Morning everyone. A huge international aid operation is gearing up to help Turkey and Syria cope with yesterday’s devastating earthquake in which thousands of people have lost their lives. We’ve got comprehensive coverage of the unfolding disaster.
At home, we’ll be looking at the fallout from the Greens decision to back the voice to parliament amid polling showing majority support for the change.
Australia
Greens change | Greens MPs and senators have agreed to support the Indigenous voice to parliament after a special party room meeting last night, just hours after senator Lidia Thorpe quit the party over her concerns regarding the consultation body. Our politics editor thinks the Greens’ predicament could be an opportunity for Anthony Albanese, and our latest Essential poll shows that a majority continue to support a constitutionally enshrined voice.
Booze ban | Alcohol bans are to be reintroduced “urgently” in central Australia after a snap review recommended tighter restrictions to address a surge of crime and antisocial behaviour in Alice Springs.
Dating diktat | Dating apps must cooperate to share information about “bad actors” using their services to abuse and harass other users, the online watchdog said. A new survey has found 75% of people reported at least one negative experience online last year. Another report today looks at increasingly sophisticated fraud on online marketplaces.
‘Like a drunken fool’ | One of the key witnesses in the Ben Roberts-Smith defamation trial has admitted hindering a commonwealth official after he acted “like a drunken fool” in refusing to hand over his phone.
‘Dougie’ freed | Darko “Dougie” Desic – a fugitive turned handyman turned Sydney local identity – has been released from immigration detention and granted a permanent visa 29 years after going on the run from Grafton prison.
World
Earthquake disaster | More than 2,600 people have died in the earthquake that struck southern Turkey and northern Syria. Thousands more were injured as the quake wiped out entire sections of major cities in a region filled with millions of people who have fled the civil war in Syria. Offers of aid have poured in from around the world, and there are concerns for ancient Roman sites after Gaziantep Castle was partially destroyed in the disaster.
Offensive fears | Russian forces are attempting to tie down Ukrainian forces in the eastern Donbas region as Moscow assembles troops there for an expected offensive in the coming weeks, according to the local governor.
Israel | Israeli forces say they have killed several armed fighters during an army raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jericho, the latest violence in a period of escalating tensions that has sparked fears of a third intifada.
‘Overwhelming gratitude’ | The author Salman Rushdie has described himself feeling fortunate and grateful to have survived a knife attack in New York state last year as he gave his first interview since the incident..
Crypto plea | FTX, the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange firm founded by disgraced entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried, is demanding refunds of donations made to politicians before its spectacular collapse last year.
Full Story
Is Medicare really broken?
The government has committed to the biggest overhaul to Medicare in 40 years. Jane Lee speaks to health policy analyst Jennifer Doggett about the risks and rewards of establishing a truly universal health care system.
In-depth
The number of electric vehicles on Australian roads has almost doubled over the past year, growing from 44,000 at the beginning of 2022 to more than 83,000, according to research based on sales data released in the Electric Vehicle Council’s yearly recap. That figure is expected to top 100,000 in the coming months. But that’s putting a big strain on charging infrastructure – which saw queues forming in hotspots over summer.
Not the news
The war in Ukraine has been a difficult issue for the Russian diaspora, from sports stars to academics. Ilya Gringolts, regarded as one of the world’s best violinists, remains in exile after the invasion and he has been talking to Kelly Burke about speaking out where others have stayed silent.
The world of sport
Football | Ghana and former Newcastle United winger Christian Atsu is reportedly missing after he and his Hatayspor teammates were caught in the Turkish earthquake.
Formula One | The Williams driver Alex Albon says F1 competitors are “concerned” about the FIA’s move to ban political statements after the governing body updated its rules to prevent unapproved “political, religious or personal” comments.
Football | The Premier League has charged Manchester City with breaching its rules on more than 100 occasions over multiple years, while Leeds United have sacked Jesse Marsch after a poor run of form.
Media roundup
The Australian leads with the reintroduction of alcohol bans in the Northern Territory, and the NT News goes into detail about how the restrictions are going to work. Changes are needed at an “horrendous” intersection in West Melbourne where a cyclist was killed last week, the Age reports. Brisbane’s airport chief tells the Courier Mail that the return of thousands of overseas students is a “significant” boost for Queensland’s economy. The West Australian reports that a water bomber plane has crashed while fighting huge fires in the state’s south-east.
What’s happening today
Economy | RBA board meeting and rate announcement at 2.30pm.
Foreign affairs | New Zealand’s new prime minister, Chris Hipkins, is in Canberra for his first overseas trip since replacing Jacinda Ardern.
Gambling | Federal committee hearing on online gambling and its impacts to hear from the head of independent schools peak body.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords and free Wordiply game to keep you entertained throughout the day – with plenty more on the Guardian’s Puzzles app for iOS and Android. Until tomorrow.
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