I hope your day is filled with lots of treats and not so many tricks.

The quote
“Some people come into the world, I think, they are so special, and they don’t stay long. Now, I think that was my granddaughter.” – Barbara Adelt, the grandmother of Lilie James, who was found dead at St Andrew’s Cathedral School in Sydney last week, in an interview with 2GB.

The stat
2,500
The number of Australians who die every year from diseases caused by high salt intake, according to new research from the Grattan Institute.

Today in history
2011: The world's official population reached 7 billion. Last year it surpassed 8 billion.

Some headlines from this morning:

ALDI is being sued for allegedly underpaying its workers up to $150 million, according to a class action brought by the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees' Association (SDA).

A class action is a lawsuit brought by multiple people to sue a defendant for the same or similar reasons.

The SDA estimates that more than 20,000 current and former employees are owed backpay.

Further details:
The SDA alleges that some ALDI employees had to work up to 30 minutes "before their shift without pay". This includes tasks like changing the tills, emptying bins, and safety checks.

The SDA National Secretary, Gerard Dwyer, said: "Every minute of unpaid work counts and we're taking ALDI to the Federal Court to ensure that workers get every cent they're owed."

Eligibility:
All ALDI workers employed between October 2017 and March 2023, as well as all distribution centre workers employed between October 2017 and October 2022, may be eligible for compensation.

The SDA estimates the average ALDI worker is eligible to receive $7,500 in backpay.

Aldi’s response:
An ALDI spokesperson told TDA that ensuring employees are adequately paid is of "paramount importance".

An internal note shared with TDA showed ALDI telling its employees that "assessments and calculations have now been completed" and that "any payments to be made will be in your pay next week."

ALDI communicated to their employees that they have "amended [their] processes" following an external review.

Next steps:
The SDA are waiting for the court to hear the class action with aims to "ensure that all workers... receive their full backpay."

Israel's military intensified its bombing of Gaza over the weekend and sent troops in for the first time since its declaration of war.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu called it a "second stage" in the war, which follows Hamas' attacks on 7 October.

Hospital workers in Gaza have warned they received an "impossible" order from Israel to evacuate a hospital amid a rising death toll and deepening fears for civilians.

Recap of events:
In an attack on Israel on 7 October, Hamas killed over 1,400 people including civilians and captured over 200 hostages including 30 children. Hamas, which controls Gaza, is considered a terrorist organisation by Australia.

Israel responded by declaring war. It has bombed Gaza continuously and intends to "eliminate Hamas". 8,000 people have been killed so far, including over 3,000 children.

Gaza is a small, densely-populated territory that Australia regards as occupied by Israel in breach of international law. Its residents are typically unable to leave and most rely on humanitarian aid.

Israel ground attack:
Israel launched its long-anticipated ground attack on Gaza over the weekend.

It came after several days of intensifying bombing, which an Israeli spokesperson said was to make conditions easier for Israeli forces. Bombing saw phone and internet access in Gaza cut off on Friday and Saturday.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said the objective of the ground attack was a "lethal blow" to Hamas and warned of a long war.

The U.S, a key ally of Israel, has warned Israel against seeking to take control of Gaza.

Al-Quds hospital:
Staff at the Al-Quds hospital in Gaza say Israel has issued an "impossible" order to evacuate the hospital.

The major hospital is run by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and has over 12,000 people sheltering in it, in addition to hundreds of patients. Israel accuses Hamas of using hospitals as "human shields".

PRCS says the hospital's intensive care unit includes children on incubators and others injured in airstrikes, and staff say "evacuating them means killing them". PRCS has reported strikes near the hospital, filling it with dust and creating "huge panic and fear".

Aid break-in:
UN aid workers say thousands of residents of Gaza broke into a warehouse containing humanitarian supplies, which the UN says is "a worrying sign that civil order is starting to break down".

The flow of aid trucks into Gaza remains much lower than pre-war levels, and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong says it is "nowhere near enough". Fuel, which is needed to power hospitals and water pumps, has still not been allowed in due to Israel's concern it would be used by Hamas for military purposes. Philippe Lazzarini, the official in charge of aid in Gaza, called the situation "hell on earth".

Hostage fears:
Families of the more than 200 people who remain in Gaza as hostages have expressed fears about their safety. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum says it is "laser-focused" on securing safe release of the hostages from Hamas. Four hostages have been released by Hamas so far, with one female soldier rescued by Israeli forces in Gaza overnight.

Some families have questioned the Israeli Government's military response, which they say could put hostages at risk.

In a speech, Netanyahu said there was "no contradiction" between the military response and "bringing the hostages home at any price."

UN resolution
The United Nations General Assembly has passed a resolution calling for an "immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of all hostilities".

The resolution passed with 120 votes in favour, 14 against and 45 abstaining. China, Russia, France and New Zealand were among those who voted in favour. The U.S. and Israel voted against. Australia, the UK, Canada, Germany and Japan abstained.

In a speech, Australia's UN Ambassador James Larsen said Australia agreed with calls for "humanitarian pauses on hostilities," but "abstained with disappointment" because the resolution did not mention Hamas by name or recognise it as the perpetrator of the 7 October attack.

The U.S. also criticised the resolution for avoiding the use of the word "hostage" to describe those captured. "These are omissions of evil, they give cover to and empower Hamas' brutality," U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the UN.

Get all the news you need to know today in your ears on The Daily Aus podcast!

A kitten has been saved after being caught in a car’s dashboard.

Fire and Rescue NSW responded by taking apart the dash of the car to free the ginger kitten, who was unharmed, in two hours. You can watch it here.

The owner has decided to name the kitten “Dashi”.

Finding a pharmacy, GP or urgent care clinic quickly can be a challenge when illness strikes unexpectedly.

Introducing the healthdirect Service Finder – an online solution that helps you locate healthcare providers open late into the evening, ensuring convenient access to the care you need.

The healthdirect Service Finder helps you find your nearest open medical clinic during late hours. It's like your late-night healthcare hero, simplifying the process of finding the health service you need.

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The 2023 Goop Gift Guides is out. As always, Goop – launched in 2008 by Gwyneth Paltrow – has presented a questionable list of exorbitantly priced items.

It’s split into a number of categories, including gifts for the traveller, the cook, the kid, and the host.

Some of the gift ideas include the Inez 24K Gold G-Spot Vibrator for $15,000, Chanel Roller Skates for $5,125, and a Zero-G Experience (a weightless experience) from $9,070. The Goop Gift Guide also includes gifts for younger children, like a Louis Vuitton Baby Wardrobe for $73,000.

So, if you’ve got a couple (or ten) thousand dollars to spend on loved ones this Christmas…

What a coincidence! That’s exactly who The Daily Aus reaches. Get in touch with us to see how we can work together.