☕️ Trump weighs up Iran strike

Let’s start your day with a gorgeous image of the Sculptor galaxy, courtesy of scientists operating the European Southern Observatory’s ‘Very Large Telescope’ (yep, that’s the official name) in Chile.

This galaxy is in a “sweet spot”, according to researchers, as it’s close enough to see the small details, but far away enough for it to be seen as a whole system.

“The right engine was a new engine put in March 2025. The left engine was last serviced in 2023 and due for its next maintenance check in December 2025.”
The Chairman of Air India, speaking on Indian television after an Air India plane crashed last week, killing at least 270 people. Natarajan Chandrasekaran said the cause of the crash is still unknown, but “the [plane’s] black box and recorders will definitely tell the story… so we just have to wait for that”.

4.1%
The rate of unemployment for this month. This statistic measures the percentage of people who were actively seeking employment but were unable to find a suitable job. It has held steady for a fifth consecutive month, according to the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Actress Simone Ashley’s role in the upcoming film ‘F1’ has reportedly been cut down significantly, sparking online backlash. The decision has also prompted discussion about the lack of people of colour in large Hollywood productions. Director Joseph Kosinski told People Magazine: "It happens on every film, where you have to shoot more than you can use. There were two or three storylines that ultimately didn't make into the final cut." Ashley has yet to respond.

The salaries of CEOs at some of Australia’s biggest companies are 55 times the average adult’s earnings.

According to new data from the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI), CEO salaries have increased at more than double the national average pay rise rate.

News Corp’s U.S.-based CEO, Robert Thomson, was the ASX’s highest-paid boss on $41.88 million, up roughly $300,000 from the previous year.

Here’s what else the report found.

ACSI’s annual analysis of CEO pay trends and outcomes is focused on Australia’s largest listed companies.

A listed company means its shares are available to be bought and sold on the Australian stock market (ASX). This is also known as a ‘public’ company.

This year’s sample includes 150 CEOs from the biggest 200 ASX-listed companies.

The report looks at realised pay rather than salary: the combined value of cash and equity the CEOs received.

The study found that termination payments for CEOs of the top 100 ASX-listed companies have dropped to the lowest level in 15 years.

The trend follows a law change after the Global Financial Crisis, which gave shareholders greater input on large payouts.

However, bonuses have remained high.

Almost all of the surveyed bosses received a bonus, regardless of their company’s performance.

The report also found that the average pay for CEOs has not risen significantly.

The median realised pay was $4.15 million, compared to $3.96 million a decade ago.

While CEO pay was 55 times that of the average worker last year, the gap is smaller than other countries.

“We have worked hard to avoid the eye-watering outcomes that we see in other markets like the U.S,” said ACSI executive Ed John.

A similar study showed the top CEOs in the U.S. are paid 348 times the earnings of the average worker.

Jewellery chain Lovisa’s CEO Victor Herrero received $39.55 million, making him the highest-paid Australian-based chief executive. Herrero stepped down from the role in May 2025.

Macquarie Group’s Shemara Wikramanayake was the highest paid woman on the list, with $29.76 million.

The CEOs from BHP, Rio Tinto, and Commonwealth Bank also made the top 20.

Reporting by Elliot Lawry.

U.S. President Donald Trump has refused to rule out getting involved in the Israel-Iran conflict.

Following an Israeli strike last Friday, the two countries have exchanged missile fire.

The U.S, an ally of Israel, has increased pressure on Iran to halt its nuclear program since Trump returned to office. When asked if the U.S. would directly attack Iran, Trump said: “I may do it, I may not do it.”

The remarks have raised questions about whether a U.S. strike would trigger a world war.

On Friday, Israel launched a wave of strikes on nuclear and military targets in Iran, including residences of military officials in Tehran apartment buildings.

Israel cited Iran’s recent progression towards developing a nuclear bomb for launching a series of strikes. Its first wave of attacks struck a nuclear facility. Iran responded with missile attacks on Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv.

More than 220 people have now been killed in Iran, including civilians and military officials. Authorities have confirmed 24 civilians have been killed in Israel.

Yesterday, Israel and Iran exchanged further strikes. Iran hit multiple sites in Israel, including a major hospital, and Israel struck multiple sites in Iran, including nuclear facilities. Both sides said they were aiming for military targets.

Following Iran’s strike on the hospital, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz posted to X, saying: “[Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei will be held accountable for his crimes.”

“The Prime Minister and I have instructed the IDF to increase the intensity of attacks… against government targets in Tehran to remove threats to the State of Israel and undermine the Ayatollah’s regime.”

In a separate post, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran.”

Iran’s nuclear program has long caused tensions in the Middle East and with the U.S.

In 2015, Iran signed a nuclear treaty agreeing to keep its nuclear developments “exclusively peaceful” in exchange for an incremental reduction in sanctions from countries like the U.S.

Trump withdrew from the deal during his first term, arguing it failed to stop Iran’s military build-up.

