Good morning, this is Richard Parkin bringing you the main stories and must-reads on Friday 22 November.

Top stories

Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has been indicted for bribery, fraud and breach of trust, with the dramatic announcement coming after three years of inquiries into the alleged receipt of gifts from billionaires including James Packer in exchange for political favours. The announcement by Israel’s attorney general comes just a day after Netanyahu’s political challenger Benny Gantz failed to form a working coalition to wrest power from the incumbent leader. The president, Reuven Rivlin, said the nation finds itself in a “miserable political situation”, concluding: “These are harsh, dark days in the annals of the state of Israel.”

There has been a spike in respiratory problems reported at emergency departments around Australia, as haze from bushfires contributes to an issue that the World Health Organisation says has killed an estimated 4.2 million people prematurely around the world. People with chronic health conditions are being urged to take extra precautions as record-breaking spring temperatures across Australia and in some places winds of up to 100km/h fan blazes in as many as five states. “This disproportionately affects some of our most vulnerable patients, including the elderly and children,” Dr John Bonning said.

Anthony Albanese has looked to reboot Labor’s historic mission, saying in a speech delivered in Queensland that Australia has now “reached the limits of the Hawke-Keating reforms”. Outlining his intention for Labor to end the “productivity recession”, Albanese flagged more public-private partnerships and a raise in the rate of compulsory superannuation, as well as the need to address stagnating wages. The party leader said Labor’s economic policy required “a soft heart and a hard head” while also expanding Australia’s ability to thrive from its proximity to rapidly growing Indo-Asia Pacific economies.

Australia

Facebook Twitter Pinterest A wedge-tailed eagle. John Auer has admitted to having 420 of the raptors killed. Photograph: Carly Earl/The Guardian

Conservationists have called for tougher charges for a Victorian landowner who admitted to killing more than 400 wedge-tailed eagles, after the man was fined $25,000 and received a 12-month good behaviour bond for “calculated, unacceptable” acts that have caused unknown long-term impact to the protected bird population.

Queensland is threatening to stymie the federal government’s rebooted emissions reduction scheme unless it can access significant funds to support expanding the state’s gas industry.

Rupert Murdoch has told News Corps shareholders “there are no climate change deniers” within his organisation, praising his company’s commitment to “science-based targets” while classing himself as a “climate change skeptic not a denier”.

The world

Facebook Twitter Pinterest A supporter of former Bolivian president Evo Morales takes part in a protest in La Paz. Photograph: Marco Bello/Reuters

Neither Evo Morales nor his vice-president will recontest Bolivia’s next election, with a senior Movement for Socialism party leader confirming that the leader of 14 years will stand aside for “young candidates”.

At least 22 civilians have been killed in Syria in a government missile strike on a refugee camp that sparked fires throughout the densely populated camp and its adjoining medical facility.

French police have conducted DNA tests on 67 hunting dogs in an effort to identify the killers of a pregnant woman who was attacked in a forest about 90km north of Paris during a deer hunt.

Facebook has confirmed that Donald Trump hosted Mark Zuckerberg at a private White House dinner in October while the chief executive was in town facing a congressional questioning. The meeting had not previously been disclosed.

Recommended reads

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Single mothers and fathers report the highest rates of social isolation – could buddying up be the solution?

Photograph: Alamy

In a study on loneliness single mothers and fathers reported the highest rates of social isolation. With 900,000 single-parent families in Australia, is the solution buddying up? The Queensland duo Stacey and Nikki did and haven’t looked back, writes Antoanela Safca. And, with the number of multiple-family households doubling over the past 15 years, it appears more and more Australians are finding the emotional support and freedom they desire within non-traditional arrangements.

It’s a dark revenge tale for the #MeToo era – but how do you break the cycle of gendered violence? Mia Wasikowska speaks to Debbie Zhou about her new Australian film, Judy & Punch, which inhabits a “weird” world of period drama with fantastic elements. She says she’s drawn to playing roles that have “their internal mess externalised”. Her character, Judy, tries to endure an abusive marriage to chase her perfect life, before a tragedy sets her on a course towards realising her own strength.

It’s one of the latest crazes in Silicon Valley but what exactly does a “dopamine fast” entail? And while the scientific basis for the new habit of 20-something tech bros might be questionable, Brigid Delaney gives it a try.

Listen

In November Guardian Australia revealed that more than 100 underage girls have been strip -searched in NSW since 2016. There are also concerns that many strip-searches are being conducted illegally, with the deputy coroner calling for changes to the law. In this episode of Full Story, reporter Michael McGowan and host Laura Murphy-Oates discuss how strip-searches are being used in the state.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/audio/2019/nov/22/the-problem-with-strip-searches https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/audio/2019/nov/22/the-problem-with-strip-searches Sorry your browser does not support audio - but you can download here and listen - 00:00:00 00:00:00

Sport

Facebook Twitter Pinterest New Wallabies coach Dave Rennie during his time with the Glasgow Warriors. Photograph: Athena Pictures/Getty Images

Eleven years ago when the New Zealander Robbie Deans took the Wallabies job it caused uproar in his home country. But the reception for his countryman Dave Rennie stepping in after Michael Cheika was official congratulations, writes Matt McILraith. What’s changed?

Taking over at Tottenham has left José Mourinho “smiling for two days”. But who within the dressing room will be left with long faces come Saturday’s clash with West Ham, Ben McAleer asks.

And, it wouldn’t be Friday without David Squires on … unprovoked attacks on the failing A-League.

Media roundup

Victoria’s hottest day since 1894 required “significant resources”, writes the Herald Sun, with more than 2,000 firefighters, 300 trucks and 33 aircraft battling 60 blazes across the state. The former PM John Howard has warned the Liberal and National parties they’re facing “existential challenges”, urging both to resist the “curse” of factionalism, reports the Sydney Morning Herald. And a cancer sufferer who sold his house and moved into a shed to afford medical treatment has said he was “ripped to shreds” by a robodebt claim, according to nine.com.au.

Coming up

The coroner will hand down his findings into the death of David Dungay, who died in Long Bay jail at the end of 2015.

The federal energy minister, Angus Taylor, will meet with his state counterparts at a Coag gathering in Perth.

And if you’ve read this far …

Facebook Twitter Pinterest A statue of baby Jesus in a Mexican church and musician Phil Collins in 1988. Composite: La EpifanÍa del Señor church/Rex Features

A giant statue of baby Jesus in a Mexican church is garnering worldwide attention for its uncanny resemblance to Phil Collins. At 6.7 metres tall and 900kg, the work in Guadalupe could also be the biggest baby Jesus in existence.

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