Good morning. South Africa has opened its landmark case at the UN’s international court of justice, alleging that Israel has shown “chilling” intent to commit genocide against Palestinians. But Israel’s foreign ministry called the case “one of the greatest shows of hypocrisy in history”.
In other news, we reveal that debt collection firm Panthera is under investigation in Victoria as its entities continue to collect debts in the state – despite the company being blacklisted for unlawful conduct.
And former US president Donald Trump has launched a verbal onslaught against the court during closing arguments in his civil fraud trial in New York.
Apologies for the absence in your inbox of yesterday’s Morning Mail – it regretfully did not get sent out due to technical difficulties.
Australia
Panthera | One of Australia’s largest debt collection companies is still operating in Victoria, despite being blacklisted over its unlawful pursuit of false debts, undue harassment and misleading conduct.
‘Inhuman’ | Australia’s offshore detention regime has been denounced by Human Rights Watch, after the Labor government returned asylum seekers to facilities in Nauru last year.
Timor-Leste bugging scandal | Labor has quietly shelved a pre-election promise to hold an inquiry into the Coalition government’s pursuit of ex-spy Witness K and lawyer Bernard Collaery.
Exclusive | Data has revealed that nearly 80% of Australian students say they didn’t fully try in the latest Pisa tests, calling into question the reasons for a continued decline in national rankings.
What’s in a name? | A new report suggests that Australia should start naming its heatwaves to help communities cope with the rising risks from extreme temperatures.
World
Israel-Gaza war | Israel has shown “incontrovertible” intent to commit genocide in Gaza, the UN international court of justice has heard; most Palestinians want to flee “pressure cooker” of southern Gaza, claims UN refugee deputy; US special envoy hopes diplomacy can calm tensions between Lebanon and Israel.
Donald Trump | The former US president has made a surprise address as the closing arguments were heard in his civil fraud trial; a bomb squad was called to the judge’s house hours before the hearing. Meanwhile, Nikki Haley has emerged from a TV debate as Trump’s strongest challenger.
‘A worrying trend’ | Human rights across the world are in a parlous state as global leaders shun their obligations to uphold international law, according to the annual report of Human Rights Watch.
Swipe right? | Foreign visitors to Colombia are being warned to take serious caution when using dating apps after a spate of suspicious deaths in the South American country.
Marriage equality | Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is facing fierce opposition after his pledge to legalise same-sex marriage ignited intense debate.
Full Story
Sarah Martin and Tory Shepherd on their clash with Putin’s ‘goons’
Guardian Australia journalists Tory Shepherd and Sarah Martin (pictured) have been friends a long time. In this final episode of our The tale I dine out on series, they recount a hectic night in Hamburg during the 2017 G20, in which an encounter with Vladimir Putin’s security team gave them the story of a lifetime.
In-depth
Electric vehicle sales are booming in Australia, and longtime favourite makes and models are being ignored in favour of Tesla and BYD. Newcomer brands and luxury marques are dominating as mainstream players struggle to match the pace of the fast-evolving market. Have Australian drivers finally charged into electric vehicles?
Not the news
As part of our ultimate summer reading list series, we’re sharing 15 great celebrity memoirs – from Patrick Stewart and Britney Spears, to Matthew Perry and Patti Smith. Whether you’re after a gossipy tell-all or an inspiring personal story, there’s something to suit every kind of reader in these picks by Guardian Australia’s staff and critics.
The world of sport
Cricket | Geoff Lemon argues that there’s more logic than conspiracy in Cameron Bancroft’s (pictured) omission from the Australian Test squad.
Tennis | Daria Saville has booked a Hobart International semi-final after stunning third seed Zhu Lin; Emma Raducanu lands favourable first-round Australian Open clash.
Football | The A-Leagues are assembling for the Unite Round in Sydney; Japan look like the team to beat at the Asian Cup in Qatar.
Rugby union | Andy Farrell has been appointed head coach of the British and Irish Lions for their upcoming tour of Australia.
Media roundup
Victoria’s government is being urged to tackle the impacts of climate change after a new study laid bare the threats to homes, infrastructure and beaches around Port Phillip Bay from sea level rise and storm surges, reports the Age. There are questions over why suppliers can’t keep up with demand as Tasmania’s pharmacies keep running out of Covid rapid antigen tests, reports the Mercury.
What’s happening today
ABS | The latest household spending and lending indicators figures are due to be released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Sport | The women’s stages of the 2024 Santos Tour Down Under are set to begin in South Australia.
Sign up
If you would like to receive this Morning Mail update to your email inbox every weekday, sign up here. And finish your day with a three-minute snapshot of the day’s main news. Sign up for our Afternoon Update newsletter here.
Prefer notifications? If you’re reading this in our app, just click here and tap “Get 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 – with plenty more on the Guardian’s Puzzles app for iOS and Android. Until tomorrow.
