Good morning. We continue our Descendants series with revelations of Australia’s biggest beef producer’s historical links to abuses against Aboriginal people – through the actions of its longest-serving superintendent before he joined the company, and others who helped establish its farming operations in the 19th century.
With all eyes on Moscow as Donald Trump’s deadline for Russia to agree to peace with Ukraine looms large, US officials have met with Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin.
An academic is crying foul after the University of Sydney removed a Palestinian flag flying from his office window. And: a new study finds the real-world range of EVs doesn’t match manufacturers’ claims.
Australia
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‘Chilling effect on free speech’ | The University of Sydney has removed a Palestinian flag hanging outside an academic’s office after claiming it breached a new policy regarding flags.
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The Descendants | The Australian Agricultural Company, or AACo, is worth about $830m as Australia’s largest beef producer, but investigations have uncovered the company’s historical links with the dispossession, shooting and poisoning of Aboriginal people through the exploits of Jesse Gregson and others who helped establish its operations.
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CSIRO cuts | Hundreds more jobs could be axed at Australia’s national science agency, sparking concerns the country is gutting its research capability.
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Electric vehicles | A government-funded program to test the true performance of vehicles has found the driving range of five popular electric cars is between 5% and 23% lower than results from laboratory testing.
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‘No clear explanation’ | Since July many Meta users have reported accounts being suspended erroneously – and Australian businesses are now struggling.
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A personal platypus | British wartime PM Winston Churchill was due to receive a monotreme named after him but it mysteriously died en route. German U-boats were blamed – but was that the truth?
World
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Russia-Ukraine war | Donald Trump said “everyone agrees this war must come to a close” after US envoy Steve Witkoff met with Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin as the deadline to end Russia’s war against Ukraine looms.
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Gaza crisis | Israel has issued forced displacement orders for Gaza City and Khan Younis amid fears of full occupation in Gaza. Our exclusive story reveals Israel relies on Microsoft’s cloud services for expansive surveillance of Palestinians. Plus: the film about a Palestinian photographer killed by missiles in Gaza.
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Trump tariffs | The White House is placing an additional 25% tariff on imports from India, bringing total tariffs up to 50%, in retaliation for the country’s purchase of oil from Russia.
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Bolsonaro detained | A Brazilian judge has eased the terms of Jair Bolsonaro’s house arrest, allowing the far-right former president to receive visits from family.
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‘Islamophobic and discriminatory’ | A local authority in Spain has banned Muslims from using public facilities such as civic centres and gyms to celebrate the religious festivals Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
Full Story
Can Trump be shamed into supporting human rights?
After three decades at the helm of Human Rights Watch, the former executive director Kenneth Roth has written a memoir about his time campaigning against human rights violations around the world – including in the Palestinian occupied territories. He speaks with Nour Haydar about why he thinks there’s always a strategy to pressure governments into supporting better human rights outcomes.
In-depth
The US Bureau of Labor Studies released its July employment figures last week, and they were not good. In response, Donald Trump did what any autocrat would do when told bad news: he shot the messenger – by firing the commissioner of labor statistics. In his latest Grogonomics column, Greg Jericho argues that Trump’s war on statistics is an authoritarian attack on democracy – and countries like Australia should call it out.
Not the news
The Tjanpi Desert Weavers is an Indigenous-run social enterprise that empowers women across 350,000 sq km of central Australia to earn an income through fibre art. Its contemporary art and sculptural works based in traditional practices have been exhibited in Australia – and around the world. Thirty years after it all began, Dellaram Vreeland looks at how 400 Indigenous women in remote Australia took the art world by storm.
Sport
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AFL | Jayden Nguyen’s Bombers debut could herald new era as the AFL tackles cultural diversity, Jack Snape writes.
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Cricket | The Hundred is set for Twenty20 transformation as early as next year, with IPL investors keen on a switch.
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Football | Liverpool grant Darwin Núñez the go-ahead for a move to Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal; Newcastle’s Alexander Isak ordered to train alone amid transfer speculation.
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Rugby union | Rugby in the US suffers another blow as the second team in a week exits Major League Rugby.
Media roundup
Increasing numbers of older Australians are seeking to share houses as property prices continue rising and rental costs soar, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. Business leaders claim Melbourne’s post-Covid recovery is under threat from the state government’s plan to enshrine a legal right to work from home, the Age reports.
What’s happening today
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NSW | A hearing is scheduled in the NSW supreme court as MP Gareth Ward fights parliamentary expulsion.
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Nationwide | A national student strike is scheduled in support of Palestine.
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NSW | The Lowy Institute is hosting a debate on “How to defend Australia”.
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Business | AMP’s full-year results are due to be announced this morning.
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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
