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Martin Farrer
Morning everyone. Our exclusive top story this morning is that Indonesia’s ambassador requested a meeting this week with Australian government officials as a row between the major parties about a potential Russian military base in the east of the country engulfed the election campaign.
We also have an exclusive survey showing most Australians are hostile to nuclear power on their doorstep; Trump says Ukraine’s president is jeopardising what the US president claimed was an imminent peace deal with Russia; and a photographer is turning outback mining “skimpy bars” into art.
Australia
‘Chilling at home’ | Prehistoric giant kangaroos (visualised above) found in a rich fossil site in Queensland were probably homebodies who stayed close to home eating rainforest leaves rather than ranging great distances like other kangaroo species, according to new Australian research.
Exclusive | Indonesia’s ambassador met senior Australian diplomats on Tuesday as the nation was thrust into an election campaign debate about a potential Russian military presence in the region.
Exclusive | A majority of Australians do not view nuclear power favourably and would be concerned if a plant was built near them, according to a new survey shared exclusively with Guardian Australia.
Mental health | Leading experts have raised concerns over the Coalition’s plans to repeal “right to disconnect” laws, arguing that backtracking will have various negative consequences for employee stress and burnout.
Electric shock | The stakes have been raised again in the Sydney property market as it emerged that buyers are paying $1m-plus for tiny blocks of land containing electricity substations that have been put up for sale by Ausgrid.
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World
Altar worship | Thousands of people have queued for hours under the hot spring sun in St Peter’s Square to pay their final respects to Pope Francis, whose simple wooden coffin has been placed on the main altar of the 16th-century basilica, where he will lie in state until Friday.
Trump accusation | Donald Trump has accused Volodymyr Zelenskyy of harming the peace process with his position on Crimea and repeated his former claim that Ukraine’s president has “no cards to play”. Follow developments live. Earlier, his vice-president, JD Vance, called on Ukraine and Russia to accept the US-led deal that would see the conflict frozen roughly along the current frontlines or Washington would “walk away”.
Market boost | Stock markets have risen around the world after Donald Trump said his tariffs on China would come down “substantially” and he had “no intention” of firing the chair of the US central bank, Jay Powell. Richard Branson accused Trump of “doing so much damage” to the world and especially to business.
Gender politics | Keir Starmer has urged British MPs to “lower the temperature” in debating last week’s supreme court ruling on gender.
Turkey tremblor | A 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit below the Sea of Marmara near Istanbul, prompting widespread panic and scores of injuries in the Turkish city, although there were no immediate reports of serious damage.
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The new commentators who could swing this election
For the first time in a federal election, gen Z and millennial voters will outnumber baby boomers. Rafqa Touma speaks to two of the most high-profile creators on social media – Hannah Ferguson of Cheek Media Co and Konrad Benjamin of Punters Politics.
The Gaza war will be a factor in many federal election contests such as Tony Burke’s south-west Sydney seat of Watson where Muslim voters “sick of being ignored” are expected to make their anger felt. In the wider campaign, the Coalition launches its plan to tackle domestic violence today and new figures show that Labor has outspent the Coalition on television advertising, but Clive Palmer’s Trumpet of Patriots has spent more than everyone on YouTube. And although this has been dubbed the cost of living election, we’re looking at the other issues that matter to voters such as health, education and housing.
