Morning Mail: Exclusive – brutality on Manus revealed, Chelsea Manning released from prison, Pell on abuse allegations

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Guardian Australia's Morning Mail Thursday 18 May 2017 g Chelsea Manning released from prison Good morning, and welcome to the Morning Mail. Among the stories leading our website this morning: Chelsea Manning, the army private who released a vast trove of US state secrets and was punished by the US military for months in penal conditions denounced by the UN as torture, has been released from a military prison in Kansas after serving seven years of a 35-year sentence. Timeline: Chelsea Manning's long journey to freedom Keep reading for the rest of the top stories this morning, with more news from around Australia and the world.

Headlines Self-harm, suicide and assaults: brutality on Manus revealed Exclusive: Secret papers show 16 self-harm and suicide attempts in one week at Australia's offshore detention centre 'The pill mill of America': where drugs mean there are no good choices, only less awful ones For six days in Portsmouth, Ohio, I keep trying to fool myself. Eventually, I am unable to just watch and listen Trump: 'No politician in history has been treated more unfairly' President addresses coast guard graduates amid series of scandals, and complains: 'Look at the way I've been treated lately, especially by the media' Penny Wong says marriage equality fight proves need for separation of church and state Labor politician criticises Australian Christian Lobby for campaigning against Safe Schools anti-bullying program Coalition won't reveal conditions attached to Gonski 2.0 until mid-2018 Revised timeline means extra funding will begin flowing to schools before states have agreed to any federal conditions Australian news and politics George Pell on child sexual assault allegations: 'I'd just like to restate my innocence' Cardinal faces reporters in Rome as Australian police consider whether charges should be laid against him Australia's 2018 gas shortage will not eventuate, report shows Predicted shortfall no longer on horizon – and opening up new coal seam gas fields will not bring down prices, researchers say Increased housing at top end not 'trickling down' to help poor, report finds Less than 5% of approvals for new homes are in the bottom 20% of the house and unit real price distribution Australian banks to be forced to show regulator how they set mortgage rates Australian Competition and Consumer Commission reveals how it will use new information-gathering powers and extra funding Bank lobby attacks Coalition over confidentiality agreements Anna Bligh says 'a bad tax has now become a secret tax' but Scott Morrison says agreements are normal practice Flood warnings for Queensland and western NSW as rain band approaches Some areas will get several months' worth of rain in a couple of days at the weekend, forecasters warn Chris Bowen won't say whether Labor would repeal company tax cuts Shadow treasurer steps around questions on surplus and company tax, but says government's claims of returning to surplus in 2020-21 may not hold up Around the world 'Why must I live in fear?' Mexico shaken after yet another journalist murdered On Monday in Sinaloa, Javier Valdez was gunned down in broad daylight – the latest reporter to be caught up in Mexico's wave of drug-related violence Enda Kenny announces resignation as Fine Gael leader Ireland's prime minister to step down at midnight on Wednesday, paving way for new head of government Unmarried couple stoned to death in Mali for 'violating Islamic law' The man and woman were put in two holes dug by ringleaders before four people attacked them, local official says France's Macron selects his government from left, right and centre New president carried out his promise to appoint the same number of women as men – but just one gets a top role Venezuela president says politicians are 'the new Jews that Hitler pursued' Maduro compares harassment of government officials amid economic chaos to what Jews faced, saying: 'We are going to defeat these 21st-century Nazis'

One last thing Multiverse: have astronomers found evidence of parallel universes? To many these past 12 months seem as if we have already slipped into a parallel universe but Brexit and Trump are nothing compared to the alternate universes some astronomers are contemplating. Have an excellent day and if you spot something I've missed, let me know on Twitter at @earleyedition.

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