Morning Mail: headwinds for green revolution, Football Australia’s Fifa deadline, Fauci takes the fifth

Australia

• Bat signal | A sudden decline in critically endangered bats is troubling experts, who recorded about 5,000 fewer southern bent-wing bats than usual at Naracoorte’s “bat cave” in South Australia this summer.

• Electric shock | Organised campaigns against wind and solar energy have proved “extremely effective” in undermining support for renewable energy but enthusiasm for electric vehicles has jumped after Donald Trump’s attack on Iran, according to a snapshot of attitudes to the clean energy transition.

• AI spending ‘cap’ | Software firm Atlassian has sought to tighten tracking of its staff’s AI spending by introducing “wallets” with monthly caps of up to $2,000 for each employee amid an explosion in costs at other tech companies.

• Flu spread | Scientists have confirmed that bird flu is being spread locally in Australia but what does it mean for wildlife, what can be done to stop it, and how bad will it get?

• ‘Shit sheet’ fight | The NSW Icac hit pay dirt yesterday, Anne Davies writes, with the revelation that a faction of rightwing Liberals compiled “shit sheets” of potentially damaging material to use against their factional political opponents.

World

• Wildfires crunch | The next 12 hours will be “decisive” for a large wildfire burning near Madrid, the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has said, as blazes rage across southern Europe and three firefighters died in Crete. Half of England is officially in drought, with July set to be the driest on record while hot summers are endangering hydrangeas in the south of the country.

• Fauci fifth | Anthony Fauci, who served as a key adviser to Trump and Joe Biden during the Covid-19 pandemic, has refused to answer questions at a high-profile congressional Covid hearing, accusing a Republican senator of having an “unhinged obsession” with him.

• Actor accused | The actor and singer Jared Leto has been accused in a BBC documentary of criminal sexual conduct by four women, with the alleged offences taking place when the women were teenagers.

• ‘Uncharted territory’ | US-Saudi strikes on Iran-backed militia in Iraq on Wednesday have pushed the region into “uncharted territory”, analysts have warned.

• ‘Clicky’ suspended | Saltburn, the cricket club at the heart of the “Clicky Ponting” row, have said they are treating allegations of cheating very seriously and have suspended the player at the centre of the controversy.

Full Story

Will Peter Falconio’s body ever be found?

Twenty-five years ago, on a desolate stretch of Australian highway, Bradley John Murdoch flagged down British backpackers Falconio and Joanne Lees. Falconio was never seen again. One former British government expert says he knows the “most likely” place Falconio’s body was hidden.

Queensland correspondent Ben Smee joins Reged Ahmad as police try to finally close the case.

In-depth

“I refuse to allow this cynical outlook of politics to infect our country,” Cheek Media co-founder Hannah Ferguson writes, explaining why she is running as an independent in Anthony Albanese’s seat of Grayndler at the next election. She argues the prime minister represents a closed political system that does not deliver change – and which has allowed the rise of Pauline Hanson.

Not the news

Australians consume more chicken than any other meat but packaging can be confusing. Check out this explainer as experts break down the difference between free-range, organic and “hormone-free”.

Sport

• Commonwealth Games | Australian runner Olli Hoare has clarified he did not witness a murder in Glasgow as he had the good news that he has been reinstated in the men’s 1500m. Former Australian track cyclist Matt Richardson has pulled out of the Games because of injury, depriving crowds of a much-anticipated showdown with his former teammates.

• World Cup | Fifa member associations – including Football Australia – have been given a deadline of 19 September to decide whether to apply for an initial payment of about A$30m from the proceeds of Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell off stakes in the World Cup to private investors.

• Cricket | Justin Langer has said he has had no contact from the England about coaching the men’s Test team, but suggested he could be tempted. The Indian Premier League’s value has surged to an estimated A$30bn, with only the NFL having a higher per-match value.

Media roundup

Victorian Labor is braced for Daniel Andrews and Jacinta Allan to give evidence at the newly established royal commission into the Big Build, the Australian claims. The ABC reports that AstraZeneca will provide a breast cancer and endometriosis treatment drug to eligible women indefinitely and free of charge. And also on the ABC, Neil the seal’s damage bill in Tasmania has passed $45,000.

What’s happening today

• Courts | A federal court decision that found the government does not have a legal duty of care to protect Torres Strait people from climate harm is being appealed.

• Art | The Archibald prize announces its people’s choice-winning portrait at 11am.

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Brain teaser

And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.

• Quick crossword

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