State of Origin finished up last night with an enthralling win from NSW. But Queensland still won two of the three games, making them this year’s overall winner.

In case you’re wanting a stat to casually pull out at the water cooler today, Queensland has won 14 out of the last 20 years.

The quote
"If a person chooses to work from home, whatever the number of days a week, their salary [should be] reduced by the reduction in costs they would have otherwise incurred... They don't have to go through the trauma of driving to and from work, or [taking] the train or something – they save money and it saves them all that stress." – Former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett calling for a pay cut for public sector workers who work from home, in comments to the Herald Sun.

The stat
27
The number of Emmy nominations HBO’s Succession has received this year. The Emmy Awards are set to take place on 18 September, but could be delayed due to ongoing negotiations with the Screen Actors Guild.

Today in history
1985: Over a billion people tuned in to watch Live Aid, a global “superconcert” that was broadcast in 110 countries. The 16-hour event raised over $100 million US dollars for famine relief in eastern Africa.

Some headlines from this morning:

The Reserve Bank of Australia will hold eight board meetings a year to determine interest rates instead of 11, Governor Philip Lowe has announced.

Lowe also announced he would hold a press conference after each interest rate decision, and flagged a "significant program of cultural change" to make the organisation more inclusive.

The new changes are part of the RBA's response to a recent independent review, which made 51 recommendations for change.

It comes amid speculation about whether Lowe will be replaced as Governor when his term expires later this year.

RBA Governors are appointed by the Federal Government. In an interview on ABC radio this morning, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said he was still considering whether to make a change and had given the Opposition the opportunity to contribute.

Asked about his future on Wednesday, Lowe said he would be "honoured" to be re-appointed.

About the Reserve Bank:
The RBA is Australia's central bank. Its key responsibility is setting the 'cash rate' – an interest rate it charges commercial banks for short-term loans.

This rate influences the cost of borrowing across the economy, so changes to the cash rate are often called changes to 'interest rates'.

The RBA has raised interest rates several times since May last year in a bid to fight rising prices (inflation).

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An attempt to negotiate a free trade deal between Australia and the European Union has stalled over a dispute around the names of some Australian agricultural products.

EU negotiators are refusing to give Australian farmers cheaper access to the European market unless they rename Australian-made products including feta, prosecco, prosciutto and parmesan.

Background:
Most countries restrict what other countries can bring into their markets. This can include bans of certain goods, but more commonly takes the form of 'tariffs' (taxes).

When countries negotiate trade deals (sometimes called 'free' trade deals), each country is seeking more favourable access for their exporters, and a reduction on import restrictions.

The EU, which includes 27 countries, operates as a single market and negotiates trade deals as one entity.

Australia-EU deal:
Australia has been trying to negotiate a trade deal with the EU since 2018.

With a population of over 445 million, the EU is Australia's third-largest trading partner. In 2021-22, there was $97 billion of trade between the two.

Trade Minister Don Farrell travelled to Belgium this week in an attempt to finalise the deal, but warned negotiations had been "difficult" and Australia was not happy with what the EU had offered.

This week's talks failed to reach an outcome, with negotiations now delayed until at least August.

Naming rights:
A major sticking point has been the EU's insistence on 'geographic indicators' that would restrict naming rights for products not manufactured in their 'traditional' place of origin.

A common example is champagne. Over many years, France has secured the agreement of over 100 countries, including Australia, to grant exclusive use of the name 'champagne' to wine made in the Champagne region of France according to traditional methods.

The Australian Government says getting greater access to the EU for agricultural products would be "incredibly valuable", but has been unwilling to agree to the EU's naming rights demands, which Agriculture Minister Murray Watt has called an "emotional issue" for many Australian producers.

"We've had a lot of migration post-World War II from Europe to Australia that has seen our producers... bring their own products from their home countries and make them here... We want to make sure [that] is recognised by the EU", Watt said in an interview last month.

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A giant panda in a South Korean zoo has given birth to baby twins.

It’s the first panda twin birth recorded in the country’s history.

Women's football has reached new heights in Australia - and continues to ignite a broader passion for women's sports, from grassroots fields to professional stadiums.

The Matildas have already played a pivotal role in this global phenomenon. So, on the eve of the world’s biggest moment for the “beautiful game”, this is the perfect moment to remind ourselves just how far our national team has come.

Since the first Australian Women’s national team was invited to participate on a global stage in 1978, to the naming of the Matildas in 1995, to becoming the first Australian national football team to win silverware in Asia in 2010; they’ve gone on to break both TV viewing and attendance records. Once a largely unknown team, the Matildas now inspire a new generation of football fans.

As the Matildas face France in a momentous Farewell Match at Melbourne's Marvel Stadium on July 14th, TDA and Nike invite you to join us in celebrating their successes both on and off the pitch and remember the power of women’s sport to build a better game for all.

Handwritten pages found in the couch of the house of the late Aretha Franklin have been ruled to be a valid will.

Franklin did not leave behind a formal will when she passed away in 2018. Under local law, this initially meant her assets were going to be divided equally among her four sons.

However, the handwritten pages divided the assets differently between the children. The matter has divided the singer’s children since her death.

But now it’s been resolved. The handwritten pages are a valid will.

“There’s nothing that says you can’t keep a will in a spiral notebook in your couch cushion,” a lawyer for one of the sons said in his opening statement.