Morning everyone. The announcement overnight of a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon might help ease tensions in the Middle East – and Australia’s fuel crisis, as Anthony Albanese visits the Geelong refinery where a fire broke out. Pete Hegseth’s latest resort to biblical rhetoric might be less helpful.
We also report on the Coalition’s apparent adoption of a fringe One Nation stance, “one of the dumbest crimes ever” in Melbourne, and ask why everyone seems to dislike Meghan so much.
Australia
Powering on | Electric bus, train and light rail services in New South Wales will run on fully renewable energy from next year under a new $1.9bn deal, the state government will announce today.
Anatomy of a policy | The Liberal leader, Angus Taylor, wants to block permanent residents of Australia from accessing a popular program for first home buyers. The idea percolated on fringe news sites before being supercharged by media coverage and a boost from Pauline Hanson – who has once again claimed credit for steering Coalition policy.
Fuel theft | Australia’s two biggest car-share companies, GoGet and Flexicar, have removed fuel cards from their Melbourne vehicles after a spate of break-ins and thefts that a senior GoGet executive described as “one of the dumbest crimes ever”.
‘Clear as mud’ | After Richard Marles’s big announcement about defence spending this week, we’re still not really much the wiser about whether or not he has bowed to Donald Trump’s demands for a bigger outlay, political editor Tom McIlroy writes.
Rallying point? | A rally in recent days on Wall Street suggests US investors think the Iran war crisis is blowing over – but can we expect the same for the ASX as the fuel crisis deepens?
World
‘Excellent conversations’ | Trump has announced a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon after “excellent conversations”, to be followed by a meeting between Israeli and Lebanese leaders next week in a deal that it is hoped will help towards a US-Iran deal. Hegseth, the US defence secretary, meanwhile said the Iran’s energy infrastructure is “not destroyed yet” and the US is “locked and loaded” to finish the job. He also compared some journalists to the Pharisees who conspired to destroy Jesus Christ. Celebrity chef and humanitarian José Andrés has warned of a massive, multi-year famine because of the war, and Europe has only six weeks’ supply of jet fuel left before shortages hit. Follow developments live.
Office politics | Peter Mandelson failed his security vetting clearance but the decision was overruled by the British Foreign Office to ensure he could take up his post as ambassador to the US, a Guardian investigation can reveal.
Over arching | Pope Leo appeared to reignite his war of words with Trump when he said the world was being “ravaged by a handful of tyrants” who spend billions on war. His comments came as Trump’s idea to build a triumphal arch in Washington moved a step closer to realisation.
Code red | People with red hair always stand out in a crowd, and it appears they also do so from an evolutionary perspective as a study reveals that the gene for red hair has been actively selected for more than 10,000 years.
Full Story
How Gina Rinehart lost hundreds of millions of dollars in court
In this bonus episode of the Walkley-nominated series about Australia’s richest person, senior correspondent Sarah Martin and producer Joe Koning examine the court ruling that ends a 15-year battle between Gina Rinehart and rival heirs.
In-depth
The Geelong refinery fire was the last thing that his government and Australia needed but when Albanese tours the facility today he will be hoping to hear that supplies won’t be too badly affected. Viva executives sounded hopeful yesterday, while fire chiefs said it could have been much worse if not for quick work by their frontline firefighters.
Not the news
There hasn’t been much love for Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, on her return to Australia, writes Brigid Delaney – and it can be seen as a kind of photonegative of the adoration for her mother-in-law, Diana. What does it tell us about public anxieties?
Sport
Football | From the brink of collapse, the Newcastle Jets have soared again to within sight of a breakthrough premiership if they can beat Melbourne Victory tonight. The European game is in mourning after former Arsenal and Austria goalkeeper Alex Manninger died in a car crash. Aston Villa are playing Bologna and Nottingham Forest are facing Porto as they bid for the semi-finals of the Europa League this morning.
Athletics | Despite Gout Gout’s incredible feat of running the fastest ever 200m by a teenager in Sydney on Sunday, there was a small crowd at the event and it shows the sport still has a long way to go.
NRL | There’s meanwhile something unusual happening in Sydney’s inner west – the West Tigers could actually make the finals for the first time in 15 years.
Media roundup
The ABC is reporting community criticisms over emergency communications after the Geelong refinery fire. Unpaid volunteers running Gold Coast Facebook groups have become “digital mayors” with great influence on suburbs, according to the Bulletin. Darwin is in the grip of Panther-monium, the NT News reckons, as Penrith arrived in town for their NRL clash with the Dolphins. And the Sydney Morning Herald has laid out a 91km path linking the Sydney Opera House to Parramatta
What’s happening today
Sydney | Ben Roberts-Smith is due for bail review at the Downing Centre local court.
Brisbane | A protest against hate speech laws is expected at 5pm in King George Square.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
