Morning everyone. After years of campaigning by Pacific activists and the Vanuatu government, the world’s top court has ruled that countries could be made to pay reparations if they fail to take action on the climate crisis. We have a full report, plus scientists warn that the ongoing marine heatwave will hit wildlife as badly as the black summer fires.
In other news, house prices are up in all eight capital cities. We have a heartbreaking dispatch from the frontline of Gaza’s starvation crisis, and the latest on the Epstein files furore in the US.
Australia
Ocean ‘superhighway’ | A global study of deep sea creatures called brittle stars shows linked ecosystems on a “superhighway” reaching from southern Australia to the north Atlantic.
Big bet | The bookmaker Betr generated more than half of its gambling profits from just 20 customers in January, according to a rival company which is the target of a takeover by Betr.
Algal augury | Scientists warn the wildlife impacts of a marine heatwave that has driven a catastrophic algal bloom off South Australia are likely to be equivalent to those from the black summer bushfires.
Capital gains | Australia’s eight state and territory capital cities have posted simultaneous house price rises for the first time in four years.
Freedom stalled | The Centre for Public Integrity has accused the Albanese government of having a poorer record than the Morrison government for producing documents for public scrutiny.
World
‘Gaza is starving’ | Our reporter in Gaza, Malak A Tantesh, writes today about the desperate situation in the territory as skeletal children fill hospital wards amid a worsening starvation crisis. “These cases haunt me, they never leave my mind,” says one paediatrician. The head of the World Health Organization said the crisis was “man-made” and aid organisations urged Israel to allow more aid into the territory. Dozens of former UK diplomats have urged the country’s government to recognise the Palestinian state.
Fossil fuel ‘duty’ | States have a legal duty to stop the production and consumption of fossil fuels, the world’s top court has ruled, and could be ordered to pay reparations. The case follows years of campaigning by a group of Pacific island law students and the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu.
Epstein block | A US judge on Wednesday denied a justice department bid to unseal grand jury transcripts related to the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in south Florida. Newly uncovered photos and video footage published by CNN show more links between the notorious paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump, including Epstein at Trump’s wedding to Marla Maples in 1993. Meanwhile the Wall Street Journal is reporting that Trump’s name appears in the Epstein files “multiple times”.
Macron suit | Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron are suing the rightwing American commentator Candace Owens for claims that the French president is controlled by the CIA and his wife is a man.
UK | A surgeon from Cornwall who carried out hundreds of amputations has appeared in court accused of lying over how he lost his own legs and encouraging another man to remove the body parts of others.
Full Story
The many controversies of Mark Latham
Chief political correspondent Tom McIlroy speaks to Reged Ahmad about how the latest controversy around Mark Latham has sparked a debate about whether his portrait should still hang in Parliament House.
In-depth
A federal government program that gives a 30% subsidy on home batteries has sparked an “off the charts” surge in installations with households on track to have 10,000MW of battery capacity by 2030 – equal to half of the current coal generation capacity, Graham Readfearn reports. One analyst says the boom “completely destroys the business case for a gas turbine and also the high evening prices that coal generators rely on”.
Not the news
Six authors are in the running for the Miles Franklin book award, to be announced today. Joseph Steinberg runs the rule over the contenders, which include Julie Janson’s sequel to her dramatisation of the lives of her Indigenous ancestors, murder stories by Fiona McFarlane, and Michelle de Kretser’s novel Theory and Practice, set in 1980s Melbourne.
Sport
Cricket | India made a solid start to the fourth Test in Manchester, ending the day on 264-4 after being put into bat – but their progress was marred by a broken foot for Rishabh Pant.
Cycling | Jonathan Milan won a rain-soaked sprint finish in Valence to take his second stage win in this year’s Tour de France as the backlash against “arrogant” race leader Tadej Pogacar gathered momentum.
Football | Spain and Germany battled it out for the right to play England in the final of the Women’s Euros. Catch up with the action here.
Media roundup
Labor branches are in revolt over the government’s failure to take a tougher line on Israel, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. The Australian claims only three New Zealanders have enlisted in the ADF since people from the Five Eyes partners were invited to join. The man behind Brisbane’s huge Queens Wharf development has been tasked with delivering 17 Olympic venues, the Courier Mail reports.
What’s happening today
Business | The board of Macquarie Bank faces a possible shareholder revolt over pay when its annual general meeting starts in Sydney at 10.30am.
Sydney | Federal court judgment in Qatar strip-search case.
Economy | Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock will face questions about rate policy.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
