☕️ The proposed peace deal for Russia and Ukraine

I regret to inform you that we have unanimously decided to end Wednesday riddles.

You may have noticed that I tried to quiet quit the riddle last week, but it turns out you all noticed.

My reasoning, your honour: I have literally done every riddle that ever existed. Or at least, every good riddle. And, recently, some bad ones.

I will take any and all suggestions for what to replace it with. A ‘Who Am I?’ A maths question? A suggestion of the team’s latest favourite snack (chocolate bullets, always)?

Reply to this email to let me know. And send all complaints about the death of the riddle to [email protected].

“One of the last few conversations we had was how intentional he was about supporting JD [Vance] for '28.”
Far-right organisation Turning Point USA's CEO Erika Kirk, in an interview with ex-Fox News host Megyn Kelly about her late husband Charlie Kirk's intention to support a 2028 Presidential campaign by current Vice-President JD Vance. Charlie Kirk was shot dead earlier this year. A suspect is in custody.

$41.8 million
The amount of additional funding the Federal Government announced it will provide to domestic violence hotline 1800RESPECT, bringing the service’s total to $146.8 million until 30 June 2027. In the last financial year, the service received 342,000 contacts from people seeking help from family violence.

Feckless [FEK-less]
Definition: Weak, ineffective, or lacking determination.
Sentence: "The group’s plans to travel to Japan were scuttled by a feckless friend who applied for his passport too late."

The Transport Workers Union (TWU) has reached an agreement with Uber Eats and DoorDash to pay delivery workers a minimum wage.

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) now needs to approve the deal.

Drivers are currently paid per delivery, rather than per hour.

The arrangement would also include superannuation, workers’ compensation, and dispute resolution policies.

In August 2024, a new federal law came into effect allowing the FWC to set “minimum standards” for gig workers, including leave and pay.

It covers gig workers hired as “independent contractors” by companies like Amazon, Uber, and DoorDash.

Under the legislation, gig workers are considered “employee-like” workers of these companies.

The month the law came into effect, the TWU submitted an application to the FWC, asking it to create a minimum standards order (MSO) for workers who deliver food, beverages, and other goods.

The union has now negotiated an agreement with Uber Eats and DoorDash to set a minimum rate of pay for workers and provide accident insurance, which all three have proposed to the FWC.

The proposed MSO would align workers’ wages with the Road Transport and Distribution Award rate.

The minimum wage for a casual employee under this award is between $27 and $32.

Under the TWU’s original proposal, platforms would be required to make superannuation contributions for workers.

However, the final agreement may not include every detail from the original application, a TWU source told TDA.

TWU, Uber Eats and DoorDash shared a joint statement, with TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine calling the proposal a “significant step towards a fairer gig economy”.

DoorDash APAC Vice President Simon Rossi said the proposal “can put a stronger safety net in place.”

Uber Eats Australia and NZ Managing Director Ed Kitchen said the groups have been working together “to help raise the bar”.

Kitchen added that the submission provides “protection of minimum pay rates, security and flexibility.”

Under the proposal, if a worker does not earn $31 in an hour through deliveries, platforms will be required to pay the difference.

Kaine told the ABC he hopes companies will pay without increasing restaurant or customer costs, but believes the “average Australian” would pay “a few cents more” knowing workers have “proper pay”.

The FWC is considering the application.

Reporting by Emily Donohoe.

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Ukraine and the U.S. have been in negotiations on a plan to end Russia’s war this week.

Documents leaked late last week revealed a U.S-proposed plan which largely favoured Russia, requiring Ukraine to give up some of its territory.

Ukrainian and U.S. negotiators met in Geneva, Switzerland on Sunday (local time) to talk through the plan.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the discussions “very very positive”.

Russia first invaded Ukraine in February 2022. UN data shows more than 14,000 civilians have been killed since then. Neither side releases data on the number of soldiers killed.

Today, Russia controls at least one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.

Since being sworn in as President in January, Trump has engaged with Ukraine and Russia to strike a peace deal, following an election promise to end the war within “24 hours”.

Here’s what’s in the U.S’ latest plan.

Under the plan, Ukraine would have the ultimate authority to govern itself, outside of Russian control.

However, its military would be capped at 600,000 personnel, down from a current estimate of around 880,000.

Last week, Ukrainian representative Khrystyna Hayovyshyn told the UN Security Council: “Ukraine will not accept any limits on its rights to self-defence or on the size or capabilities of its armed forces.”

Since 2008, Ukraine has sought membership of NATO, a military alliance of 32 European and North American countries. If one member is attacked, the others are bound to go to war in its defence.

