The World Today

Russia and China have voted down a UN motion to punish Syria over the use of chemical weapons. It's the seventh time Russia has used its veto to protect the Syrian government, since the war began six years ago this month. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said sanctions would only undermine efforts to reach a peace agreement. But the vote also exposes the rift that exists between Moscow and Washington, weeks after Donald Trump vowed to improve relations.

He'll require 9000 security personnel and will bring almost 500 tons of luggage. Perhaps it's not surprising that the Saudi Arabian King is an infrequent visitor to Indonesia. This week he's making his first visit to the country in almost half a century.

An international team of researchers led by Melbourne's Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research has identified five genetic clues which may help identify people at risk of the eye disease MacTel. It is incurable and eventually leads to blindness.

The outspoken Government MP George Christensen has quit as National Party whip, saying it was untenable to stay in the leadership position given his vocal criticism of the Government. Mr Christensen says he won't quit the Government altogether, and that he has made the decision himself to go. He's been threatening to cross the floor to support a commission of inquiry into the banking industry, and he wants the Government to do more to help cane growers in his electorate.

Nationals leader and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has told reporters in Canberra he's confident MP George Christensen will remain in the Government after quitting the National Party as whip.

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has faced hostile questioning about why he didn't know the specifics of Ahmed Fahour's multi-million dollar salary as head of Australia Post. Mr Fahour's $5.6 million dollar pay deal was a factor in his decision to quit as chief executive late last week after his salary was publically criticised by the Prime Minister. Ahmed Fahour has flown to Canberra to confront his critics at a senate estimates committee hearing.

The union movement's promising to run a deep and wide campaign right up to the next election against the lowering of penalty rates for hospitality and retail workers, saying other industries could be at risk. But employer groups are warning of another 'mediscare'-type campaign with truth the first casualty.

The Federal Attorney-General says the threshold for the Human Rights Commission to accept complaints is absurd and ridiculous, and he's suggested it should be more in line with the test for a case to making it a hearing stage in court. The Commission's President Gillian Triggs has also described the current threshold as 'extremely low' but she says it's up to parliament to change. A parliamentary committee examining questions of freedom of speech will hand down its report this afternoon.

It was only six weeks ago that the then New South Wales Premier, Mike Baird, made the shock announcement that he was resigning. Today in a far more under the radar announcement, the National Australia Bank issued a media release detailing several new staff members. Among them the former Premier. The bank has been a prime investment partner in the New South Wales Government's multi-billion-dollar infrastructure projects. Professor Thomas Clarke is Professor of Management and Director of the University of Technology Sydney's Research Centre for Corporate Governance.

The former Managing Director of the ABC, David Hill, says he hopes Britain's inquiry into child abuse will help thousands of people who were forcibly deported last century. The inquiry is examining the experiences of poor and orphaned children who were sent to former British colonies, including Australia.