The big beef producer and the frontier wars; ‘progress’ in Ukraine talks; real range of EVs revealed | The Guardian

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Jesse Gregson headed one of the nation’s most important enterprises, AACo, in the late 1800s.

07/08/2025

The big beef producer and the frontier wars; ‘progress’ in Ukraine talks; real range of EVs revealed

Paul Gallagher

Good morning. We continue our Descendants series with revelations of Australia’s biggest beef producer’s historical links to abuses against Aboriginal people – through the actions of its longest-serving superintendent before he joined the company, and others who helped establish its farming operations in the 19th century.

With all eyes on Moscow as Donald Trump’s deadline for Russia to agree to peace with Ukraine looms large, US officials have met with Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin.

An academic is crying foul after the University of Sydney removed a Palestinian flag flying from his office window. And: a new study finds the real-world range of EVs doesn’t match manufacturers’ claims.

Australia

A Palestinian flag was hanging from Dr David Brophy’s office window at the University of Sydney before it was removed this week.

‘Chilling effect on free speech’ | The University of Sydney has removed a Palestinian flag hanging outside an academic’s office after claiming it breached a new policy regarding flags.

The Descendants | The Australian Agricultural Company, or AACo, is worth about $830m as Australia’s largest beef producer, but investigations have uncovered the company’s historical links with the dispossession, shooting and poisoning of Aboriginal people through the exploits of Jesse Gregson and others who helped establish its operations.

CSIRO cuts | Hundreds more jobs could be axed at Australia’s national science agency, sparking concerns the country is gutting its research capability.

Electric vehicles | A government-funded program to test the true performance of vehicles has found the driving range of five popular electric cars is between 5% and 23% lower than results from laboratory testing.

‘No clear explanation’ | Since July many Meta users have reported accounts being suspended erroneously – and Australian businesses are now struggling.

A personal platypus | British wartime PM Winston Churchill was due to receive a monotreme named after him but it mysteriously died en route. German U-boats were blamed – but was that the truth?

World

Vladimir Putin (left) welcomes Steve Witkoff to the Kremlin on Wednesday. Trump’s deadline for a deal is Friday.

Russia-Ukraine war | Donald Trump said “everyone agrees this war must come to a close” after US envoy Steve Witkoff met with Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin as the deadline to end Russia’s war against Ukraine looms.

Gaza crisis | Israel has issued forced displacement orders for Gaza City and Khan Younis amid fears of full occupation in Gaza. Our exclusive story reveals Israel relies on Microsoft’s cloud services for expansive surveillance of Palestinians. Plus: the film about a Palestinian photographer killed by missiles in Gaza.

Trump tariffs | The White House is placing an additional 25% tariff on imports from India, bringing total tariffs up to 50%, in retaliation for the country’s purchase of oil from Russia.

Bolsonaro detained | A Brazilian judge has eased the terms of Jair Bolsonaro’s house arrest, allowing the far-right former president to receive visits from family.

‘Islamophobic and discriminatory’ | A local authority in Spain has banned Muslims from using public facilities such as civic centres and gyms to celebrate the religious festivals Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.

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