Morning everyone. An Australian woman whose father faces deportation to Nauru after having his visa cancelled is pleading with the authorities to save him from a “final and lifelong punishment”. She tells us her story, which is also the subject of today’s Full Story podcast.
Overseas, Donald Trump appears to have confirmed reports of a testy phone call with Israel’s prime minister, and Iran has attacked Kuwait airport.
There’s more criticism of the government’s “inequitable” NDIS reforms today and, as the World Cup nears, we ask what drives the Socceroos’ obsessive coach, Tony Popovic?
Australia
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Diphtheria fear | A remote Aboriginal community at the centre of the Northern Territory’s diphtheria outbreak is struggling to cope with rising case numbers, with locals saying there is no hand sanitiser at the health clinic and limited information about how to avoid the disease or what to do if you test positive.
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Tariff threat | Australia is among dozens of countries facing a 12.5% trade tariff from the Trump administration for allegedly failing to prevent imports of goods made by slave labour.
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NDIS critique | Labor’s plans to slash social participation budgets for NDIS participants in half is “blunt and inequitable”, “underpinned by dubious logic” and could lead to “absurd” outcomes, an influential thinktank says.
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Burning issue | Australians are consuming more nicotine than they were eight years ago but are spending less, new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows, as 80% of the cigarettes smoked by the nation last year were cheaper illegal products.
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Clear road | Motorists who use medicinal cannabis may soon be able to drive on New South Wales roads without fear of a severe penalty as the Minns government announces long-awaited reforms.
World
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Ebola ‘head start’ | The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo could have begun as early as January, the head of the World Health Organization said, giving the virus “a big head start”.
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Kuwait death | Kuwait’s military said Iranian strikes that hit a terminal at its international airport killed at least one person and wounded 63 in the first deadly attack on the Gulf since early April. Donald Trump said the peace talks with Iran were still “ongoing”. In Lebanon, Israel bombings have hit three hospitals in the past week. Follow developments live.
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Nowak controversy | A former UK police officer has been forced to flee to a safe space after she was falsely accused online of being involved in the arrest of Henry Nowak, the victim of a fatal stabbing whose case has been seized on by the far right. Our explainer asks if anti-racism policing was to blame for how Nowak was treated.
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‘Inject falsehoods’ | The veteran reporter Scott Pelley, who was fired by CBS News on Tuesday, has accused the network’s new executives of silencing employees and claiming they instructed him “to inject falsehoods and bias” into his reporting.
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Tube muscle | YouTube has overtaken Netflix in average daily viewing among users around the world, according to analysis that reveals the digital platform’s ever greater media muscle.
Full Story
A daughter’s plea to halt her father’s deportation to Nauru
A young Australian woman speaks to Nour Haydar about her efforts to prevent her father – part of the NZYQ cohort of asylum seekers – being deported to Nauru. You can also read Nour’s account of her interview with the woman who says her family will crumble if her father is sent away.
In-depth
The Australian economy grew by 0.3% in March, notes Greg Jericho, which is not too bad amid some severe headwinds. But when you dig into the figures it’s clear that the main driver is the building of datacentres, which are destroying jobs and the climate. And that’s not good on any level.
Not the news
Lebanese flags are waved above a section of the crowd at Melbourne Town Hall, while keffiyehs are hoisted in another. The city’s Arab diaspora has turned up ready to party at a sellout show by Palestinian star Saint Levant – real name Marwan Abdelhamid – who treads a careful path between pop and politics, writes Nick Buckley.
Sport
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World Cup | After nearly 40 years dedicated to being the best possible version of himself, Tony Popovic faces his biggest test of all as coach of the Socceroos at the World Cup. Joey Lynch examines his relentless urge to improve himself – and his players.
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Tennis | A brilliant performance by the 25th seed, Diana Shnaider, who recovered from one set and 4-1 down in the second, saw her shock top seed Aryna Sabalenka at Roland Garros.
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Cricket | Ben Stokes has defended England’s decision to excuse Jofra Archer from the start of the Test summer so he could compete in the Indian Premier League, and we mark the upcoming 150th Test at Lord’s with five of the best.
Media roundup
The Australian says airports have become the frontline for elderly people realising they have been the victims of heartbreaking scams. Blue Mountains residents tell the Daily Telegraph the prime minister must declare the Great Western Highway closure a national disaster. The Gabba’s groundsman has been called up to help prepare the grass at Philadelphia’s World Cup venue, the Courier Mail reports.
What’s happening today
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Victoria | Children’s commissioner tables report into children who are the subject of multiple child protection reports.
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Sydney | Case management hearing at federal court as Bruce Lehrmann lodges court case against anti-corruption boss.
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Canberra | High court decision on injunction sought to prevent neo-Nazi group White Australia being listed as a hate group.
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Brain teaser
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