Morning everyone. Momentum is growing to start charging EV drivers a tax to drive their cars, as the federal government seeks a new revenue source to replace the fuel excise as EV takeup accelerates.
Plus: a study shows the jobs least (and most) at risk from AI, Donald Trump warns Russia of “severe consequences” if it doesn’t agree to a truce in Ukraine, and Paul Kelly says farewell to Joe.
Australia
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‘Mind blown’ | About 5% of common Australian wild birds including kookaburras and lorikeets could have undergone a “sex reversal” where their genetic sex does not match their reproductive organs, according to a new study.
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Charging up | Anthony Albanese has signalled that the long-delayed reform of road charging for electric vehicle drivers will be thrashed out at next week’s productivity roundtable as the surge in the use of EVs reduces the revenue from petrol.
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Bookie bust | A man who “binge gambled” $40,000 in an 11-hour session was awarded VIP status by the bookmaker BlueBet and assigned a dedicated manager who encouraged him to keep betting.
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At the double | Qantas has cancelled flights at double the rate of Virgin, its main competitor, which had the lowest monthly cancellation rates of any major domestic airline over the past year.
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Racing chance | The Victorian government could save almost $500m in subsidies if it follows Tasmania in phasing out greyhound racing, according to independent analysis.
World
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Wildfire warning | The heatwave-fuelled wildfires that have killed two people in Spain and destroyed thousands of hectares of land are a “clear warning” of the impact of the climate emergency, the country’s environment minister has said. Elsewhere, 400 people have died from extreme heat in Arizona’s Maricopa county alone this summer, while Alaska’s capital city of Juneau is urging many residents to evacuate because of the risk of flooding caused by glacial melt. Veteran US scientists are planning a response to a government report casting doubt on the consensus on the climate crisis.
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Trump pledge | Donald Trump said there would be “severe consequences” if Russia doesn’t agree to end the war after he spoke to European leaders before his summit with Vladimir Putin tomorrow.
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A Pitts take | Los Angeles police have formally linked a break-in at Brad Pitt’s home in the city in June to a string of other burglaries at properties belonging to celebrities including Nicole Kidman and Austin Butler.
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Caught out | David Lammy, the British foreign secretary, has referred himself to the environment watchdog after going fishing with JD Vance without the required licence during the US vice-president’s trip to the UK.
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Rap sheet | Lawyers for Drake allege that the head of Universal Music was “personally involved” in the notorious Kendrick Lamar diss track aimed at the rival rapper and which is now the subject of a defamation case.
Full Story
Al Jazeera’s managing editor on Israel’s killing of journalists in Gaza
Al Jazeera’s managing editor, Mohamed Moawad, talks to Nour Haydar about the death of their correspondent Anas al-Sharif and why he refused to leave Gaza.
In-depth
The march of artificial intelligence spells danger for professions such as accounting and research, but you’ll be all right if you’re in cleaning, construction or hospitality. At least so says a new report by Jobs and Skills Australia whose authors nevertheless conclude that no matter “which sector you are in, or at what skill level: you will be influenced by AI”.
Not the news
It began with a mysterious death notice published in a newspaper mourning “Joe”. But it soon became clear that the “much-loved father” was the protagonist of Paul Kelly’s How To Make Gravy and that the veteran singer was promoting Rita Wrote a Letter, a kind of coda to his famous song. Jenny Valentish hears more from the great man.
Sport
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AFLW | Officials hope a “Goldilocks” combination of face-to-face access to players, kick-to-kick after the siren and entertaining football within a community setting will spark an upswing in attendances for the 10th season of the AFLW starting tonight with Collingwood v Carlton.
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Cricket | The Cricket Australia chief executive, Todd Greenberg, has warned some nations will go “bankrupt” if they continue to play the longest format of the game, stressing he sees a future with less Test nations. With 100 days to go before the Ashes, Scott Boland says Australia won’t be fazed by England’s aggressive style.
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Tennis | Venus Williams will make her return to grand slam singles at the US Open after a two-year absence at the age of 45, making her the oldest entrant for nearly five decades.
Media roundup
Flights to and from Bali have been identified as the worst for unruly passengers as alcohol and drug abuse fuels bad behaviour on planes, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. Far north Queensland has seen a surge of bookings from tourists, the Cairns Post says, while the Courier Mail reports the state’s south-east has been hit by “snowlike” hail. The Age celebrates the “drab” views that are part of the appeal of Melbourne’s newly reopened ferris wheel.
What’s happening today
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New South Wales | “Knitting nannas” Helen Kvelde and Dominique Jacobs face jail when they are sentenced for environmental protests.
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Northern Territory | Hearing at federal court Sydney in a lawsuit to protect water at Daly Waters from fracking.
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Business | Origin Energy and Telstra both report full-year results today.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
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Quick crossword
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Cryptic crossword
