Good afternoon. The climate crisis is only getting worse, with September the hottest the planet has experienced since records began. That follows the hottest August and the hottest July ever recorded.
And scientists are stunned by the size of the jump in heat, with one calling it “gobsmackingly bananas”.
In one indication the Australian government is taking the issue seriously, Canberra has decided to rejoin the Green Climate Fund – used to help developing countries cut emissions and adapt to climate change – in a reversal of a Morrison-era decision to withdraw in 2018.
Top news
Australia to compensate Indonesians wrongly detained | The commonwealth has agreed to pay more than $27m to Indonesians who were wrongly detained or prosecuted as adult people smugglers between 2010 and 2012 while they were children. Many of them were lured on to the boats from their impoverished villages with vague offers of highly paid work, often unaware of their destination or that they were to transport asylum seekers. They spent an average of 864 days in Australian jails.
Best and worst dishwashing detergents revealed | Aldi’s Logix Platinum 18 in 1 Dishwashing Tablets has been rated the highest in a test by consumer group Choice. The test covered 40 products, with the Aldi tablets beating the more expensive Finish detergents. Performing poorly were the Woolworths Shine Dishwasher Powder Concentrate and Coles’s Ultra Concentrate Dishwasher Powder Lemon Fresh.
New King Charles coins | The updated $1 coins will start circulating before Christmas, with other denominations to be rolled out in 2024.
Australian farm incomes to be squeezed | Drier conditions combined with lower commodity prices and smaller crops are expected to reduce broadacre farm incomes by 41% on average this financial year.
Gippsland floods | Thousands of residents in Gippsland in eastern Victoria have been told to evacuate their homes as flood waters rise, just days after the region was ravaged by bushfires. The good news is no more rain is expected over the flooded regions, the deputy chief officer of VicSES, David Baker, said.
Will Australia counter the Saudi Fifa World Cup bid? | Fifa have given Australia just 25 days to decide whether it will bid for the 2034 men’s World Cup, after Saudi Arabia announced its intention to host the tournament. Football Australia’s chief executive, James Johnson, said his organisation is “exploring the possibility” of a 2034 bid.
Biden worried Congress turmoil could impact Ukraine aid | The US president has urged Republicans to stop their infighting and back “critically important” assistance for Kyiv, voicing concerns the hard-right revolt that ousted Kevin McCarthy as House speaker could derail aid to Ukraine. The US has committed $43bn (A$68bn) to Ukraine since the war began, and has also supplied Kyiv with millions of ammunition rounds confiscated from Iran.
Climate protest disrupts Les Misérables in London | During a performance of the song Do You Hear the People Sing? members of the Just Stop Oil group stormed the stage with banners. In a video of the protest posted online, the performance came to a halt as one member shouted “just stop oil” to boos from the audience. Five people were arrested.
Third day of Trump trial | “The Trump show is over,” said the New York attorney general, Letitia James, outside a Manhattan court. James called Donald Trump’s appearance at the civil fraud trial – which he is not required to attend – a “political stunt” and a “fundraising stop”. James is seeking $250m (A$393m) and a ban on Trump doing business in New York.
Full Story
How my missed train became a $2,000 taxi ride
Rural and regional editor Gabrielle Chan tells Jane Lee why a simple missed train resulted in an epic six-hour, 600km cab journey. And she discusses what her experience says about the state of the nation’s rail network after 40 years of shelved election promises. Listen to this 20-minute episode.
What they said …
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“When we have Indigenous voices not only part of the conversation but actually making the decisions for other Indigenous Australians, we see success.” – Adam Goodes
The AFL great is the latest sporting hero to lend support to the yes campaign, appearing in a referendum ad to encourage voters to back the voice.
In numbers
That contrasts with 19.9% (one in five) among people who described their sexual orientation as heterosexual, according to new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Before bed read
Want some easy meat-free recipes? Check out these by MasterChef star Adam Liaw.
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: ETEN. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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