Good morning! It's Thursday 14 August . This is The Front Cover, your daily portal into Mencari News's universe as well as our interpretation of the global scene.

One of the big stories this morning is that Commonwealth Bank of Australia has reported a record annual profit of $10.25 billion. Australia's wage growth trajectory has hit a turning point, with annual increases steady at 3.4%, but the underlying dynamics reveal a more nuanced story about economic momentum and worker compensation trends across the nation's labour market.

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Today's reading time is 5 minutes. - Miko Santos

➡️ Hamas Praises Australia's Palestinian State Recognition as Coalition Slams Labor Policy. Australia's Labor government faces criticism from the Coalition opposition after Hamas praised the country's decision to formally recognize a Palestinian state, with critics arguing the terrorist group's endorsement proves the foreign policy move is wrong and will embolden extremists rather than advance Middle East peace.

➡️ Pregnant Woman and Partner Found Dead in Melbourne Home as Neighbor Describes Horror Discovery. A homeless man has been charged with the brutal murder of pregnant Athena Georgopoulos, 39, and her partner Andrew Gunn, 50, who were found dead in their Mount Waverley home by a horrified neighbor, with police investigating the targeted attack that claimed the lives of the expectant mother and her unborn daughter.

➡️ Federal Politicians Clash Over South Australia Algae Crisis as Marine Life Deaths Mount. Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley engaged in a political war of words during separate visits to South Australia's algae-affected coastline, where dead marine life including dolphins continue washing ashore, as the opposition demands a national disaster declaration while the government maintains $28 million in support is already flowing to affected communities.

➡️ European Leaders Rally Around Zelensky in Berlin Before Trump-Putin Summit in Alaska. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky joined German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European leaders in Berlin for urgent virtual talks ahead of Friday's Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, as European allies express concerns about being excluded from peace negotiations that could determine Ukraine's territorial future in the ongoing war with Russia.

➡️ National Guard Troops Deploy to Washington DC as Mayor Rejects Trump's 'Authoritarian Push. President Donald Trump has deployed 800 National Guard troops and 500 federal agents to Washington DC in a crime crackdown that resulted in 23 arrests on the first night, while Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser condemned the federal intervention as an "authoritarian push" and disputed claims that crime is out of control in the nation's capital.

➡️ Kim Keon Hee Joins Husband Yoon Suk Yeol in Prison as South Korea Corruption Scandal Deepens. South Korea's former first lady Kim Keon Hee has been arrested on corruption charges including bribery and stock manipulation, making this the first time in the country's history that both a former president and their spouse are simultaneously detained, as she faces allegations of receiving luxury gifts worth over £42,000 and participating in stock fraud schemes.

➡️ Australia's eSafety Chief Warns of Tech Giant 'Ground War' Using Famous Influencers Against Social Media Ban. Australia's eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant has warned the Albanese government of an imminent "ground war" by tech giants using famous influencers to fight the under-16 social media ban, which now includes YouTube and is set to begin in December, with companies concerned about losing advertising revenue from millions of underage users.

➡️ Simon Goodwin in Talks with GWS Giants for 2026 Role After Melbourne Sacking. Former Melbourne Demons coach Simon Goodwin is in discussions with GWS Giants about a coaching role for the 2026 AFL season, just eight days after his dismissal, with the move linked to his wife Kristine Brooks being based in Sydney's finance sector, while Nathan Buckley emerges as the leading candidate to replace him at Melbourne.

➡️ Dogs Emerge as Key Cancer Research Partners Due to Faster Tumor Development and Shared Environmental Risks. Researchers are increasingly using dogs as vital partners in cancer research because canines develop tumors faster than humans while sharing similar genetic pathways and environmental exposures, allowing scientists to test new treatments more quickly and use dogs as early warning systems for cancer-causing chemicals in communities like East Palestine, Ohio.

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