Australia's Penny Wong backs women's assault claims against Israel; Nauru denies mistreatment

Morning everyone. Penny Wong says she believes the Australian women who have alleged they were sexually assaulted and beaten by Israeli forces after being detained as part of a humanitarian flotilla attempting to bring aid to Gaza.

Nauru insists it is a “friendly” country, despite claims by a whistleblower about the treatment of people sent there by the Albanese government. Meanwhile, forecasters warn hopes for a good snow season could melt away with the coming El Niño.

Australia

Nauru ‘friendly’ | The Nauruan government has issued a rare statement insisting it is a “friendly” and “welcoming” country after a whistleblower alleged “serious threats of physical violence” were made against a group of non-citizens removed there by the Albanese government.

Flotilla accusations | Appearing at Senate estimates, Wong said the treatment of the Australian women detained by Israel was “unacceptable”, and the allegations they had subsequently made were “distressing”.

Hero charged | Ahmed al-Ahmed, the Sydney man who disarmed one of the Bondi terror attackers, has been charged with assaulting his father.

Bill delays | The Greens want Labor to halt its plans to rush NDIS cuts through the Senate later this month, urging a longer inquiry process as the government seeks the minor party’s support for its contentious tax and housing changes.

Slavery accusation | A woman accused of marrying Islamic State fighters allegedly lived with a teenage slave who was repeatedly assaulted and raped by the woman’s father. Melbourne magistrates heard the allegations yesterday against Zeinab Ahmad, 31, as she applied for bail on slavery offences.

World

Ceasefire rejected | Hezbollah has rejected a US-brokered ceasefire plan agreed by the Lebanese and Israeli governments, throwing the future of a truce in Lebanon and regional peace negotiations into question.

Musk criticised | Elon Musk is “interfering” in UK politics and attempting to create division, Keir Starmer has said in a significant toughening of government language about the X owner. The prime minister’s comments come after weeks of posts by Musk on his social media platform about the murder of Henry Nowak, many of which have used far-right themes and talking points.

Greensill ban | The disgraced Australian former financier Lex Greensill has been banned from running a UK company for nine years after he was judged to be unfit because of the 2021 collapse of his £1.6bn supply chain invoicing firm.

Germany woe | Germany’s unprecedented failure to win one of the rotating seats on the UN security council has prompted an intense round of soul searching in Berlin, and raised questions about its international status under Friedrich Merz.

Argentine fury | Argentina has reacted with fury after the bodies of two murdered teenage girls were found just two days apart, the latest killings in the country’s enduring femicide crisis despite years of campaigning.

Full Story

Newsroom Edition: Are falling house prices a trap for Labor?

Josephine Tovey is joined by Gabrielle Jackson, Patrick Keneally and Jonathan Barrett to discuss why Labor is damned if they do and damned if they don’t when it comes to trying to solve the housing affordability crisis without bringing down house prices.

In-depth

There was optimism across Australian alpine resorts this week as snow flurries arrived in time for the opening of the ski season. But the coming El Niño weather pattern is likely to bring warmer, drier conditions and that, as the Bureau of Meteorology tells Graham Readfearn, “is a bad combination”.

Not the news

Caitlin Cassidy scored a coveted chance to spend the night in a home kitted out entirely with Ikea furniture and decor as part of the ubiquitous Swedish company’s celebrations of the 10th edition of its Post Scriptum range. Find out how she fared “hallucinating inside a Scandinavian kindergarten”.

Sport

Football | The Socceroos and Parma centre-back Alessandro Circati talks to Joey Lynch on finessing his craft in the birthplace of catenaccio, his father’s influence and a World Cup dream. Check out our brilliant Bracketology interactive to plot your way through the tournament. And in the Premier League, Andoni Iraola has been appointed the new head coach of Liverpool.

Cricket | Pakistan overcame Australian spin on a tricky wicket to win the third and final one-day international by four wickets in Lahore and clinch the series 2-1. Ollie Robinson took three wickets in an over to help reduce New Zealand to 61-6 at the close of the first day of the first Test at Lord’s after England had been dismissed for 140.

Tennis | The Polish qualifier, Maja Chwalinska, continued her remarkable run at the French Open by reaching Saturday’s final by beating Diana Shnaider 7-6, 6-4. She will play Mirra Andreeva after she dismantled Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk who refused to pose for the ritual pre-match photograph with her Russian opponent.

Media roundup

In an exclusive interview, Pauline Hanson tells the Age she hasn’t changed but that Australia has caught up with her. The shadow attorney general has exposed Coalition divisions after allowing a staffer to write an article praising Ben Roberts-Smith, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. South Australia’s debt is set to hit $53bn by mid-2030 on the back of building two major research institutes, the Advertiser reports. Hobart council have offered artists the chance to transform timber from two felled giant sequoias into lasting works, the Mercury reports.

What’s happening today

Courts | Directions at supreme court of NSW as production company sues Rebel Wilson for allegedly blocking film release.

Melbourne | Funeral of former governor general Peter Hollingworth at Christ Church, South Yarra.

Economy | Australia’s economic outlook event with Anthony Albanese and the RBA deputy governor at Crown Sydney.

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Brain teaser

And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.