Midday News Bulletin 12 November 2024

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TRANSCRIPT
In this bulletin;
Rex Airlines given a $80-million government hand out to keep regional routes in the air;
The World Meteorlogical Organization warns of catastrophe as 2024 becomes the hottest year on record;
And in sports, English Premier League referee David Coote suspended following a leaked video.
Embattled regional airline Rex has been given an operational lifeline with the federal government offering $80 million dollars to keep its regional routes running.
Rex went into voluntary administration in July after its fleet of Boeing 737s operating between major metropolitan centres was grounded.
The more than 600 workers made redundant will also be granted early access to entitlements.
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The World Meteorological Organization has warned of the serious dangers of climate change as global temperatures soar to new record highs.
In its latest report, the organisation says global temperatures in 2024 have already reached 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
That makes 2024 the hottest year on record because of an El Nino event which has driven up global temperatures.
Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organisation, Celeste Saulo, says the world is facing a environmental and humanitarian catastrophe.
“The State of Climate Update confirms that 2024 is on track to be the hottest year on record, hotter even than 2023, which smashed all previous records. 2015-2024 will be the warmest ten-year on record. The pace of climate change in the space of just one generation is alarming.”
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The US climate envoy has told the United Nations climate summit that he is bitterly disappointed by the victory of Donald Trump in the US presidential election.
John Podesta was addressing the COP29 summit in Baku in Azerbaijan.
Mr Podesta says the Trump administration will take a U-turn and reverse much of the progress made to combat climate change.
However, he called on governments to believe in the US clean energy economy, saying President-elect Donald Trump can slow but not stop its climate change pledges.
“In January, we are going to inaugurate a president whose relationship to climate change is captured by the word’s hoax and fossil fuels. He’s vowed to dismantle our environmental safeguards and once again withdraw the US from the Paris agreement. That is what he has said and we should believe him.”
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The war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has surpassed its 400th day, with displaced Palestinians describing the immense difficulty in surviving in the war-torn territory.
The conflict started after the Hamas led October 7 attacks on Israel last year triggered their assault on Gaza.
At least 43,600 Palestinians have been killed since then and more than 100,000 are wounded according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Mohamed Abou Al Qaraa, a displaced Gazan from Jabalia sheltering with his five children says the war feels like an eternity.
“There is destruction and displacement, the loss of loved ones. We lost five martyrs, we lost captives, we lost people dear to us. I haven’t been able to contact some family members for 38 days since the latest invasion. I don’t know if they are fine, or even alive. These 400 days feel like 4,000 years.”
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English Premier League referee David Coote has been suspended after a video circulated on social media showing the official allegedly abusing Liverpool and former manager Jürgen Klopp.
The referees body, PGMOL, says the veteran referee was suspended pending a full investigation.
The video allegedly shows Coote making derogatory comments about Liverpool and Mr Klopp, who left Anfield in May.
The video appears to show Coote saying he disliked the German manager because he “accused me of lying” after one game.
It was not immediately clear when the video was filmed, or whether it was manipulated, and Reuters says it has not verified the video.