Today marks one year since Russia invaded Ukraine. In the time since, more than 7,000 civilians have reportedly been killed along with an estimated 300,000 Ukrainian and Russian military casualties.
But today attention was partially on China, which insisted the west was making matters worse by arming Ukraine.
“Adding fuel to the fire will only exacerbate tensions,” the deputy Chinese envoy to the UN, Dai Bing, said. The comment prompted a rebuke from the German foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, who called on China to tell Moscow to stop its aggression.
That position was backed by Australia’s foreign minister, Penny Wong, who urged Beijing “to do all it can to not only not escalate this conflict but to end it”.
There are few signs to suggest China is about to edge closer to the west on Ukraine. On Wednesday, Beijing’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, met Vladimir Putin in Moscow to deepen Sino-Russian relations.
Top news
Zachary Rolfe leaves Australia | The Northern Territory police officer cleared of murdering Kumanjayi Walker has left the country, only days after he said he was issued another disciplinary notice and informed he would be sacked because of his mental health. His father, Richard Rolfe, said he expected his son to return in several months.
Hopes PNG hostages will be freed | Papua New Guinea’s foreign minister has confirmed the release of one hostage but says he “cannot guarantee” the safety of at least three others held in the southern highlands. At least four people, including an Australian-New Zealand archaeologist, were conducting fieldwork in a remote PNG region when they were captured by an armed group earlier this week.
Greens push for more public school funding | The Greens will introduce a bill to remove a 20% cap on commonwealth funding for public schools. “Australia now has one of the most privatised school systems in the developed world,” the Greens senator Penny Allman-Payne said. A report commissioned by the Australian Education Union last year found public schools were underfunded by at least $6.5bn every year.
Duck hunting season in Victoria gets green light | … but it will be about a month shorter than the average season and hunters will have a bag limit of four birds a day. The Victorian government has also announced a parliamentary inquiry into the future of duck hunting.
New farmer funding for storing carbon in soil | Farmers will soon be able to access grants between $500,000 and $5m to help find ways to store carbon in soil as a way of reducing emissions. The funding is part of a national program that will see $20m set aside for land management projects to improve soil carbon levels.
Meta profited from anti-LGBTQ+ ads | An example of PR and revenue coming unstuck. The social media company has a float in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras to show its support for the community, while at the same time accepting thousands of dollars from Australian groups promoting anti-LGBTQ+ messages on Facebook.
New Lord of the Rings movies in the works | If you’re a fan of the trilogy like me, you’re probably swaying between pure excitement and deep anxiety if it’s not made to perfection. But yes, 20 years on, Warner Bros and New Line have signed a deal to bring Middle-earth back to cinemas.
North Korea test-fires four missiles | This time the test was to demonstrate its ability to launch a nuclear attack. It caps a week of increased activity around the Korean peninsula, with Pyongyang conducting missile tests on Monday and the US holding joint air exercises separately with Japan and South Korea last Sunday.
Alec Baldwin pleads not guilty | The actor is facing manslaughter charges for the death of a cinematographer who was shot on the set of low-budget western Rust.
Full Story
Is super a tax dodge for the wealthy? – with Lenore Taylor
This week Labor opened the door to reforming superannuation. Our editors discuss what it means for your super in this 21-minute episode.
What they said …
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“Australia has been a real mate to Ukraine in battling a brutal bully.” – Ukrainian ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko
And no doubt the west has remained steadfast in its support of Ukraine, but, as our friends at the New York Times have visualised, the US has failed to rally other parts of the world to fully isolate Russia.
In numbers
Company profits, not wages, have driven the soaring inflation in Australia, an analysis from the Australia Institute has found.
Before bed read
What to do when your pet requires an expensive surgery, but you don’t have the money for it? Is it more merciful to euthanise or find a way for it to survive, even if it means potentially relinquishing the pet to a new owner? Our advice columnist, Eleanor Gordon-Smith, tackles this dilemma.
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: one. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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