In this bulletin;
- Australia's security agency ASIO says antisemitism is the biggest security concern.
- A new search begins for the missing wreckage of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
- In cricket, the Champions Trophy match between Australia and South Africa abandoned due to rain.
The head of Australia's security agency says for the first time, antisemitism has become the agency's number one security concern.
The director-general of ASIO, Mike Burgess, has told a Senate committee that anti-Jewish hatred has increased following the October 7 Hamas attack.
Responding to questions from Liberal senator James Paterson, Mr Burgess says the volume of antisemitic incidents has resulted in it being the top challenge for the agency.
Mike Burgess: “In terms of threats to life, it's my agency’s number one priority because of the weight of incidents we’re seeing play out in this country.”
James Patterson: “Wow. When would you have said ever that before that a form of racism was the number one concern for ASIO?”
Mike Burgess: “I don’t believe we’ve done that in our history, certainly not in my six years as director general.”
A new search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has been launched more than a decade after the plane went missing.
The Boeing 777 had 239 people on board when it disappeared from radar screens on March 8, 2014, while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
Seven Australian citizens and residents were among the passengers.
Maritime exploration firm Ocean Infinity is leading the search.
Malaysia's Transport Minister, Anthony Loke, says details about how long the search would last have yet to be negotiated.
He says families and the aviation industry are looking for answers.
"We don't want to assume anything. Ocean Infinity is a professional company. I am sure they will do their best for the search. And I am sure that everyone wants the search to positive. Find the plane. And hopefully this will give some answers to the next of kin, but also to the aviation industry. Because this is the biggest mystery in the history of aviation."
Israeli bulldozers have demolished large areas of the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank after a new assault saw thousands of Palestinians displaced from their homes.
The Israeli forces began their operation just a day after reaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza after 15 months of war, with at least 40,000 residents estimated to have fled from Jenin and neighbouring camps.
A spokesperson for the the Jenin municipality says at least 12 bulldozers have been demolishing houses and infrastructure in the camp, with army engineering teams appearing to make preparations for a long-term occupation of the area.
Nazmi Turkman was displaced from his home in the Jenin camp.
"Right now, I’m living here waiting to return to the Jenin camp. We are staying here in this association until we can go back to Jenin camp. Every day, we try to go back to the camp, hoping to enter, but they prevent us. They’ve set up checkpoints, placed tanks, and stationed soldiers. Even drones are flying above the people. No one is allowed to enter the camp at all. God willing, we will return soon."
Two top officials at Creative Australia have refused to resign over their decision to rescind the contracts of an artist and curator chosen to represent Australia at the Venice Biennale.
The CEO of Creative Australia, Adrian Collette, and chair of the board, Robert Morgan, faced tough questioning from the Greens in Senate Estimates yesterday.
Mr Collette conceded contracts related to the work were not cancelled until yesterday, despite the artists being dumped more than a week earlier, as Creative Australia waited for legal advice.
The decision has sparked a furore among Australia's arts community, and the officials concede Australia may go unrepresented the 2026 Venice Biennale as a result.
Artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino were dumped over historical works depicting former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and images of 9/11.
In cricket, the Champions Trophy contest between Australia and South Africa in Rawalpindi has been abandoned without a ball being bowled.
Australia is set for their highest stakes ODI since the 2023 World Cup final, after rain put paid to their Champions Trophy group-stage contest with South Africa.
The rivalry between the two countries will be put on hold until June's World Test Championship final.
Australia takes on Afghanistan on Friday in Lahore.
