Morning everyone. The US city of Minneapolis is on edge after a federal ICE agent shot a woman dead. The Minnesota governor, Tim Walz, says the president, vice-president, and secretary of homeland security are making “verifiably false” claims about the incident after they called the victim a “terrorist”. We have all the latest news.
At home, Victorians are facing catastrophic bushfire conditions today after days of extreme heat. Plus, the promoter who was going to stage a speaking tour by American rightwinger Candace Owens has gone bust.
Australia
Fire danger | Firefighters are preparing for catastrophic conditions across many parts of Victoria today after a week of scorching temperatures amid the worst heatwave to descend on Australia since 2019-20. There are also extreme fire danger ratings for much of South Australia and the New South Wales Riverina. At the Seymour disaster relief centre in Victoria, the black summer bushfires are still a nightmarish memory for people seeking shelter.
Owens and out | The promoter behind a cancelled Australian tour by the American conservative activist Candace Owens has gone into liquidation, with ticket holders still waiting for refunds more than a year later.
‘Cultural sensitivity’ | The Adelaide festival has removed the prominent academic and Palestine advocate Randa Abdel-Fattah from its lineup citing concerns over “cultural sensitivity”. The decision has caused several others on the lineup to withdraw.
Late show | Anthony Albanese says he took time to find the right path on calling a royal commission into the Bondi terror attack, but his decision has been too late in coming, our chief political correspondent writes.
World
Oil action | Five Republicans joined Democrats in the US Senate to back an attempt to prevent Donald Trump from taking further military action against Venezuela. Reports say the president plans to use the nation’s vast crude oil reserves to drive the market price down to about US$50 a barrel. Forty ships accused of belonging to a large “shadow fleet” moving sanctioned oil for Venezuela and others were reflagged to Russia last year.
Minneapolis probe | The FBI has taken full control of the investigation into the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Macklin Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis. The Trump administration will also deploy more than 100 federal agents and officers to Minnesota, according to reports. It comes amid high tension in the city and demonstrations and protests all over the US. Follow developments live.
Nigel Farage | Thirty-four school contemporaries of Nigel Farage have now come forward to claim they saw him behave in a racist or antisemitic manner.
Kurd clashes | The Syrian army have ordered civilians to evacuate neighbourhoods of Aleppo after fighting with Kurdish forces entered its third day.
On the lamb | About 50 wayward sheep have broken off from their flock and stormed a discount supermarket in a German town.
Full Story
The Birth Keepers: Growing an empire – episode four
Within months of the death of Lorren’s baby, Journey Moon, and the public backlash against the Free Birth Society that followed, Emilee Saldaya took the FBS membership private, turning the business into a global multimillion dollar empire. This is episode four of a year-long investigation by Guardian journalists Sirin Kale and Lucy Osborne.
In-depth
Thousands of cattle stranded on islands in flood-hit north-west Queensland are dying of thirst and hunger despite being surrounded by water and green grass. “It sounds completely absurd,” grazier Angus Propsting says. “But they are actually perishing because they are not drinking, even though they are surrounded by water.”
Not the news
In the latest edition of the My Rookie Era series, Guardian Australia news producer Alan Vaarwerk explains how he went from being unable to even fix a puncture to loving the art of bicycle maintenance.
Sport
Cricket | English cricket bosses have launched a review of the disastrous Ashes tour as Ben Stokes backed coach Brendon McCullum to continue in his job. Geoff Lemon pays tribute to the magnificent Mitchell Starc, while we also examine a series of letdowns for England.
Premier League | Arsenal entertain Liverpool this morning in a clash of Premier league heavyweights.
Football | Spurs captain Cristian Romero has been spoken to by coach Thomas Frank and one of the club’s sporting directors after an apparent swipe at board for staying silent as the team’s woes continued with a defeat at Bournemouth.
Media roundup
Energy demand has soared to an all-time record during the heatwave but rooftop solar has taken the stress off the grid, the Fin Review reports. Two of Queensland’s leading weather forecasters have fallen out over their predictions about a potential cyclone, according to the Courier Mail. International travel experts have rated the Top End above destinations such as Los Angeles and Iceland in a boost to the tourism industry, NT News reports.
What’s happening today
Courts | Sentence over the theft of a car that was later used in the Adass Israel Synagogue arson attack.
Science | Australian researchers’ report on revolutionary discovery of resident microbes in bark.
Melbourne | Court mention for one of the protesters charged over clashes outside the Land Forces weapons expo in September 2024.
Sign up
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
