TRANSCRIPT
- Australia expecting its hottest summer for three years...
- Protests in India after Canada accuses New Delhi of murdering one of its citizens...
- And in football, Spanish players return to the Women's World Cup-winning squad after taking a stand on sexism.
The Bureau of Meteorology says the country can expect its hottest summer in three years now that Australia is officially in the El Niño climate pattern.
Dr Karl Braganza, the Bureau's manager of climate services, says the country should get ready for increased temperatures.
"Globally the El Nino really means that we have a continuation of the global heat that we've seen in the global oceans in particular, and the global oceans have been at record temperatures since about April. So consistently what we are probably projecting for the summer, is that Australia will continue to stay warm and dry weather, and it's really up to individuals and communities now to prepare for a summer of heat and fire hazards."
The east coast is already experiencing unseasonably warm September temperatures, with Sydney expecting to hit 34 degrees today [[Wednesday 20 September]], and parts of South Australia and Queensland also feeling the heat.
A total fire ban has been declared for the New South Wales south coast and Greater Sydney regions.
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Emergency services are on high alert as hot temperatures are spreading across large parts of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and the Northern Territory.
The fire danger warning for the NSW Far South Coast has been upgraded to catastrophic and several fires are burning at Watch and Act level.
New South Wales Rural Fire Service spokesperson Greg Allan says residents need to take precautions.
"It’s important that if you are in an area of a total fire ban and that's the Greater Sydney region, and the far South Coast area, that you don't do anything that's going to start a fire. So, no hot works out in the open, no barbecues, anything that could create a spark or an ember and therefore introduce a new fire. Importantly, as well, if you see a fire with no tracks, it's important to call triple zero straightaway. So that our crews can respond and limit the spread of that fire."
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A Senate inquiry examining the Albanese government's decision to deny Qatar Airways bid for more flights has held its first public hearing in Sydney.
A former Qantas chief economist has told the inquiry that Qatar Airline's extra flights would have delivered cheaper airfares and a boost in tourism
Airline Intelligence and Research chief executive Tony Webber says that would have lead to an improvement in inbound tourism, largely from Europe, that could have been worth up to $1 billion.
"I think that there are significant benefits to Qatar bringing more seats into the market. Airline prices will fall, probably by around seven per cent on the Australia to Europe route. That's in response to about 14 per cent more seats coming into that market."
The committee will hold three more public hearings in Perth, Brisbane and Canberra and will report on its findings by October 9.
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Protests have broken out in northern India after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused New Delhi's intelligence agency of involvement in the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in British Columbia.
Mr Singh Nijjar - who supported a Sikh homeland in the form of an independent, so-called state of "Khalistan" in the northern Indian state of Punjab - was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, a Vancouver suburb with a large Sikh population.
Protestor Ashok Gupta says that Mr Trudeau had accused New Delhi of murdering Mr Singh Nijjhar, three years after India had designated him as a "terrorist", in order to win favour with his voters.
"For that extremist you are taking such a soft stance because your political situation has destabilised, you have to ask for votes and for vote-bank politics you are using such extremists."
India has already expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in a like-for-like response after Ottawa said that it had intelligence linking India to the June killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar and ordered an Indian diplomat to leave.
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United States President Joe Biden says Russia cannot be allowed to brutalise Ukraine without consequence.
Mr Biden has addressed world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly.
The President says the U-S will reduce the threat of weapons of mass destruction and lead by example - as he aims to secure additional support for Ukraine.
"After more than 50 years of progress and the non-proliferation treaty, Russia is shredding long standing arms control agreements, including announcing the suspension of New START and withdrawing from the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty. I view it as irresponsible and makes the entire world less safe. The United States is going to continue to pursue good faith efforts to reduce the threat of weapons of mass destruction and lead by example."
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In football,
Players from Spain's World Cup-winning women's squad who threatened to boycott the national team to stamp out sexism and gender inequality have reported for training under the threat of being sanctioned.
The five players were named in the squad ahead of a Nations League match against Sweden on Friday by new coach Montse Tome despite signing a statement last week calling for further sackings after those of football federation president Luis Rubiales and former coach Jorge Vilda.
Jenni Hermoso, the player at the centre of the scandal after Mr Rubiales grabbed her head and kissed her on her lips at the World Cup Final in August, was not named in the squad list announced by Tome.
She maintains players were threatened with legal and economic consequences if they refused to play, including fines of up to $A47,000 and the suspension of their federation licence for two to 15 years.
