Overnight, the White House hosted a major official state welcome for PM Anthony Albanese, with U.S. President Biden and seemingly hundreds of his military marching band members holding a ceremony on the iconic South Lawn of the White House. We can’t immediately verify this, but we think it’s the first time Barbie and Bluey have been mentioned in a speech at the White House.

It was followed a few hours later by a joint press conference, where the two leaders took questions from Australian and U.S. media.

In a few hours time, the big ‘State Dinner’ will be held for 400 VIP guests - including, we’re reliably informed, Kid Laroi.

The quote
"We call for humanitarian pauses on hostilities, so food, water, medicine and other essential assistance can reach people in desperate need, and so civilians can get to safety. The way Israel exercises its right to defend itself matters... Innocent Palestinian civilians should not suffer because of the outrages perpetrated by Hamas." – Foreign Minister Penny Wong in a statement yesterday.

The stat
11th
Australia's ranking in Georgetown University's global Women, Peace, and Security Index. Women's sense of safety in public and share of seats in Parliament have both improved in recent years.

Today in history
2019: The Uluru climb was closed permanently.

Some headlines from this morning:

One person has died and at least six homes have been destroyed as crews continue to battle multiple blazes west of Brisbane.

Parts of the Western Downs region have been evacuated, including Tara, where a body was discovered on Tuesday night. QLD police confirmed an investigation into the death but did not provide further details.

It comes after bushfires claimed the life of a 56-year-old man on NSW's mid-north coast last week.

Context:
Multiple bushfire warnings are currently in place across QLD's south.

The towns of Tara and Wieambilla in the Western Downs are under an emergency evacuation warning.

Residents across multiple nearby areas and parts of Toowoomba are on a 'watch and act alert'.

Any residents who had previously been told to evacuate those areas have been warned it's not safe for them to return home yet.

Western Downs:
The worst of the state's bushfire emergency is in the Western Downs. There were 19 crews battling several fires in Tara and another 11 crews on the ground at Millmerran on Wednesday.

Water bombing and aerial support are being provided throughout the day.

In the past 24 hours, QLD fire services have responded to over 50 vegetation fires.

Fire bans:
Total fire bans are in place across most of the state. In the worst-affected bushfire regions, temperatures of up to 37°C and winds of 15 to 35km/h were forecast for Wednesday. The heat and strong winds could see blazes intensify.

Some showers are forecast around Toowoomba in the coming days, but conditions will stay dry and hot in the Western Downs today.

Fire bans will remain in place until the end of the month.

Prices were 5.4% higher in September than the previous year, according to the latest official inflation figures.

While the result is lower than in recent months, it's higher than the Reserve Bank of Australia expected, adding to speculation it may raise interest rates again next month.

Quick refresher:
Inflation measures price growth. It summarises prices in around 90 categories (e.g. fruit, rent, furniture). When inflation is high and unpredictable, your money buys less.

Like many countries, Australia has been battling high inflation. The RBA wants inflation to fall back to 2-3%.

Note: 'Falling' inflation doesn't mean falling prices, it means prices are rising at a slower rate than before.

Yesterday’s numbers:
Yesterday's update provided figures for the September quarter (July-September). Over those three months, prices rose 1.2%, a higher increase than the previous quarter.

The areas of fastest growth were transport costs (up 3.2% in three months) and housing costs (up 2.2%).

Rents (a component of housing costs) also rose 2.2% for the quarter, and 7.6% in the past year — the biggest annual rise since 2009.

Rate rise?
Earlier this week, new RBA Governor Michele Bullock warned the Bank would "not hesitate" to raise interest rates further if inflation did not reduce at the RBA's desired pace.

Higher interest rates discourage borrowing and spending. The RBA has raised rates on 12 occasions since May 2022, but has left them unchanged for the last four months.

The RBA's next meeting is on 7 November.

Employment watch:
Higher interest rates can lead to job losses. This is because lower spending due to high-interest rates can reduce business revenue, making them more likely to fire staff or avoid hiring new workers.

The current unemployment rate is 3.6%, which is historically low and has remained low despite recent interest rate increases. However, there are some signs of a shift. Employment for young workers has fallen by over 30,000 since June.

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

New research from the Universities of Surrey and Swansea in the UK has found it could be viable to use solar panels in space.

The result suggests large and inexpensive solar stations could be deployed in space to bring clean energy back to Earth. The study showed the panels did not deteriorate in space (although they did become less efficient) over a period of six years.

Picture this: a home-cooked dinner at a local cave home in Cappadocia, Turkey. Or, zipping around Vietnam, taking in the sights from the back of a motorbike with a local. How about learning to make loukoumi from a family in Greece?

As the end of the year approaches, there’s no better time to plan your next trip. If you're thinking of an adventure, but don't have a crew ready to jump in with, it could be time to think about a guided small group tour.

With more than 1,000 trips worldwide, Intrepid is all about immersive experiences with small groups that take you beyond where any Google search can take you. They plan your travel with local leaders who have deep connections to the destinations and people around you. Intrepid also ensures you’re travelling safely, securely, and with like-minded travellers (who might just become lifelong friends).

Book your next trip with Intrepid today!

The world’s oldest dog has died, aged 31 years and 165 days.

Bobi, a Portuguese Rafeiro do Alentejo, passed away on 20 October. His veterinarian, Dr Karen announced his death on Facebook saying, “Despite outliving every dog in history, his 11,478 days on earth would never be enough, for those who loved him.”

In February this year, the Guinness World Records announced Bobi as the world’s oldest dog, born on 11 May, 1992.

Bobi lived his whole life with his owner, Leonel Costa, who said his long life was a result of “constant contact with nature”. In the Portuguese village of Conqueiros, Bobi was never leashed, and always had the “freedom to discover his environment”.

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