Good morning. One Nation’s latest recruit is former Liberal senator Cory Bernardi – as Pauline Hanson’s party claims “some very big names” will join their ranks this week.
The rightwing turmoil has benefited the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, but he’s not out of the woods just yet: we look at the state of play in politics as parliament resumes.
Over in the US, David Copperfield is the latest high-profile name to pop up in the Epstein files, and immigration rights groups have filed a lawsuit over the Trump administration’s visa ban on 75 countries. Plus: would you eat a genetically modified purple tomato? You’re about to get the chance.
Australia
Albanese’s opportunity | Labor can afford a few moments of glee now but spending, emissions, AI and Aukus are just some of the challenges on the road to the next election.
Party switching | Former Liberal senator Cory Bernardi is the latest conservative politician to join One Nation as Pauline Hanson attempts to translate surging support in the polls into seats in parliament.
Follow the money | Nicolette Boele spent $2.26m to claim a nail-biting victory in the Sydney seat of Bradfield, making her 26-vote win the most expensive campaign of any teal independent.
Blueberry genes | Caprese salads could take on a new hue after genetically modified purple tomatoes cleared regulatory hurdles.
Culture | The Biennale of Sydney has revealed the final lineup details for its 25th edition, under artistic director Hoor Al Qasimi, the first Arab appointed to the role.
World
Legal status | Immigrant right groups, nonprofits, legal organisations and several citizens have sued the Trump administration over the visa ban on 75 countries, issued in January. Follow the live blog here.
Epstein files | FBI agents investigating David Copperfield in 2007 said that “a clear connection” existed between the illusionist and Jeffrey Epstein, according to the latest tranche of the Epstein files. Meanwhile, the disclosure of more than 3m files related to Epstein suggests that other men were involved in his sexual abuse.
Royal scandal | The son of Norway’s crown princess, Marius Borg Høiby, has been arrested on new charges just days before the start of his rape trial.
Costa Rica | The rightwing populist Laura Fernández has won Costa Rica’s presidential election in a landslide after promising to crack down on rising violence linked to the cocaine trade.
Incremental change | The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt has been reopened by Israel for a limited number of people on foot, as fragile diplomatic efforts to stabilise the conflict inch forward.
Full Story
Mistrust and fear after the Invasion Day bomb scare
When a homemade bomb was allegedly thrown into a crowd of more than 2,000 people at an Invasion Day rally in Perth last week, police said that, had it gone off, it had the potential to cause mass casualties. But in the hours and days afterwards many questioned how police, media and political leaders responded to the alleged attack and criticised what they said was selective outrage. Our Indigenous affairs correspondent, Sarah Collard, spoke to Nour Haydar on the bomb threat at Boorloo and the sadness and fear that lingers.
In-depth
The Reserve Bank is largely expected to increase rates later today. However, not every expert thinks it’s a good idea. While the RBA needs to consider inflation, there are other factors in the mix such as the low unemployment rate and GDP growth, Patrick Commins is told.
Not the news
Arthouse film programs are on the rise across the country, beloved not just by cinephiles but across the generations. Sarah Ward explores the charm and appeal of cinematheques, “an alternative to the Hollywood franchise churn at multiplexes and streaming’s endless scroll”.
Sport
Milan 2026 | Get everything you need to know about the Winter Olympics in our explainer, from what time it starts to how you can keep up with the Games from Australia.
Tennis | Simon Cambers and Joey Lynch each make the case for and against whether the Australian Open finals should be played at an earlier time in the day.
Football | The Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, has apologised over remarks he made about British fans and defended the decision to award a peace prize to Donald Trump
Volleyball | In a moment of chivalry that has been widely shared online, Japanese volleyball player Yuji Nishida displayed majestic sliding skills as he took a traditional apology to extremes after inadvertently striking a courtside judge with the ball at the weekend.
Media roundup
Business leaders have called on the government to cut more than $50bn a year in areas such as the NDIS, childcare, aged care, health and defence to ease spending pressures in the economy, reports the Financial Review. According to the ABC, Sarah Court will be the female head of Asic from 1 July this year. In the Brisbane Times, a 22-year-old Australian who died in a Japanese ski lift accident has been remembered as fun-loving and kind.
What’s happening today
Economics | The RBA will announce its interest rate decision, with treasurer Jim Chalmers to hold a press conference afterwards.
Fremantle | A Western Australian man is due in court over alleged antisemitic posts after the Bondi shooting.
Canberra | A man is due in court on a foreign interference charge.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
