Good morning. As the funerals of five Al Jazeera journalists are held in Gaza City, global outrage is mounting over Israel’s targeted killings – including of prominent reporter Anas al-Sharif.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump has seized control of Washington DC police and deployed the national guard in the US capital, erroneously claiming it to be one of the most crime-ridden cities in the world.
Closer to home, coral bleaching has devastated a vast area of Western Australia’s reef systems following a record marine heatwave. And we look at the journey towards Indigenous inclusion at the University of Melbourne.
Australia
Coral bleaching | The “longest, largest and most intense” marine heatwave ever recorded in Western Australia has killed coral throughout an area that stretches 1,500km, according to scientists.
Clouds on the horizon | Sydney’s had its soggiest start to August in nearly three decades, and even more rain could be on the way this spring. Abnormally high sea surface temperatures off the NSW coast are partly to blame.
Lesson to be learned? | An online database of lesson plans would help teachers cut hours from their workloads and help reverse years of stagnating student results, the Productivity Commission says.
Erin Patterson | A judge ruled the triple murderer would have been unfairly prejudiced if a jury heard allegations she had tried to kill her estranged husband in the years before the poison mushroom meal.
‘Political fig leaf’ | The government’s announcement it will recognise a Palestinian state is meaningless if it continues trade and diplomatic relations with Israel, the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network says. Our chief political correspondent writes that recognising Palestine is a landmark moment for the PM and explains how it came about.
World
Russia-Ukraine war | Donald Trump has confirmed that he and Vladimir Putin will discuss “land swapping” when they meet this week in Alaska for a high-stakes summit on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Gaza crisis | “If these words reach you … Israel has succeeded in killing me”: these are the last worlds of Al-Jazeera reporter Anas al-Sharif, one of five journalists killed by a targeted Israeli airstrike in Gaza. Many of Gaza’s media workers have “risked everything” for their work.
Seizing DC | Donald Trump has deployed the national guard in Washington DC, claiming the US capital is “overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals … and homeless people”. Meanwhile, he has once again delayed implementing sweeping trade tariffs on China, announcing another 90-day pause hours before a previous agreement expired.
With love, Meghan | The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have signed a fresh multi-year film and television deal with Netflix, contradicting reports this year that the streaming company would not renew its contract with them.
Dog controls | India’s supreme court has ordered the immediate removal of thousands of stray dogs from the Delhi capital region, citing canine attacks and an alarming rabies toll.
Full Story
Australia’s plan to recognise Palestine
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has confirmed his government will join other allies to formally recognise Palestinian statehood. Our chief political correspondent Tom McIlroy speaks with Full Story host Nour Haydar about why the Australian government is making this move now – and whether it will change anything for the Palestinians living under attack in Gaza.
In-depth
As it seeks to increase Indigenous representation, the University of Melbourne has released the second volume of Dhoombak Goobgoowana – translated as “truth-telling” in the Woi Wurrung language. As Caitlin Cassidy discovers, it reveals a process of reconciliation that has been “imperfect, overdue and then often painfully slow, but marked by stories of courage and hope”.
Not the news
Text-based artist Rose Nolan has long worked with tactile and humble materials, eschewing time-saving methods in favour of cutting thousands of shapes by hand. She believes the labour embedded in the work transfers to viewers, making them slow down to take it all in. As her new exhibition – Breathing Helps – opens, she reflects on her “sex, drugs and rock’n’roll” past, avoiding social media, and her “very analogue” present.
Sport
Opinion | AFLW is not a side project for players who thrive on consistency and certainty, St Kilda’s Nicola Barr (above left) writes.
Rugby union | Mouthguards that flash red after potentially concussive impacts will be introduced at Women’s Rugby World Cup.
Football | Jack Grealish has agreed to join Everton on a season’s long from Manchester City; Newcastle end centre-back hunt with deal for AC Milan’s Malick Thiaw.
Winter sports | Ski jumping is facing controversy just six months out from the Winter Olympics due to a row over ill‑fitting suits.
Media roundup
A NSW Health webinar told GPs that Blue Mountains residents could reduce their exposure to “forever chemicals” by donating blood, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. Scientists thought dolphins “harassed” whales – but Australian researchers have revealed the marine animals are actually playing together, the Age reports. A $60m cotton gin facility has opened in WA’s far north, ushering in a new era for the region’s cotton industry, ABC News reports.
What’s happening today
RBA | The Reserve Bank of Australia is set to announce its official cash rate decision this afternoon.
NT | The trial of crocodile wrangler Matt Wright, accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice, continues.
SA | Flinders University is set to host the Torres Strait health research symposium.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
