Your noon Briefing

Your 2-minute digest of the day’s top stories and a long read for lunchtime.

Hello readers. Employers call for limit to minimum wage rises and kids in the firing line as climate change pawns.

CEO of the Australian Industry Group Innes Willox delivers a speech with Executive Director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute Peter Jennings at the National Press Club in Canberra, Wednesday, April 5, 2017. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) NO ARCHIVING

‘Modest’ wage boost call

Employers have called for the minimum wage increase to be limited, citing higher costs and weak productivity growth.

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Tory revolt

Tory rebels who helped pass no-deal face the sack as Theresa May demands MPs approve her deal or a long extension to Article 50.

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Felicity Huffman has appeaed in court over the college bribery scam.

Desperate parents

Felicity Huffman makes her first appearance in court as Full House star Lori Loughlin surrenders to authorities over the college-admissions scandal.

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Pope Francis Cardinal George Pell combo

‘PR disaster’

Can things get any worse for the Roman Catholic church following the jailing of Cardinal George Pell? The answer is yes.

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Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg gives a speech during a demonstration of students calling for climate protection on March 1, 2019 in front of the cityhall in Hambourg, Germany. (Photo by Axel Heimken / AFP)

Kids ‘pawns’

Children have become the latest weapon in the arsenal of activists to pressure politicians whose enthusiasm for Paris targets is waning.

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Siti Aisyah, right, formerly accused of killing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's estranged half brother in Malaysia, thanks Indonesian president Joko Widodo during a meeting at the presidential palace in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, March 12, 2019. Relatives and neighbors of Aisyah are preparing an emotional welcome home party after the charges against her were unexpectedly dropped. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)

The long read: Deadly twist

Are the Kuala Lumpur airport ‘killers’ subject to double standards? Amanda Hodge investigates.

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Comment of the day

“Democracy is an illusion, as we see here with Brexit. People’s wishes have been totally ignored.”

Tom, in response to ‘Brexit: Shock as ban no-deal in any circumstance passed’.