Morning Edition
Our guide to the most important stories, analysis and insights.
What in the World newsletter
Our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world.
Real Footy newsletter
Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country.
Updated
Cleo Smith disappearance
Police process more than 200 reported sightings of Cleo Smith
WA Police Superintendent Rod Wilde, who is in charge of the 100 officers making up Taskforce RODIA, has met with the parents of missing four-year-old Cleo Smith in Carnarvon and says he is hopeful and confident of finding out what happened to her.
‘We are not going away’: Rally outside Parliament calls for justice for JC
Blood-red handprints were left on the steps as protesters called for psychologists to be posted to police stations and courthouses to assess people in custody.
Perth Molotov cocktail thrower allegedly motivated by mandatory vaccination laws
Fremantle Detectives charged a 32-year-old man from Success on Wednesday after he allegedly threw a plastic bottle containing an accelerant at Cockburn station.
Forrest’s Fortescue rejects national laws to protect Indigenous heritage
Fortescue, which has rejected federal laws to protect Indigenous sacred sites, is yet to receive a compensation claim from the Yindjibarndi people it lost a historic court case to.
Wastewater report reveals meth use back to pre-pandemic levels in WA
Border controls and tougher COVID-19 restrictions kept methamphetamine usage low last year, but wastewater detections have since increased to pre-pandemic levels.
Analysis
Glasgow summit
What’s in, what’s not: how does Australia’s emissions plan stack up?
Four questions raised by climate scientists about Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s guide towards Australia’s low-carbon future.
Rio Tinto plans to boost FIFO screening in bid to identify sexual harassers
Miners applying to work on Rio Tinto’s Pilbara iron ore mines may have their tendencies to engage in sexual harassment assessed by psychometric testing, a WA parliamentary inquiry was told on Wednesday.
Fears ‘racist’ voter ID laws could suppress Indigenous votes
Indigenous academics and human rights groups argue proposed voter ID laws could stop many First Nations people from exercising their democratic right to vote.
Updated
Coronavirus pandemic
Demons fan avoids extra jail time for forging documents to enter WA for AFL grand final
Caleb Cox forged his driver’s licence and utility and phone bills using a South Australian address and used the fake documents in a G2G pass application to enter WA.
Exclusive
Disability
‘Heartless bureaucracy’: Cancer patient’s struggle to get NDIS help for son
The mother of an eight-year-old boy with severe autism has detailed her “exhausting” administrative battle for NDIS funding while recovering from cancer.
Berejiklian said she would ‘throw money’ at Maguire’s electorate in private call
Former premier Gladys Berejiklian told her then boyfriend Daryl Maguire she would “throw money” at his Wagga Wagga electorate, nine days after he was forced to resign under a corruption cloud, an inquiry has heard.
Pentagon confirms Chinese hypersonic weapon test
General Mark Milley said the US was also working on hypersonic weapons, which are capable of evading early warning systems.
‘I’m still pinching myself’: Cavallo overwhelmed by world’s support after coming out
The Adelaide player publicly came out as gay in an emotional video on Wednesday. When he woke on Thursday, some of world football’s biggest names had messaged him in support.
Opinion
South Africa
De Kock knee rebel: Naive for a South African to put personal politics above big picture
The debate about whether an order to take the knee infringes upon freedom of expression is regarded as irrelevant given South Africa’s uniquely heinous history of segregation.
Neil Manthorp
Updated
NRL 2022
Melbourne Storm player could become first in NRL stood down over vaccines
The Melbourne prop has informed the club he does not want to be vaccinated, despite the Victorian government prohibiting unjabbed professional athletes from doing their job.
The search for Cleo
Updated
Police forensics search Cleo Smith’s family home for signs of a stalker
A twist in the search for four-year-old Cleo Smith has led forensic police to shift their attention to her family home.
‘We want her home’: Cleo Smith’s mother makes emotional plea to abductor
Ellie Smith said she would never wish for anyone to wake up and feel how she did when she realised her daughter was gone.
Western Australia
WA now the only state without a COVID transition plan, poised to shut out rest of country once again
Premier Mark McGowan has so far withheld his plans for WA’s reopening, but has confirmed the state won’t open to jurisdictions with COVID until next year.