As part of the peace proposal, Ukraine would have to “enshrine in its constitution that it will not join NATO,” and NATO would have to promise not to admit Ukraine.

In exchange, Ukraine would receive a NATO-style security guarantee, where the U.S. and allies could respond with military force if Russia attacks it again.

“It is expected that Russia will not invade neighbouring countries and NATO will not expand further,” the proposal says.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Finland (which borders Russia) and Sweden have applied for and been granted NATO membership.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is strongly opposed to NATO and considers it to be encroaching on Russian territory.

The U.S. also proposed that it could mediate a “dialogue” between Russia and NATO to “resolve all security issues and create conditions for de-escalation”.

The plan included a provision that NATO would not station any troops in Ukraine.

Several NATO countries, including France and the UK, have previously committed to keeping some troops in Ukraine after the war’s end.

While Ukraine would not be allowed to be part of NATO, under the proposal it would be allowed to join the European Union.

The U.S. also proposed Ukraine cede territory to Russia, including Crimea.

Russia illegally annexed Crimea in 2014. The proposal states that the U.S. would recognise this territory as “de facto Russian,” along with Luhansk and Donetsk.

Parts of Donetsk still under Ukrainian control would be ceded to Russia but deemed a neutral buffer zone with no Russian military presence.

Hayovyshyn told the Security Council: “Our land is not for sale.”

The draft proposes $US100 billion ($AU154 billion) in frozen Russian assets go toward “U.S-led efforts to rebuild and invest in Ukraine”.

Some sanctions placed on Russia since the war began would be lifted, but would be reinstated should it invade Ukraine again.

The plan proposes Russia be “re-integrated into the global economy,” including returning to the G8 alliance.

The G8 kicked Russia out in 2014 for illegally annexing Crimea and became the G7.

Putin welcomed the proposal, saying it could “form the basis of a final peace settlement” if the U.S. can get Ukraine and its European allies to agree.

Zelenskyy described the plan as presenting Ukraine with a choice between “losing its dignity or the risk of losing a key partner,” and called this ”one of the most difficult moments” in the country’s history.

Trump told reporters that Zelenskyy “would have to like” the plan “or just keep fighting.”

In a later post to Truth Social, Trump said: “UKRAINE ‘LEADERSHIP’ HAS EXPRESSED ZERO GRATITUDE FOR OUR EFFORTS.”

In a response posted to X, Zelenskyy said: “Ukraine is grateful to the United States... and personally to President Trump for the assistance that... has been saving Ukrainian lives.”

The White House wants Ukraine to sign off on the framework by 27 November, saying that final decisions will be made by Zelenskyy and Trump.

Reporting by Elliot Lawry.

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From roomy gazebos and comfy camp chairs, to folding carts – because everyone knows you’ll need help lugging all your stuff from the campsite to the festival stage – Bunnings has your staples sorted for the summer festival season.

The goal of the study, led by the Maulana Azad Medical College in the Indian capital Delhi, was to understand more about the effects of general anaesthetic, so that patients can be discharged from hospital earlier.

Trial participants were played instrumental pieces via noise-cancelling headphones under anaesthetic. Doctors noted the“music therapy” patients woke up from surgery more clear-headed and alert, and generally required less pain medication than those who were not played music. Researchers said: “Since the ability to hear remains intact under anaesthesia, music can still shape the brain’s internal state,” lowering stress levels, stabilising blood pressure, and setting them up for a smoother recovery.

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Reporting by Emma Gillespie.

A woman in Thailand has narrowly avoided being cremated alive.

Staff at a Buddhist temple near Bangkok said they were shocked when they heard knocking from inside a coffin that had been brought in for cremation.

Temple general manager Pairat Soodthoop told The Associated Press: “I was a bit surprised, so I asked them to open the coffin, and everyone was startled.”

The 65-year-old had been brought in by her brother, who alleged she had been bed-ridden for years, and stopped breathing two days prior.

The brother had previously tried to take his sister to a Bangkok Hospital for organ donation. The hospital refused to accept the offer as he didn’t have an official death certificate.

After she was found alive inside the coffin, the woman was taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.

Reporting by Elliot Lawry.

Well, it’s the last sitting week for Parliament of the year and it’s safe to say it’s a more dramatic ending than many predicted. 

Earlier this week One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson walked into the upper house wearing a black burqa. If that sounds familiar it’s because yes, it has happened before - eight years ago. 

So what led to this moment that has caused headlines around the world? We’ll tell you what you need to know today.