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News Summary

- A pilot of a Tel Aviv aircraft was attacked, which officials assess may have been an attempted terrorist attack.

- Victorian police warn that a new type of scam is targeting the Mandarin-speaking community.

- China's National Day Golden Week drives domestic tourism.

Pilot of Tel Aviv aircraft attacked; officials assess it may be an attempted terrorist attack

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that on a flight to Tel Aviv, a pilot was attacked, forcing the plane to divert and land in Saudi Arabia; as for the motive behind the attack, it is still unclear.

The Associated Press quoted three unnamed Israeli officials as saying that authorities' preliminary assessment of the incident is that it may have been an attempted terrorist attack, rather than related to any mental health issues of the two pilots.

The incident has also caused Israel's security concerns to escalate further. Israel will hold its first election since the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, in a few weeks, and national security has become one of the main issues in the campaign.

During an interview with Fox News in the United States, Netanyahu stated that it is still too early to determine the cause behind the event.

He indicated that the pilot involved is currently under investigation in Saudi Arabia and is expected to be brought to the UAE. They will continue to follow up and may also participate in the related investigation, ultimately clarifying what happened.

Congo politician beaten to death, large crowd attends funeral to mourn

A politician in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was beaten to death after publicly defending the government's response to the Ebola outbreak, and a large number of people later attended the funeral to mourn.

Marie-Célestin Karondwa, an official of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress, was attacked at his residence on Sunday in Butembo, the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak in eastern North Kivu province, and subsequently died.

This murder case once again reflects the local distrust of the government and medical personnel. Healthcare workers stated that this distrust is hindering authorities from controlling what has been described as the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history.

The incident also occurred after a series of attacks targeting healthcare workers and other frontline responders.

This Central African country is currently struggling to cope with the epidemic, having recorded more than 8,000 cases and nearly 4,000 deaths to date.

Victoria Police warn that new scams are targeting the Mandarin-speaking community

Victoria police issued a warning that a new type of scam is targeting Mandarin-speaking communities in the state.

The police stated that scammers used artificial intelligence to call victims, pretending to be medical staff, and asked them to purchase gift cards, then provide the codes on the gift cards via text messages.

The scammer later used the relevant gift card information to obtain money.

It is reported that one of the victims lost 40,000 yuan, and another victim also lost 40,000 yuan.

South Australia establishes the nation's first Royal Commission on Artificial Intelligence

Former federal court judge Iain Ross will lead a South Australian, Australia-first royal commission inquiry into the rapid development of artificial intelligence.

He will serve as a committee member alongside machine learning expert Kate Pounder and Professor Christopher Manning to assist in conducting the investigation.

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas stated that the Royal Commission will conduct an evidence-based, in-depth examination of the impact of artificial intelligence on South Australia.

The New South Wales government plans to join Queensland's anti-slogan law judicial challenge

The New South Wales government is seeking to join a legal challenge against Queensland's law banning controversial slogans.

In March this year, the Queensland government banned the use of the slogans 'From the river to the sea' and 'Globalize the uprising.' The Premier of New South Wales, Dominic Perrottet, has not previously implemented a similar ban.

The Guardian quoted a spokesperson for New South Wales Attorney General Daly as saying that the New South Wales government is seeking to join Queensland government as a party to the case.

The case was brought by the pro-Palestinian organization 'Justice for Palestine Magan-djin', challenging Queensland's law prohibiting related statements.

The government says that the decline in the property market helps homebuyers enter the market

The federal government is emphasizing the positive impact of the latest housing price data. The data shows that this round of the housing market decline is heading towards becoming the most severe adjustment in the past 40 years.

Cotality, a real estate data analysis company, reported in September that the value of residential properties across Australia fell by 1.1% that month. Several market economists predict that overall housing prices could eventually drop by 9% to 13%.

The median price of residential properties across Australia has fallen to just below 900,000 yuan, basically returning to the level from 12 months ago.

However, Treasury Secretary Chalmers stated that the latest data shows that after decades of significant increases in housing prices, the housing market is becoming fairer for first-time homebuyers.

The proportion of Australian companies not paying corporate tax has fallen to a record low

The proportion of companies in Australia that do not pay corporate tax has fallen to the lowest level on record.

The latest corporate tax transparency report from the Australian Taxation Office shows that the related proportion has decreased from 28% to 27%, mainly due to a decline in profits of mining companies.

The report also confirmed that Santos, a gas producer headquartered in Adelaide, recorded a total revenue of AUD 5.1 billion but has not paid income tax for the 11th consecutive year; while Optus's parent company, Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel), recorded AUD 8.3 billion in revenue and also did not pay income tax.

Acting Deputy Commissioner of the Taxation Bureau, Michelle Sams, stated that a company not paying taxes does not necessarily mean that the company has violated rules or done something wrong.

China's National Day Golden Week boosts domestic tourism

News from Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan: China's National Day Golden Week has begun. In Hong Kong, a crowd arriving in the city appeared at the West Kowloon High-Speed Rail Station in the morning. Many mainland Chinese tourists said they specifically went to Hong Kong to attend the National Day fireworks show in Victoria Harbour tonight.

In addition, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called Chinese President Xi Jinping to congratulate the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, emphasizing the blood alliance between North Korea and China.

Sports News

Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan announces retirement.

65-year-old Fegen stated that although he still has one year left on his contract and has just led the team to win the Australian Football League championship for the third consecutive year, he will not coach for an 11th season.

Feigen said in a statement that coaching requires full commitment, and now it is time to step away.

He plans to move to Melbourne to live after retirement.

The following is the weather forecast for major Australian cities on October 2:

Sydney, there are a few showers, 26 degrees.

Melbourne, rainy, 17 degrees.

Brisbane, mostly sunny, 26 degrees.

Perth, clear skies, 24 degrees.

Adelaide, with a sudden shower, 19 degrees.

Herbert, partly cloudy, 16 degrees.

Canberra, rainy, 19 degrees.

Darwin, sunny, 34 degrees.

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