Australia's antisemitism envoy, Jillian Segal, has called for the creation of a new oversight committee to scrutinise the ABC and SBS's coverage of the war in the Middle East, according to her testimony at the royal commission on Thursday.
Segal's Call for Oversight
Segal expressed concerns that the public broadcasters' reporting on the Israel-Gaza conflict was disproportionate, prompting her recommendation for an independent body to review editorial decisions. She did not provide specific examples but emphasised the need for accountability to ensure balanced coverage.
ABC's Response
The ABC's editorial director, Gavin Fang, rejected the assertion that the broadcaster's coverage was unbalanced. He defended the ABC's journalistic standards, stating that the organisation adheres to strict editorial guidelines and strives for impartiality in its reporting on complex international issues.
Telstra Outage Fallout
Meanwhile, Telstra has assured Australians that the triple-zero emergency network remains reliable, despite a nationwide outage that disrupted services. Chief Financial Officer Michael Ackland described the system as “very robust” and urged public confidence in its functionality.
The outage sparked political controversy, with shadow communications minister Sarah Henderson criticised for testing the triple-zero system during the disruption. Opposition leader Angus Taylor defended her actions, stating she was “doing her job” to ensure the network's integrity.
Other Top Stories
In other news, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed a major uranium deal during Modi's visit to Australia, which is expected to draw a crowd of 30,000. Sprinter Gout Gout will miss the World U20 Championships due to a hamstring injury. Western Europe recorded its hottest June on record, with heatwaves intensifying across the region. UK judges began hearing an appeal over Trinidad and Tobago's anti-gay law. Graham Platner ended his Maine Senate campaign following a sexual assault allegation.
World Cup Update
France and Morocco are set to face off in the World Cup quarter-finals. France's head coach Didier Deschamps expressed confidence in the refereeing team, despite Argentinian officials being appointed for the match. “I trust the referees. Our opponent is Morocco, not the referee,” he said.
In Pictures
Palestinian football fans gathered among war-damaged buildings in Gaza City to watch the World Cup round of 16 match between Argentina and Egypt.
Quote of the Day
British tennis player Arthur Fery, who reached the Wimbledon semi-finals after defeating ninth seed Flavio Cobolli, said: “I've always believed in myself and believed that I could be a top player in the world.” The 23-year-old entered the tournament as a wildcard ranked No. 114.
Today in Focus
The Guardian's podcast examines Donald Trump's combative stance at the NATO summit in Turkey and its implications for Ukraine, with divisions over Russia's war, defence spending, and the US-Israel conflict in Iran.
Before Bed Read
Guardian UK consumer journalist Alan Martin, who has completed over 350 parkruns, shares tips for beginners on how to approach the popular Saturday 5k run.