Since returning to the White House in January, the Trump administration has held numerous meetings with Iran over its nuclear program.

Trump’s Middle East adviser Steve Witkoff had intended to meet with Iranian officials in Oman on Sunday for a sixth round of talks on the future of nuclear in the country.

The meeting was cancelled after Israel’s first round of strikes.

Trump then left the G7 summit early, saying he had something to do that was “much bigger” than a ceasefire.

The U.S. President has since called for the “unconditional surrender” of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claiming to know where he is “hiding”.

He has also called for the evacuation of Tehran, home to nearly 10 million people, where most of Israel’s strikes have been concentrated.

On Wednesday (local time), in response to a journalist’s question about whether the U.S. would strike Iran, Trump said “I may do it, I may not do it”, hinting it could occur in the coming week.

Trump’s refusal to rule out an attack on Iran has triggered speculation the U.S. could try to strike an underground nuclear facility near Tehran.

The U.S. has developed ‘bunker buster’ bombs, which can penetrate deep into the earth before detonating. It also has fighter jets capable of carrying these bombs.

Earlier this week, Khamenei posted on social media: “The harm the US will suffer will definitely be irreparable if they enter this conflict militarily.”

Trump has faced pressure to directly intervene in the Middle East from some Republicans and Democrats.

Some U.S. media outlets report that a number of Republicans who have long advocated for tougher action against Iran, including Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton, have pushed for direct attacks.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the country’s top diplomat, is also a long-term critic of Iran.

A mix of Republicans and Democrats have raised concerns about U.S. involvement in the Middle East, exposing rifts in Trump’s party.

Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie posted on social media: “This is not our war. But if it were, Congress must decide such matters”.

Democrats who have voiced concerns include Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, Hillary Clinton’s vice presidential pick in 2016. Kaine said the move could drag the U.S. into “another endless conflict”.

Former Fox News commentator and Trump supporter Tucker Carlson has opposed intervention in Iran, breaking away from Trump’s rhetoric.

In a two-hour long interview, he questioned Republican Senator Ted Cruz about his pro-intervention position, including if knew the size of Iran’s population. At one point, Carlson said: “You don’t know anything about Iran!”

Trump’s National Security Director Tulsi Gabbard has also come under fire for suggesting that Iran had not been developing nuclear weapons, according to CIA intelligence. Trump responded by saying “I don’t care what she said”.

Google searches for World War III have spiked since the Israel and Iran strikes began.

There is no set definition of a world war, but historians generally accept it is an intense conflict that draws in multiple countries. The United Nations’ central purpose was to create a forum to avoid future global conflicts in the wake of World War II.

After 9/11, the U.S. invaded Afghanistan. While the conflict escalated and brought in multiple countries (including Australia), it was generally not considered a world war.

Reporting by Harry Sekulich.

Solo travel sounds Instagram-perfect until you're eating dinner alone for the seventh night straight.

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It's travel maths that works: Split costs, double laughs, multiply Instagram opportunities. Ready to trade solo FOMO for squad goals? OceanZen's got your next adventure sorted.

🍊 Did you miss State of Origin Game II? Here’s your full wrap-up.
🍊 The LA Lakers are set to sell for a record price. How much?!
🍊 Katie Boulter spoke to media about online abuse. Check out what she said.
🗞️ Also in today’s Sport Newsletter: rugby union, golf, and more…

HIV is a virus that attacks the cells in the body which fight off diseases. In a world-first, a new vaccine can successfully “reduce the risk of sexually acquired HIV in adults and adolescents.” Clinical trials of the twice-a-year immunisation reported 99.99% of participants continued to remain HIV negative. Gilead Sciences, who developed the technology, said: “[The vaccine] is one of the most important scientific breakthroughs of our time and offers a very real opportunity to help end the HIV epidemic.”

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Reporting by Annabel Whitehouse.

Australia now has its very first talking post boxes – all in an effort to combat loneliness.

Australia Post and Beyond Blue have installed sensors in post boxes to encourage Aussies to “connect with others by sending a postcard the old-fashioned way.”

The post boxes will say statements like: “A little hello goes a long way” and “Send a note to someone special.”

Beyond Blue CEO Georgie Harman AO said: “This initiative is such a great reminder of the power of connection and how small acts of kindness can have a big impact on our mental health.”

The talking post boxes can be found in Canberra, Sydney and the Victorian city Traralgon until mid-July. A set of postcards attached to the initiative will be free and available at post offices across Australia.

Reporting by Annabel Whitehouse.

This week, Meta made its second-largest acquisition ever, buying a major stake in AI company Scale AI for $21 billion. But that's just the beginning of Silicon Valley's most extreme talent war, where tech giants are offering $100 million signing bonuses to poach AI experts from competitors.

In today's podcast, Sam and Billi unpack why companies like Meta, Google and Microsoft are offering nine-figure salaries to lure the best minds in artificial intelligence, why AI is so expensive, and a housemate rivalry.