Morning everyone. An in-depth investigation by Guardian Australia has found a shocking increase in the number of young people developing gambling problems. This can have very serious, long-term impacts on mental health – you can read the stories of some of those who have grappled with addiction from ages as young as 10.
Plus, our latest poll shows dim signs of hope for the yes camp as the referendum next Saturday approaches, with a slight uptick in the number of yes voters. And Donald Trump’s trial for fraud in his business empire has begun.
Australia
Essential poll | People who intend to vote no on 14 October outnumber those planning to vote yes, according to the latest Guardian Essential poll, but the survey shows the first positive shift towards yes in several months. Peter Dutton’s attempts to create division have played a part in the shift, but our political editor writes today that such negative tactics may not help him win power.
Exclusive | Steven developed a gambling addiction when he was only 10, which led him into a downward spiral of shame and drug use from which he is now, at the age of 24, “only just starting to recover from”. His story forms the centrepiece of our special report into the issue today.
Fire alert | Bushfires were burning in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania yesterday after Australia experienced the driest September on record with a national rainfall average of just 4.83mm.
Power cut | Tim Dakin has converted a shed in eastern Victoria into a comfortable home that runs entirely off the grid. He is part of an increasing trend – but how did he do it, and what sacrifices did he make?
Claim conspiracists | Indigenous Australians are backing out of native title claims after being targeted by racist “sovereign citizen” conspiracy theorists, according to research.
World
Trump on trial | Donald Trump has attended the first day of his trial for fraud in Manhattan, in which the former president and others are accused of using false or misleading financial statements to broker deals, obtain loans and inflate the appearance of his net worth. He denounced the proceedings as a witch-hunt. Here’s what it’s all about, plus a profile of Letitia James, the fearless attorney who has built the case.
‘Ghost town’ | Nearly the entire ethnic Armenian population has left Nagorno-Karabakh, as the first United Nations mission arrived in the largely deserted mountainous region.
Malaria breakthrough | A “safe and effective” malaria vaccine developed by the University of Oxford has been recommended for widespread use by the World Health Organization, while American scientists Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman have been awarded the 2023 Nobel prize in physiology or medicine for their contributions to mRNA vaccines that helped defeat Covid.
Ukraine aid | Kyiv is set to receive billions of euros more in military aid, as well as training for fighter pilots, the EU’s top diplomat has said, after a “historic” meeting of EU foreign ministers in Kyiv.
Tory tantrums | Sixty Conservative MPs have joined a rightwing grouping led by former prime minister Liz Truss, imperilling the Commons majority of her successor Rishi Sunak as disunity swells at the party’s Manchester conference.
Full Story
Why are so many adults being diagnosed with ADHD?
Matilda Boseley was 23 when she was diagnosed with ADHD, but with the diagnosis came a lot of questions – not least why girls are so often overlooked when it comes to treatment. She tells her story.
In-depth
Some say this weekend’s footy finals were the most entertaining ever, with gripping climaxes, huge crowds and great TV ratings. But the top-rated spectacle, the AFL final, did not come close to the audience for the Matildas’ World Cup semi-final in August. It’s another reminder, writes Jack Snape, that there is another world out there where father-son is a relationship, not a draft exception, and where five-eighths are fractions, not ball runners.
Not the news
The music of Icelandic rock band Sigur Rós is sometimes described by reference to the country’s harsh volcanic landscape. So it’s no surprise that the new project of frontman Jónsi Birgisson, Obsidian, is an immersive exhibition at Mona in Hobart that merges music, sound and scent to evoke a volcanic eruption. As he tells Steph Harmon, he wanted a “primal” experience that “goes straight up the arse to rattle your bones”.
The world of sport
Cricket | Australia have fallen victim to the greatest women’s Twenty20 run chase of all-time, with Hayley Matthews smashing a century to help West Indies run down a target of 213 at North Sydney Oval.
Rugby World Cup | Victory over Portugal has kept Australia in the competition for now but they are in a rugby purgatory as they wait another week before in all probability heading home. Coach Eddie Jones, meanwhile, has criticised the overuse of video referees in the tournament.
Golf | Luke Donald says he would consider leading the European Ryder Cup challenge again in 2025 after his team defeated the USA at the weekend.
Media roundup
The Sydney Morning Herald and the Age both carry warnings about the danger of a long, dry summer with a high of 33C expected in Sydney today and bushfires predicted for eastern Victoria. It’s been a “horror holiday weekend” on the country’s roads, the Australian reports, with 21 people losing their lives. The NT News provides comprehensive coverage of those worst traffic incidents when six people, including four children, died in a smash at Pine Creek on the Stuart Highway. And the Courier Mail can only wonder how “21 minutes of madness” sank the Broncos in NRL’s grand final.
What’s happening today
Victoria | The new Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has her first sitting day in charge.
Voice to parliament | Yes campaigner Prof Megan Davis delivers the Lionel Murphy lecture at 6pm at NSW Parliament House.
Economy | The Reserve Bank is tipped to keep rates on hold at 2.30pm today, while the ABS releases data on lending and building approvals.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day – with plenty more on the Guardian’s Puzzles app for iOS and Android. Until tomorrow.
