Independent Senator Fatima Payman unveils a new political party; Hurricane Milton strengthens into an enormous Category 5 storm; And in sport, Australia's inaugural Women's America's Cup campaign has come to a frustrating end.
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TRANSCRIPT
In this bulletin;
- Independent Senator Fatima Payman unveils a new political party;
- Hurricane Milton strengthens into an enormous Category 5 storm;
- And in sport, Australia's inaugural Women's America's Cup campaign has come to a frustrating end.
Senator Fatima Payman has launched the Australia's Voice political party four months after leaving Labor.
The party plans to run Senate candidates in all states, and in a few lower house seats. Senator Payman told SBS News she is considering running a candidate in the Prime Minister's seat of Grayndler.
While candidates have not been locked in, the WA senator revealed that she's been approached by disenfranchised former Labor candidates as well as people from the National party.
Senator Payman says Australia's Voice will be a centrist party focused on a more inclusive Australia.
"This is more than a party. It is a movement for a fairer, more inclusive Australia. Together, we will hold our leaders accountable and ensure that your voice, Australia's Voice, will never be silenced."
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Hurricane Milton has strengthened into an enormous Category 5 storm as it barrels towards Florida's battered Gulf Coast.
It's already triggered massive traffic jams and fuel shortages as officials order more than one million people to flee before it slams into the Tampa Bay area, warning time is now running out.
US National Hurricane Centre Director, Michael Brennan, says the storm could be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida.
"So, we're talking ten to 15 feet, so that's well above the height of any person and even getting into the second story of a building and it's not just the water, it's not going to be filling up like a bathtub. This is water that's going to violently be pushed onshore from the Gulf of Mexico with destructive wave action on top of it. And you're going to have structural damage to buildings. Some buildings will wash away. Evacuation routes will be quickly cut off."
Milton is forecast to make landfall late Wednesday or early Thursday, threatening a stretch of Florida's densely populated west coast that is still reeling from the devastating Hurricane Helene less than two weeks ago.
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The Greens have introduced a bill to ban gambling ads on TV, radio, print and online.
The bill is modelled on the recommendations of an inquiry led by late Labor minister Peta Murphy, which called for a full ban on gambling advertising.
Minister Michelle Rowland says the government is committed to responding to the Peta Murphy report in this parliamentary term but has no timeline for its own legislation.
The Greens communications spokesperson, Sarah Hanson-Young, says Australians can't wait any longer.
"Australians are sick and tired of the insidious parasite nature of gambling advertising. No one is saying to ban gambling. We just want to ban their ads, we don't need their ads flooding our television screens, flooding our social media screens and indoctrinating our children."
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The annual Fat Bear Contest based out of Alaska's Katmai National Park and Preserve has officially ended with a female named Grazer crowned the winner.
The contest, which drew more than one point three million votes in 2023, is a way to celebrate the resilience of the more than 2000 brown bears that live in the preserve which extends from the state's southwest corner toward the Aleutian Islands.
Fans cast votes online for their favourite chunky competitor in tournament-style brackets that begin with 12 bears.
Grazer is now a two-time, back-to-back champion, with more than 70 thousand votes.
The competition centres on the bear fans believe best exemplifies winter preparedness by the fat they have accumulated over the summer feeding on the sockeye salmon that return to Brooks River.
This year's champion, Grazer, has conspicuously blonde ears and a long, straight muzzle, according to her bio page, with her fearlessness and strength earning her respect.
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And in sport,
Australia's inaugural Women's America's Cup campaign has come to a frustrating end.
After finishing second in the opening race of the day, the team struggled to deal with the shifty Mediterranean breeze in the remaining races.
Australia finished fourth in its group with Sweden, the Netherlands and Spain progressing to the semi-finals.
