Morning everyone. The Booker prize-winning novelist Richard Flanagan (pictured) has called it “the biggest act of copyright theft in history” and says he feels like his soul has been “strip mined” after it emerged that thousands of books – including his most celebrated work – have potentially been pirated to train AI bots. Plus, this weekend’s grand finals will be played in some record temperatures, and Michael Gambon, who played Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films (and, of course, was a remarkable stage actor and the star of The Singing Detective), is dead.
Australia
PwC questions | The politicians who exposed PwC’s leak of government secrets have claimed the scandal is not isolated to Australia, citing emails that reveal global partners knew they received confidential material and provided assistance.
‘Strip mined’ | Thousands of books from some of Australia’s most celebrated authors have allegedly been pirated by the US-based Books3 dataset and used to train generative AI for corporations such as Meta and Bloomberg. Richard Flanagan, who found 10 of his works had been used, said: “I felt as if my soul had been strip mined and I was powerless to stop it.”
Hot ticket | With temperatures hitting 35C in Sydney this weekend, Sunday’s NRL grand final is expected to be played in the hottest conditions ever recorded. The mercury is also rising in Victoria and will hit 29C for the AFL showpiece tomorrow.
Refugee threat | Refugees who once languished in camps in Manus and Nauru but are now exiled to Papua New Guinea by Australia have been told they will be evicted from their accommodation after bills were not paid for more than a year.
Quoll catch | A South Australian farmer trying to protect his chickens has caught a spotted quoll – a species not recorded in the state for more than 130 years.
World
‘A king-like figure’ | Sir Michael Gambon (pictured), whose acting career took him from the West End stage to playing Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films, has died at the age of 82. Our film critic pays tribute to his imperial presence, we have an obituary of the screen and stage legend, and there’s also a chance to see his life in pictures
Olive oil drought | Europe has almost run out of local olive oil supplies after extreme weather across the continent damaged harvests for a second year, and has also seen Swiss glaciers lose 10% of their volume in just two years.
Fake news | Signs saying “union members for Trump” and “auto workers for Trump”, seen when Donald Trump addressed striking workers in Michigan, have reportedly been revealed as fake.
Rotterdam shootings | Dutch police have said three people, including a 14-year-old girl, were killed by a student who opened fire at a hospital and an apartment in Rotterdam.
Sycamore gap | A 16-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage in connection with the felling of the 300-year-old Sycamore Gap tree on Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland.
Full Story
Newsroom edition: a bird call to action –
Gabrielle Jackson speaks to editor-in-chief Lenore Taylor and national news editor Patrick Keneally about why voting for your favourite bird in our bird of the year competition can help protect native species.
In-depth
The moral and social complexity of voluntary assisted dying has many facets and among them is the question of whether the faith-based palliative sector – which is often the only type available to some people – is able to offer patients the option of ending their life. It’s a dilemma that was faced by David Levitt (pictured with family) when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour. His wife Pauline McGrath has given a powerful account of his motivations to the inaugural trans-Tasman voluntary assisted dying conference. Natasha May reports.
Not the news
Today we’re showcasing some of the finalists in the Museum of Australian Photography’s prestigious 2023 William and Winifred Bowness photography prize. The winner, Anne Zahalka’s work, Kunstkammer (pictured), references the trompe l’oeil (trick of the eye) painting technique to replicate the artists’s studio, while others include a series on the “everydayness” of Ballarat, nudes, and “beautiful plastic” rubbish.
The world of sport
Golf | The absence of LIV rebels such as Lee Westwood leaves a big gap in Europe’s Ryder Cup squad as the tournament begins in Italy later today.
Football | Fenway Sports Group has sold a minority stake in Liverpool, ending its search for investment, and the Premier League plans to hand £358m to the English Football League by over the next three seasons.
NBA | Point guard Damian Lillard leaving Portland for Milwaukee to form a formidable duo with Giannis Antetokounmpo, but his old club will benefit too.
Media roundup
Federal minister Murray Watt has accused far-right influencers of “appearing to hijack the No campaign”, the Australian reports. Scott Dewar, a public servant who played a key role in developing the Aukus pact, will be Australia’s new ambassador to China, the Sydney Morning Herald claims as an exclusive. A majority of Queenslanders want to have daylight savings, according to a poll in the Courier Mail. And the Age is worried Collingwood will be struck again by the Colliwobbles in tomorrow’s grand final. Surely not.
What’s happening today
Welfare | The disability royal commission report will be published at 10am.
Wildlife | Senate report on feral horses in the Australian alps is due today.
Victoria | The AFL grand final parade takes place in Melbourne.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day – with plenty more on the Guardian’s Puzzles app for iOS and Android. Until tomorrow.
