Morning everyone. He was the mastermind behind Britain’s Brexit referendum, then hurriedly retreated to write his memoirs in a caravan in his garden when that didn’t go the way he’d hoped. But now David Cameron is back, making a stunning return to frontline British politics as foreign secretary in the latest act of the tragi-comedy that is the UK government.
At home, a poll shows growing support for the Palestinian cause (and falling support for the PM). And we have an exclusive interview with a woman raped by an asylum seeker now freed from detention to live in Australia. Meanwhile in the US, Donald Trump has been condemned for “echoing Hitler”.
Australia
Essential poll | Australians’ sympathies in the Israel-Gaza conflict have flipped, our latest survey shows, with more now wanting to provide assistance to Palestine than Israel while there has been a big drop in those who say Israel’s reaction to the 7 October attack by Hamas is proportionate.
Exclusive | A woman raped by an asylum seeker who has now been freed and allowed to live in Australia says she doesn’t feel safe and that there is a too much emphasis placed on the “victimhood of perpetrators”.
Rental pain | A single person on jobseeker has to spend at least 78% of their income to rent a one-bedroom apartment in any capital city, according to a report. Housing affordability has worsened in every capital except Hobart and Canberra.
Animal recognition | The Victorian government will follow the ACT and could become the first Australian state to recognise that animals are sentient beings, under a draft overhaul of cruelty laws to be released in the coming weeks.
Sound of Australia | The Slip Slop Slap skin cancer awareness campaign and Robyn Archer’s Menstruation Blues are among 11 soundtracks that have been added to the national film archive’s Sounds of Australia registry for 2023.
World
Cameron’s comeback | David Cameron, the former British prime minister best known for calling and then losing the Brexit referendum, has made a sensational return to government after being appointed foreign secretary by Rishi Sunak. It was sparked by a reshuffle after Sunak finally sacked his home secretary, Suella Braverman (pictured) for her attack on police impartiality last week. Cameron brings a big name but mixed legacy to the role, including foreign policy failures in Libya and, of course, Europe. But he was also forced to deny that his dubious attempts to use his influence to save Greensill Capital, an Australian-founded firm where he had a “significant” financial stake, should not be an impediment to his return. And here’s how Cameron could return to power despite not being an MP.
Gaza assault | Israeli forces have reached the gates of Gaza’s largest hospital as hundreds of patients, including dozens of babies, remained trapped inside. Hamas claims the siege and energy shortages is leading to the deaths of patients.
Hitler ‘echoes’ | The Biden White House has condemned Donald Trump for promising, if re-elected president, to “root out” opponents within US society he called “communists, Marxists, fascists and radical left thugs that live like vermin”. “Employing words like ‘vermin’ to describe anyone who makes use of their basic right to criticise the government ‘echoes dictators’ like Hitler and Mussolini,” White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said. Meanwhile Trump’s eldest son, Donald Jr, has hailed the “sexiness” of his father’s properties at the $250m fraud trial. And Maryanne Trump Barry, the former president’s older sister, has died at 86.
Baby trade | Six people have been arrested in central China’s Hubei province over alleged involvement in a baby-trafficking ring linked to a hospital in one of the province’s biggest cities.
Volcano warning | Iceland’s prime minister has sought to reassure the nation as it braces for a volcanic eruption and the Reykjanes peninsula continues to be hit by hundreds of earthquakes.
Full Story
Inside the Optus outage
Optus has finally revealed that a routine upgrade caused its system meltdown last week. Cyber expert Matt Tett and technology reporter Josh Taylor discuss what it means for the reputation of one of Australia’s biggest telecommunications companies.
In-depth
Warlpiri people believe that a “time capsule” of artefacts collected by an American anthropologist in the 1950s and now returned to Australia will help to teach the next generation and engender pride in their heritage and identity. They also hope that the return of Nancy Munn’s collection of 350 drawings, 300 photographs and original journals after her death will help with truth-telling about incidents such as the Coniston massacre in which 50 Indigenous people were killed by white settlers in 1928.
Not the news
Its politics may be a dumpster fire, but Britain can at least still boast benchmark television. The fourteenth season of The Great British Bake Off comes to Australian screens this week and Wendy Syfret looks at how the wildly popular show spawned a new type of gentler reality television featuring sewing, woodwork and pottery – and what it says about us.
The world of sport
Tennis | Carlos Alcaraz has been defeated by Alexander Zverev on his ATP Finals debut in Turin, going down 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-4 in his opening round-robin match.
Football | Thousands of mourners have lined the streets to pay their respects to Sir Bobby Charlton as the England legend’s funeral took place in Manchester.
Rugby league | The former captains of Papua New Guinea’s men’s and women’s rugby league sides have implored the NRL and the Australian government to include an NRLW team in any expansion of the league into their country.
Media roundup
The Sydney Morning Herald claims an exclusive saying the government is “sweeping away” export barriers in the “Aukus revoution”. According to the Age, Melbourne school students are planning a walkout in support of Palestinians in Gaza. Barnaby Joyce’s first wife, Natalie Abberfield, has “broken her silence” on his wedding to Vikki Campion, the Courier Mail reports. Today is one year since the disastrous floods in western New South Wales and the Central Western Daily boasts “incredible never seen before footage” of the surging waters.
What’s happening today
Canberra | UN special rapporteur for Palestinian human rights Francesca Albanese to address National Press Club.
NSW | LGBTQI hate crimes inquiry to hold final public sitting.
Sign up
If you would like to receive this Morning Mail update to your email inbox every weekday, sign up here. And finish your day with a three-minute snapshot of the day’s main news. Sign up for our Afternoon Update newsletter here.
Prefer notifications? If you’re reading this in our app, just click here and tap “Get notifications” on the next screen for an instant alert when we publish every morning.
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.
