Morning everyone. A mother in Victoria has claimed her daughter was assaulted at a childcare centre by a worker who subsequently kept their job, our exclusive story reveals.
Elsewhere, Larissa Waters has distanced herself from the Australian Greens expulsion stoush, Israel is facing intensifying international condemnation for its killing of starving Palestinian civilians in Gaza and in the US Republicans are fanning the Epstein firestorm by calling his convicted associate Ghislaine Maxwell to testify to Congress.
Plus: legendary rocker Ozzy Osbourne has died aged 76.
Australia
‘Fighting for fair’ | It was an emotionally charged first day of parliament yesterday as Ali France, slayer of Peter Dutton and new Labor MP for Dickson, delivered a very personal first speech detailing her “epic journey” to Canberra.
Exclusive | A mother has claimed that her two-year-old daughter was sexually assaulted by a worker at a Victorian childcare centre but there was no witness or CCTV of the alleged incidents, so the educator is still working there and has not been charged.
70 is the new 50 | Australian employers must change their views on workers aged over 50 and stop seeing them as “old” if the country is going to become more productive for longer, our economics editor argues today.
‘I wasn’t involved’ | Greens leader Larissa Waters says she has not read documentation outlining why the party’s co-founder Drew Hutton was expelled because she has been busy preparing for parliament.
Battery blow | After a fire on board a Virgin flight from Sydney to Hobart was caused by a lithium battery in a power bank, Catie McLeod finds out whether it’s safe to carry the devices on to planes.
World
‘Morally unjustifiable’ | Israel has bombed warehousing and staff accommodation in Gaza belonging to the World Health Organization amid intensifying international horror at its continuing attacks on starving civilians. Israel’s policy is “unacceptable and morally unjustifiable”, the Catholic Latin patriarch of Jerusalem said after visiting a church in the territory. We have a visual story on how food drops became death traps for Palestinians in Gaza.
Maxwell subpoena | US Congress will subpoena Ghislaine Maxwell, the imprisoned sex trafficker who was a close associate of Jeffrey Epstein, to testify amid a political firestorm over the Trump administration’s decision not to release its remaining Epstein files. It came after justice department officials said they would meet Maxwell to see if she “has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims”. Here’s why the case continues to drive a wedge between some prominent Maga supporters and Trump. Follow developments live in Washington where the Trump administration also announced it will quit the United Nations’ culture and education agency Unesco.
Black day | Ozzy Osbourne, the frontman of heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath and one of rock’s most notorious hellraisers, has died aged 76. Dubbed the “prince of darkness”, he had suffered ill-health for many years and appeared frail at a farewell concert two weeks ago.
Energy breakthrough | The world is on the brink of a breakthrough in the climate fight and fossil fuels are running out of road, the UN chief said overnight, saying 90% of renewable power projects are now cheaper than fossil fuel alternatives.
Child labour | Russian authorities have involved children in the design and testing of drones for the country’s war in Ukraine through competitions that begin with video games and end up with the most talented students headhunted by defence companies, an investigation has found.
Full Story
What’s behind the cancelling of Stephen Colbert?
CBS has described the cancellation of the Stephen Colbert show as “purely financial”. But, as the Guardian’s Washington DC bureau chief David Smith tells Reged Ahmad, others are not so sure. Meanwhile Colbert has declared the “gloves are off” in his war of words with Donald Trump.
In-depth
An Indigenous mother who gave birth to a stillborn baby in the 39th week of her pregnancy says that her concerns were dismissed by staff at hospital in regional New South Wales. She had been to see doctors eight times in the same week with concerns. “I just wanted to be heard and I wasn’t,” she tells Sarah Collard.
Not the news
For this week’s taste test Nicholas Jordan and friends try 22 olives ranging from Sicilian and green to kalamata and black. Of the winner, one reviewer wrote that “I want to draw a still life painting of these” – while of the worst, Nicholas writes if he hadn’t been conducting an olive test he might not have known they were olives.
Sport
Rugby union | A hybrid First Nations & Pasifika XV players pushed the Lions all the way in last night’s historic match in Melbourne with the tourists only making sure of their 24-19 victory in the last quarter. The First Nations performance inspired their players to issue a challenge to play the Wallabies.
Tennis | Carlos Alcaraz has become the latest in a series of leading men’s players to withdraw from the Canadian Open as the world No 2 joined Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic and Jack Draper on the sidelines.
Football | England and Italy are contesting the first semi-final of the Women’s Euros in Geneva. Follow the action live.
Media roundup
Some high-profile private lenders face crippling losses from the collapse of Jon Adgemis’ Sydney pub empire, the Australian claims. There could be trouble at the millionaire factory, the Fin Review reports, as Macquarie Bank faces its first investor “strike” over disquiet at high executive pay and bonuses. The Newcastle Herald has the big news though – the results of a competition to find the best pies in Australia.
What’s happening today
Education | David Pocock will hold a press conference in Canberra at 9.30am calling for stronger university reforms.
Brisbane | The opening of a hearing for commission of inquiry into the child safety in Queensland will be held.
Environment | An ICJ ruling on a Vanuatu climate case is due in at 11pm.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
