Morning Mail: new fears over LA fires, ‘organic’ labels get reality check, the push for reproductive leave

Good morning. Firefighters are still battling to contain California’s wildfires before strong winds are forecast that could spark further destruction – and amid political fallout about a lack of water to help fight the flames. There are warnings that the death toll will almost certainly rise as emergency crews search thousands of destroyed homes across Los Angeles.

Back at home there are warnings that shoppers are being duped by widespread mislabelling of “organic” products.

And new research suggests that universal reproductive leave could be a “gamechanger” for Australian workers. But how would it work?

Australia

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• Bad labels | Organic farmers and retailers have warned that Australians are being misled by some producers who engage in a form of greenwashing by falsely labelling their products “organic”.

• NSW logging | Logging of native forest in the proposed Great Koala national park in northern NSW has intensified since the Minns government took office, according to analysis by conservation advocates.

• Reproductive leave | Giving Australians 12 days leave each year for menstrual pain, menopause and IVF could save a fortune, a new study has found – but only a handful of workplaces offer it.

• Magic Beach transformed | Alison Lester’s beloved 90s bestseller now has a big-screen adaptation from the director of The Dry – featuring 10 animated adventures by 10 different artists.

• What we did – and didn’t – learn | Peter Dutton’s unofficial campaign launch had a log cabin story, an official slogan and – later in the day – a policy booklet but there were no new announcements.

World

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• Los Angeles fires | Stronger winds threaten further destruction, officials warn, as police issue an alert about looters; aerial footage shows the wildfires spreading; rescuing strangers, cooking for firefighters: LA residents “find hope” among the ashes; an Australian man dies in the fires.

• Russia-Ukraine war | Ukraine’s capture of two North Korean soldiers on the battlefield has provided a rare glimpse into Pyongyang’s participation in the Russian invasion, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.

• North American politics | Former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon condemns Elon Musk as “racist” and “truly evil”; Canada’s election is about to have an Musk problem with Justin Trudeau’s exit; Trump’s threats over the Panama canal reopen the wounds of the 1989 US invasion.

• Syria’s transition | Ministers from 17 countries have met in Riyadh to discuss how to speed aid to the new Syrian government – and to keep pressure on Damascus to meet its commitments to inclusivity.

• Colonialism | A historic court ruling that found Belgium guilty of crimes against humanity during its colonial rule of central Africa has been hailed as a turning point – and could pave the way for wider justice.

Full Story

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The Australian election is coming – what moments will define the campaign?

There is still no date for the federal election but Anthony Albanese has switched to campaign mode, hitting electorates across Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia all in one week. With the PM’s approval rating sliding, a potential interest-rate cut on the horizon and Donald Trump reclaiming the keys to the White House, Nour Haydar speaks with Dan Jervis-Bardy about the events that could shape federal politics this year.

In-depth

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Antimicrobial resistance threatens many of the gains of modern medicine, making even routine surgery much riskier. Jackson Ryan followed Trevor Lithgow, a biochemist at Monash University, and his team, to Merri Creek north of Melbourne to look for what some scientists believe could be powerful artillery against the threat of superbugs: bacteriophages, natural born bacteria-killers, which are uniquely attuned to hunt and kill microbes.

Not the news

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Mallrat was poised for pop domination. Then tragedy struck. A month after the singer-songwriter finished her second album, her younger sister died. Grief melted over everything like a black sludge and left her “brain like an empty cave”. But as the light starts to break through the cracks of a difficult year, she speaks to Katie Cunningham about how she has rediscovered the magic of music.

Sport

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• Tennis | “Australia deserves a great champion”: Alex de Minaur is ready to meet great expectations, writes Simon Cambers; Aryna Sabalenka starts her bid for a third straight Australian Open title with a win over Sloane Stephens; Hady Habib makes uplifting history for Lebanon, writes Tumaini Carayol.

• Football | Ange Postecoglou-managed Tottenham break Tamworth hearts in extra time in a nervy FA Cup tie; a 10-man Manchester United stun Arsenal in an FA Cup penalty shootout.

• Cricket | Alyssa Healy finds form as Australia draw first blood against a sloppy England in the Women’s Ashes opener.

Media roundup

Fewer than half of children in some of Sydney’s most affluent suburbs are being bulk-billed for GP visits – while adults across NSW are paying more to see the doctor than last year, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. Victoria’s lobbying regulations could be extended to cover not only state MPs but local governments as soon as this year, the Age reports. Experts are warning that lives are at risk as the recreational use of the prescription medication Xanax by young Australians continues to rise, ABC News reports.

What’s happening today

• NSW | Conservationists concerned about the impact of native logging on koalas are to rally in Coffs Harbour and Sydney.

• Queensland | A court mention is scheduled in Brisbane for a state government consultant charged after the alleged disclosure of official secrets.

• NSW | A man is due to appear in court in Newcastle facing animal cruelty charges after the discovery of 98 dead kangaroos.

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Brain teaser

And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.

• Quick crossword

• Cryptic crossword