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10 things you need to know this morning in Australia

James Hennessy

And the Lord said: TGIF.

1. Climate strikes are happening across the country today, protesting the lack of action from governments to address the problem. We'll be walking out of the office to join the Sydney one. And it might not be too late to ask your boss if you can too. Worth a crack, at least.

2. Australian unemployment has shot up to a 12 month high. A record participation rate and strong population growth mean that the number of new jobs simply can't keep up. This could very well presage a further interest rate cut in October.

3. Another example of Canadian PM Justin Trudeau doing blackface emerged overnight, the third such image in less than 24 hours. He has apologised, but says he can't say for certain that there aren't any more examples out there, which is somewhat concerning. Opposition politicians, who smell blood in the water ahead of the country's elections next month, are putting the boot in.

4. Scott Morrison is preparing for his state dinner with Trump on Friday evening local time by pledging a “second century of mateship” with the United States. In written remarks ahead of the high-stakes meal, Morrison flagged that Australia will be willing to “pull our weight” in the relationship – a commitment which in the past has mostly meant a whole lot of war.

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5. Speaking of war, the Iranian foreign minister has warned that "all-out war" is on the table if the United States launches military action in response to the Saudi Arabian oil facility attack. "We won’t blink to defend our territory,” Javad Zarif said during an interview on CNN. Both the US and Saudi Arabia have ramped up their efforts in recent days to blame the strikes on Iran.

6. New data from the Organisation for Economic Development (OECD) indicates Australia is one of the top countries temporary workers are flocking to. In 2017, 400,000 workers came to Australia, putting us comfortably in the top ten.

7. Chinese buyers are prepped to flood back into Australia's "cheap" property market, with Melbourne emerging as a clear favourite. "Cheap" here is obviously a relative term. Hobart is experiencing strong interest too, with 77% more enquiries than the year prior.

8. iOS 13, Apple's latest update to its iPhone software, landed today. Here's everything you need to know about it – including how to get it on your device, if you're something of a Luddite. No shame here.

9. Sharing economy behemoth Airbnb has announced its plan to go public in 2020. The US$31 billion company has basically revealed nothing about its timeline on this process, but you can be absolutely certain that Wall Street guys are salivating over the prospect.

10. The first big casualty of the US-China trade war is the new Huawei flagship phone. Announced overnight in Munich, the Mate 30 does not come with any Google apps – meaning it is cut off from services like the Play Store and Maps. That omission makes the phone an extraordinarily unappealing product in Western markets like Australia.

BONUS ITEM
The Sydney chook wars are heating up with the news that Lebanese eatery El Jannah has entered the chicken demilitarised zone (CDZ) of the city centre – opening an 'express' joint on Newtown's King Street. Read more about the hot Sydney chicken market here.