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  Israel investigates involvement from Iran in attempted plane hijacking | ABC News Top Stories 01.10.2026 1Min.

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says authorities are looking into whether Iran had any involvement in the attempted hijacking of a plane, as it was travelling between the United Arab Emirates and Israel. A Mexican judge has confirmed he will hand down a verdict next week, in the murder trial of Perth brothers Jake and Callum Robinson, and their American friend Carter Rhoad. The federal government's free Covid vaccination program is coming to an end today. For more news at any time you can follow the ABC News Top Stories podcast.
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  What we know about the mid-air incident on a flight to Israel 01.10.2026 3Min.

  Investigations are continuing after a pilot on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv stabbed his co-pilot. The attacker allegedly tried to crash the aircraft before passengers and crew stormed the cockpit and intervened. Two off-duty pilots then stepped in and brought the plane in for an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
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  Why an NRL Grand Final means so much for Newcastle 01.10.2026 4Min.

  The NRL season is nearing its conclusion. The Sydney Roosters and the Newcastle Knights will battle it out in Sunday for a shot at glory. And while grand final appearances have been fairly common in recent years for the Roosters, it's been a long time between drinks for the Knights: a quarter of a century.
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  How much further could house prices fall? 01.10.2026 2Min.

  Australian house prices fell for a sixth straight month in September, and experts say the property market could experience falls of up to 15 per cent in the coming months off the back of higher interest rates and cuts to housing tax breaks. Cotality's Home Value Index fell 1.1 per cent in September taking cumulative declines to 5.2 per cent below March's peak.
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  What new inflation data means for the next RBA rate decision 30.09.2026 3Min.

  Inflation rose to 4 per cent in the year to August, slightly lower than many expected, and market odds of another rate rise in November have fallen to 20 per cent. Housing costs are up 5.7 per cent and transport is up 5.6 per cent over the year, while trimmed mean inflation, the measure the Reserve Bank watches most closely, is steady at 3.6 per cent. ANZ says a November hike is more likely than not and Westpac expects one unless energy costs fall, while the Commonwealth Bank expects a hold, so will the Reserve Bank raise rates again?
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  Trump's pact with 'super intelligence' leaders to self-police AI 30.09.2026 3Min.

  The leaders of some of the world's most powerful AI companies have signed a voluntary agreement to 'self-police' their technology, following mounting warnings about its risks. US President Donald Trump hosted the accord's signing at the White House, declaring it 'morally binding' rather than a matter for government regulation. OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, Google, xAI and Nvidia have committed to internal risk reviews, external audits and board oversight of their AI systems, according to Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg.  The agreement comes amid a string of AI security incidents, including an OpenAI agent's unauthorised access to an Australian government Medicare portal. Is self-regulation enough to keep AI safe?
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  How Manchester City was found guilty of football's 'biggest scandal' 30.09.2026 3Min.

  Manchester City has been found guilty of arranging 'sham' sponsorship contracts as part of financial breaches worth about $1.7 billion, in what's been described as the biggest scandal in Premier League history.  An independent commission found the club guilty of more than 100 breaches of the league's financial rules, spanning a nine-year period from 2009. It's not yet clear what penalty the club will face, with points deductions, suspension or relegation all possible. 
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  Was Netanyahu warned about the October 7 attack? 30.09.2026 4Min.

  It was the worst ever breakdown of Israel's national security, when Hamas militants launched a surprise attack, killing more than 1,200 people, and taking over 200 hostage. Now, with only weeks to go until elections in Israel, and as the anniversary of the October 7 attacks looms, pressure is mounting on the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over what he knew and when in the lead up to the attacks. A stream of well-sourced, detailed stories has appeared, documenting alleged failures by the PM prior to October 7 to heed warnings of a possible Hamas strike.
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  Could the RBA's rate hikes tip Australia into recession? 29.09.2026 3Min.

  The Reserve Bank has raised the cash rate to a 15-year high of 4.6 per cent, a move economists widely expected given persistent inflation and rising Middle East oil prices. Governor Michele Bullock says the rise had to happen to bring inflation down, and conceded a recession was possible if inflation expectations get away from the bank. Economist Cherelle Murphy from EY Oceania says the reasons behind high inflation are not easy to reverse, and further rate rises can't be ruled out. 
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  Should OpenAI have to report an AI hack the moment it happens? 29.09.2026 2Min.

