Good morning. Australians are this morning gripped by profound shock and grief after a terror attack targeted a Jewish festival in the Sydney suburb of Bondi Beach. At least 16 people are dead, including a child, and dozens are injured. One alleged gunman is dead and another in custody after the incident which Anthony Albanese has condemned as an “evil act of antisemitism”.
We have the latest coverage for you, along with analysis and commentary, on the nation’s worst mass shooting in decades.
Australia
Bondi beach terror attack | At least 16 people have died in a terrorist attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, where dozens of shots were fired at a Jewish festival event. A second alleged gunman is in custody in a critical condition. Eyewitnesses have described horrific scenes at seeing people gunned down – and remarkable acts of bravery from bystanders and police responders. Our reporter Ben Doherty has the full story of how this horrific evening unfolded.
Terror victims | A London-born rabbi has been named as a victim as world leaders send messages of solidarity and condemn the mass shooting. Our international security correspondent, Jason Burke, writes that this attack is part of a rise in antisemitic incidents around the world. Human rights lawyer George Newhouse writes that this tragedy must spur us to come together and ensure that Jewish Australians can live without fear. The Guardian editorialises that we must not let these antisemitic attacks drive division.
In other news this morning:
‘Hiding in plain sight’ | Little Foot, one of the world’s most complete hominin fossils, may be a new species of human ancestor, according to a new study led by Australian researchers.
‘Shocking’ | Welfare advocates are sounding the alarm as new data reveals that almost half of all people using employment services received threats to suspend their payments in the last quarter.
Explainer | Australia’s medical specialist fees are “out of control”, the health minister, Mark Butler, says. Experts say officials have some levers to pull to fix things. Here’s how – and why – they might do it.
World
Democratic party gone | Hong Kong’s last major opposition party has disbanded after a vote by its members, after Chinese pressure on the city’s remaining liberal voices in a years-long security crackdown.
Brown University attack | A person of interest in the shooting that killed two people and wounded nine others at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island this weekend has been detained.
Gaza crisis | US contractors – including Trump administration insiders – are jostling to dominate pending humanitarian aid and reconstruction logistics in the shattered Gaza Strip, sources claim.
The next chapter? | Venezuelan politicians battling to end Nicolás Maduro’s authoritarian rule reject claims his downfall would thrust their country into a maelstrom of bloodshed and retribution.
Chile votes | The Donald Trump-inspired far-right candidate José Antonio Kast is favoured to win after vowing to tackle immigration issues if elected as Chile votes in its presidential runoff.
Full Story
Was Ivan Milat responsible for more murders than we think?
In 1994, Ivan Milat was jailed for life for the murder of seven backpackers, whose bodies were found in the remote Belanglo state forest in the New South Wales southern highlands. Now, a NSW parliamentary inquiry could end up linking many more victims to the infamous serial killer. Anne Davies speaks with Reged Ahmad about the continued efforts by victims’ family members to uncover the truth.
In-depth
After the horror of the 1996 Port Arthur massacre that killed 35 people in Tasmania, Australia’s government stared down the gun lobby to introduce restrictions that led to a dramatic decrease in the number of guns. Then for almost three decades, Australia’s gun laws were recognised as among the most stringent – and effective – in the world. But, as Sarah Martin explains, the Bondi beach terror attack will force Australia to again confront its surging number of weapons. And: the Bondi terror attack follows a rise in antisemitic incidents in Australia and around the world, Jason Burke writes.
Not the news
Bluey embodies the talent, heart and character of Australia’s creative industries. Unfortunately, until now, the beloved franchise’s video games had a track record spottier than her friend Chloe the dalmatian. But, as Francisco Dominguez explains, with Bluey’s Quest for the Gold Pen we finally have the first good Bluey video game – one that lives up to the standards that made it one of the most-watched shows in the world.
Sport
Football | Erling Haaland and Phil Foden fire Manchester City to a Premier League win at Crystal Palace; Morgan Rogers’ brilliance complete Aston Villa’s fightback to sink West Ham; Callum Hudson-Odoi double sinks limp Tottenham to help move Nottingham Forest away from relegation.
Cricket | Brendon McCullum backs England’s batters for crunch Ashes Test in Adelaide as he shrugs off questions about his job; England need to be introduced to the concept of consequences after their Ashes flops, Mark Ramprakash writes.
Basketball | Victor Wembanyama stars as the Spurs stun the Thunder to set up a NBA Cup final meeting with the Knicks.
Media roundup
Much of today’s news is committed to coverage of the Bondi beach terror attack, including the Sydney Morning Herald which has focused on the actions of brave Sydneysiders defending their loved ones and passing strangers. There’s also alarm at the rise of “street benzos” – or fake Xanax – linked to a steady surge of accidental drug overdoses in Victoria, the Age reports. As Australia looks towards the summer holidays, there are calls for water safety messaging to be included in English education for migrants, ABC News reports.
What’s happening today
NSW | Three days of hearings in a coronial inquest focusing on the risks of lithium-ion battery fires are set to begin today in Lidcombe.
NSW | The head of the Reserve Bank of Australia’s financial stability department is due to deliver a speech to a banking conference in Sydney today.
Sign up
If you would like to receive this Morning Mail update to your email inbox every weekday, sign up here, or finish your day with our Afternoon Update newsletter. You can follow the latest in US politics by signing up for This Week in Trumpland.
Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
Contact us
If you have a story tip or technical issue viewing this newsletter, please reply to this email.
If you are a Guardian supporter and need assistance with regards to contributions and/or digital subscriptions, please email customer.help@guardian.co.uk
