Good afternoon. Donald Trump has told a crowd of thousands that he “hates” his opponents at a public memorial to honour the rightwing influencer Charlie Kirk, even after Kirk’s widow said she forgives the man charged with fatally shooting her husband.
The event in Arizona on Sunday was equal parts religious revival and political rally, with JD Vance using his eulogy to put Kirk’s – and his own – Christian faith front and centre, a speech which could have political utility if he hopes to succeed Trump as president in 2028.
Trump, who gave the last of more than two dozen speeches, said Kirk “did not hate his opponents, he wanted the best for them”, before breaking from his prepared remarks to add: “That’s where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponents, and I don’t want the best for them, I’m sorry.”
Top news
Optus will face ‘significant consequences’ for triple zero failure linked to deaths, minister says
Trump officials reportedly set to tie paracetamol to autism risk, contrary to US medical guidelines
Nations’ plans to ramp up coal, gas and oil extraction ‘will put climate goals beyond reach’
Kim Jong-un open to nuclear talks with US, saying he has ‘fond memories’ of previous Trump meeting
Harry Styles swaps microphone for trainers to run sub-three hour Berlin marathon
‘Involved sequentially’: leopard sharks observed mating for first time in wild have threesome
In pictures
The green-and-gold squad shone bright at the World Athletics Championships, with the emergence of younger athletes like Gout Gout and success for the usual suspects providing reasons to be cheerful in Tokyo. Here is a collection of some of the best photographs from the event.
What they said …
***
“I love my country, but at this time, I don’t recognise my country.” – Angelina Jolie
The actor told reporters in Spain that the US is facing “very, very heavy times” amid threats to free speech, saying “anything anywhere that divides or limits personal expressions and freedoms from anyone, I think, is very dangerous”. Her comments come as several Disney stars and prominent figures including Olivia Rodrigo, Pedro Pascal and Mark Ruffalo voice their criticism and dissent after Jimmy Kimmel Live! was suspended “indefinitely” by the Disney-owned ABC network over comments relating to the death of Charlie Kirk.
Full Story
Why some professional netballers are turning their backs on the sport
Netball is the highest-participation sport for women and girls in Australia, but with only a handful of spots available in the Super Netball – the world’s best professional league – it’s a hard-fought battle at the top. Sports commentator Georgia Rajic tells Reged Ahmad about how the rise of other viable sporting careers, such as the AFLW, is causing some netballers to look elsewhere.
Before bed read
My generation agonise over how to act and what to say. We have to learn to go with the flow
Thanks to social media, gen Z is more perceived and judged than ever before, and we worry over every word and image. An ancient Chinese text shows there’s a better way, writes Bertin Huynh.
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: FLUE. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
Sign up
If you would like to receive this Afternoon Update to your email inbox every weekday, sign up here, or start your day with a curated breakdown of the key stories you need to know with our Morning Mail newsletter. You can follow the latest in US politics by signing up for This Week in Trumpland.
