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Australia news LIVE: PM announces Linda Burney’s retirement, cabinet reshuffle imminent; Rate rise risks recession, economists warn
Follow today’s national news headlines with our live blog.
- by Josefine Ganko
Webster in Paris
Paris 2024
Ledecky’s stone-faced response to question about Michael Phelps being a ‘tosser’
The US swimming legend is out to trash Australia’s opening night in the pool by upsetting Ariarne Titmus in the 400m freestyle.
- by Andrew Webster
Live
US Votes 2024
Joe Biden speech LIVE updates: US president says ‘soul of America at stake’ in address to nation after stepping down as presidential nominee
United States President Joe Biden is set to speak from the Oval Office, the first formal speech since he announced he was no longer running for president.
- by Olivia Ireland
Aussie gold medal hope ‘still on track’ for Olympics after Teahupo’o wipeout
One of surfing’s genuine gold medal favourites is being assessed just days out from the start of the Olympics surfing event in Tahiti.
- by Dan Walsh
Opinion
AFL 2024
Why the AFL should stop Harry McKay from playing this Friday night
The fact that the Blues forward has been cleared to play this week, despite such visible signs of a head injury, underscores a shocking inconsistency in the AFL’s concussion guidelines.
- by Kane Cornes
Within a ring of steel, Israelis and Malians share a joyous two hours
The French capital was prepared for a riot when Israeli athletes competed for the first time in Paris. Then a soccer match broke out.
- by Chip Le Grand and Marta Pascual Juanola
Updated
World markets
ASX slumps as tech giants send Wall Street to worst day since 2022
Australian shares have slumped in early trading after a plunge on Wall Street overnight, with the local technology sector opening sharply lower.
- by Stan Choe
Exclusive
Education
The Victorian schools being sued over historical child sex abuse claims
A convicted murderer says being sexually abused as a schoolboy led him to a life of crime, as a wave of historical sex abuse claims hits hundreds of Victorian schools. Here are all the schools being sued.
- by Caroline Schelle and Noel Towell
Labor ‘breaks taboo’ to sanction Israelis after months of pressure
Joining the US and UK in targeting Israeli settlers, Wong said the individuals had been involved in violent attacks on Palestinians, including beatings, sexual assault and torture.
- by Paul Sakkal and Olivia Ireland
This comedian once thought she’d been kidnapped. She’s now a viral hit.
Atsuko Okatsuka is one of the fastest rising names in comedy – thanks to her grandma and the Drop Challenge.
- by Lenny Ann Low
Exclusive
Paris 2024
‘I’ll never let us experience that again’: Rebuilding the Opals
A disastrous and disconnected 2021 was all the impetus the Opals needed to revisit and rebuild their culture. Three years on in Paris, coach Sandy Brondello, captain Tess Madgen and star Lauren Jackson say the squad has never been stronger – or closer
- by Konrad Marshall
Opinion
Paris 2024
Marky Mark is the weapon Australia’s sevens team needs in Paris
A league-bound Wallaby and a French legend loom as major threats in the men’s rugby sevens tournament.
- by Michael Hooper
Bruce Lehrmann’s bid to avoid bankruptcy over $2 million court order
The former Liberal staffer is seeking to overturn a damning Federal Court defamation decision that concluded he raped Brittany Higgins in Parliament House.
- by Michaela Whitbourn
Gunman researched JFK assassination before trying to kill Trump, says FBI
The 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks is believed to have done a Google search one week before the shooting of “How far away was Oswald from Kennedy?
- by Eric Tucker
Exclusive
Paris 2024
‘Serious error of judgment’: Australian swim coach admits to helping South Korean rival
Michael Palfrey has been admonished by the AOC for saying he hopes a South Korean swimmer he coaches wins gold – even though he will compete against two Australians on night one at the Games.
- by Tom Decent
Macquarie shareholder returns fall in slower financial markets
Investors in the Millionaires Factory have earned a lower return on their funds this year than in the previous five years amid weaker demand for the group’s services.
- by Millie Muroi
The ‘secret battle’ over the future of the Murdoch empire
Rupert Murdoch is locked in a legal battle against three of his children over the family’s media empire, according to a sealed court document obtained by The New York Times.
- by Jim Rutenberg and Jonathan Mahler
Updated
AFL grand final
Katy Perry to perform at AFL Grand Final
The AFL has confirmed the pop star will headline the pre-match entertainment this year.
- by Kate Lahey and Kerrie O'Brien
Prince Harry says fight with British media ‘central piece’ in family breakdown
Harry has also blamed the British media for the death of his mother Princess Diana in a 1997 car crash.
