Sam Neill’s cause of death announced; first case of bird flu in NZ; and Andy Burnham’s winding path to power

Good afternoon.

Sam Neill’s cause of death was pneumonia, his longtime representative revealed.

Philip Grenz announced the news to address “inaccuracies and outright falsehoods” in media reporting after the actor’s “sudden and unexpected” death on Monday.

Neill had been diagnosed with stage three angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, in 2022 and underwent years of immunotherapy before declaring he was cancer-free in April.

Top news

ANU student asked to show death certificates to prove relatives died in Gaza, royal commission hears

Liberals say ‘all options’ should be considered despite Angus Taylor hosing down gender quota proposal

Australian patients’ medical records could be sold on dark web after clinics’ data breach

AFP release images of clothes to identify child abuse victims

Moira Deeming drops legal case against Victorian Liberal party and makes last-ditch bid to avoid disendorsement

Fears for New Zealand’s native species as first bird flu case emerges

World Cup 2026

This morning Argentina came from behind in the final minutes of its semi-final to break English hearts and book its place in a second successive World Cup final.

The Guardian’s chief sports writer, Barney Ronay, writes Messi brings a separate gravity field and bathes teammates in that borrowed light, and he remains an all-time talent who isn’t ready to be denied just yet.

The Argentina players celebrated with a banner saying “Las Malvinas son Argentinas”, making reference to the 1982 Falklands war.

As England licks it wounds, Thomas Tuchel shouldered the blame for his players becoming far too passive.

In pictures

The US president, Donald Trump, had hoped to revamp the iconic Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool ahead of his nation’s 250th birthday. But the newly drained monument appears to have noticeably faded since it was lined with an “American flag blue” coating.

What they said …

“Well, I’ve never supported any quotas at all. But what I do support is more great people joining the Liberal party, and more great people - women, and from all sorts of backgrounds” – the federal opposition leader, Angus Taylor

Asked about gender quotas for the Liberal party, Taylor said he has never supported them. Women make up 33% of Liberal federal parliamentarians.

Podcast

Heartbreak for England, again – World Cup Daily

Max Rushden speaks with Barry Glendenning, John Brewin, Jonathan Wilson and Nicky Bandini as England lose 2-1 to Argentina in the World Cup semi-finals.

Before bed read

As Andy Burnham prepares to take power in the UK, Daniel Boffey traces the incoming prime minister’s early forays into politics and his rise to prominence.

Burnham is a Cambridge graduate and poetry lover who insists on writing his own speeches, but picks up policy ideas while doing the family shop at Asda and Costcutter.

Yet there is perhaps another side that is underappreciated. He has been willing to risk the closest of relationships, including with his new chief of staff, when determined on a course of action.

Daily word game

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

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