Morning, everyone. We have all the latest news on Israel’s war with Hamas, as the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says his country is “just getting started” by declaring a “complete siege” of Gaza.
Back home, Noel Pearson has pleaded with voters to embrace the Indigenous voice proposal in this weekend’s referendum, warning that a no vote will be “ugly as sin” and could mark the end of an era of a “middle path” towards reconciliation. We do have some good news, too: an exclusive article on some welcome relief from high power bills thanks to a surge in renewables powering the grid. And we talk to David Marr about his new book.
Australia
Exclusive | Eastern Australia’s wholesale electricity prices fell sharply in the September quarter, a trend that if maintained could deliver power bill relief for households and businesses alike.
‘Fear for my people’ | Noel Pearson says he will walk away from advocating for a “middle path” of compromise if the voice to parliament referendum fails, stressing that reconciliation would not be viable in the event of a no vote.
NSW shootings | The families of vulnerable people fatally shot or Tasered by police have united to call for an independent inquiry into the way officers use force when responding to mental health emergencies.
Pro-Palestinian rally | Hundreds of Australians have marched in solidarity with Palestinians after the Israeli government formally declared war against Hamas in response to its surprise attack – despite Anthony Albanese saying the march to the Sydney Opera House should not go ahead.
Final tests | As students across the country begin their year 12 exams, there are calls for more allowances to be made for pupils with disability as they try to navigate the rigours of finishing high school.
World
Gaza under siege | Israel has declared a “complete siege” on Gaza and launched hundreds of strikes on the Palestinian enclave as Hamas claimed Israeli bombings had killed Israeli hostages being held there. Find our live blog with the latest developments here.
Afghanistan devastation | Survivors of a series of powerful earthquakes that struck western Afghanistan have spent a second night sleeping amid the rubble of demolished villages as they search for loved ones using shovels, amid a death toll senior Taliban officials have said is approaching 3,000.
‘Major German party’ | The far-right, anti-immigration Alternative für Deutschland has declared itself a “major all-German party” after winning its biggest vote share yet in a western German state, Hesse, which includes Frankurt.
Goldin era | The Harvard professor Claudia Goldin has won the Nobel economics prize in recognition of her groundbreaking work examining wage inequality between men and women.
Arnie’s self-help | After long careers in bodybuilding, Hollywood and politics, Arnold Schwarzenegger has gone into self-help guru mode, offering seven lessons for life, including why a daily dip in a hot tub creates “space for inspiration”.
Full Story
David Marr confronts his family’s history
While researching his family’s past, journalist and Guardian Australia contributor David Marr discovered that his ancestors were officers in the Native Police, an armed force that committed massacres against Indigenous Australians in the 1880s.
In-depth
The Israeli postmortem into how Hamas sprung its surprise attack will be a long one. Details are sketchy but it is already clear that Hamas targeted the hi-tech hub of Israel’s security system on the wall with Gaza and, once it had disabled communications, smashed through with overwhelming force. One of the next targets was the Supernova festival with revellers forced to race for safety across the desert pursued by machine gun-toting militants. There is no evidence yet that Iran was involved in the deadly attacks, according to Israeli military intelligence.
Not the news
For 36 years South by Southwest has been synonymous with one city: Austin, Texas. But this month the annual music, film and tech festival will launch a new event in Sydney – the first time it has been staged outside the US. In Victoria, the limited-edition music festival Sound Tracks has been taking the train to regional towns hit by flooding.
The world of sport
Olympics | Cricket has won its battle to be added to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic program and will be joined by flag football as well as baseball and softball.
Formula One | Leading drivers have condemned the intense heat in which they had to race at the Qatar Grand Prix, describing it as “dangerous” and “unacceptable”.
Cricket World Cup | New Zealand continued their good start to the campaign with a thumping 99-run win over the Netherlands overnight.
Media roundup
A leader of Adelaide’s Jewish community has told the Advertiser how her cousin endured a terrifying 10-hour ordeal in her home in Israel after the Hamas attack. The ATO is stepping up efforts to claw back billions owed by businesses and warning them to pay up or have their debts disclosed to credit reporting agencies, the Australian reports. Nearly 30 arson attacks have been linked to a turf war over tobacco sales, the Age reports. Australians should be braced for seven months of “extreme weather”, the Courier-Mail reports, but the silver lining for Queenslanders is an 80% reduction in the risk of cyclones.
What’s happening today
Melbourne | The final hearing will be held in Victoria’s rental and housing affordability inquiry.
Sydney | Judgment is expected in a $269.7m lawsuit against NSW over sight lines for the Barangaroo development.
Sport | The new A-League season has its official launch.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day – with plenty more on the Guardian’s Puzzles app for iOS and Android. Until tomorrow.
