Good morning. A shocking new report on aged care in Australia finds people were left with untreated wounds, overcharged and wrongly prevented from leaving. And the head of the World Health Organization has called on countries to tackle the “prolonged suffering” caused by long Covid across the world.
Aged care residents have been left with festering wounds, abused for wanting to use the toilet, overcharged and wrongly blocked from attending funerals due to Covid-19, an audit has found. The report by the Older Persons Advocacy Network includes details of abuse and neglect in aged care in the past 12 months. Opan found inadequate staffing was a major factor.
Scientists have taught a petri dish of human brain cells to play the computer game Pong in a breakthrough they say shows “something that resembles intelligence”. The research team, who include boffins from Monash and Melbourne universities, plan now to see how “DishBrain” plays while drunk.
Long Covid is “devastating” the lives and livelihoods of tens of millions of people and wreaking havoc on health systems and economies, the head of the World Health Organization has warned as he urged countries to launch “immediate” and “sustained” efforts to tackle the “very serious” crisis. The world has never been in a better position to end the Covid-19 pandemic but many of those infected by the virus are still experiencing “prolonged suffering”, said the WHO director general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Australia
Asio’s willingness to use foreign evidence obtained under torture to detain an Egyptian refugee for more than a decade on security grounds meant Australia’s spy agency had “acquiesced in the use of torture”, the man’s lawyer has told the full bench of the federal court.
Paul Keating has speculated that King Charles could renounce the UK’s claim on Australia, saying he discussed his ambition for Australia to become a republic with the Queen during a private exchange at Balmoral in 1993.
Barnaby Joyce has been accused of making “ahistorical comparisons to Nazi Germany” in an interview about the Indigenous voice to parliament, with the Labor MP Josh Burns calling on the former deputy prime minister to apologise.
NSW anti-protest laws will be challenged in the supreme court, with two climate change protesters arguing that tougher measures introduced this year fundamentally undermine their right of political communication.
The states are likely to be given extra time to deliver water for the environment under the Murray-Darling basin scheme, but will be expected to provide firm action plans to ensure they fully deliver on their commitments.
Lawyers for an artist who had federal funding withdrawn for a project in which they intended to self-inseminate over a live stream say it is possible emails linking the decision to the former arts minister have not been disclosed.
The world
The first cracks have started to appear among Iran’s political elite over the country’s month-long women-led protests, with a senior figure calling for a re-examination of the enforcement of compulsory hijab law and an acknowledgment that the protests have deep political roots and are not simply the product of US or Israeli agitation.
Anthony Albanese is considering offering training to Ukrainian troops after telling Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a phone call that Australia stands “with the courageous people of Ukraine”. It was a day of breakthroughs for Ukraine on the battle front, as Nato allies delivered air defence systems. Also, would Aleksandr Lukashenko really throw Belarus into a war Russia is losing?
Fracking and drilling for new oil and gas in the North Sea is green and good for the environment, the UK’s new climate minister said.
Thousands are still without power weeks after Hurricane Fiona hit Puerto Rico, with high temperatures, rain and mosquitoes making life unbearable for those still affected by the longest blackout in US history.
Recommended reads
Flex your mussels and learn how to cook Australia’s most underrated seafood. “I’m genuinely perplexed why mussels aren’t more popular and also why they’re at such a low price point,” says a Brisbane chef, Oscar Solomon.
A spectacular Bold and the Beautiful death, Amy Sedaris and 25-step natural makeup looks are just three of comedian Nat Harris’s “10 funniest things I have ever seen (on the internet)”.
Limp growth would normally require fiscal stimulus, yet concerns about inflation mean we’re unlikely to see a big-spending budget, writes Greg Jericho.
Listen
Australia has a global reputation as a source of clean food but much of our produce is grown with dangerous chemicals banned across the western world. Federal authorities also admit that information on the environmental and health effects of pesticides and other agricultural chemicals is lacking. In today’s Full Story, Guardian Australia’s investigations editor, Anne Davies, explores whether this approach to pesticides is causing us harm, and how we can reduce our use and exposure.
Full Story is Guardian Australia’s daily news podcast. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any other podcasting app.
Sport
Less than year ago James McQuillan had never played wheelchair rugby – now he’s wearing the green and gold at the world championships. In an interview with Emma Kemp, he tells her about his incredible rise.
England has sealed a T20 series victory over Australia with a second close win in Canberra.
Media roundup
The Chinese government has aired its frustration with the slow progress in repairing its troubled relationship with Australia, setting out hopes for high-level talks with no preconditions, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. And the Australian reports that Australia is about to sign up to a global pledge to reduce methane emissions by 30% over a decade.
Coming up
There will be more disability royal commission hearings.
It’s the final day of the Australian Cyber Conference in Melbourne.
The Ruby Princess class action continues in court.
And if you’ve read this far …
Gen Z are regularly disparaged for lacking grit in the workplace. But are they actually the most resilient generation of all?
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