From WA government worker to state housing: even this ex-rough sleeper ‘lived like a king’
Wandana Flats resident David Basell, 53, knows only too well the plight of looking for shelter on Perth’s bitter cold nights.
Caravan park opens only to homeless as COVID-19 pandemic drives Perth’s housing crisis deeper
A caravan park is now allowing people without a home to stay long-term at their site in the Perth Hills. The owner is hoping to combat the “through the roof” demand for accommodation.
Exclusive
Mining
Rio Tinto weighs up plans for more ‘green energy’ metals
Jakob Stausholm has signalled Rio Tinto is open to the idea of a push into new metals standing to benefit from the accelerating clean-energy transition
Updated
Vale
Tributes flow for ABC radio legend Russell Woolf
ABC Drive presenter Geoff Hutchison said news of the radio personality’s death had come as a huge shock.
Politics
‘Era of low interest rates is over’: Rate rises expected ahead of federal election
Official interest rates could rise before the next election, with clear signs the RBA’s hand may be forced much earlier than expected to head off inflationary pressures.
Business
Musk’s stargazing could move dial on Australia’s regional internet problem
The space escapades of billionaire Elon Musk may be fascinating to watch, but they could also deliver a crucial solution to a pain point for regional communities.
World
CIA ‘plot’ shows US promises on Assange can’t be trusted, court told
Lawyers for Julian Assange told Britain’s High Court that the reported CIA plot to kill or kidnap the Australian shows that the US government’s pledge to safely extradite the WikiLeaks founder can’t be trusted.
Opinion
Explore
Property bydomain
Why building more houses quickly is harder than it looks
Thanks to HomeBuilder and the housing price boom, house building is experiencing its hottest year on the record.
Hobart house prices: Interstate buyers fuel boom, prices skyrocket by 32pc
Two years ago, Hobart was Australia's cheapest capital city. Today, it's more expensive than Darwin, Perth and Adelaide, and $4200 behind Brisbane.
Lifestyle
As lockdown ended, Nik’s anxiety about his body returned
Social media posts about shedding COVID kilos may appear harmless but experts are issuing firm warnings, with even subtle posts about fitness posing a problem.
Culture
Unheard no more: Australia’s racism problem on global display
Unheard, a new six-part documentary series, unpacks Australia’s problems with structural inequality for an international audience of streamers.
Opinion
WordPlay
From hallyu to aegyo: Korean words make mark in Oxford English Dictionary
David Astle
Crossword compiler and ABC Radio Melbourne presenter
Sport
‘We want guys that are desperate to be Wallabies’: Lolesio called into spring tour squad
The young playmaker will be on the next flight to London after Quade Cooper withdrew from the remainder of the spring tour.
‘I’m still pinching myself’: Cavallo overwhelmed by world’s support
The Adelaide player publicly came out as gay in an emotional video on Wednesday. When he woke on Thursday, some of world football’s biggest names had messaged him in support.
Big Mac: Andrew bulks up ahead of AFL draft
At the start of this year, Mac Andrew weighed 70 kilos and was viewed as a project player. Since then, he has changed his diet and hit the weights, adding 10 kilos, and is likely to be snapped up within the first 10 picks after a head-turning season.
Auskick pioneer and Tigers player Ray Allsopp dies
Ray Allsopp, the former Richmond footballer who developed the coaching program that underpinned the AFL’s widely successful Auskick program, has died, aged 87.
Cox re-signs with Pies, as Suns delist ex-premiership Tiger
The Magpies have finally handed Mason Cox a contract extension, while the Suns and Crows have also made moves.
Updated
NRL 2022
Asofa-Solomona could become first NRL player stood down over vaccines
The Melbourne prop has informed the club he does not want to be vaccinated, despite the Victorian government prohibiting unjabbed professional athletes from doing their job.
Updated
ICC Men’s World Cup
De Kock apologises for not taking a knee
The South Africa wicketkeeper has apologised for not making the anti-racism gesture before a Twenty20 World Cup game against the West Indies.
Have Your Say
Forget the usual suspects, NRL clubs must take the reins on vaccines
It is myopic in the extreme to believe that unvaccinated NRL players will be able to perform all the inherent requirements of their employment without hindrance.
Darren Kane
Sports Columnist
