Good morning. An Australian senator’s tweet about the Wakeley church stabbing was among those that Australia’s online safety regulator asked Elon Musk’s X to delete, a freedom of information request has revealed. We have the full story, plus the waratah is added to the endangered species list, Brittany Higgins puts her French home up for sale, and how Lucy Letby wrote “confessions” on Post-it notes.
Australia
Rare flower | Twenty more plants and animals, including a type of waratah, have been added to Australia’s list of threatened wildlife, bringing the total number of endangered species and ecosystems to almost 2,250.
Online furore | During the peak of global controversy in April over demands to remove tweets showing the stabbing of a bishop in Sydney, the Australian online safety regulator asked Elon Musk’s X to delete a tweet of the video posted by the United Australia party senator Ralph Babet, Guardian Australia can reveal.
Centrepay action | The national energy regulator is weighing up whether to take new action against three retailers for their alleged use of the Centrepay system after a landmark court win against AGL.
Sailors’ return | The two people rescued from a yacht off Sydney’s coast have said they are very glad to be back on dry land and were treated to a meat pie and a cup of coffee after spending 19 hours clinging to their stricken yacht.
À vendre | Brittany Higgins and David Sharaz have put their French home on the market for €420,000 (A$690,000), weeks after flagging that the property had to be sold to fund mounting legal fees.
World
Channel deaths | At least 12 people have died – including a pregnant woman and six children – and two others are missing after a boat carrying dozens of people seeking asylum in the UK was “ripped open” in the Channel.
Trump warning| Donald Trump and his allies at Turning Point USA, True the Vote and other Maga stalwarts are spreading conspiracy theories about election fraud in order to lay the groundwork to challenge the outcome of November’s election if he loses, experts and anti-Trump Republicans have warned.
Ukraine attack | A Russian attack on a military school in the Ukrainian city of Poltava has killed at least 41 people and injured more than 180. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called for Mongolia to face “consequences” after its failure to arrest Vladimir Putin during the Russian leader’s first visit to a member nation of the international criminal court since it issued an arrest warrant for him last year.
‘I am evil’ | Scribbled notes by the neonatal nurse Lucy Letby, used to help convict her of murdering seven babies, were written on the advice of professionals as a way of dealing with extreme stress, the Guardian has learned.
X fails | The Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, says he hopes his country’s ban of the social network X shows the world “it isn’t obliged to put up with Elon Musk’s far-right free-for-all just because he is rich”.
Full Story
The PM’s diplomatic dance (and ‘hot mic’ moment) in Tonga
Foreign affairs and defence correspondent Daniel Hurst speaks to Reged Ahmad about the drama of the Pacific Islands Forum.
In-depth
The government’s handling of the economy will be under intense scrutiny again today when the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveals by how much – or how little – the economy grew in the June quarter. Most experts think the number will be just above zero, underlining Australia’s continuing economic woes but also possibly giving the Reserve Bank more scope to start cutting interest rates. Our economics expert, Peter Hannam, sifts through the numbers.
Not the news
Our medical editor, Melissa Davey, launches a new fortnightly column today called Antiviral, where she hopes you can “feel safe to ask questions about the health and wellness news without being shamed”.
“We hope it inspires those seeking answers to find them in evidence-based, reputable places,” she writes. So check it out here and, if you feel the need, share your experience and get the ball rolling.
The world of sport
Cycling | Australia’s Ben O’Connor is clinging on to the red jersey but Primoz Roglic cut his overall lead to just five seconds after a dramatic mountain stage.
Tennis | Emma Navarro beat Paula Badosa 6-2 7-5 as the women’s quarter-finals began at the US Open and now it’s the men on centre court with Tayor Fritz v Alexander Zverev. Follow the action live.
Paralympics | Great Britain have beaten Australia in the men’s wheelchair basketball quarter-finals, among the action at the Paralympics overnight. Catch up with our live blog.
Cricket | Brendon McCullum will take full control of England’s senior men’s international cricket teams from January after the red-ball coach agreed to also assume white-ball duties in what the ECB called “a strategic restructure”.
Media roundup
Public schools are abandoning sport as facilities at private schools continue to improve, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. A controversial new site has emerged for the Gold Coast entertainment centre, the Bulletin reveals. A meteor that lit up the sky with a “green fireball” over the NSW south coast was captured by two photographers, Bega News reports.
What’s happening today
Economy | June quarter GDP figures released at 11.30am.
Science | Eureka prizes awarded this evening at the Australian Museum.
Brisbane | Queensland Rural Press Club lunch with state opposition leader David Crisafulli.
Sign up
If you would like to receive this Morning Mail update to your email inbox every weekday, sign up here, or finish your day with our Afternoon Update newsletter. And check out the full list of our local and international newsletters, including The Stakes, your guide to the twists and turns of the US presidential election.
Prefer notifications? If you’re reading this in our app, just click here and tap “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. Until tomorrow.
Quick crossword
Cryptic crossword
