Good morning. Victims’ rights groups say the Queensland government must remove children from police watch houses after a Guardian Australia investigation revealed confronting footage showing the “brutal” treatment of children in adult holding cells.
The cost of arts degrees in Australia is poised to soar past the $50,000 mark for the first time – amid warnings that some students may never be able to pay off their debts.
And, as the US Republican national convention gears up to hear Donald Trump’s address, there are reports that Joe Biden is becoming more open to calls from his party to step aside.
Australia
Domestic violence | Perpetrators should be treated like “fixated persons” similar to violent extremists or stalkers targeting politicians – and could be tracked by a specialised agency, experts say.
In the box | Labor MP Jonty Bush is among those speaking out on Queensland’s youth justice policies as “harrowing” footage, released after a year-long investigation by Guardian Australia and SBS The Feed, sparked calls for the Queensland government to remove children from police watch houses.
Exclusive | Uber has been ordered to pay $10,000 to an Australian driver after it banned him from working due to a passenger complaint – but failed to gather evidence about the allegation.
Health | The Australian abortion and contraception provider MSI says a new Google policy requiring it to register with a US-based certifications company will make it harder to advertise it services.
Doomscrolling | A new study has found that spending excessive time consuming negative news on social media is linked to feelings of anxiety, distrust and suspicion of others, and despair.
World
US politics | Joe Biden has reportedly become more open to hearing arguments that he should step aside as the Democratic presidential candidate. Donald Trump’s campaign chief has accused the party of an “attempted coup” against Biden as Trump prepares to give his address to the Republican national convention.
Nato at risk? | Europe must not fall into the trap of creating a “self-fulfilling prophecy” that the Nato military alliance would die under a second Trump presidency, says its secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg.
Gaza crisis | Israel’s extremist national security minister has made a provocative visit to al-Aqsa mosque – the holiest Muslim site in Jerusalem – as he seeks to disrupt Gaza ceasefire talks.
AI concerns | The volume of explicit images of children generated by predators using AI is overwhelming authorities’ ability to identify and rescue real-life victims, child safety experts warn.
Cop16 summit | Colombian authorities have insisted it will be safe to attend a UN biodiversity summit in Cali this year, despite threats from a dissident rebel group to disrupt the event.
Full Story
Has life for Australians become harder, or does it just feel that way?
For many Australians, as the cost of living continues to bite, it’s easy to feel as though everything is going backwards. But are things really as bad as they seem? On many measures things are actually improving, and the sense that the world is in a time of unprecedented crisis does not always match up with the data. Bridie Jabour speaks to Lenore Taylor and Mike Ticher about the growing gap between our perception of the world and the reality.
In-depth
There was a time when would-be poets, historians and writers could expect to pay off an arts degree at an Australian university within the decade, if they were able to find stable employment. Fast forward to now and arts degrees in Australia are poised to cost more than $50,000 for the first time. This places Australia on par with the UK and public colleges in the US, and experts are warning that some students will never be able to pay off their debts.
Not the news
A locked chest sits at the end of a jetty in a small island town. The key to open it lies on a nearby bench. The town’s citizens believe the chest to be full of valuable coins. Should they open it? The playwright Finegan Kruckemeyer’s debut novel The End and Everything Before It is an intergenerational saga that explores how fostering a strong sense of community brings happiness and harmony – offering a dreamy alternative to the world we live in.
The world of sport
Cycling | Victor Campenaerts has outsprinted the former world champion Michał Kwiatkowski to win stage 18 of the Tour de France.
Rugby union | The Wallabies are making wholesale changes for their one-off Test against Georgia in Sydney.
Cricket | England are in the driving seat as West Indies falter on day one of their second test at Trent Bridge.
Golf | Rory McIlroy is on the brink of exit at the Open after pitiless Troon punishes mistakes.
Media roundup
The number of refugees being held on Nauru has increased sixfold in six months, raising questions about the future of the detention centre that was empty at one stage last year, ABC News reports. With the roads to the Jenolan Caves world heritage site closed for 18 months, a 1.5km funicular is being considered to transport tourists up and down its steep hills, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. Victorians are being urged to create “sex bubbles” and maintain contact details of all their sexual partners to help curb an outbreak of mpox, the Age reports.
What’s happening today
Victoria | A public hearing is scheduled in Melbourne for the parliamentary inquiry into improving economic prosperity for First Nations Australians.
NSW | The trial of Robert and Anne Geeves, accused of the murder of Amber Haigh, continues at the supreme court.
Victoria | Energy and climate ministers are to meet in Melbourne to consider options for overhauling the electricity market.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
