News and politics live updates: Iran condemns ‘barbaric’ strikes as US vows to hold country ‘accountable’

Professor Scolyer’s wife, Dr Katie Nicholl, described her husband as a people’s person.

“He had a special ability to put people at ease, and for them to feel the warmth and kindness of his spirit,” she said.

She told of a time when her husband approached a group of runners at the Bay Run in Sydney and asked if he could join them for the 7 kilometre run.

“It didn’t matter to Rich, who someone was, their background, or even if it might embarrass his kids, he just had an amazing ability to walk up, say hi, and start a conversation.

“I think Rich pretty much applied this approach to everything in his life.

“It was always worth having a go.

“For our first date, Richard turned up at my doorstep unannounced with two bikes and proposed we go on an adventure for the day.”

Dr Nicholl said her husband was the “most wonderful father” who was involved and excited about sharing every phase of their kids’ lives.

She said Professor Scolyer was “funny, cheeky and mischievous, fun and when put his mind to something, Rich gave it his all”.

She ended her eulogy saying how lucky she felt to have had “24 amazing years” with him and “grateful” their children will carry him throughout their lives.

“We love you, Rich.”

Consular officials in Thailand are investigating whether any Australians have been caught up in a deadly fire that has killed at 27 people in a packed Bangkok pub.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke says a dedicated consular line has been set up for relatives and friends worried about the welfare of loved ones.

“Our embassy is engaged in trying to make sure as to whether or not Australians are being caught up in it,” he told reporters in Sydney.

“Family members will be concerned if they’ve got family in the area.”

Concerned families are asked to call the Consular Emergency Centre in Canberra on 1300 555 135.

Professor Scolyer’s friend, Jim Finlay, who met Professor Scolyer 40 years ago, drew laughter from the crowd after noting how he was one of the “lucky few to have known the unprofessional Richard”.

In a touching tribute to his friend, Mr Finlay cited work from American author Jack London.

Mr Finlay said it “beautifully” summed up his friend’s philosophy on life.

“I would rather be ashes than dust, I would rather my dark and spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it shall be stifled by dry rot.

“The proper function of man is to live, not to exist.

“I shall not waste my days.

“I shall use my time.”

Beijing has told Australia and other nations to “stop stirring up trouble” over the South China Sea, as diplomatic tensions flare up over expansive claims in the contested waters.

Over the weekend, 14 countries issued a joint statement criticising China’s “destabilising” actions in the disputed maritime region to mark a decade since the Hague ruled against Beijing’s territorial claims against the Philippines.

Signatories including Australia, the US, UK, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, the Philippines, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Romania, and Slovenia urged parties to abide by the 2016 decision.

In a statement, China’s Foreign Ministry hit back at the joint statement, insisting its “territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall not be affected by the ‘award’ under any circumstances”.

“China urges the relevant countries to earnestly respect China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea,” the statement added.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has paid tribute to leading cancer researcher Professor Richard Scolyer at a State Memorial Service at the Sydney Opera House.

Speaking to a crowd of thousands of high-profile figures, colleagues and members of the community, the Prime Minister described Professor Scolyer as a “national treasure.”

“In the great constellation of the Australian story, Richard was without a question one of the bightest stars,” Mr Albanese said.

“He was a man of courage, curiosity, generosity and kindness. A man grounded in the love of his family.”

The Prime Minister reflected on the times he shared with Professor Scolyer, who died aged 59 on June 7 after a three-year battle with aggressive brain cancer.

“I will always regard it as one of the privileges of my time as Prime Minister that I got to spend time with such an extraordinary, outstanding, remarkable human being,” Mr Albanes said.

“I got to count him as a friend and, for a happy stretch of my life, as neighbour, and for that, I feel blessed.”

Mr Albanese offered his condolences to the former Australian of the year and esteem pathologist’s family.

“Richard did so much to push back the shadow of melanoma and one day, when a cure for brain cancer is at last found, his name will be spoken, all of us will be able to say - we knew him and he gave us hope,” Mr Albanese continued.

“But for now, in what are still the very raw days of Richard’s absence, the hearts of all Australians are with his family. So, to Katie, Emily, Matthew and Lucy.

“May you draw some comfort from how much Australia truly loved him. May the love that shone so brightly between you light up all your days and may Richard Scolyer rest in peace.”

