Anthony Albanese says Australia received civilian and military notifications about Chinese live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea “at around the same time”, despite the ADF chief telling Senate estimates the military notification came an hour after the commercial pilot.
Peter Dutton seized on the conflicting timelines, accusing the prime minister of “ducking and weaving and failing to answer basic questions”. Meanwhile, the opposition leader’s stock market and property investments came under further scrutiny, while Albanese pledged $7bn to help make Melbourne’s airport rail dream a reality.
Top news
‘Got any men’s sport?’: Triple M radio host who compared Matildas to ‘year 10 girls’ condemned
Trump administration briefing: Musk’s demands trigger mass Doge resignations and cabinet backlash
Woolworths’ profit slumps as cost of living drives shoppers elsewhere
ABC election guru Antony Green says it’s ‘time to retire’ as he prepares to leave on-air role
In pictures
In today’s Guardian picture editors’ selection of photographs from around the world, a Buddhist monk performs a traditional dance as part of rituals to celebrate the Sherpa community’s new year in Nepal.
What they said …
***
“In a free country, leaders must not be able to choose their own press corps.”
The White House Correspondents’ Association has responded after the Trump administration said it will decide which news outlets can enter the presidential press pool.
In numbers
The monthly CPI data dropped today, and it doesn’t seem to improve the chances of an upcoming rate cut. There were expectations the underlying inflation rate could ease to 2.6% in the 12 months to January, but it came in at 2.8%.
Before bed read
Not all actors are comfortable with baring their behinds … or their souls. Nicola Coughlan wanted family-friendly edits of Bridgerton episodes for her Irish Catholic mother to watch. And even Joseph Fiennes found a scene in The Handmaid’s Tale too evil. Who got their way – and who didn’t?
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: HAY. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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