1 00:00:01,960 --> 00:00:04,920 Speaker 1: Today's biggest news from The Australian. I'm Claire Harvey with 2 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:10,520 Speaker 1: the Front's afternoon headlines. British police have arrested Lord Peter Mandelsson, 3 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: a high ranking Labour Party figure who was until recently 4 00:00:14,040 --> 00:00:17,759 Speaker 1: Sir Keis Starmer's ambassador in London, over his links to 5 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:22,119 Speaker 1: Jeffrey Epstein. Mandlsson seventy two was a senior minister in 6 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:25,320 Speaker 1: the governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown and served 7 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:29,120 Speaker 1: as European Commissioner for Trade since twenty ten. He's been 8 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:32,919 Speaker 1: a lobbyist and close to present Prime Minister Keir Starmer, 9 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:37,800 Speaker 1: although along the way, Mandelssh's created plenty of headaches, with 10 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 1: controversies erupting over his lobbying and business connections from time 11 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 1: to time. Then came the Epstein files, containing indications Mandelssohn 12 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:51,520 Speaker 1: had remained in close contact with the pedophile financier even 13 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:55,120 Speaker 1: after Epstein's conviction in two thousand and eight for child 14 00:00:55,160 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 1: prostitution offenses. Documents have shown Mandalson apparently calling Epstein his 15 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:04,840 Speaker 1: quote best powe and having ongoing business dealings with him, 16 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:07,920 Speaker 1: as well as appearing to assist Epstein with the fallout 17 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 1: from Epstein's criminal activity. There's no suggestion Peter Mandlsson was 18 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:16,039 Speaker 1: involved in sex with underage women or Epstein's alleged sex 19 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 1: trafficking activities. Mandalshon has previously said he quote relied on 20 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 1: assurances of Epstein's innocence that turned out later to be 21 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 1: horrendously false. In September, Starmer sacked Mandlsson as ambassador to 22 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:34,560 Speaker 1: the United States, and on Tuesday morning Australian Time, London's 23 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 1: Metropolitan Police arrested Mandleson on suspicion of misconduct in public office, 24 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 1: the same alleged offense that saw Andrew Mountbatten Windsor arrested 25 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:48,080 Speaker 1: last week. Police have found the body of an eighty 26 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:51,320 Speaker 1: five year old man who was mistakenly kidnapped in Sydney's 27 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 1: Underworld War. Chris Bagsarian disappeared from his suburban home in 28 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:59,240 Speaker 1: what detectives said was a case of mistaken identity. On 29 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 1: Tuesday morning, the grandfather's body was found, according to police, 30 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 1: who say they're investigating what led to his death. The 31 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:11,760 Speaker 1: Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion is officially underway, 32 00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 1: with Commissioner and former High Court Justice Virginia Bell saying 33 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 1: she will visit the site of the Bondai Beach massacre 34 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 1: later this week. In her opening statement, Belle said she 35 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:24,680 Speaker 1: would look closely at antisemitism in Australia as well as 36 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:28,920 Speaker 1: other forms of discrimination. Belle added that her view was 37 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 1: that criticism of the actions of Israel or its government 38 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: was not necessarily antisemitic. Our coverage of all those stories 39 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:42,240 Speaker 1: is live right now at the Australian dot Com dot 40 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 1: u and come back to the front first thing in 41 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 1: the morning, Chief International Correspondent Cameron Stuart and I are 42 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:50,080 Speaker 1: going to discuss what we know so far about the 43 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:52,760 Speaker 1: Royal Commission and what we can glean from the way. 44 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 1: Belle and her counsel assisting Richard Lancaster sc set out 45 00:02:56,880 --> 00:03:00,280 Speaker 1: their tasks on day one. That's right here. When day 46 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 1: morning