- by Sam Tobin
Boycotted but unbowed: Benjamin Netanyahu addresses Congress
The Israeli leader was invited to address the congress by Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson amid a war that has mobilised youthful protesters, while Kamala Harris stayed away from the speech.
- by Farrah Tomazin
‘No-brainer’ that Catley starts in Matildas’ Olympics opener against Germany
Australia’s captain has revealed that the mystery ‘lower leg injury’ that sidelined her for the warm-up loss to Canada 12 days ago was a calf niggle.
- by Emma Kemp
Exclusive
Competition
The bank threat that killed off competition in Australia’s $800b property monopoly
The country’s major banks were sent a letter from Australia’s electronic property settlements giant PEXA in December, a move that proved decisive in delaying the launch of its rival Sympli.
- by Colin Kruger
Exclusive
Education
Victoria’s hot spots for youth homeless revealed amid push for more help to house them
Charity Launch Housing has used data on crime, homelessness and unemployment to identify the five Victorian council areas where funding is most needed.
- by Noel Towell
★★
Review
This again? Ryan Reynolds’ jokes wear thin in Deadpool & Wolverine
It’s not clear why anyone would want more of Deadpool. It’s not like we haven’t had a steady supply of Ryan Reynolds’ motor-mouthed schtick.
- by Jake Wilson
Harmless fun or bro culture gone bad? Why we’re still talking about Entourage
On its 20th anniversary, Entourage creator Doug Ellin defends the show’s legacy, the ‘idiotic revisionism’ it’s faced, and the prospect of a reboot.
- by Thomas Mitchell
Argentina ‘equaliser’ ruled out by VAR hours after Morocco match suspended
The match ended in utter chaos when the game was suspended for two hours after supporters of Morocco stormed the pitch.
- by Jeremy Wilson
Can the Matildas break through for an Olympic medal? We answer the burning questions
We dive into Australia’s tough group, the players to watch and injury concerns as Tony Gustavsson’s side strives for a medal.
- by Emma Kemp
‘We don’t want to live in the girls’ shadow’: Aussie men’s sevens off to winning start
The men got Australia’s Olympic campaign off to the best possible start, winning both their pool games in front of a parochial sold-out crowd at the Stade de France.
- by Michael Chammas
Exclusive
CBD
Both sides now: Anthony Pratt hires Scott Morrison and Daniel Andrews
The Melbourne box billionaire has shown admirable bipartisanship in his hiring of some influential consultants.
- by Stephen Brook and Kishor Napier-Raman
Opinion
Political leadership
Minns has passed one big political test, now he faces another
The annual NSW Labor state conference is often dominated by domestic policy, but events in the Middle East look set to overshadow this weekend’s gathering.
- by Alexandra Smith
Opinion
US Votes 2024
A Trump victory would leave Australia handcuffed to the whims of a narcissist
America is not well, and it will take a long time before it gets better, if it ever does. If this is not the time to take a hard look at how we approach and deal with the US, when will that time come?
- by Shaun Carney
Melbourne house prices rise most in two years to make surprise gain
Buyers have jumped at an unusual window of opportunity to purchase their first home or upgrade to a larger one.
- by Alexandra Middleton
Why people stopped talking about what Kamala Harris is wearing
The US vice president shows public scrutiny of women politicians has moved from style to substance.
- by Damien Woolnough
Emotional grenades in a novel about mothers, daughters and identity
Jessie Tu’s follow up to her award-winning first novel is driven by three emotionally charged characters.
- by Frances Atkinson
French police arrest alleged Russian spy over plot to ‘destabilise Olympics’
The 40-year-old, who spent time as a contestant on TV cooking shows, was detained after police raided his house at the request of French intelligence agencies.
- by Rob Harris
Canada head coach withdraws, two sent home amid Olympics spy drone scandal
Canadian Olympic chiefs apologised after a member of team staff was detained by French authorities over allegations they used a drone to record New Zealand training on two occasions.
- by Jeremy Wilson
Reserve Bank risks recession with August rate rise
The Reserve Bank is at a critical point, economists say – it could let inflation remain a little higher for longer or risk tipping Australia into a recession.
- by Rachel Clun
An expensive future made in Australia: Warnings on $23 billion plan
Governments around the world, including Australia, are using taxpayers’ money to support emerging industries. Now there are warnings these programs may achieve little.
- by Shane Wright
Updated
Paris 2024
Thieves steal Australian BMX champion Logan Martin’s gear before Olympics
A video shared by Martin on Instagram shows smashed window of team van as reigning Olympic champion talks through a robbery.
- by Marta Pascual Juanola
Fox and Ockenden unveiled as flag-bearers for Paris opening ceremony
Canoe slalom great Jessica Fox and hockey player Eddie Ockenden have been chosen to represent Australia in the spectacular celebration along the river Seine.
