Morning Mail: Co-pilot stabbed on Israel-bound plane; house prices fall; and Newcastle’s 25 years of change

Israelis passengers from flydubai flight 1073 return to Tel Aviv after their ordeal. Photograph: Jim Hollander/UPI/ShutterstockView image in fullscreenIsraelis passengers from flydubai flight 1073 return to Tel Aviv after their ordeal. Photograph: Jim Hollander/UPI/ShutterstockMorning Mail: Co-pilot stabbed on Israel-bound plane; house prices fall; and Newcastle’s 25 years of changeWant to get this in your inbox every weekday? Sign up for the Morning Mail here, and finish your day with our Politics, really newsletter.

Morning everyone. A violent struggle in the cockpit, a plunge 5,000m towards the ground, and an emergency landing: witnesses have been retelling the horrific story of Flydubai flight 1073 to Tel Aviv amid Israeli claims that one pilot tried to crash the plane. We have full reports and video.

At home, fear of missing out has given way to fear of rising interest rates among would-be homebuyers as property prices fall; David Shoebridge has come out swinging after being elected Greens leader; and how Newcastle has changed since the Knights last won the NRL – “big penis” included.

View image in fullscreenDavid Shoebridge speaks after becoming Greens leader. Photograph: George Chan/AAP ‘Red hot fight’ | The new Greens leader David Shoebridge, has promised to take the fight to One Nation’s “politics of hate” and show voters who their real enemy is – the wealthy 1% of corporate Australia. The 55-year-old former barrister is renowned in Canberra for his sharp brain but could face internal pushback over his polarising style.

Property drop | Housing prices are falling in almost every suburb in Australia’s biggest cities, with values dropping faster in Brisbane than Sydney as the slowdown intensifies. This week’s interest rate rise seems likely to increase the downward pressure, and our political editor writes about how the economy spells pain for Labor but gain for One Nation.

College crackdown | Private colleges have issued nearly 3,000 last-minute enrolments to a diploma course that is being cancelled after allegedly being “misused” by non-genuine students, as Labor threatens to suspend providers that are manipulating new rules.

‘Whole-egg flavour’ | Choice has taste tested 29 store-bought mayonnaises, and rated the cheapest product the best for its “pleasant” aroma and “whole-egg flavour”.

‘Carbon bomb’ | The New South Wales independent planner has approved the biggest coalmine project to ever go before it, allowing mining to continue until 2045 at a Hunter Valley project described by climate groups as a “carbon bomb”.

1:30Backpack is Fat Bear Week’s 2026 winner – video Bearing up | A chunky bear called Backpack has out-eaten an outsized female nicknamed the Dancing Queen to waltz – or rather waddle – off with the Fat Bear Week title at Alaska’s Katmai national park.

‘Tried to crash’ | One of the pilots of a plane flying from the UAE to Israel stabbed his co-pilot and tried to crash the plane, a passenger on the flight said, as Israeli officials said they were investigating if the incident was an attempted terror attack on Israelis. After a dramatic landing in Saudi Arabia and later return to Israel, witnesses told of a fight between the two pilots with one covered in blood, and a woman talks on video about how her daughter, a passenger, said she heard screaming and saw a man pull out a knife. Here’s what we know so far.

China front | China’s intelligence service used a front company to pay grants to British universities and steal crucial research about technology projects, according to MI5. The spy agency’s rare public espionage warning will concern the UK’s cash-strapped universities and their fundraising in China.

Settler terror | Israeli settler violence in the West Bank has made everyday life for Palestinians “untenable”, the Red Cross has said, as a mob attack on Palestinians prompted a rival of Benjamin Netanyahu to warn of a campaign of settler terror.

Delhi protests | Hundreds of women students have taken to the streets of Delhi to protest against daily sexual harassment, assault and molestation, shouting: “We want justice.”

View image in fullscreen Photograph: ABCWhy working parents are set up to fail

Reged Ahmad speaks to parenting advocate, Georgie Dent, to unpack why raising children has become an impossible mathematical equation.

Sorry your browser does not support audio – but you can download here and listen $https://audio.guim.co.uk/2026/09/30-01017-FS_GeorgieDent_CA_dateremoved.mp3

00:00:0000:23:35In-depthView image in fullscreenNewcastle’s Queens Wharf Tower, aka ‘the big penis’. Photograph: CUHRIG/Getty ImagesAs the Newcastle Knights prepare for a first NRL grand final in 25 years, Ben Smee writes evocatively about how his home town has changed since that famous win in 2001 and a crowd of 80,000 sang the Newcastle song celebrating the “big penis” tower (since knocked down), old-fashioned pubs (gentrified) and the steelworks (closed).

View image in fullscreenMating lyrebirds in south-east Australia. Photograph: Elmar AkhmetovMating lyrebirds, dancing black swans and bonding royal penguins are some of the winning and shortlisted photos in this year’s BirdLife Australia photography awards. Check out our gallery here.

View image in fullscreenTamika Upton with her medal. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP Rugby league | Nathan Cleary has completed rugby league’s boxset of awards after the Penrith star was voted the runaway winner of his first Dally M Medal at the NRL’s gala night. Tamika Upton won her third women’s Dally M.

Premier League | Former City boss Pep Guardiola said the club’s bosses had his support over the sham payments scandal, but former Manchester United captain Roy Keane said players who won medals under the regime should throw them “in the bin”.

Cricket | Australia beat South Africa by 47 runs on DLS after rain forced the game to be abandoned with the hosts chasing 323 to win the third ODI in Potchefstroom – here’s how it unfolded. John Campbell, Shai Hope and Amir Jangoo all hit centuries as the West Indies racked up their record ODI total of 7-405 against India.

Queues have formed outside smoke shops in Geelong after six businesses were threatened with closure in a crackdown on illicit tobacco, the Advertiser reports. The Victorian Liberals are facing a backlash from its members over a centrally selected candidate for the must-win seat of Pakenham, the Age claims. The tax office promoted the most staff as the public service contracted for the first time since the Albanese government came to power, the Canberra Times reports.

Launceston | Woman at magistrates court accused of trying to poison her former partner by tampering with coffee, and delivering it via Airtasker.

Economy | RBA releases its latest financial stability review at 11.30am.

Courts | Childcare workers face court over death of 22-year-old girl who choked after becoming trapped on a fence in outback NT.

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