Morning everyone. One of Labor’s big pledges has been to fix the aged care system, but an industry big-hitter says in our top story that the government’s reforms risk leaving poorer retirees squeezed out of care options.
Elsewhere, the prime minister is set to announce a suite of measures to tackle antisemitism today, there’s some relief for tenants as rents show signs of topping out – and why Queensland’s Origin triumph was a matter of life and death.
Australia
Backpacker missing | Fears are mounting for the safety of 26-year-old German backpacker Carolina Wilga (pictured) who has been missing for more than a week in rural Western Australia.
Aged care squeeze | Labor’s changes to the aged care system risk squeezing out poorer elderly people, the head of Uniting NSW.ACT has warned, because government support isn’t enough to compete with self-funded care home residents.
Victoria police investigation | Victoria police are investigating a video of a person claiming credit for the vandalism of three cars outside a defence industry business linked to Israel while clad in a black balaclava and standing in front of a Palestinian flag.
Antisemitism envoy recommendations | The prime minister is expected to announce a package of measures today to tackle antisemitism, including education and online safety.
Rental ‘easing’ | Rents are showing signs of maxing out in Australia capital cities because landlords cannot squeeze any more out of hard-pressed tenants, new data shows.
Domestic emergency | A Queensland court has dismissed charges against a woman for driving while disqualified because it judged she faced an “extraordinary emergency” due to the threat of domestic violence.
World
Ukraine reshuffle | Russia has committed flagrant and unprecedented abuses of human rights since it invaded Ukraine in 2014, including extrajudicial killings, sexual violence and forced labour, the European court of human rights has found. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who met the pope yesterday for talks, is replacing Ukraine’s ambassador to the US, who has been heavily criticised by leading Republicans, as part a diplomatic reshuffle designed to strengthen ties with the Trump administration. Our diplomatic editor asks whether the bromance between Donald Trump and Putin is finally over.
More tariffs | Donald Trump continued to fire off letters threatening steep US tariffs on foreign exports from six more countries, including Iraq, Libya and Moldova.
‘Shoot them in the legs’ | Kenya’s president, William Ruto, has ordered police to shoot protesters targeting businesses in the legs amid continued unrest that has seen dozens killed in demonstrations.
Chips all round | The chipmaker Nvidia has become the first public company in history to reach $4tn in market value, while elsewhere in the tech world the chief executive of X, Linda Yaccarino, has quit Elon Musk’s social network after two “incredible” years in the job.
Operation robot | Automated surgery could be trialled on humans within a decade, say researchers, after an AI-trained robot armed with tools to cut, clip and grab soft tissue successfully removed gall bladders from pigs without human help.
Full Story
Kumanjayi Walker inquest findings: racism, reform and reckoning
Lorena Allam, an Indigenous media professor at UTS and former Guardian Indigenous affairs editor, and our justice and courts reporter, Nino Bucci, tell Nour Haydar what the coroner’s findings mean for truth-telling in the Northern Territory.
In-depth
After finding itself at the centre of the media spotlight for more than 10 weeks, Gippslanders might have to get used to more visitors as the Erin Patterson case spawns a ghoulish sightseeing trade – and a stream of filmmakers for the inevitable true crime dramas and documentaries. Benita Kolovos and Stephanie Convery explore why so many are drawn to so-called dark tourism.
Not the news
The school holidays provide a tough test for parents in keeping kids amused – and fed. So this week’s supermarket taste test sees Sarah Ayoub wrangle a group of under-10s (and a rogue adult connoisseur) to find the best – and worst – chicken nuggets on the market.
Sport
Rugby league | Tagged underdogs and beset by off-field dramas, Queensland delivered one of the great State of Origin performances to beat the NSW Blues 24-12 on their home patch in Sydney to secure the shield for 2025. For the recently bereaved Cameron Munster, new father Josh Papalii and under-pressure coach Billy Slater it was an especially sweet triumph, writes Jack Snape.
Rugby union | Fielding close to their best team, the British & Irish Lions prevailed over the Brumbies by 36-24 last night but a watching Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt will have seen enough to take heart for next week’s first Test.
Formula One | Christian Horner has been sacked as Red Bull’s team principal after 20 years in post and will be replaced by Laurent Mekies, the principal of sister team Racing Bulls SpA.
Tennis | Iga Swiatek will play Belinda Bencic in the Wimbledon semi-finals after she beat Liudmila Samsonova and the Swiss veteran won through after a thrilling match against Mirra Andreeva. Jannik Sinner eased past Ben Shelton into the semis where he will play Novak Djokovic.
Media roundup
Sydney train drivers are set for a big pay bump to end months of industrial action, according to the Telegraph. Coastal areas of South Australia are cleaning up after being battered by heavy rain, high winds and even thunderstorms, the Advertiser reports. The Australian claims that the defence ministry’s guided missile section has spent taxpayers’ money on a cookbook to promote Harmony Week. It might have been a good night for Maroons fans but the Courier Mail says they couldn’t celebrate their Origin win at the Star casino in Brisbane after workers staged a strike for better conditions.
What’s happening today
Energy | Western Australia’s premier, Roger Cook, will speak about the energy transition at a CEDA conference in Perth.
Dubbo| There is a mention for a woman accused of killing her two grandsons in Coonabarabran.
Victoria | There is a mention in Dandenong court for man charged with antisemitic abuse against a federal MP.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
