Good morning. A student at Prague’s Charles University has shot and killed at least 14 people and injured 25 others, nine of them seriously, before being found dead, in what is believed to be the worst mass shooting in the Czech Republic’s modern history.
In Australia, a 74-year-old carer was mistakenly declared dead by Centrelink two times in a case advocates say illustrates the “devastating consequences of automation”. Eve had all her records wiped, her bank accounts shut down and her energy concessions for the Gold Coast council withdrawn. “As far as we are concerned you are deceased,” a Centrelink officer told her.
It has also been revealed that Australia’s election regulator was urged by TikTok to create an account during the Indigenous voice referendum campaign.
This is our last Morning Mail for the year. It and the Afternoon Update will return on Monday 8 January. Until then, thank you for reading and supporting our journalism.
Australia
Exclusive | TikTok wrote to Australia’s election regulator at least twice in 2023 “to encourage” the commission to create an account on the app, according to documents obtained by Guardian Australia under freedom of information laws.
Centrelink bungle | Economic Justice Australia is researching automation at Centrelink and will make recommendations to the government about how it can be used safely, transparently and responsibly after a woman was incorrectly told by the agency she was dead – twice.
Queensland floods | Barbara Maslen moved to Daintree after she lost her house to the Ash Wednesday bushfires in Victoria. Forty years later, she’s now a victim of another catastrophic environmental disaster, this time a flood.
Analysis | Gina Rinehart says renewable energy could use one-third of Australia’s prime agricultural land. Calla Wahlquist asks: is she right?
Robotax | The Australian Taxation Office received “clear advice” from the government’s chief legal adviser that all debts must be offset before it launched a campaign to resurrect historical debts that have caused widespread confusion and distress.
World
Czech shooting | Fourteen people were killed and dozens injured in a shooting at Charles University in Prague. The perpetrator, a student at the university, was inspired by similar massacres abroad, authorities said.
Israel-Gaza war | Hamas and other Palestinian factions have rejected talks on releasing Israeli hostages until Israel stops its military onslaught on Gaza. The United Nations has declared “catastrophic” hunger levels.
US politics | Rudy Giuliani has filed for bankruptcy after two election workers sued him for defamation and won $US148.1m in damages. The US supreme court, meanwhile, has been urged to make an “immediate, definitive decision” on Trump’s immunity from prosecution.
Argentina protests | Thousands of protesters poured on to the streets of Buenos Aires after Argentina’s new president announced a far-reaching emergency decree containing dozens of controversial economic measures.
Oklahoma | A man who spent 48 years wrongfully imprisoned for murder has been formally declared innocent.
In-depth
“I knew it was new as soon as I saw it,” says Dr Prosanta Chakrabarty, an ichthyology professor who discovered a new species of cavefish named “big sickness” while swimming in an unmapped Madagascan sinkhole.
“People often think we know every nook and cranny on the Earth, but the more we look, the more we find – wonderful things are out there,” Chakrabarty says.
“Sometimes, we become cynical about loss of organisms, and extinction happening at an unbelievable rate, but discoveries are happening at unbelievable rates, too.”
Not the news
Whether you want to settle down with the story of a killer shark, a royal romance or a long-eared donkey, we’ve got you covered – with 15 so-crap-they’re-great Christmas movie ideas nominated by our readers.
And three Australian chefs share their go-to dishes for entertaining at home – from a savoury Niçoise tart topped with olives and anchovies to ice-cream with fish sauce.
The world of sport
Australian cricket | The Australian batter Usman Khawaja has been charged by the International Cricket Council for wearing a black armband in the first Test against Pakistan, in support of people in Gaza. Meanwhile, the India women’s team is well on top after the first day of a one-off Test against Australia in Mumbai.
Football | The European Super League project received a huge boost after a court of justice ruling that said Fifa and Uefa were “abusing a dominant position”.
Carabao Cup | Liverpool cut loose to thrash a sorry West Ham 5-1 in the quarter-final.
Media roundup
A bushfire that engulfed homes in Perth’s hills was downgraded overnight, the West Australian reports, with residents allowed to return home. But firefighters battling multiple blazes that have destroyed homes in WA face another day of tough conditions.
The university lobby’s outgoing head warns the sector must pivot to capitalise on a surge in interest from African international students, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. The Age pays further tribute to furniture salesman and Melbourne legend Francesco “Franco” Cozzo, who died this week aged 88.
What’s happening today
Queensland floods | The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and the Queensland premier, Steven Miles, will tour flood-ravaged areas of north Queensland today.
Lehrmann defamation trial | Closing submissions are due to conclude in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation trial against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson.
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Brain teaser
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.
