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‘My rock’: Marian Robinson, Michelle Obama’s mother, dies at 86
A black woman who grew up in the 50s in segregated Chicago, Mrs R moved into the White House to watch her daughter become first lady of the United States.
- by Krissah Thompson
Tennis star Zverev put ‘hands around neck’ of girlfriend, court hears
It was alleged German Alexander Zverev placed his hands around his former girlfriend’s throat with such force that she was unable to swallow without pain for several days.
- by Simon Briggs
Updated
World elections
Mandela’s party support plunges for first time in 30 years
South Africans sense momentous change as the ANC captures only 40.61 per cent of the vote share by Saturday morning, with 95.1 per cent of the votes counted.
- by Gerald Imray and Mogomotsi Magome
Biden says Hamas ‘no longer capable’ of major attack, proposes total ceasefire
The US president called the three-phase plan proposed by Israel “a road map to an enduring ceasefire and the release of all hostages”.
- by Aamer Madhani, Chris Megerian and Darlene Superville
Opinion
Perth
From Wait Awhile to Where it’s At: A new story for our great state
We’ve embraced some none-too-flattering characterisations of our vast state in the past. But today we must celebrate some of its truly ground-breaking “firsts”.
- by Paul J. Maginn
Biden labels Trump’s rigged trial claim ‘reckless and dangerous’
In his first remarks since a New York jury found him guilty of a hush money conspiracy, Donald Trump said he was “honoured” to run for president as a convicted felon.
- by Farrah Tomazin
‘Do not send aircraft’: Perth Airport plunged into chaos amid fuel delivery issues
Perth Airport has been plunged into chaos, with more than a dozen flights cancelled, airlines told not to send aircraft and passengers across the country left stranded as it scrambles to address a major refuelling issue.
- by Jesinta Burton
Can you turn the nicest guy in rugby league into an Origin captain?
Jake Trbojevic is known for his relentless work ethic, extreme likeability, and signature thumbs up. But does he have what it takes to be the Blues captain?
- by Billie Eder and Emma Kemp
Dead Rebels: Why Rugby Australia killed Melbourne’s Super Rugby team
Rugby Australia officials are adamant it was a pragmatic business decision to kill the Melbourne Rebels; supporters of the Rebels say it was an unfair call and a “premeditated murder”.
- by Carla Jaeger and Sarah Danckert
Opinion
Comedy
Give me back my landline, my desk drawers, and my dreary old office
The modern office space is a noisy, annoying, overcrowded travesty.
- by Richard Glover
Analysis
AI
Australian at the centre of the high-stakes battle over AI has a warning for the world
There’s a war raging about the future of artificial intelligence - and Melbourne-born Helen Toner is in the thick of it.
- by David Swan
Good times never seemed so good, until we started singing Sweet Caroline
Some kid named Caroline gets born in Boston, and 27 years later I can’t have a civilised halftime without being forcibly drafted into a mass singalong.
- by David Free
Opinion
State of Origin
NRL to take back seat, for now, as Origin behemoth emerges again
There is a solution to the mundane nature of the NRL regular season – bring back the “final five”.
- by Peter FitzSimons
Tex Perkins rallied to save it, but ‘world-class’ wildlife hospital could still close
Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital, a registered charity, has treated more than 7000 creatures since it opened in October 2020.
- by Caitlin Fitzsimmons
Opinion
EOFY
My three-step hack to stack EOFY sales discounts
Brace for incessant ads and annoying jingles: EOFY sales are on the way. Here’s how you can make the most of the savings.
- by Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon
Opinion
Retirement living
Six financial foundations you need in place (long) before retiring
When you look at people retiring comfortably today, it’s easy to see what the most important foundations of a happy retirement are.
- by Bec Wilson
Teen terror plot to attack Olympics foiled by French security services
The Chechen teenager was suspected of plotting an “Islamist-inspired” attack on a football game during this summer’s Olympics, authorities said.
- by Rob Harris
Podcast
Trial by Water
‘I want to believe he’s guilty ... but I can’t’: Listen to the Trial by Water podcast
In a new podcast investigation, we explore why a growing number of experts believe the case against convicted child killer Robert Farquharson is “fundamentally flawed”.
- by Michael Bachelard and Ruby Schwartz
Video
Trial by Water
Inside the uncomfortable investigation of a child killer
In the Robert Farquharson case there are six main strands of circumstantial evidence. I’ve investigated them all.
- by Michael Bachelard
Sky Ferreira emerges after 10 years of ‘being erased’ by record label drama
The cult pop enigma returns to Australian stages for Vivid Live in Sydney and Rising in Melbourne.
- by Robert Moran
Why Victorians should keep looking to the night sky to be dazzled
After the aurora australis phenomenon painted our skies pink and green, a new celestial delight is headed our way (but it could be more fickle).
- by Benjamin Preiss
Ariane looked at her baby but saw a dragon. Now she’s helping mums understand mental health
With a raw retelling of how her mind broke with an illness brought on by pregnancy and birth, psychologist Ariane Beeston wants to help other struggling mothers.