- by Jordan Baker
LETTERS
Letters
Time for Dutton to produce the nuclear evidence
Age readers seek answers from Peter Dutton on his nuclear proposals.
Graphic content
Paris 2024
The shocking video that shows Olympic champ whipping horse ‘like an elephant in the circus’
Equestrian champion Charlotte Dujardin has been banned from Paris 2024 over a video showing her whipping a horse repeatedly on the legs.
- by Tom Morgan and Oliver Brown
The $1.25m contract black holes hurting battling NRL clubs
The true cost of moving on an unwanted NRL player has been revealed as Parramatta seek a different strategy for future contract negotiations.
- by Adrian Proszenko
Your 2024 NRLW guide: Team to beat, player to watch and rookie on the rise
Here’s your guide to the 2024 NRLW season before the first match gets under way between the Knights and the Roosters in Newcastle on Thursday night.
- by Billie Eder
Exclusive
Victorian budget
The multibillion-dollar blow primed to hit Victorian taxpayers and the budget
Government agencies will fork out $15 billion a year for insurance claims by 2028, a 36 per cent surge that threatens to rock the state’s already struggling finances.
- by Kieran Rooney
Dropping Olympic boxing would be ‘a crime against humanity’
The future of boxing as an Olympic sport beyond Paris is still in doubt – a prospect that Australian boxers and medal hopes Harry Garside, Caitlin Parker and Teremoana Teremoana say they find “honestly terrifying”.
- by Konrad Marshall
James Ruse principal leaves top-performing selective for rival all-girls school
The outgoing head of James Ruse Agricultural High Rachel Powell said she believes in parents having “school choice” between single-sex and co-ed options.
- by Lucy Carroll
Put down the toothbrush. Your brushing schedule might need a rethink
Brushing, flossing and dentist visits – the secret to healthy teeth isn’t much of a secret. But there are a few good and bad habits dentists want us to think about.
- by Markham Heid
Opinion
Friendship
The first time I saw crying that frightened me, it came from my father
I have been practising being better in the company of others crying. It’s a human act that scares us, but I’m learning to embrace its power.
- by Jacinta Parsons
‘Toughest person we know’: Surfer’s leg washes up on beach after shark attack
Kai McKenzie is in a stable condition after marathon surgery to reattach his right leg following the encounter at Port Macquarie.
- by Angus Thomson
Senior Albanese government ministers could quit in a matter of days
There is growing expectation in Labor ranks that a pair of cabinet ministers are poised to announce they will not contest the next election and will step down from cabinet immediately.
- by James Massola and Paul Sakkal
Boy catastrophically injured trying to save his brother
An unlicensed driver has admitted to dangerous driving causing serious injury in Melbourne’s west last year.
- by Emily Woods
Opinion
US Votes 2024
Trump trades: Markets are betting against Europe, oil and humanity
How would one have “priced” global markets in 1912 or 1937, when the writing already was on the wall, but nothing was predetermined, and one could still hope? Worth pondering.
- by Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
Updated
Aviation
At least 18 dead as plane skids off runway and catches fire in Nepal
Nepal has been criticised for its poor air safety record, with the deadliest incident occurring in 1992, when 167 people died when a plane crashed into a hillside.
- by Binaj Gurubacharya
AFL Briefing
AFL 2024
Silver lining to Dons’ ‘gutting’ defeat, according to Scott; Dees dismiss talk of Oliver friction
Brad Scott had his charges “on the edge of their seats” during an unusually lengthy review that delved deeper than just the tactical mechanics behind their defeat, while Melbourne have shot down rumours that there is tension between star midfielder Clayton Oliver and the club.
- by Andrew Wu
As it happened: Dutton defends nuclear policy; Pilot escapes plane crash during NT defence exercise
Read the national news headlines for Wednesday, July 24.
- by Josefine Ganko and Lachlan Abbott
Updated
Road safety
Man dead after two-car crash on northern beaches
The driver in his 80s crossed three lanes of traffic and a median strip before his car was T-boned by an SUV travelling along Pittwater Road, witnesses said.
- by Angus Thomson and Riley Walter
Lithium boss says prices for Australia’s ‘white gold’ may have bottomed
Australia’s largest independent lithium miner is preparing to boost output of the electric battery metal, even as prices languish around three-year lows.
- by Nick Toscano
Updated
Sharemarket
ASX dips after losses on Wall Street; Perpetual hit by outflows
The Australian sharemarket traded slightly lower on Wednesday after weak session on Wall Street, where earnings reporting season has ramped up for the bigger companies.
