Good morning. The high court has been told that Coalition amendments, which aimed to beef up the government’s regime of electronic monitoring and curfews for people released from immigration detention, may in fact have made the measures unlawful. Lawyers for a stateless man from Eritrea who is challenging the laws have argued the mandatory measures are unconstitutional, punitive and breach the separation of executive and judiciary.
Meanwhile, it’s claimed that almost half of Brisbane Metro’s new, state-of-the-art electric buses could be left in the shed following cuts to the transport system’s scheduled services.
And with votes still being counted, it appears South Africa’s ANC party may lose its majority for the first time since it won the country’s first fully democratic elections under Nelson Mandela in 1994.
Australia
Missing the bus | Two dozen multimillion-dollar electric buses could be left sitting idle in a shed when the Brisbane Metro service starts operations, because it will operate less frequently than planned.
Exclusive | Coalition amendments beefing up the Albanese government’s electronic monitoring and curfews for people released from immigration detention have been cited in the high court as a key reason to strike the laws down.
Online safety | Australia’s regulator has accused Apple and Google of financial motives in deciding not to remove Reddit and X from their app stores for hosting pornography in violation of their own policies.
Energy | Origin Energy offered to sell Eraring power station to the NSW government for $544m, three years before they reached a deal to keep Australia’s biggest coal-fired power station open until 2025.
Laura Tingle | The ABC managing director has rejected a suggestion the broadcaster “cowered to a News Corp pile-on” amid a backlash over the political journalist’s remarks at the Sydney writers’ festival.
World
Counting the votes | In a watershed moment, South Africa’s ruling African National Congress party looks set to lose its majority for the first time since it came to power at the end of apartheid.
Gaza crisis | A US state department report that absolved Israel of responsibility for blocking Gaza aid is “patently false”, according to a former senior US official who resigned this week. Egypt has stayed tight-lipped as Israeli forces take control of the buffer zone in southern Gaza. And an Israeli journalist has described threats he faced over reporting on Israel’s spy chief and the international criminal court.
Fossil fuels | The world has enough fossil fuel projects planned to meet global energy demand forecasts to 2050 and governments should stop issuing new oil, gas and coal licences, a study has found.
‘Unliveable’ | Delhi’s residents are struggling to cope in record-breaking heat, as temperatures of more than 45C leave a population of 29 million exhausted – and the poorest suffering the most.
Donald Trump | Joe Biden’s campaign has described the former US president as a “textbook racist” after a former producer on the Apprentice accused him of using a racial slur on set.
Full Story
Newsroom edition: Why it feels like a recession even though it’s not
While the Australian economy has not dipped into recession, consumers are still struggling to afford the essentials. This widening gap between a slightly improving economy and households continuing to feel the pinch of the cost-of-living crisis has been called a “vibecession”. Bridie Jabour speaks with deputy editor Patrick Keneally and head of news Mike Ticher about how the economy is making Australians feel – and why that may say more than the numbers.
In-depth
Barnaby Joyce has been attending parliament without his habitual RM Williams boots in protest against the classic Australian fashion brand owner’s involvement in wind and solar developments across New South Wales and Queensland. The Nationals MP was looking “to make a statement”. But, as a perplexed Calla Wahlquist asks, why did he choose instead to wear Ariat cowboy boots – a quintessentially American brand named for the racehorse Secretariat?
Not the news
In our monthly series Headline Act, we spotlight the Australian artist we’re most excited about – and they make us a playlist. Today, it’s the turn of HTRK: the Melbourne duo of Nigel Yang and Jonnine Standish, who have been performing underground music with their idiosyncratic mix of atmospheric electronic and guitar-based squall for the past 21 years. They share their thoughts on Kim Gordon, Wicked Game – and Der Glumpf went the little green frog.
The world of sport
Tennis | Djokovic breezes through as Sabalenka and Rybakina surge on at the French Open; booze ban brought in to curb rowdy Roland Garros spectators.
Cricket | England take on Pakistan in the last of their T20 series; Uganda’s route to the T20 World Cup “nothing short of a miracle”.
Football | Two more Macarthur FC players have been named in alleged A-League bet-fixing scheme; Kieran McKenna signs new contract as Ipswich manager.
Golf | A bad day for world No 1 Nelly Korda, making a septuple-bogey 10 in a nightmare start to her US Women’s Open bid.
Media roundup
A senior Australian official has travelled to Taiwan for high-level talks on countering Chinese cyber threats, despite growing pushback from Beijing against any diplomatic contact with the democratic island, reports ABC News. Police issued almost 300 infringements in a two-day crackdown on Melbourne e-scooter riders, reports the Age. One of the architects of Queensland’s anti-corruption commission has condemned “nonsensical” proposed new laws that will ban the watchdog from criticising politicians and public servants, reports the Australian.
What’s happening today
NSW | A player accused of being involved in an alleged A-League bet-fixing scheme is due in court in Campbelltown.
Football | The Matildas will take on China at the Adelaide Oval tonight in the first of two international friendlies.
NSW | A trial continues at the NSW supreme court over the death of Charlise Mutten.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
