Morning everyone. It is three years since any meeting between an Australian prime minister and the Chinese leadership, in which time trade wars and the pandemic have poisoned the well. But that could be about to change as Anthony Albanese embarks on a hectic week of summitry taking him from Phnom Penh to Bangkok, with a G20 in Bali sandwiched in between. A head-to-head with China’s premier, Li Keqiang, or possibly even the big boss himself, Xi Jinping, is the main prize as he attempts to hit the reset button on relations with Australia’s biggest trading partner.
Regulators are calling for more measures to crack down on anti-competitive behaviour by big tech companies such as Google and Facebook, and in the US Donald Trump is under pressure to delay his announcement about running for president in 2024.
Australia
Competition crackdown | Australia’s competition watchdog has called for legislation to crackdown on “widespread, entrenched and systematic” consumer and competition “harms” by tech giants such as Google and Facebook. The ACCC also wants firms to provide user-friendly processes for alerting to scams.
Diplomatic dates | Anthony Albanese leaves for Cambodia today where he will kick off a series of diplomatic manoeuvres with the East Asia and Australia-Asean summits in Phnom Penh, followed by the G20 in Bali and completing his trip at the Apec summit in Bangkok towards the end of next week. In addition to possible China talks, he will meet Britain’s new PM, Rishi Sunak, as well as US president Joe Biden.
Wet, wet, wet | Sydney rain bursts – extreme downpours that occur for a period of about 10 minutes – have intensified by at least 40% over the last two decades, new research suggests, confirming what most drenched residents already know.
Crash cost | Investigations into a crash in Britain linked to a car carrying Australia’s former UK high commissioner George Brandis have cost taxpayers more than $250,000.
‘Trivialising’ | The Australian Financial Review has removed references to two female journalists from an article after complaints by the ABC and the Seven Network about the newspaper’s “trivialising” portrayal of their employees.
World
Trump ‘should delay’ | Donald Trump has been told by an adviser to wait until after next month’s Georgia Senate runoff to announce his run for president in 2024 as the Republican party’s blame game continues after their midterm flop. And while Democrats have breathed a sigh of relief, their troubles are far from over. Follow all our coverage here.
Kherson-bound | Ukrainian forces were closing in on the outskirts of Kherson city as Russia said on Thursday it had begun the retreat from the southern city that it announced the previous day.
Britain on strike | The UK is braced for a series of strikes by key workers in the coming weeks which could affect trains, government services and Scottish schools. The army is on standby to handle calls if ambulance workers walk out.
Home rule | Elon Musk has scrapped Twitter’s working from home policy and ordered its staff back to the office, days after firing 3,700 employees. He will personally vet any employees who claim exceptions to the new rule.
Exclusive | David Walliams, the British actor and bestselling author, made derogatory and sexually explicit remarks about contestants on a talent show he was judging, according to a leaked transcript seen by the Guardian.
Full Story
Has the Herald Sun turned the news into a distraction?
Lenore Taylor and Mike Ticher discuss whether the Herald Sun’s relentless attacks on Victorian premier Daniel Andrews have news value, or whether they are meant to muddy the waters ahead of the state election.
In-depth
Raucous rejoicing, relief and regret are etched into diaries and letters written by Australian soldiers 104 years ago on Armistice Day in 1918, and now newly digitised online for public viewing. In a fascinating read, Natasha May picks through some of the entries including one by Gunner Alexander Sutherland Mackay that it was “almost impossible to realise the war is over”.
Not the news
Kylie Minogue is the subject our reader interviews this week and the singer reveals, among other things, which of her videos she’d like to spend the rest of her life trapped inside, what she remembers about her famous Glastonbury gig, and whether her gold hotpants are really in a museum.
The world of sport
Cricket | England hammered India by 10 wickets in Adelaide last night to take their place in the T20 World Cup final against Pakistan on Sunday thanks to brilliant knocks by openers Jos Buttler and Alex Hales.
Socceroos | Midfielder Jackson Irvine has urged footballers heading to the Qatar World Cup to speak up on human rights amid mounting criticism of the country’s record on the issue.
Rugby league | Australia and New Zealand face off in the World Cup semi-final in around 24 hours time in what is one of the most mouthwatering clashes in the tournament’s history.
Media roundup
The Medibank hack was a “dog act” but that doesn’t mean a ransom shouldn’t be paid, a cybersecurity expert says in the ABC’s lead online story. The Sydney Morning Herald leads its print edition this morning with a special report from Ukraine, and also says that first-time home buyers can opt to pay land tax rather than stamp duty from this weekend. The Australian reports that “Labor risks new row with miners over coal, gas tax”. The Courier Mail splashes with plans for a 5km “walkable spine” to be built through Brisbane ahead of the 2032 Olympics. NT News says that businesses are benefiting from $2.9bn defence spending on projects throughout the territory.
What’s happening today
Train action | Rail unions in Sydney begin an indefinite ban on controllers training new staff, followed from tomorrow by a ban on changed working patterns for eight days.
Competition case | Judgment is expected in the ACCC case against Telstra, Optus and TPG regarding NBN plans.
Armistice memorials | Remembrance Day ceremonies will be staged across the country.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day – with plenty more on the Guardian’s Puzzles app for iOS and Android. Until tomorrow.