One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce hasplayed down a poll showing falling support for his party amid weeks of controversy over leader Pauline Hanson’s remarks on multiculturalism and paid parental leave.

The Resolve Political Monitor poll found core support for One Nation fell three points in July to 26 per cent, breaking four months of growth.

Resolve found that immigrants and women drove One Nation’s losses, but Mr Joyce dismissed polls as “an indicator” and “not a vote” and insisted Australians want “guardrails” on the country’s cultural make-up.

“I think that what there is an indication that Pauline Hanson is direct,” he told Nine’s Today.

“She’s straight down the barrel with what she says. And issues such as when she said monoculturalism – of course we have a choice.

“In Australia we can have multiculturalism, which means you’re accepting of a whole range of things which may be anathema to the Australian people.

“Or you can have an Australian culture which has to work within guardrails, and I believe that’s well supported.”

Share markets have slipped in Asia as fighting intensifies in the Gulf, sending oil prices surging and rekindling inflation risks globally.

The dollar gained with bond yields as investors nudged up the chance of a hike in interest rates from the Federal Reserve, just a day before Chair Kevin Warsh is due to face Congress for the first time in his new role.

Inflation figures for June on Tuesday could show some cooling in the headline rate of 4.2 per cent as petrol prices decline, though some of that will reverse now that oil is rising anew.

Brent crude climbed 3.3 per cent in early trade to reach $US78.50 ($A113.02) a barrel, up from the recent trough of $US70.14 ($A100.99), while US crude added 3.4 per cent to $US73.83 ($A106.30) a barrel.

Early action saw S&P 500 futures ease 0.3 per cent, while Nasdaq futures lost 0.5 per cent. Japan’s Nikkei fell 1.0 per cent on Monday, having shed 1.7 per cent last week, while MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 0.2 per cent.

South Korea’s red-hot market eased 0.4 per cent, and will be in focus having shed almost eight per cent last week as leveraged bets on semiconductor shares came under pressure. The market has recently become something of a bellwether for the chip sector globally and further losses could ripple out more broadly.

South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix’s US-listed shares jumped almost 14 per cent in their Nasdaq debut on Friday. News that Apple had sued OpenAI and two former employees for trade secrets theft emerged after markets closed.

- with Reuters

Teh Coalition has flagged a new approach to nuclear energy policy with Opposition Dan Tehan revealing the party is considering a model that would give the Federal governemnt a “golden share” in future small modular and micro nuclear reactors.

The proposal, which follows reports the Coalition wants to lift Australia’s ban on nuclear power and establish a government body to oversee the rollout of the technology, is aimed at addressing community concerns and building public confidence.

Mr Tehan said government involvement would be critical if Australia wants to introduce nuclear energy.

“If you’re going to go down the nuclear path, you’ve got to make sure that you do have some sort of government control,” he told Sky News on Monday.

“And that’s why this idea of a golden share that the government would take, which means that you can dictate around safety, you can dictate around location, you can dictate about community acceptance, about where you would locate your nuclear facilities. All these would become paramount.

“I think there’s a better way for us to do it, whether it be with nuclear and all other types of energy that we’re going to need to roll out. If we’re going to pursue energy abundance.”

Iran has condemed the US’s latest wave of strikes against its forces, saying the attack had “rendered futile” the diplomatic efforts of the last few months.

“These barbaric attacks are not only a gross violation of the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter…but also a serious threat to international peace and security,” a foreign ministry statement said.

“The US regime has also caused the return of insecurity in the strait of Hormuz and disruption of international commercial shipping by openly interfering in the process of Iran implementing the necessary arrangements in the strait of Hormuz.”

Julian Leeser says the ABC and SBS must take “systemic bias” against Israel in its reporting seriously.

The Opposition Education spokesperson said the public broadcasters must address the complaints in their coverage after the ABC admitted to making a “bad mistake” in incorrectly reporting that 14,000 babies were facing imminent starvation in Gaza.

“I know there have been complaints about the public broadcasters and their reporting of Israel for years and years … The special envoy has raised these issues. I think the public broadcasters have to take them seriously,” Leeser said.

“I think the public broadcasters actually have to be prepared to address systemic bias against Israel in their reporting, and I think they need to subject themselves to greater transparency mechanisms as outlined by the envoy.”

Mr Lesser also echoed anti-Semisim envoy Jillian Segal’s request for an independent review into the public broadcasters’ coverage of the Middle East conflict over recent years.