- by Wendy Tuohy
Melbourne suburbs where property prices are cheaper than five years ago
As investors shy away from the Melbourne market, a handful of areas have fallen below their 2019 prices.
- by Alexandra Middleton
Opinion
Domestic violence
His shocking comments made the men stare at their shoes. Good men must do better
We have a culture that feels impotent to the power that certain men wield in creating a narrative of women.
- by Jacinta Parsons
‘It’s not your fault’: How to overcome shame after being scammed
Scams have become so sophisticated and numerous these days, so why is there still a stigma around those who fall victim to them?
- by Nell Geraets
Converting stranded offices into warehouses: Can it happen?
It’s a question occupying minds in the property industry as office occupancy dwindles and little used buildings face redundancy.
- by Carolyn Cummins
‘I’m a bit concerned’: Gustavsson takes blame as Matildas rocked by Foord injury scare
Caitlin Foord’s preparation for the Paris Olympics could be disrupted after she went down with a hamstring injury in Friday night’s scratchy 1-1 draw with China.
- by Vince Rugari
Bridgerton star tipped for Aussie shark film from Succession producers
English actress Phoebe Dynevor, one of the stars of season one of Bridgerton, is set to star in a Hollywood thriller to be filmed in Melbourne.
- by Karl Quinn
‘Not hardened enough’: McRae rues patchy Pies as Bontempelli powers Bulldogs to last-term win
The Bulldogs were too good in the final term scoring a memorable win over the Magpies.
- by Roy Ward and Greg Baum
Marles to call out China’s ‘unsafe’ encounters with Australian navy
The defence minister’s remarks are likely to hit a sour note for Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun, attending the conference for the first time.
- by Lisa Visentin and Matthew Knott
Customer data exposed after Ticketek ‘cyber incident’
The ticketing company wrote to Australian customers saying personal details had been compromised.
- by Ben Cubby
Decoding Donald Trump’s reaction to guilty verdict
“Rigged”, “conflicted”, “disgraceful” but also “mental institutions” – the former president issued a tale of woe for himself and the US after a New York jury found him guilty in the hush-money case.
- by Chris Zappone and The Visual Stories Team
Matildas escape at the death to draw with China in Adelaide - as it happened
It took a set piece and a 95th-minute Michelle Heyman goal for a flat Australian side to claim a 1-1 draw in the first of their final two pre-Olympic friendlies.
- by Emma Kemp
Court orders sale of Carlton property portfolio after family feud
The Pistorino family owned a portfolio of six properties including shops and offices in Carlton and Moonee Ponds.
- by Nicole Lindsay
Why romcoms are the only thing we’re going to be watching this year
From Anne Hathaway to Nicole Kidman and Ryan Gosling: your favourite long-suffering genre is getting a big injection of star power.
- by Meg Watson
Opinion
Inside China
The West is completely unprepared for Xi Jinping’s next masterstroke
The US and its allies face a grim choice if China escalates tensions with Taiwan. It could lead to an economic catastrophe.
- by Philip Pilkington
As it happened: WA news on Friday, May 31
Welcome to WAtoday’s live blog, which collects all the day’s headlines for you in one place, and the latest updates as they break. Today, we start with property, education, the City of Perth and, of course, food.
- by Holly Thompson
Sex stays the same, but sex work changes
The internet has changed so many basic things in society – and the world’s oldest profession is one of them.
- by Melissa Cunningham
Australia news LIVE: Donald Trump found guilty; Ex-detainee drone surveillance sparks human rights concerns
Donald Trump was convicted for a hush money scheme to influence the 2016 election that catapulted him to the presidency. Meanwhile, the federal government is still grappling with the fallout from the failed deportation of immigration detainees. Follow live here.
- by Lachlan Abbott and Ben Cubby
Updated
Australia votes
Labor faces battle for key seats under boundary redraw
Labor faces losing the Melbourne seat of Higgins and tough contests in two others under a proposed revamp of Victoria’s electoral boundaries, but may gain ground in WA.
- by Shane Wright and David Crowe
Lights out: Chatime pulls specialty cups over missing battery warning
The recall follows rising concerns about fires caused by batteries, particularly those with lithium-ion cells.
- by Jessica Yun
Updated
World markets
ASX ends week on a high note; tech slide hits Wall Street
Australian stocks ended the week on a high note, ending a three-day sell-off fuelled by higher-than-expected inflation data for April.
- by Sumeyya Ilanbey
As it happened: Former US president Donald Trump convicted on all 34 counts, faces up to four years’ prison over hush money scheme
Trump, 77, pleaded not guilty and denies having had an alleged 2006 sexual encounter with Daniels.
- by Jessica McSweeney, Nick Ralston and Megan Gorrey
Forget Namatjira, this is the portrait Gina Rinehart wants you to see
Australia’s richest person is the subject of another portrait in Canberra, and this time she’s so happy to have it displayed, she’s setting the rules.
- by Karl Quinn
Doubts over drone program after under-fire minister’s detainee claim
Despite Andrew Giles’ assertion, government sources say drones are not being used to track detainees after the practicality of the program was questioned.
