Morning everyone. The latest Cop climate summit has kicked off in Brazil with a dire warning from the United Nations about the “triple whammy” impact of 2023, 2024 and 2025 – which are on course to be the three hottest years ever recorded. We have more reports from Belém, and analysis at home about how climate politics has become so toxic for the Coalition.
After yesterday’s shocking report on Roblox, there are calls today for the platform to be resticted to over-16s, former US House speaker Nancy Pelosi is standing down, and we reveal the “poor door” assigned to affordable housing tenants in a Sydney harbour apartment tower.
Australia
‘Pathological hatred’ | Moderate Liberals fear that the party’s commitment to net zero will be “dead” after next week’s crunch policy meeting and are furious that rightwing Nationals with a “pathological hatred of the environment” have apparently been able to dictate Sussan Ley’s position.
Roblox calls | There are growing calls for the federal government to address the risks posed to children on the popular gaming platform Roblox after Guardian Australia published a report that documented a week of virtual sexual harassment and abuse.
‘Poor doors’ | Affordable housing tenants on discounted rent in Sydney’s Watermans Residences at Barangaroo are not permitted to use the swimming pool or the gym and are required to use a separate entrance from other residents, who pass through a grand glass foyer with a concierge desk.
News defence | News Corp stories alleging Sam Groth began dating his wife, Brittany, while she was underage were far from “idle gossip” given the claims were being “weaponised” by rivals of the Victorian Liberal MP, who aspires to become premier, the publisher claimed as it outlined its defamation defence.
Up in smoke | The illegal tobacco market has left a $3.3bn hole in the federal budget, with Australia’s national criminal intelligence agency warning organised crime’s dominance of the market is continuing to grow.
World
Pelosi to retire | Nancy Pelosi, a Democratic representative and the first woman to serve as speaker, announced she will retire from Congress two years after stepping down from House leadership. Follow reaction to this and the latest on the US federal shutdown in our live blog here.
Climate ‘failure’ | This year is on course to be the second or third hottest ever, in records that stretch back 176 years, the UN said at the Cop30 summit in Brazil, meaning that limiting global heating to 1.5C above preindustrial levels was now virtually impossible. It was a “moral failure and deadly negligence”, the UN secretary general said.
Top Marx | The New York Post’s “On your Marx, get set, Zo!” front page on Zohran Mamdani’s win in the New York mayor’s race is proving a viral hit with his supporters. Mamdani’s relentless focus on the cost of living has contrasted sharply with Donald Trump’s out-of-touch look on grocery prices and helps to explain Democrat wins in New York and beyond.
Kremlin ‘purge’ | The strains of war are showing in Russia where Kremlinologists say a purge of the regime’s own supporters is under way, while Ukraine is facing a “forever war” unless Europe dramatically increases pressure on Russia, a former Nato chief has said.
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor | A US House panel investigating Jeffrey Epstein requested an interview with Andrew Mountbatten Windsor on the day the man formerly known as a prince was officially stripped of his titles by his brother.
Full Story
Newsroom edition: does Australian politics need a Mamdani-style shake-up?
Bridie Jabour speaks to the editor, Lenore Taylor, deputy editor Patrick Keneally and the national news editor, Josephine Tovey, about what Australian political parties could learn from Zohran Mamdani.
In-depth
Victoria’s health minister told parliament last week that the government “thinks about Mary and Joe every single day”. But they aren’t real people: they are electoral avatars who have emerged from careful Labor research as the key voters the party needs to win a fourth term next November, Benita Kolovos reports.
Not the news
Paul Kelly’s longevity and continued mastery of songwriting is one of the wonders of Australian music and his latest album, Seventy, contains another 13 songs that are “warm, memorable and easy to like”, according to Andrew Stafford. Indeed, the newly septuagenarian Kelly is “in a rich vein of form, seemingly unable to stop the music from pouring out”.
Sport
Cricket | India’s spinners tied Australia’s batsmen in knots to choke off a strong start by the hosts and secure a 48-run win in the T20 international on the Gold Coast last night to take a 2-1 series lead.
Rugby league | Reece Walsh, the Broncos and Kangaroos fullback, has become the hottest attraction in rugby league after his performances in the Ashes series wowed crowds in England.
Tennis | In the final round of WTA group matches in Riyadh, Jessica Pegula breezed past Jasmine Paolini while Aryna Sabalenka dismissed Coco Gauff.
Media roundup
One Nation membership is surging, the Australian reports, and the party is targeting a Nationals seat in central Queensland. Queensland is on cyclone alert as ocean temperatures soar as high as 32C, the Courier Mail reports. The boss of Melbourne’s suburban rail loop lives in Queensland and bills taxpayers when he needs to fly to Victoria on short notice, the Age reports.
What’s happening today
Business | Qantas and Nine hold their AGMs.
Canberra | The electoral matters committee holds a public hearing in its review of 2025 federal election.
New South Wales | Final of NSW Premier’s Spelling Bee at the Q theatre in Penrith.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
