WEBVTT - UK Labour lord Peter Mandelson arrested over Epstein

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<v Speaker 1>Today's biggest news from The Australian. I'm Claire Harvey with

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<v Speaker 1>the Front's afternoon headlines. British police have arrested Lord Peter Mandelsson,

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<v Speaker 1>a high ranking Labour Party figure who was until recently

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<v Speaker 1>Sir Keis Starmer's ambassador in London, over his links to

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<v Speaker 1>Jeffrey Epstein. Mandlsson seventy two was a senior minister in

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<v Speaker 1>the governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown and served

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<v Speaker 1>as European Commissioner for Trade since twenty ten. He's been

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<v Speaker 1>a lobbyist and close to present Prime Minister Keir Starmer,

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<v Speaker 1>although along the way, Mandelssh's created plenty of headaches, with

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<v Speaker 1>controversies erupting over his lobbying and business connections from time

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<v Speaker 1>to time. Then came the Epstein files, containing indications Mandelssohn

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<v Speaker 1>had remained in close contact with the pedophile financier even

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<v Speaker 1>after Epstein's conviction in two thousand and eight for child

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<v Speaker 1>prostitution offenses. Documents have shown Mandalson apparently calling Epstein his

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<v Speaker 1>quote best powe and having ongoing business dealings with him,

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<v Speaker 1>as well as appearing to assist Epstein with the fallout

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<v Speaker 1>from Epstein's criminal activity. There's no suggestion Peter Mandlsson was

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<v Speaker 1>involved in sex with underage women or Epstein's alleged sex

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<v Speaker 1>trafficking activities. Mandalshon has previously said he quote relied on

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<v Speaker 1>assurances of Epstein's innocence that turned out later to be

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<v Speaker 1>horrendously false. In September, Starmer sacked Mandlsson as ambassador to

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<v Speaker 1>the United States, and on Tuesday morning Australian Time, London's

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<v Speaker 1>Metropolitan Police arrested Mandleson on suspicion of misconduct in public office,

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<v Speaker 1>the same alleged offense that saw Andrew Mountbatten Windsor arrested

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<v Speaker 1>last week. Police have found the body of an eighty

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<v Speaker 1>five year old man who was mistakenly kidnapped in Sydney's

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<v Speaker 1>Underworld War. Chris Bagsarian disappeared from his suburban home in

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<v Speaker 1>what detectives said was a case of mistaken identity. On

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<v Speaker 1>Tuesday morning, the grandfather's body was found, according to police,

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<v Speaker 1>who say they're investigating what led to his death. The

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<v Speaker 1>Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion is officially underway,

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<v Speaker 1>with Commissioner and former High Court Justice Virginia Bell saying

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<v Speaker 1>she will visit the site of the Bondai Beach massacre

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<v Speaker 1>later this week. In her opening statement, Belle said she

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<v Speaker 1>would look closely at antisemitism in Australia as well as

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<v Speaker 1>other forms of discrimination. Belle added that her view was

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<v Speaker 1>that criticism of the actions of Israel or its government

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<v Speaker 1>was not necessarily antisemitic. Our coverage of all those stories

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<v Speaker 1>is live right now at the Australian dot Com dot

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<v Speaker 1>u and come back to the front first thing in

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<v Speaker 1>the morning, Chief International Correspondent Cameron Stuart and I are

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<v Speaker 1>going to discuss what we know so far about the

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<v Speaker 1>Royal Commission and what we can glean from the way.

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<v Speaker 1>Belle and her counsel assisting Richard Lancaster sc set out

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<v Speaker 1>their tasks on day one. That's right here. When day

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<v Speaker 1>morning