Key Points
- Police target suspects in crimes against transport workers
- Judge blocks Trump's Harvard foreign students ban
- Mal Meninga named as coach of Perth Bears
TRANSCRIPT
New South Wales Police is cracking down on people who commit violent crimes against Transport for New South Wales staff.
Detectives are investigating a number of incidents in which people travelling on train, light rail and bus committed violent offences against staff.
Police have released images of 15 people they are looking for in relation to their alleged involvement in these violent crimes.
Superintendent Andrew Evans says the goal of this operation is to arrest, charge and prevent these offenders from abusing further workers.
"It is important to us that these particular staff members are safe in their workplace, are not abused, assaulted, or have items stolen from them, and as a result, we are calling on the public's assistance to identify those people, and call NSW Crime Stoppers."
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Accused triple-murderer, Erin Patterson, has told a court today it was possible she searched for lethal death cap mushrooms on her computer.
The 50-year-old said she did not remember and suggested it was also possible one of her children had conducted the search.
The trial, which began in April, centres on a lunch Ms Patterson served in July 2023.
After eating beef wellington laced with poisonous mushrooms, three of her ex-husband’s relatives died and another became seriously ill.
The prosecution alleges she knowingly served the guests the poisonous meal, which she denies.
Ms Patterson maintains she was not aware the mushrooms were poisonous and has called the deaths a terrible accident.
The trial is being held at Morwell, two hours east of Melbourne.
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A United States judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump from denying visas for foreign students seeking to study at Harvard University.
The judge has ruled the school faces what she describes as “irreparable injury” if it loses access to those students.
Mr Trump is accusing Harvard of running what he characterised as an antisemitic and unsafe campus, which has become a risk to national security.
He has ordered the government deny entry to any foreign student seeking to study at Harvard for the next six months and consider revoking visas from current foreign students.
In a submission to the federal court requesting Mr Trump's move be blocked, the university says Mr Trump has violated federal law by failing to give evidence for his claims about threats to national security.
Earlier, Mr Trump told reporters he expected Harvard to provide a list of its foreign students.
"We want to have foreign students, but we want them to be checked. You know, in the case of Harvard and Columbia and others. All we want to do is see that list. There's no problem with it. This is anybody outside of our country, international students, because when we see some of the people that we've been watching, we say, ‘where do these people come from? How is that possible?’ No, we want to have foreign students come. We are very honoured by it. But we want to see that list. Harvard didn't want to give us the list. They're going to be giving us the list now."
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The Liberal party is warning the Albanese government not to use Australian farmers to bargain for a trade deal with the United States.
It follows demands from President Donald Trump for Australia to lift its restrictions on U-S beef imports.
A complete ban on US beef imports to Australia was removed in 2019, but bio security laws still apply restrictions to Canadian and Mexican products from cattle slaughtered in America.
Mr Albanese has confirmed U-S beef imports will only be allowed on shore, if they do not compromise national bio security protocols.
Liberal party senator Bridget McKenzie has told Sky News she is concerned Australian farmers will be used as a bargaining chip in negotiations.
"We've got the live sheep trade cancel, we've got the super tax on farmers, we've got the methane pledge, and now potentially, using our beef industry and our 63,000 beef farmers as a pawn in some sort of trade deal, instead of basing these decisions on science."
Mr Trump will soon meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to discuss a potential exemption to tariffs.
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It has been confirmed that Australian engineer Robert Pether has been released from jail in Iraq.
He was imprisoned in 2021 on fraud charges that his family said were manufactured following a contract dispute over the construction of the country's new central bank headquarters.
Foreign Minister Senator Penny Wong has issued a statement that says she knows the personal toll Mr Pether's detention has taken on him and his family.
She says she hopes the news brings a measure of relief after years of distress.
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Rugby League icon Mal Meninga has been announced as the inaugural Perth Bears coach, as the club prepares to join the NRL in 2027.
Mr Meninga previously coached the Queensland Maroons to 8 straight Origin wins, before taking up the role as the Australia Kangaroos coach.
He will leave his role with the National Team effective immediately and begin preparations for the Bears foray into the league as its 18th franchise.
The new coach says he is ready for the challenge.
"Well, this is bigger than me. This new venture, new pioneering venture over to WA, the opportunity to grow a club, the Perth bears over there was too good to refuse. I feel very honoured, very nervous, I think it's a huge responsibility, but I believe I'm up for it."