  The federal government is exploring whether to force tech companies to immediately report it when an artificial intelligence agent breaches a website, after OpenAI took months to reveal one of its agents had accessed a Medicare data portal. An OpenAI agent got into public and private files containing information about government health programs in June, but the company didn't tell Services Australia until September. Cybersecurity expert Vanessa Teague says mandatory reporting is a good start, but argues the public also deserves a clearer account from the government of what actually happened. 
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  What do we know about the RAF Fairford incident in the UK? 29.09.2026 4Min.

  The arrest and subsequent release of five men in the UK over a suspected terror plot on an air force base has led to plenty of speculation... and confusion. They were detained after three vans were found close to the air base - which has been used by the US air force to attack Iran. But questions remain over the men and what information intelligence authorities relied on.
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  Why the RBA is expected to raise interest rates 29.09.2026 2Min.

  The Reserve Bank is widely tipped to raise the cash rate this afternoon to its highest level in almost 15 years. Economists say inflation remains stubbornly high, and with the continuation of elevated energy prices due to the war in the Middle East as well as A-I-related infrastructure demand, the central bank has little choice but to move.
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  Why credit card rewards schemes are being slashed 28.09.2026 3Min.

  Banks are cutting credit card rewards points, increasing fees and trimming travel insurance perks ahead of a ban on card surcharges. The Commonwealth Bank has wound up its Qantas Frequent Flyer partnership in favour of a new in-house program called Yello. So will Australians put up with smaller rewards, or start shopping around?
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  Would you buy a COVID shot for $150? 28.09.2026 3Min.

  From Thursday, most Australians will have to pay for their COVID-19 vaccine, with one community pharmacist estimating it could cost people up to $150. Free vaccines will still be available to anyone 65 and over, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 and over, and people with immunocompromised conditions. So will Australians still bother getting the jab once it is no longer free?
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  The fallout after OpenAI agents bypass security around the world 28.09.2026 3Min.

  OpenAI says it has notified dozens of organisations worldwide after autonomous AI agents bypassed security controls, days after revealing one of its agents had breached an Australian government Medicare data portal. The company has paused training and testing of some of its systems as it reviews their behaviour, while the Australian government says the incident strengthens the case for new AI guardrails.  So is tough regulation of the AI industry now inevitable?
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  What's with all the moths in Australia's south-east? 28.09.2026 4Min.

  After a devastating population crash around 2017, the endangered Bogong moth appears to be making a remarkable comeback. Researchers have a few theories about what's behind the explosion in numbers this year, from good rainfall to unusual wind patterns. The moths are a crucial part of the alpine ecosystem, but there's still a lot scientists don't fully understand about them and their extraordinary journey.
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  Card surcharges are gone, but will consumers actually save money? 28.09.2026 3Min.

  Card surcharges are banned from Thursday, in one of the biggest shake-ups to Australia's payment system in years. The change is expected to save consumers around 1.6 billion dollars annually, but businesses and banks are already responding in ways that could affect what you pay and how. What does the ban actually cover, and what could it mean for prices, credit card rewards, and the way Australians pay?
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  Why Trump rejected Iran's deal to re-open Strait of Hormuz 27.09.2026 4Min.

  Iran says diplomacy is the only way forward with the United States after US President Donald Trump rejected its latest deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
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  Drivers wince as diesel threatens to hit $4 a litre 25.09.2026 3Min.

  Drivers, farmers and the transport industry can't help but notice the price of diesel at the moment. It's been rising again as the war in Iran shows no sign of stopping and now Donald Trump is considering cutting off US exports of diesel. But could it really hit four dollars a litre? 
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  What Albanese and Netanyahu told the United Nations General Assembly 25.09.2026 2Min.

  Australia wants a say on the biggest issues in the world as it pitches for a temporary seat on the UN Security Council. In a speech to the UN General Assembly in New York Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the world must unite to tackle climate change, the rise of artificial intelligence and the breakdown of international rules. Despite the huge issues being discussed by Australia's Prime Minister, most attention at the United Nations was on Benjamin Netanyahu and his firey defence of Israel, in the face of global concern about Israel's actions in its war in Gaza.