Welcome, readers, to Afternoon Update.
Jewish Australians have remembered the Israeli hostages held in Gaza and the 1,200 people who lost their lives on the anniversary of the 7 October Hamas terror attack, while condemning a “national blindness” that has given rise to “unprecedented” levels of hatred in Australia.
Two years on from the day that triggered the ongoing Israel-Gaza war, Muslims and the Palestinian diaspora in Australia have also marked the moment as the start of the bombardment that has killed about 67,000 Palestinians in Gaza.
Anthony Albanese said Australia stood with the Jewish community, “who feel the cold shadow of history’s darkest chapter in any act of antisemitism”. He used the moment to underline Australia’s support for Donald Trump’s peace plan to end the conflict, for which negotiations are under way in Egypt.
In Israel, unofficial commemorations will be held in the small kibbutzim of southern Israel whose members were killed or kidnapped, and a large rally will be held in Tel Aviv to call for the release of the remaining hostages from Hamas captivity in Gaza. The official national ceremony of remembrance will be held on 16 October.
Top news
President mulls use of insurrection act as national guard deployment faces legal issues
Nobel committee unable to reach prize winner who is ‘living his best life’ hiking off grid
In pictures
What happens when AI doesn’t do what it’s supposed to? Somebody always ends up paying, says Guardian Australia cartoonist Fiona Katauskas.
What they said …
***
“You’re not making art, you’re making disgusting, over-processed hotdogs out of the lives of human beings”.
Zelda Williams, the daughter of the late actor and comedian Robin Williams, has spoken out against AI-generated content featuring her father. Williams’ post comes as celebrity deepfakes continue to proliferate across social media, in everything from pornographic and political content to scams and advertising.
Full Story
What happens when you stop weight-loss jabs?
In the UK, it is estimated that 1.5 million people are on weight-loss jabs.
For many, as the Guardian’s science editor, Ian Sample, explains, they have proved revolutionary – helping users lose weight in a way few could have imagined just a couple of years ago.
But there is a catch: the vast majority of prescriptions are from private providers. The cost is going up dramatically and the evidence suggests that most who come off the jabs put weight back on rapidly.
It leaves people such as the career coach Aimee Young facing a dilemma. As she explained in a recent Instagram video, she was being forced to give up the jabs she had been taking since the start of the year. She tells Helen Pidd about the transformative effect they had on her life … and her worries about what will happen now.
Reader callout
Cast your vote for the 2025 Australian bird of the year! You will be able to see the voting tally for each bird throughout the competition. The bottom five birds will be eliminated at the end of each day, with tallies starting afresh just after midnight. You can vote every day.
Before bed read
If you look up to a clear night sky on Tuesday evening, a dramatic full moon – seemingly closer and brighter than usual – will be shining. Supermoons are a rarity, with only a couple occurring each year, making them an exciting event for stargazers. Guardian Australia’s Ima Caldwell explains how Australians can best enjoy the view of Tuesday’s “harvest moon”.
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: VIAL. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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