Your morning Briefing: Tons to savour as Aussies eye victory

Your 2-minute digest of the day’s top stories and must-reads.

Hello readers. The Aussies are in the box seat after stunning tons by Smith and Wade, and the US wants our help to battle China.

Steve Smith and Matthew Wade

Aussies eye victory

England trail by 385 runs after a day of brilliant batting by Australia, featuring another century from Steve Smith, and Matthew Wade’s first Test ton since 2013. Australia’s 7-487 ranks as their third-highest score in England. The balls aren’t swinging, the pitch is flat but Australia will be confident they can take the 10 wickets which stand between them and a 1-0 lead in the series. Gideon Haigh reckons nobody bats like Steve Smith and nobody ever has. Catch up on how Day Four of the first Ashes test unfolded here.

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Prime Minister Scott Morrison with wife Jenny Morrison invited United States of America Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and his wife Susan for dinner at Kirribilli House on Sunday, August 4, 2019. Picture: Adam Taylor

US wants our help to battle China

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the US-Australia alliance is ­entering a new era in the face of a rising China. Paul Kelly writes that what emerged from AUSMIN was a deeper and more coherent US strategic response to combat China with Australia as a strong participant.

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This CCTV image obtained by KTSM 9 news channel shows the gunman identified as Patrick Crusius, 21 years old, as he enters the Cielo Vista Walmart store in El Paso on august 3, 2019. - A gunman armed with an assault rifle opened fire on shoppers at a packed Walmart store, reportedly killing at least 15 people in the latest mass shooting in the United States. Although the exact scale of the tragedy in El Paso, Texas, was not yet known, television networks put the numbers of dead at between 15 and 20 while medics reported treating dozens of victims. (Photo by Courtesy of KTSM 9 / KTSM 9 news Channel / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / Courtesy of KTSM 9 News Channel" - NO MARKETING - NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

Christchurch echoed in manifesto

At least 30 people are dead in separate mass shootings in a horrific 24 hours of gun violence in the US.

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Johannes Leak Media cartoon for 05-08-2019Version: Media Cartoon (1024x768 - Aspect ratio preserved, Canvas added)COPYRIGHT: The Australian's artists each have different copyright agreements in place regarding re-use of their work in other publications.Please seek advice from the artists themselves or the Managing Editor of The Australian regarding re-use.

Jones ignores FitzSimons’ rants

It’s all meant to be happy families in the new Nine stable, but not for Peter FitzSimons, writes Nick Tabakoff in Media Diary.

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Johannes Leak’s view

Johannes Leak Letters page cartoon for 05-08-2019Version: Letters Cartoon (1280x720 - Aspect ratio preserved, Canvas added)COPYRIGHT: The Australian's artists each have different copyright agreements in place regarding re-use of their work in other publications.Please seek advice from the artists themselves or the Managing Editor of The Australian regarding re-use.