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Good morning. Australia will lag behind the world if the government doesn’t amp up spending in research and development. Emissions from land clearing are likely far higher than claimed. And it’s only Monday, but if you’re already looking forward to a beer at the pub this weekend, Sydney’s historic Annandale Hotel – after a controversial journey – reopens this week.

Australia’s emissions from land clearing are likely far higher than reported to the United Nations, new analysis indicates, sparking calls for an independent review of the sector. Researchers assessed satellite imagery of more than 50 properties in Queensland and found significant discrepancies between what is treated as cleared land by Australia’s National Carbon Accounting System (NCAS) and the Statewide Landcover and Trees Study (Slats) used by the state government. The Australian government has relied on its reporting of falls in land-clearing rates for almost all the reductions that allow it to claim the country’s emissions have fallen by about one-fifth since 2005.

The country risks losing jobs to others if it fails to lift its below-average spending on research and development, a peak science body has warned, amid Scott Morrison’s vow to promote “technology not taxes” on climate policy. Australia invests just 1.8% of its economic output in research and development, well behind the OECD average of 2.5%. Misha Schubert, chief executive of Science & Technology Australia, said Australia “needs to stay at the forefront of tech advances” in areas including artificial intelligence and machine learning, clean energy technologies, and agricultural technologies or it “will lose jobs and opportunities to our competitors across the advanced economies of the world, in the OECD, and in our region”.

Rapper Travis Scott said he was devastated after eight people died at his Astroworld music festival, ranging in age from 14 to 27. Dozens more were injured when crowds rushed toward the stage shortly after 9pm on Friday. Two investigations have been launched, including a criminal investigation by homicide and narcotics detectives after reports that somebody in the audience had injected people with drugs.

Australia

NSW treasurer Matt Kean
NSW treasurer Matt Kean says the net zero emissions policy forum will ensure states and territories are working together. Photograph: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

New South Wales, South Australia and the ACT have reached a cross-party agreement to help each other work towards reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions. The self-described “historic” agreement will help sub-national jurisdictions address practical challenges, after widespread criticism that the federal government’s plan contained no new policies.

Police are investigating the cause of a fire that killed twin four-year-old girls near Byron Bay. Initial reports suggest a candle left burning on top of a piano may have caused the instrument to smoulder and emit toxic fumes.

Emergency services continue to look for the body of missing man Paul Millachip after a shark attack at a Perth beach on Saturday. Two teenagers who say they saw the incident called emergency services.

The world

Damage caused by a drone attack to the residence of Iraqi prime minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi
Damage caused by a drone attack to the residence of Iraqi prime minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi.
Photograph: IRAQI PRIME MINISTER’S PRESS OFF/AFP/Getty Images

An assassination attempt using an exploding drone aimed at the Iraqi prime minister’s house has failed to kill him, the government has said. Mustafa al-Kadhimi was reported to be unharmed after the drone hit his home in Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, injuring seven security guards. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Few people are willing to make significant lifestyle changes to help save the planet, despite acknowledging the climate crisis is the main environmental challenge the world is now facing, an international survey of 10 countries has found.

Julian Assange and his fiancee, Stella Moris, say they are being prevented from getting married and are preparing legal action against UK deputy prime minister Dominic Raab and the governor of Belmarsh prison.

Recommended reads

The Annandale Hote
The Annandale Hotel in Sydney’s inner west is reopening its doors this week. Photograph: Blake Sharp-Wiggins/The Guardian

When Neil Thompson took over the Annandale Hotel – an establishment famed for nurturing gritty live music over the decades – he was unaware of the iconic venue’s history, and unprepared for the backlash that was to come when he gutted the place and threw invaluable pieces of rock’n’roll memorabilia on to the street. The outrage led to a story of redemption, and a brand new future for the beloved pub, which reopens this week.

“Why do I identify with my Aboriginal family and not my Irish and English ancestry? There are many reasons, and they are all compelling,” writes Claire Coleman in Lies, Damned Lies – A personal exploration of the impact of colonisation.The first is the simplest: if you could identify with the bully or the victim, with the murderers or the family of the murdered, with the genocidal colonisers or the colonised, who would you choose?”

A wok can be the saviour of weeknight dinners when used correctly – to cook small quantities of food quickly. Adam Liaw shares some speedy meals to get you through the week, and a few tips on how to get the most out of your wok. “The giant woks over fire-breathing wok-burners in restaurants turn out a single plate at a time, but at home, we try to load enough ingredients to feed the whole family into a wok and wonder why it turns out soggy. If you have eight ingredients, make four smaller wok-fried dishes using two ingredients each, instead of one big one that uses all eight.”

Listen

Despite being vocal activists on the climate issues, young people do not have a seat at the table at Cop26; they are relying on world leaders to work towards a serious plan to tackle the climate crisis before it is too late. In today’s Full Story, three young activists describe their route to activism, discuss their thwarted attempts to hold world leaders to their legally binding climate commitments, and where their movement goes next.

Full Story

Cop26: how three young climate activists are trying to change the world

Full Story is Guardian Australia’s daily news podcast. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any other podcasting app.

Sport

Scotland has defeated Australia 15-13 in the international rugby union overnight, for their third consecutive win over the Wallabies.

Rory Burns has declared Ben Stokes’ return to England’s cricket squad as “a massive boost” to their chances of success in the Ashes, but says the sudden announcement that the all-rounder would be on the flight to Australia came as no surprise to him.

Media roundup

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that taxpayer funds were allegedly misused for Liberal Party purposes, highlighting again the need for a federal anti-corruption commission. Tasmanian police say jealousy may have been a motive behind the triple shooting that left two dead and one wounded in Devonport on Saturday, reports the Mercury.

Coming up

Scott Morrison will join an online APEC meeting.

And if you’ve read this far …

High wind off the Florida coast prompted SpaceX to delay the return of four astronauts from the International Space Station. The good news for them is that their return is now projected to take eight hours rather than 20 – meaning they will have to spend considerably less time using diapers, after the toilet on their SpaceX capsule broke.

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The post Morning mail: land clearing discrepancies, research investment risk, ‘redemption’ hotel | appeared first on Peril Of Africa.



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