Queensland truth-telling inquiry chair says premier ‘hugely disrespectful’ to demand work cease via media

Joshua Creamer says he has had no contact from new LNP government after David Crisafulli told press conference inquiry should cease its work

The chair of Queensland’s truth-telling and healing inquiry says the new premier, David Crisafulli, should “just have the decency to front up” to First Nations people, after delivering an edict via the media for the inquiry to immediately cease its work.

Joshua Creamer, a Waanyi and Kalkadoon man, told reporters on Friday he had still received no communication from Crisafulli or any member of the new LNP government.

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Supreme court rejects Republican bid to throw out thousands of Pennsylvania ballots; Harris says Trump’s Cheney remarks ‘disqualifying’ – live

Justices rule swing state can count provisional ballots of voters whose mail-in ballots were rejected; Harris condemns Republican nominee’s gun remarks

Joe Biden has released the following statement on the latest job report:

In October, unemployment was unchanged at 4.1%, but the devastation from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and new strike activity, lowered job growth. Job growth is expected to rebound in November as our hurricane recovery and rebuilding efforts continue. In addition, I want to congratulate the leadership of the Machinists and Boeing for negotiating a new contract proposal that will be voted on by union members. Machinists at Boeing have sacrificed over the years and deserve a strong contract.

America’s economy remains strong, with 16m jobs created since I took office, including an average 180,000 jobs created each month over the last year – more than the year before the pandemic. We have the lowest average unemployment rate of any administration in 50 years, our economy has grown more than any presidential term this century, incomes are up $4,000 over prices, and inflation has fallen nearly to its 2% target.

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Trump repeats attack on Liz Cheney and laments bad hair day at Michigan rally

Ex-president’s speech comes as race enters final stretch, amid battle with Kamala Harris to woo Michigan voters

Donald Trump on Friday tried to energize his voters during a rally in Warren, Michigan, delivering an address replete with his characteristic fear-mongering about immigrants and tangents including musings about his hair.

The former president also repeated his aggressive attack on former Republican representative Liz Cheney, one day after he said she should be under fire with rifles “shooting at her”.

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Blow for Republicans as supreme court rejects appeal over Pennsylvania ballots

Voters in key swing state will be able to cast provisional vote if they forget to put mail-in ballot in secrecy envelope

Pennsylvania voters will be able to cast a provisional vote if they make an error and forget to put their mail-in vote in a required secrecy envelope, the US supreme court ruled on Friday, a decision that could lead to thousands more votes being counted in a key battleground state where the presidential race is extremely tight.

The supreme court announced its decision on Friday on its emergency docket, giving no reasoning for its ruling, which is customary in emergency cases.

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South Carolina executes Richard Moore despite objections from judge and jurors

Moore, 59, was killed on Friday evening as the state pursues a rapid spree of killings

South Carolina has executed a man on death row, despite widespread calls for his life to be spared, including from the judge who originally condemned him to death.

Richard Moore, 59, was killed by lethal injection on Friday evening, minutes after the state’s Republican governor, Henry McMaster, announced he would not be granting him clemency.

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Boy, 15, who fatally stabbed teenager he did not know in Birmingham is jailed for life

Muhammad Hassam Ali, 17, was killed by stranger after a four-minute conversation in city centre

A 15-year-old boy who followed a teenager he did not know through Birmingham city centre and stabbed him to death after a four-minute conversation has been jailed for life with a minimum of 13 years.

Muhammad Hassam Ali, known as Ali, was 17 when he died in hospital on 20 January, hours after he and his friend were confronted by two masked 15-year-old boys they had never met as they sat in Victoria Square, drinking hot chocolate and chatting about cricket.

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University graduates to save $680 a year, on average, as Albanese announces increase to Hecs threshold

PM to announce change that would see minimum debt repayment threshold lifted from $54,000 to $67,000 from next financial year

Graduates will be able to earn more money before they start repaying their university debts under new laws to be introduced by the Albanese government next year.

The prime minister will announce the cost-of-living measure alongside the South Australian premier, Peter Malinauskas, at a campaign rally in Adelaide on Sunday.

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Columbia pays $395,000 to student suspended over protest ‘fart spray’

Israeli student filed lawsuit after suspension for spraying pro-Palestinian protesters with foul-smelling substance

Columbia University has reached a $395,000 settlement with a student who was suspended in January after spraying student protesters with a foul-smelling substance at one of several campus demonstrations in support of Palestine.

The Israeli student who received the payout had been suspended until May.

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In exchange for troops in Ukraine, Russian aid to North Korea may extend to space – Ars Technica

  1. In exchange for troops in Ukraine, Russian aid to North Korea may extend to space  Ars Technica
  2. U.S. flies long-range bomber in drill with South Korea, Japan in reaction to the North’s missile test  CNBC
  3. North Korea boasts of new ICBM able to reach the U.S. mainland  NBC News
  4. See North Korea launch its ‘perfected’ ballistic missile  CNN
  5. North Korea vows to continue what it calls self-defense efforts, KCNA says  Reuters
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Fire danger in southern Australia as weather bureau warns of ‘damaging winds’ and soaring temperatures

Bureau of Meteorology warns winds will ‘ramp up’ with fire risk in parts of New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia

Soaring average temperatures and strong winds will lead to high and extreme fire danger warnings for parts of southern Australia this weekend.

The Bureau of Meteorology said the elevated risk was caused by high temperatures in Western Australia’s interior – up to 16C higher than the average – being pushed eastwards across the country.

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Respawned: Queensland magazine the Cane Toad Times takes aim at a post-truth world

It emerged from the slime of the sunshine state during Bjelke-Petersen’s oppressive regime. Now it’s back – but can it survive more sensitive times?

A man whose pseudonym is Johnny La Rue is holding a yellowed magazine with two toad-headed lovers embracing on the front. He reads aloud a headline that would likely trigger a firestorm on social media were it written today.

“Who wrote that?!” he exclaims.

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NSW pokies club promoted rewards scheme on first day of gambling harm awareness week, emails show

Members urged to ‘use your mobile phone to quickly tap and connect to a gaming machine’, potentially at odds with gambling ad ban

On day one of a gambling harm awareness week, one of the biggest pokies clubs in Australia reminded members they could earn rewards by using their machines.

GambleAware week is an annual campaign run by the New South Wales government to raise awareness of gambling harm. It urges people to set limits, to stay sober while gambling, to balance gambling with other interests and not to chase losses.

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They have tentacles and taste great in pasta. What are the strange barnacles washing up on Australian beaches?

Bondi beach’s newest residents may look strange to human eyes, but goose barnacles are a normal part of the natural marine environment

Goose barnacles look as strange as their name, with a long, noodle-like stalk emerging from smooth white plates. The crustacean, also known as percebes, is also extremely expensive – in Europe, where it’s enjoyed as a delicacy, a kilo might cost hundreds of dollars.

And this week, a bunch washed up at Horseshoe Bay, south of Adelaide.

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Australian construction industry calls for skilled migration overhaul to ease ‘desperate’ shortage of tradies

Labour shortage is driving up construction costs and stopping industry from building enough homes to ease housing crisis, Master Builders says

Leading construction bodies are urging the government to change its approach to skilled migration and bring in more migrants to ease the shortage of tradies.

Industry bodies say a chronic shortage of workers across 12 different trades is impacting housing prices and affecting the flow of new homes into the market.

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