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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Paul Gallagher

Morning Mail: crypto promoter arrested in US, more pain for renters, Nasa moon lander ‘anomaly’

Rodney Burton, aka ‘Bitcoin Rodney’, in Dubai in February 2021.
Rodney Burton, aka ‘Bitcoin Rodney’, in Dubai in February 2021. Photograph: Crypto King Clay/Youtube

Good morning. We lead today with the arrest of a promoter of the HyperVerse cryptocurrency investment scheme. Rodney Burton – AKA “Bitcoin Rodney” – is in custody in the US, accused of being part of a network that allegedly made “fraudulent presentations” to investors over bitcoin mining which investigators believe did not exist. It follows a Guardian Australia investigation last month that detailed the HyperVerse scheme’s links to the failed Australian company Blockchain Global that left creditors millions out of pocket.

Meanwhile, housing advocates are calling for urgent reforms as new data reveals another sharp rise in capital city rents last year, with further rises expected this year.

There’s also a worrying development on Nasa’s Peregrine 1 mission to the moon. And tributes are flowing for Germany’s World Cup-winning captain and manager Franz Beckenbauer, who has died aged 78.

Australia

Signage for a real estate property in Carlton North, Melbourne.
Signage for a real estate property in Carlton North, Melbourne. Photograph: James Ross/AAP

World

An oil refinery complex in the United Kingdom.
An oil refinery complex in the United Kingdom. Photograph: Chris James/Alamy

Full Story

Author and broadcaster Wendy Harmer
Author and broadcaster Wendy Harmer was sent to cover the Oscars – but all did not go to plan. Photograph: Tony Amos

Wendy Harmer on her Oscars letdown

When author and broadcaster Wendy Harmer was sent to cover the Academy Awards, she was thrilled. But the star-filled night was plagued with a series of mishaps. Wendy’s yarn is part of our The tale I dine out on summer series where 10 of our favourite storytellers – actors, comedians, writers and Guardian staff – recount a story that never fails to entertain.

In-depth

The Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 Boeing 737-9 Max which was forced to make an emergency landing with a gap in the fuselage.
The Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 Boeing 737-9 Max which was forced to make an emergency landing with a gap in the fuselage. Photograph: NTSB/Reuters

A door panel that blew out and left a hole “the size of a refrigerator” in the side of an Alaska Airlines jet has raised fresh concerns about design issues with Boeing’s Max generation of aircraft. The United States has since grounded almost 200 near-new Boeing 737 Max 9 planes, as investigations continue into the cause of the incident. It’s left the global aviation community on edge – and Australia’s regulator is watching closely. Meanwhile, a working iPhone found on the side of the road “likely” fell from the Alaska Airlines flight.

Not the news

The State Library of Victoria’s La Trobe reading room. Lost library books are a small part of the natural attrition of library collections.
The State Library of Victoria’s La Trobe reading room. Photograph: Christopher Hopkins/The Guardian

Lost library books are a small part of the natural attrition of library collections – normal wear and tear is expected and some are fatally damaged. But while we’ve all misplaced a library book in our time, few Australian libraries truly know how many items are actually stolen – be it the Bible, books on the occult and witchcraft, or Bluey. We delve into the lost cause of tracking library theft.

The world of sport

Max Purcell in action against Holger Rune during the Brisbane International at the Queensland Tennis Centre.
Max Purcell in action against Holger Rune during the Brisbane International at the Queensland Tennis Centre. Photograph: Jono Searle/AAP

Media roundup

Thousands of travellers have had their personal information – including passport images, travel itinerary and tickets – exposed online after a cybersecurity incident involving a Melbourne travel agency, reports the Age. Consumer complaints about scams to Australia’s financial dispute resolution scheme have increased at an “unsustainable rate” in the past year, reports the ABC News. Coal companies will reap up to $1bn compensation before the federal government’s price cap winds up – but the government is yet to decide when it will pull the pin, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

What’s happening today

  • ABS | The latest retail trade and building approvals figures are set to be released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

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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.

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