- by Millie Muroi and Sumeyya Ilanbey
CFMEU to implement code of conduct for delegates over ‘deeply worrying’ allegations
But the union’s national secretary, in an email to members of the construction division, forecast the Fair Work Commission would seek to put some branches into administration.
- by Rachel Eddie, Kieran Rooney and Annika Smethurst
Sharks test positive to high levels of cocaine off the coast of Brazil
Marine biologists tested 13 Brazilian sharpnose sharks from coastal waters near Rio de Janeiro and found high levels of cocaine in their systems.
- by Nick Squires
Could James Hird end up coaching his son Tom at Port Melbourne? The club is asking
The former Essendon champion has become a constant figure at the VFL club watching his son Tom play, and powerbrokers are keen to put the question to him.
- by Peter Ryan
John Silvester on the underworld figures infiltrating the CFMEU
The Naked City columnist discusses the psychology of the underworld figures who have allegedly infiltrated one of the nation’s most powerful unions.
Minnie Driver joins the ranks of acting greats who have played Elizabeth I
“Queen Elizabeth comes to meet you very, very specifically,” says Driver, who follows Glenda Jackson, Judi Dench and other acting greats in the role.
- by Michael Idato
Five documentaries that explore the hidden lives of famous actors
Like Brats - a recent look at the ‘Hollywood Brat Pack’ - these projects tried to understand their stars, by gently lifting the masks.
- by Scott Murray
Updated
Extreme weather
World’s hottest day recorded, but land temperatures will be even higher
The last 12 months have set new temperature records, with the 12-month global average 1.64 degrees above the pre-Industrial average.
- by Gloria Dickie and Bianca Hall
Analysis
FIFA
Money and power: Why Europe’s top leagues have declared war on FIFA
The game’s governing body is the subject of legal action by players and leagues who say the international calendar is at breaking point. Here’s what you need to know.
- by Vince Rugari
How Trump’s new rival may bring out his worst instincts
After years planning to face Joe Biden, Donald Trump and his team will be campaigning against Kamala Harris. He has attacked past female rivals and critics in brutal and personal terms.
- by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan
Taco Tuesdays, baristas and cardboard beds: How the Australians are embracing village life
There’s an endless supply of Weet-Bix, Nutri-Grain and Vegemite, as well as enough coffee for about 20,000 shots.
- by Rob Harris
For her coach, Mary Fowler is an unsolved riddle. And she may be the Matildas’ most important player
The challenge, as is the case with many ethereal shape-shifters who require freedom to make their magic, will be how to get the best out of the 21-year-old.
- by Emma Kemp and Vince Rugari
Exclusive
Victoria Police conduct
Coroner to investigate after builder dies from injuries sustained during arrest
Luke Briggs, 35, died from catastrophic injuries sustained during a police arrest in Hoppers Crossing last week. Police have not revealed what happened during his arrest.
- by Cameron Houston
‘Pain and fear’: 22 cows die after truck crashes into South Yarra bridge
The cows were either killed or had to be euthanised. An animal rights group says the surviving cows should be sent to a sanctuary.
- by Patrick Hatch
‘What’s going on here?’: ASIC probes fast-growing private debt markets
The head of Australia’s corporate regulator wants more visibility when it comes to the private credit market, where companies go if the banks won’t lend.
- by Millie Muroi
Four youths jailed for unprovoked murder of boy, 16, in suburban street
Declan Cutler was walking home from a party when a carload of gang members stopped and attacked him. Police have described the murder as one of the most brutal attacks in Victorian history.
- by Erin Pearson
Review
Video games
Esports for old folks: Nintendo turns classic games into bite-sized challenges
Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition challenges you to practice getting mushrooms as Mario or the Triforce as Link, faster than anyone else.
- by Tim Biggs
The protected site with water views that developers can’t resist
Multiple development plans, including a mega tourist resort, have been knocked back at this environmentally and culturally sensitive Victorian inlet. Is it just a matter of time before a big proposal gets through?
- by Benjamin Preiss
Woman accused of killing elderly neighbour allegedly broke into her home and stole from her
A West Footscray woman charged with killing her neighbour and dumping the body in the Maribyrnong River allegedly broke into the elderly woman’s home and stole cash and jewellery.
- by Erin Pearson
Analysis
AFL 2024
The run home: Where the contenders stand in the race for the AFL top eight
While the Swans appear to have top spot locked up, the race for the top eight is well and truly on as we head into the home stretch of the AFL season. Where will your team finish?
- by Jon Pierik
Opinion
Sharemarket
Betting on autonomy: Investors are waiting for Tesla’s future to arrive
The electric carmaker’s latest earnings have again missed expectations. It’s time for Elon Musk to keep his promise to turn the company into more than what it is today.
- by Stephen Bartholomeusz