- by Angus Thompson and David Crowe
Exclusive
City life
Locals love this cafe parklet. Businesses want the three car spaces back
An on-street cafe and bar dubbed ‘The Birdcage’ is fighting back against a council order to shut down over complaints it is taking up three car parks.
- by Cara Waters
Red paint, smashed windows: Wong condemns ‘violent’ protests over Gaza
Police have warned that security threats to parliamentarians are on the rise after Labor ministers’ offices were vandalised by antiwar protesters.
- by Natassia Chrysanthos and Alex Crowe
Bruce Lehrmann files appeal against defamation defeat
The former federal Liberal staffer has lodged an appeal against his devastating defamation loss against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson.
- by Michaela Whitbourn
Updated
US Votes 2024
‘The jury has spoken’: Trump convicted of all 34 charges
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the 12-person jury did their job. Their decision could reshape the 2024 election and further divide the nation.
- by Farrah Tomazin
Ecstatic fans thrill to perfect journey through the underworld
Our critics review the latest shows around town.
- by John Shand and Shamim Razavi
The Taylor Swift of his day: Harry Houdini’s Melbourne tour
Alan Attwood’s novel is a fictional account of escapologist Harry Houdini’s time in Melbourne in 1910.
- by Simon Caterson
Prison is rare for Trump’s false records crime but people have been jailed for it
The maximum sentence for falsification of business records is four years’ imprisonment.
- by Luc Cohen
Trump’s run of luck with the law was ended by the ‘zombie case’
The conventional wisdom among Trump’s lawyers was that the New York hush-money case would never see daylight, and they spent relatively little time thinking about it.
- by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan
Barrels, blood and a president on a jet ski: Inside one of Teahupo’o’s greatest days
Kelly Slater, 52, started with a nine-point ride, and that was just the beginning as the world’s best surfers enjoyed epic three-metre waves at one of the world’s heaviest breaks.
- by Dan Walsh
‘Some clubs have got that wrong’: Inside the AFL’s growing injury toll
About 150 AFL players are out injured right now. It’s an alarming number, and Collingwood coach Craig McRae is among many startled by it.
- by Greg Baum
Updated
IPO
The $2.2b takeaway deal: Guzman y Gomez fast-tracks ASX landing
The burrito chain, which has been eyeing an IPO for years, has had to pull forward its plans on the back of investor demand.
- by Jessica Yun
Fashion needs a revolution. In Africa, it has begun
As the world counts the cost of fast fashion, a new exhibition visits sustainability’s ground zero.
- by Janice Breen Burns
WA Police issue Ms Dhu’s family apology after unpaid fines row settlement
Ten years and a class action later WA Police and the state’s country health service have penned a public apology to the family of Ms Dhu, the 22-year-old woman who died in police custody after being arrested over unpaid fines.
- by Jesinta Burton
In detention, with no brush or oils, this Archibald finalist taught himself to paint
Mostafa Azimitabar was desperate for distraction while on Manus Island and denied art supplies, out of fears he would self-harm. So he used what he had.
- by Kerrie O'Brien
Exclusive
Crime
Double-murderer had 10cm cyst pushing on brain: health worker
Health workers worried about Mark Bombara’s behaviour before he murdered two Perth women, calling him a “very unwell man”, were aghast to learn he owned guns.
- by Rebecca Peppiatt
Updated
Tourism
New $5 billion investment to make Perth Airport country’s second-biggest
Qantas executives and the state’s premier have announced Qantas’ largest ever infrastructure deal, and Perth’s largest ever private infrastructure development.
- by Claire Ottaviano and Hamish Hastie
‘Bitterly disappointed’: Tim Tszyu bout cancelled due to head cut
The Australian’s anticipated fight against undefeated knockout specialist Vergil Ortiz has been axed.
- by Adrian Proszenko
Analysis
US Votes 2024
The jury was unanimous. What happens next to Donald Trump is far less clear
The guilty verdict hit like a thunderclap across New York, the city where the former president made his name.
- by Farrah Tomazin
A fixer, a secret meeting and that tape: The key moments that convicted Trump
From the crass comments made in the Access Hollywood tape to the testimony of his former fixer, several key moments stood out during the Manhattan trial.
- by Erik Larson
‘Largest coal mining proposal’ in state’s history floated for NSW
The Environment Protection Authority has warned that the rest of the NSW economy would have to make steeper cuts to greenhouse gas emissions to compensate if the proposal to continue Hunter Valley Operations goes ahead in its current form.
- by Caitlin Fitzsimmons
Updated
French Open
‘Running on fumes’: Kokkinakis powers to marathon Roland-Garros win
Alex de Minaur and Thanasi Kokkinakis advanced to the third round on another rain-soaked day at Roland-Garros, but the challenge for both is about to get far greater.
- by Marc McGowan
This diver was shocked when told she’d won a world title. Can she break Australia’s Olympic drought?
Diver Alysha Koloi won a world championships gold medal in February. She is hoping to make history in Paris – and has her sister to thank.
- by Tom Decent