TRANSCRIPT:
- Israel says the ceasefire deal with Hamas is back on;
- The government launches a new strategy to combat politically motivated extremism;
- Australian tennis star Bernard Tomic under investigation over match fixing allegations.
Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered his political security cabinet to convene today in order to ratify a ceasefire deal with Hamas.
The Israeli Prime Minister's office has released a statement saying Mr Netanyahu was informed by the negotiating team agreements have been reached on a deal to release the hostages.
It says the families of the remaining hostages have been informed and preparations are being made to receive them upon their return.
The PM had earlier delayed the cabinet vote, accusing Hamas of reneging on key parts of the ceasefire in order to gain last-minute concessions, which the group denies.
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The New South Wales government says it's outraged over the torching of two cars and the vandalising of a house that was once the home of a prominent member of Australia's Jewish community.
The state's police minister has called it a "disgusting act of hatred that will not be tolerated".
She says police are doing everything they can to identify and arrest those responsible.
Premier Chris Minns says extra resources are being put towards the investigation of this and a spate of other attacks.
"Strikeforce Pearl has 20 detectives working on antisemitic violent attacks in our community full time. They're making headway in their inquiries. Just yesterday, they executed their third arrest in relation to property damage offences in New South Wales in November of last year. These attacks in New South Wales will not be tolerated, and those who are perpetrating these attacks will be met with the full force of the law."
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The federal government has unveiled a new strategy to combat racially and politically-motivated violence, hours after an attack on the property in Sydney's east.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke says the plan is comprehensive and includes strengthening support services and identifying vulnerable people and deterring them from violence.
He says Australians are being radicalised faster, at a younger age, and often through online spheres like gaming platforms.
Mr Burke says they want to put a stop to that - which includes forcing foreign nationals who engage in racially-motivated criminal behaviour to leave Australia.
"I have no hesitation in cancelling visas where people are making clear they have values that have no place in Australia. And I have refused visas and cancelled visas where people have been showing these forms of bigotry."
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Federal M-Ps have urged outgoing U-S President Joe Biden to grant Julian Assange clemency before he leaves office.
They are asking for the Wikileaks founder to be granted a full presidential pardon.
The letter has also signed by senior members of the Human Rights Law Centre, the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance, and The Australia Institute.
The letter says his recent conviction under the United States Espionage Act sets a deeply troubling precedent for press freedom globally.
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Police in Victoria are searching for a group of people believed to have fled a house in Melbourne where two men were later found dead of stab wounds.
Detectives say they believe multiple people left the Clyde North address before police arrived.
Crime Command Superintendent Janet Stevenson says they suspect the 54 year old and 23 year old men died after an altercation.
"An argument has occurred, and that's escalated into a brawl that spilled out onto the street. So at some stage during that brawl, two men have been stabbed and they've both died at the scene."
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A new report says Australian researchers are being forced to live in poverty as they pursue PhDs.
The report from Universities Australia and the Australian Council of Graduate Research says the average PhD stipend is just over $32,000, well below the average annual full-time salary of more than $100,000.
Universities Australia chief executive Luke Sheehy says the average candidate is 37 years old juggling family and financial responsibilities.
He says many people are therefore being put off doing further studies as they cannot afford it.
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Bernard Tomic is being investigated over allegations of match fixing.
The 32 year old's phone has reportedly been seized as part of the inquiry that's focused on two tennis matches.
A report from The Age claims a police strike force was created two years ago to investigate Tomic's 6-1 6-4 loss to Russian Roman Safiullin at the 2022 Open's qualifying tournament, and a 6-0 6-1 loss to Frenchman Quentin Halys in Turkiye in late 2021.
