues are too difficult to confront. That cannot be our approach to the horror of Bondi. That terrible crime needs to be met with action; and that is what our government is going to do."
An interim report is due by the end of April, with the final report set to be completed by mid-December.
The federal government says a proposed high-speed train project between Sydney and Newcastle has the potential to boost the Australian economy by $250 billion over 50 years.
Federal Transport and Infrastructure Minister Catherine King says the figures have been presented to the government in a business case for the project.
It outlines a two-year development phase that could see construction begin in 2028, if final investment approval is given.
The government has committed an additional $230 million to support detailed planning work, including refining the design and scope.
"So whilst high-speed rail will bring thge travel down from Newcastle to Sydney to an hour. From Gosford to Sydney to 30 minutes. Really what that means for this economy here is a heavy vote of confidence. Now we know the costs of this project are high. But we can't build a rail project without significant cost. There are none in the country that haven't cost money. High speed rail is an expensive project. The business case talks about - in terms of 1A and 1B, the costs being around the $55 billion mark."
Australia has urged its citizens to "exercise a high degree of caution" in Mexico, after cartel gunmen engaged in a wave of violent acts in response to federal forces killing their leader, a drug lord known as "El Mencho".
Travel warnings have also been issued by Britain, Canada and the United States.
Twenty-five members of the Mexican National Guard have been killed in violent clashes with cartel gunmen.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum says the operation to seize Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes was carried out by Mexican forces alone, with the US providing information.
Iran has vowed to retaliate "ferociously" against any attack from the United States, in response to President Donald Trump's latest threat of strikes.
The US will hold a third round of nuclear talks with Iran in Geneva on Thursday
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei says Iran is determined to pursue diplomacy and negotiations that lead to results.
"Our position on ending the cruel US sanctions and the nuclear issue is clear, and we are well aware of the US side's viewpoints. If both sides demonstrate goodwill during negotiations, we can hope for a result. We are now in the stage of stating our positions. We hope that we will be able to hold another round of talks within the next two to three days."
Meanwhile, students at several universities in Iran marked the start of the new semester with anti-government protests, the first such rallies of this scale since January's deadly crackdown by the authorities.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency says at least 7,000 people have been confirmed killed in the January crackdown, with another 11,700 deaths still under investigation.
To sport, and in cricket,
Retiring captain Alyssa Healy says she is looking forward the first ODI against India in Brisbane this afternoon.
The Australia captain will play the three ODI matches; and the one-off Test before retiring.
Australia will need to win at least two of the ODIs, if they want to keep their hopes of an outright series win alive.
Healy says the task ahead of Australia is immense.
