Morning Mail: Woman’s plea for imprisoned husband; renters hit by online fees; and the ‘BYD effect’

Morning everyone. Concerns are growing for the wellbeing of an Australian democracy activist who has not been heard from for almost a month after being detained in Vietnam, with his wife describing his plight as “truly heartbreaking”.

Renters face online fees from property companies trying to claw back money from credit card payments, the surge in EV imports from China could help to lower inflation, and Australia are on the brink of winning the first Test in South Africa. Plus, find out how to sign up to our new puzzles newsletter.

Australia

• Turtle homecoming | Freshwater turtles rescued from a dried-up water hole in western New South Wales after the state government cut environmental water to the area are being returned home.

• ‘Truly heartbreaking’ | The wife of an Australian democracy campaigner imprisoned in Vietnam on alleged terrorism offences says he has become uncontactable, and she believes Tran Hiep spent his 51st birthday alone in a notorious detention centre in Ho Chi Minh City after his sudden arrest last month.

• Surcharge hit | Online property management platforms are charging renters new fees or pushing them on to paid “memberships” to avoid processing costs associated with card payments after the ban on surcharges.

• Equality | More part-time bosses and “co-CEOs” could keep women in leadership and narrow Australia’s gender pay gap, the federal government’s equality agency says.

• ‘Never met him’ | The leader of a Melbourne Islamic centre allegedly linked to the accused Flydubai hijacker has rejected any connection with the radicalised pilot, saying he never met the suspect, and condemned “violence in all its forms”.

• Struhs ‘stonewalling’ | A specialist child safety doctor was “stonewalled” by a child safety officer after repeatedly warning that Elizabeth Struhs would not be safe living with her mother, years before her parents allowed her to die by withdrawing lifesaving medicine, a coronial inquest has heard.

World

• Zelenskyy defiance | Volodymyr Zelenskyy has vowed to respond to Russia’s continuing attacks on the Ukrainian power grid as European leaders rally around Kyiv amid a feud with Donald Trump over Ukraine’s strikes on oil refineries.

• Saudi suspension | Saudi Arabia was forced to extend the suspension of all flights to and from its main international airport in Riyadh on Monday after a further round of Houthi missile attacks caused more damage and left one dead.

• Omar search | Federal agents have searched the home of Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar as part of a criminal fraud investigation.

• NAZA order | The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has ordered the country’s attorney general and the security service to reveal the identities of soldiers and officers interviewed in the investigative documentary NAZA and prosecute them for causing “harm to Israel’s diplomatic and security interests”.

Full Story

Why does Hegseth want the world to see a death by firing squad?

Washington bureau chief David Smith tells Reged Ahmad why the US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, wants the world to watch a death by firing squad. And although the online safety regulator has some powers to prevent Australians from watching the planned live stream, will she use them and risk a diplomatic incident?

In-depth

The surge in sales of electric vehicles in Australia has become an unexpected weapon in combatting higher inflation, according to experts, who say that the low cost of many of the China-made vehicles is helping contain the overall cost of living rise. In addition, the lower insurance rates associated with EVs and less spending on petrol are also helping swell the so-called “BYD effect”.

Not the news

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Sport

• Cricket | Australia marched closer to victory in the first Test over South Africa in Durban after another dominant day – and more Matt Renshaw heroics – which ended with the hosts on 4-102 and still needing another 319 to win.

• Gambling | Jack Snape reports on how a low-stakes women’s cricket match – Hobart Hurricanes v ACT Meteors – attracted $350,000 in bets and exposes a new threat to Australian sport.

• Cycling | The former Australia cyclist Matt Richardson has been withdrawn from the Great Britain team for next week’s World Cycling Championships in Shanghai amid allegations of misconduct.

The billionaire Oatley family has bought back the Rosemount wine brand from Treasury Wine Estates 25 years after selling it, the Adelaide Advertiser reports. A sharp rise in people being bitten or scratched by bats has sparked a warning about a deadly virus, the Newcastle Herald claims.

What’s happening today

• Courts | Rajwinder Singh appeals against his conviction for the 2018 murder of Toyah Cordingley at Brisbane court of appeal.

• Economy | RBA publishes the minutes of its last board meeting at 11.30am, and the ABS releases overseas arrivals figures.

• Canberra | Jim Chalmers delivers the Bernie Fraser oration at 7.30pm.

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