Afternoon Update: Trump rounds on Rudd, Wong’s frank China talks, young people less happy

Welcome, readers, to Afternoon Update.

Donald Trump has caused a stir in Australia today during an interview with Nigel Farage. The former US president took aim at Australia’s ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, and fired.

He criticised Rudd as “nasty”, “not the brightest bulb” and said he ultimately “won’t be there long” should Trump win the 2024 presidential race. The remarks stem from previously negative comments expressed by Rudd regarding the Trump administration.

Throughout the day, Australian leaders have chimed in, with the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, and the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, among those to support Rudd’s position.

The Liberals have been supportive of Rudd in the role, but not his anti-Trump comments. The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, commented: “I did have complimentary things to say about Mr Rudd,” however, “Mr Rudd needs to repair the relationship”.

The Nationals, however, aren’t pleased. Leader David Littleproud said “Kevin Rudd should have known better”, with Bridget McKenzie adding that Rudd’s comments demonstrate “a lack of judgment”.

Top news

• Foreign ministers meet | The highly anticipated meeting between the Australian minister for foreign affairs, Penny Wong, and China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, has wrapped but not before a frank discussion on a range of issues. These included concerns about the death sentence of Dr Yang Hengjun, removing trade impediments, and a desire for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

• Samantha Murphy | Victoria police have announced a fresh search for the body of alleged murder victim Samantha Murphy in bushland south of Ballarat. Police on Wednesday said they would conduct a “significant” search in the Buninyong area where Murphy’s phone pinged a mobile phone tower on the day she went missing.

• ‘No evidence’ ankle bracelets reduce offending | Advocates for children have responded to Victoria’s backflip on youth bail laws, criticising the decision to change youth justice laws. Gai Campbell, responsible for delivering Save the Children services in Australia, has urged the government to avoid “Band-Aid” solutions to the issue of youth crime.

• Staff attempted to access Kate Middleton’s medical records | An investigation has reportedly been launched at the London Clinic after at least one member of staff tried to access the Princess of Wales’s private medical records while she was being treated there.

• Queensland to introduce permanent pill-testing clinics | Queensland will establish the first of two fixed pill-testing clinics in Brisbane this year, the first Australian state to back the harm reduction strategy on an ongoing basis. The Rabbits Eat Lettuce festival near Warwick will be the first to conduct pill testing on site, at the end of the month.

• Breast cancer drug may help thousands | Thousands more women with breast cancer than previously thought could benefit from blockbuster immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab, sold under the brand name Keytruda, research suggests.

• Netanyahu ‘determined’ to carry out Rafah assault | The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has said he remains determined to carry out a ground invasion of Gaza’s southern city of Rafah – where many displaced Palestinians are sheltering – despite the misgivings of US president Joe Biden.

• Marvel actor sued by former partner | Jonathan Majors’s former girlfriend has filed a lawsuit accusing the Creed III and Marvel actor of battery, assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, malicious prosecution and defamation.

• Young people becoming less happy than older generations | Global research has revealed young people are becoming less happy than older generations as they suffer “the equivalent of a midlife crisis”. America’s top doctor warns that “young people are really struggling”.

Full Story

Black Box episode three: repocalypse now.

When Eugenia Kuyda created Replika, the AI companion app, she had no idea it would be downloaded millions of times all around the world. The results were more powerful than she could have predicted. But so was the backlash.

What they said …

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“I think we’re on a good path there to continued panda presence.” – Foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong

An update on the panda diplomacy mentioned by my colleague Martin Farrer in today’s Morning Mail: after a meeting with China’s foreign minister Wang Yi, Wong responded to a question about the situation surrounding Wang Wang and Fu Ni, the giant panda pair donated to Adelaide zoo who have become almost surrogates to the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

In numbers

Victoria’s auditor-general has released a scathing report investigating the state government’s shock cancellation of the 2026 Commonwealth Games. The report found the cited $6.9bn cost blowout was “overstated” and criticises government agencies for not working together. Ultimately, the report calls the cancelled project a “waste of taxpayer money” with “no discernible benefit”.

Before bed read

‘I’m back!’: how Guardian readers reclaimed their brains and cut their screen times by 40%

Readers say they’ve been sleeping better and pursuing new hobbies since signing up to the Reclaim your brain newsletter. Have you signed up yet?

Daily word game

Today’s starter word is: WAR. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.

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