Afternoon Update: Sam Neill dies aged 78; Jewish academic subjected to Nazi salutes; and a growing garbage mountain

Want to get this in your inbox every weekday? https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/oct/13/afternoon-update-newsletter-best-daily-news-email-guardian-australia-free-sign-up?CMP=cvau_sfl&CMP=au_sfl">Sign up for the Afternoon Update here, and start your day with https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/sep/23/morning-mail-newsletter-best-daily-news-email-guardian-australia-free-sign-up-inbox-subscribe?CMP=cvau_sfl&CMP=au_sfl">our Morning Mail newsletter.

Good afternoon.

Sam Neill, the versatile New Zealand actor whose career spanned Oscar winners and blockbusters such as The Piano and Jurassic Park, https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jul/13/sam-neill-death-actor-dies-aged-78">has died aged 78.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jul/13/unsw-academic-subjected-to-nazi-salutes-in-class-antisemitism-commission-hears-ntwnfb">UNSW academic subjected to Nazi salutes in class, antisemitism commission hears

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jul/13/jana-armstrong-former-partner-court-murder-charge-toowoomba-ntwnfb">Jana Armstrong’s former partner appears in court charged with murder after body found near Toowoomba

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/13/us-iran-war-missile-strikes-news-attacks-strait-of-hormuz">US launches new wave of strikes against Iran as Tehran says diplomacy has proven ‘futile’

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/12/mitch-mcconnell-hospitalization-fall">Mitch McConnell reveals fall led to hospitalisation after weeks of silence

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/13/france-fires-wildfires-fointaineblue-forest-paris">Fire bomber planes battle Fontainebleau forest blaze near Paris

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jul/13/wimbledon-cruz-hewitt-jordan-lee-boys-final">Wimbledon agony for teenager Cruz Hewitt as he bids farewell to junior tennis