Morning Mail: help for Optus data breach victims, pesticide regulation maze, path to republic debate

Good morning. The impact of the huge data breach at Optus is still spreading, with an international law enforcement investigation and moves to help the telco’s customers whose digital identities are at risk. Meanwhile, Russia has revealed the “results” of so-called referendums in the parts of Ukraine it invaded, and sabotage is suspected to be behind sudden leaks in a disused major European gas pipeline.

Who tests your food for pesticides in Australia? Australia has some of the highest pesticide use in the western world – yet finding out who tests fruit and vegetables for chemical residue is surprisingly hard. And as a new survey reveals more than 7% of pears and 3.7% of apples were found to have more pesticide residue than the maximum legal limit, it’s more important than ever. Guardian Australia has a guide to everything you need to know, and an analysis of how Australia’s farmers could reap the benefits from smarter use of pesticides

Australians caught up in a the breach of Optus customer data will be able to change their driver’s licence numbers and get new cards. State governments are clearing bureaucratic hurdles and are expected to send the bill to the telco. The federal government is being pushed for further action, including replacing passports free of charge, and a potential parliamentary review or inquiry. Meanwhile, an anonymous online account which claims to have published 10,000 customer records from the breach has retracted a ransom demand and apologised.

Gas is pouring into the Baltic Sea from three separate leaks on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines and there are claims by seismologists in Sweden and Denmark of two sharp spikes in undersea activity, possibly indicating explosions, and speculation about sabotage. Suspicion immediately turned to potential culprits – with fingers pointed at Russia.

Australia In the year to June 2022, more than 30,000 young people were held in solitary confinement in youth detention, in figures described as ‘incredibly alarming’. Photograph: luoman/Getty Images

First Nations advocates are calling for an urgent investigation into Queensland’s youth detention centres after figures revealed 84% of children placed in solitary confinement over a 12-month period were Indigenous.

Australia’s republicans are ramping up their campaigns for constitutional reform after Queen Elizabeth II’s death, and planning a path to victory if the voice to parliament is enshrined. But those who support it face a battle for the hearts and minds of ordinary Australians who are firmly entrenched in the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” camp.

Teachers across New South Wales will learn to deal with families struggling with school refusal. About a third of students in years 1 to 10 missed more than 90% of classes over the course of a semester last year.

Australia’s vaccination advisory body is investigating whether to expand the availability of the Novavax Covid jab, amid concerns tens of millions of doses could be wasted due to recommendations it not be used as a general booster shot.

Australia needs an ambitious 75% emissions reduction target by 2035, a clear price on carbon, and to remove all fossil fuel subsidies by 2025 in order to unlock the investment needed to reach net zero by 2050, according to a new report.

The world Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng during a visit to a modular housing factory in Northfleet, Kent, last Friday. Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters

The first signs of friction between British PM Liz Truss and her chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng over how to deal with the tanking pound have emerged, after the pair met in No 10 to thrash out how to respond on Monday.

Facebook’s parent company, Meta, has said it has removed a pair of “influence operations” run by China and Russia, which imitated major news sites including the Guardian and aimed to sway views on the US elections and the war in Ukraine.

Hurricane Ian has torn into western Cuba with nothing to stop it intensifying into a catastrophic category 4 hurricane before its expected landfall in Florida on Wednesday.

The crypto entrepreneur Do Kwon has denied being in hiding, even as Interpol issued a “red notice” for his arrest after the collapse of the Terra project he founded.

Recommended reads The arts is celebrating going back to normal – but back to normal is less accessible than ever. Photograph: Don Arnold/WireImage

Live streams through the pandemic were a revelation for disabled and at-risk audiences. Now they’re being switched off – and it’s a devastating loss, writes Jasper Peach, saying many people are being left behind as the country returns to normal after Covid.

In our weekly interview about objects, host Jan Fran tells us about her organising hack, and the jacket she once lost at a hotel-slash-dungeon. She also says: “I need to know there are rubber bands around at all times.” And if you want to know why you’ll have to read the interview.

Listen

In the days since Optus first reported that potentially millions of its customers’ private information – from birth dates to Medicare numbers – had been breached, it has faced threats of blackmail, a potential class action and a public spat with the home affairs minister. In today’s Full Story, reporter Josh Taylor and Jane Lee discuss the fallout from the data breach and whether this was a “sophisticated attack” on the telco, or a failure of the company’s own security systems.

Full Story Full Story

Sorry your browser does not support audio – but you can download here and listen https://audio.guim.co.uk/2020/05/05-61553-gnl.fw.200505.jf.ch7DW.mp3

Full Story is Guardian Australia’s daily news podcast. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any other podcasting app.

Sport Two players from the Mali team come to blows in the press area at the women’s basketball World Cup in Sydney. Photograph: YouTube | Sport Klub

Basketball’s world governing body has opened an investigation after players on the Mali women’s team were filmed physically fighting one another following their World Cup loss to Serbia in Sydney.

What would an Optus customer class action look like? The ABC looks into the question. The Australian Financial Review reports on a fierce battle over the federal government’s plan to impose a price cap on domestic gas. And the Herald Sun talks to Melbourne City councillors on their decision to reintroduce fees for footpath and alfresco dining, which were suspended in the pandemic.

Coming up

The 20th anniversary of the Bali bombings will be marked in federal parliament.

Federal parliament is sitting.

And if you’ve read this far …

Find out why a brilliantly funny and nearly 30-year-old comedy sketch has gone viral again in the UK.

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