Good morning, Australia! Today is October 29 and here is your news briefing!
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Today's reading time is 7 minutes. - Miko Santos
Here’s what else you need to know to get going and get on with your day.
1️⃣ Category 4 Hurricane Melissa Threatens Cuba After Devastating Jamaica
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica Wednesday as a Category 5 system with 300 kph winds, marking the strongest tropical cyclone globally in 2025. The World Meteorological Organization dubbed it “the storm of the century.” After weakening over land, Melissa re-intensified to Category 4 and is expected to strike Cuba within hours with winds up to 260 kph, storm surges reaching 3.5 meters and rainfall up to 600 millimeters. The storm’s path includes the Bahamas Thursday and Bermuda by Friday, threatening catastrophic damage and widespread power outages across multiple Caribbean nations.
2️⃣ Australian inflation jumps to 3.2%, crushing hopes for November rate cuts
Australia’s consumer price index surged to an annual pace of 3.2% in the September quarter, up from 2.1% in June and significantly higher than economists’ forecasts. The Reserve Bank’s preferred trimmed mean inflation measure rose from 2.7% to 3% for the first time in nearly three years, hitting the top of the central bank’s target band. Electricity prices spiked 9% following the end of state energy rebates, while rent, travel and recreation costs also increased. The Treasurer blamed subsidy rollbacks, but opposition leaders called the figures an economic disaster that will delay interest rate relief for mortgage holders.
3️⃣ Australian police expose online crime networks targeting teen girls through gaming platforms
Australian Federal Police Commissioner revealed Wednesday that decentralized online crime networks are grooming pre-teen and teenage girls on social media and gaming platforms, forcing them to perform violent acts for the perpetrators’ entertainment and social status. The AFP identified 59 alleged offenders in Australia, resulting in 12 arrests of individuals aged 17 to 20. Overwhelmingly male perpetrators from Western backgrounds target vulnerable girls with mental health issues or low self-esteem, trading victims between members like game characters. Commissioner Chrissie Barrett warned the violence represents a new form of gender-based abuse driven by online gamification culture rather than financial or sexual motives.
4️⃣ Australia rolls out historic Medicare expansion, extending free doctor visits to all citizens
Australia’s largest-ever Medicare investment takes effect Saturday, extending bulk billing incentives to every Medicare cardholder for the first time in the program’s history. The new policy provides additional government payments to GP practices that choose to bulk bill all patients all the time, incentivizing clinics to eliminate gap fees. About 1,000 clinics charging fees announced they will switch to full bulk billing starting Nov. 1, joining 1,600 already fully bulk-billing practices. Full-time bulk-billing GPs in cities will earn approximately $415,000 annually, up from $280,000 two years ago, with rural doctors earning even more under enhanced incentives.
5️⃣ Prime Minister Albanese arrives in South Korea for APEC summit as Trump touches down
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrived in South Korea Wednesday for the APEC summit, emphasizing that one in four Australian jobs depends on trade and 75% of Australia’s trade flows through APEC nations. Before summit proceedings, Albanese plans to visit Australian war graves where 281 service members rest, honoring the 17,000 Australians who fought in the Korean War as part of UN forces. Former U.S. President Donald Trump also landed in Korea from Japan Wednesday ahead of APEC meetings. The summit brings together leaders from the Asia-Pacific region to discuss economic cooperation and trade deals in what Albanese called “the fastest growing region of the world in human history.”
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