Good morning. We lead today with Israel declaring it is launching a renewed “extensive” ground offensive to seize territory in Gaza, where the war-ravaged civilian population is already facing starvation.
Also overseas: former US president Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer.
Closer to home, there are internet privacy concerns for NSW school students after revelations the Microsoft Teams app collected the children’s biometric data, as well as concerns over the NSW police’s use of search powers on children.
Australia
‘A real worry’ | The NSW education department was caught by surprise when Microsoft began collecting the voice and facial biometric data of school students using the Teams video app.
FPO searches | NSW police search powers are a “blank cheque” to target Indigenous youth, lawyers say, amid fears a firearms prohibition order scheme is being used to conduct surveillance without judicial oversight.
Housing market | The RBA is expected to slash its key interest rate on Tuesday. It could drive home-buyer activity – but economists are doubtful of a “boom market”.
Analysis | Victoria’s government is upbeat ahead of Tuesday’s budget. But there are signs of cuts on the horizon amid warnings the state’s financial strategy needs a “course correction”.
Beating the funk | The productivity minister, Andrew Leigh, says Australia is just one generation away from “US-style inequality”. But can Labor’s reforms bear fruit by the next election?
World
Gaza crisis | The Israeli military has announced “extensive” new ground operations in war-ravaged Gaza, as a second day of indirect ceasefire talks in Qatar ended without a breakthrough; Israeli forces strike displaced Palestinians’ tents in Khan Younis.
Russia-Ukraine war | Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the US vice president, JD Vance, ahead of Donald Trump’s call to discuss ending the war. Trump is losing patience with Russia over the conflict, the Finnish president says. Ukrainians fear the war will drag on for years.
The Vatican | Zelenskyy and Vance (as well as Anthony Albanese) were among 150,000 present as Pope Leo XIV held his inaugural mass at St Peter’s Square, saying he wants the Catholic church to be “leaven of unity” against discord.
‘Super Sunday’ polls | The centrist candidate Nicuşor Dan is on course to beat his far-right rival in Romania’s election, exit polls suggest; centrist and hard-right candidates are set for a runoff in Poland.
Biden cancer | Former US president Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer.
Full Story
Gina episode 7: What does she want?
At 13 years old, a young Gina Rinehart read a book that would help shape her worldview – Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, which is having a moment around the world. The novel’s capitalist underpinnings promote the idea that people should strive to be their best industrial selves. We explore how these values are playing out in Rinehart’s life today, including her proposal to build a coalmine in Canada’s Rocky Mountains.
Plus: assistant picture editor Ellen Smith travelled with the Gina podcast team to the iron ore-rich region of Western Australia. Take a look at what they found in the land of “Aunty Gina”.
In-depth
During the first years of the Covid-19 crisis, the University of New South Wales professor of global biosecurity Raina MacIntyre was a fixture in Australian news coverage, a voice of authority warning about the dangers faced by societies grappling with the global pandemic. As she releases a new book, Vaccine Nation, we ask her: what’s the next big threat to public health, and are we up to the challenge?
Not the news
“Bloody hell, Prince Vasíli, Genoa and Luca are pretty much just Napoleon’s holiday homes now,” reads the opening line of Leo Tolstoy’s seminal epic, War and Peace. But this is not the original Russian prose. Instead, Melbourne man Ander Louis has translated hundreds of pages of the 19th century classic, line by line, into a “bogan Australian” edition – including Ford Falcons, wankers and complete drongos.
Sport
AFL | A week of grief is a reminder to reflect on the magnificent triviality of sport, Jonathan Horn writes.
Football | Arsenal fought off Newcastle 1-0 to seal the Premier League runners-up spot; Nottingham Forest survived West Ham’s frantic finale in a 1-2 win; Sam Kerr’s Chelsea wrapped up a domestic treble with a Women’s FA Cup win.
Motorsport | Australian F1 driver Oscar Piastri started on pole but finished third as Max Verstappen won the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.
Cycling | Wout van Aert wins Giro d’Italia stage nine in Siena as Isaac del Toro moves into overall lead.
Rugby union | The Lions’ long road to Australia has begun with get-to-know-you coffees.
Media roundup
The European Union is seeking a defence pact with Australia to deepen military cooperation, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. Medicinal cannabis prescribing practices are under scrutiny, with Australian medical practitioners writing scripts with alarming speed, A group representing Indigenous rangers says funding must be restored as a matter of integrity after broken election promise, reports NT News.
What’s happening today
NSW | A parliamentary public hearing is scheduled into the issue of antisemitism in NSW.
NSW | The Sydney writers’ festival begins.
VIC | The trial of murder accused Erin Patterson continues in Morwell.
NSW | The inquest into the Bondi Junction stabbing attack continues.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
