TRANSCRIPT
- The Australian Senate passes both gun and hate speech laws
- Israeli ministers celebrate new illegal settlement in West Bank
- Aussie local Dane Sweeney advances to the second round
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The Senate has approved tougher gun laws in response to the Bondi terror attack that killed 15 people in December.
Its approval means that tighter restrictions are now enshrined into law, including a cap on firearms during a two-year buyback period, and non-Australian citizens not being able to import firearms into the country.
The law also tightens background checks for gun licences and promote intelligence sharing between agencies and states and territories when completing checks.
Greens leader Larissa Waters says it's time for Australia to have a tougher framework.
"There are now more guns in our community than they were in the aftermath of Port Arthur Massacre. Almost double number recorded in 2001. And at least 2000 new firearms are lawfully entering the community every week. The Bondi tragedy was made possible by gun laws that are no longer fit for purpose. The Greens welcomes today long overdue gun law reforms."
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The Senate has approved the Australian government's hate speech law after a long night of debate.
The Upper House voted for the reform at 11pm on Tuesday night - though the National Party voted against it after failing to move amendments.
Labor and the Liberals struck a deal after the government accepted several amendments from the Opposition leader Sussan Ley.
The law will create powers to designate organisations as hate groups and give more powers for a minister to cancel or refuse a visa if a person has spread hateful or extremist views.
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A group of Jewish teenagers say they have been left shaken after being chased through the streets by a driver allegedly yelling antisemitic abuse.
Police say the teenagers, who had just left the nearby Adass Israel School, were easily identifiable as Orthodox Jews - and the father of one of the boys, Chayim Klein, has told Channel 7 it was a traumatic ordeal.
"Somebody hanging out the window with a Nazi salute, saying heil Hitler. It was extremely confronting for the children. They were extremely intimidated, extremely scared. And before they were hiding, they screamed out 'we'll come back tomorrow and find you and stab you.'"
Victoria Police say they have identified two people of interest after the incident.
They believe the suspects are likely linked to a series of offending in the area, including aggravated burglaries and vehicle theft.
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Israeli government ministers are celebrating the establishment of a new Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank.
Israeli Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, has suggested the inauguration of the new settlement of Yatziv, near the Palestinian city of Beit Sahour, reflects the culmination of a decades-long desire to turn the site into a Jewish settlement.
"We will never establish a Palestinian state here. And we are taking control all over the area. We are building more than 68 new settlements here in Judea and Samaria. We are taking off, out of the table, the idea of creating a Palestinian state."
Younis Arar is the head of the International Relation Unit at the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission in Bethlehem.
He says the new settlement is part of an illegal effort to divide and conquer Palestinians.
"Israeli occupation colonisers fully supported and escorted by Israeli occupation forces have established a new illegal colonial outpost in the Ush Ghurab area. This area is a very strategic area where if this colonial project succeeds, it will isolate Beit Sahour from its eastern Palestinian surroundings as well as its connection will isolated from Jerusalem."
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United States President Donald Trump has threatened to impose 200 per cent tariffs on French wines and champagnes in an effort to push French President Emmanuel Macron to join his so-called 'Board of Peace'.
A source close to President Macron has said France intends to decline the invitation at this stage, though a message posted by Mr Trump on his social media platform Truth shows Mr Macron has suggested a G7 meeting this week.
Mr Macron was also seen to say he didn't understand Mr Trump's stance on Greenland, which has sparked new rounds of trade disputes between the US and Europe.
President Trump has made the tariff threat when asked about this development.
“Oh, did he say that? Well, nobody wants him because he's going to be out of office very soon. So, you know, that's all right. What I'll do is if they feel like hostile, I'll put a 200 per cent tariff for his wines and champagnes, and he'll join. But as you know, he's going to be out of office in a few months.”
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Seven Australians are playing at Melbourne Park on Day Three of Australian Open.
Dane Sweeney has advanced to the second round after defeating retiring French player Gael Monfils, while wildcard holder James Duckworth has defeated Dino Prizmic after a four-hour match.
Another wildcard holder, Christopher O'Cornell, lost to America's Nishesh Basavareddy after a tough battle.
