Morning everyone. As police begin a fourth day searching for Porepunkah fugitive Dezi Freeman, a former neighbour has claimed that he spied on her family with drones, forcing her to take out a court order against him.
Council workers in Adelaide are collecting hundreds of kilos of dead fish from the city’s algae-hit beaches, New South Wales hospitals are struggling to cope with a spike in winter illness, and our guns investigation looks into “permission to shoot” letters.
Australia
‘Slow-onset disaster’ | Council workers in South Australia are combing Adelaide’s beaches every day and collecting up to 200kg of dead marine creatures killed by the state’s algal boom as experts warn the disaster could take a mental toll on the community.
Porepunkah hunt | A former neighbour of the suspected Porepunkah gunman says he used to hunt for deer nearby, had an intimate knowledge of Mount Buffalo and used to spy on her, including with drones. As police face severe weather in the search, officers are still working on the theory that Dezi Freeman, who knows the terrain well and is said to have good bushcraft skills, remains in the local area.
Legal drama | Six years after Brittany Higgins alleged she was raped in Linda Reynolds’s office in Parliament House, the legal fallout rumbles on with the former senator winning a defamation case her ex-staffer this week. Is that the end of the matter or is there more legal drama still to come?
Hospital overcrowding | The New South Wales health minister has encouraged people to call the health hotline instead of going to emergency departments as a spike in winter illnesses has doctors saying overcrowding is the “worst they have ever seen”.
Here come the Suns | Gold Coast sports fans hope that the Suns’ achievement in making the finals for the first time will help the city make its mark on the sporting landscape.
World
Current event | The collapse of a critical Atlantic current can no longer be considered a low-likelihood event, a study has concluded, making deep cuts to fossil fuel emissions even more urgent to avoid the catastrophic impact.
Health crisis | A standoff over the firing of the Susan Monarez, the director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has deepened, with Monarez’s lawyers claiming she will not depart unless Donald Trump himself removes her. Robert Kennedy Jr faces calls to quit as health secretary after the firing of Monarez and the resignation of key staff. The Federal Reserve governor, Lisa Cook, has filed a lawsuit claiming the US president has no authority to fire her.
Kyiv bombing | The UK Foreign Office has summoned the Russian ambassador after missile strikes on Kyiv killed at least 18 people – including four children – and damaged the city’s British Council office. Kyiv residents remain fatalistic but defiant amid the onslaught.
Misinformation trap | Police Scotland have warned the public not to share misinformation about an incident in Dundee involving a 12-year-old girl after online speculation was amplified by Elon Musk and Tommy Robinson.
Fake porn anger | A pornographic website that posted doctored photos of a host of high-profile Italian women including the prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, and the opposition leader, Elly Schlein, has sparked outrage in Italy.
Full Story
Back to Back Barries: can the Coalition find a circuit breaker?
Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry discuss the expulsion of Australia’s Iranian ambassador and Anthony Albanese’s plan to help first home buyers. They also examine what the Coalition could do to get out of its post-election slump.
In-depth
There are more than 200,000 category A hunting licences in NSW, but official figures reckon that only 11,000 people take part in recreational hunting each year. This startling discrepancy encapsulates concern among gun control advocates who say people are exploiting lax regulation of “permission-to-shoot” letters to obtain guns. Sarah Martin and Christopher Knaus have this special report.
Not the news
Marathon running has never been so popular. In the five years before Covid, the Sydney marathon averaged 4,000 finishers. It has now transformed itself into a so-called marathon major and this Sunday it expects 35,000 runners. Other city marathons have entered the race for runners in recent years such as Ballarat and Wollongong, and Geelong is ready to fire the start’s pistol next year. Elise Beacom tries to keep up with the pace.
Sport
Cycling | Australia’s Jay Vine launched a solo attack off a breakaway group in the final 20km to win stage six of the Vuelta a España overnight. Four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome is in a stable condition after a crash during training near Toulon which left him with a collapsed lung, broken back and broken ribs.
Tennis | Iga Świątek has beaten Suzan Lamens in straight sets and Jannik Sinner and Naomi Osaka are also in action at Flushing Meadows. Follow it live.
Football | Liverpool will play Real Madrid in one of the standout ties in the Champions League draw, while the opponents for holders PSG include Barcelona and Newcastle. Some Manchester United insiders think Ruben Amorim could quit as coach after his team’s disastrous loss at Grimsby.
Media roundup
The opening of a Viking exhibition at Melbourne Museum is being overshadowed by funding and jobs cuts, the Age claims. The heartbroken parents of the girl killed in a bus crash have told the Geelong Advertiser that their “worst fears” have come true. The Telegraph says commuters are furious with the council for failing to provide enough car parking spaces at Kellyville Metro in Sydney.
What’s happening today
Ballarat | Anthony Albanese, Sussan Ley and Jacinta Allan will speak at the News Corp Bush Summit.
Canberra | Public hearing into aged care service delivery begins at Parliament House at 9am.
Brisbane | Maclean brothers due to arrive in Cairns after 138 days on the Pacific Ocean.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
