It's Friday, and wouldn't you know it, a flurry of activity in Canberra.
Firstly, in an extraordinary move, the federal arm of Liberal Party has taken over the NSW branch for not complying with preselection rules.
That paves the way for three sitting MPs - Alex Hawke, Sussan Ley and Trent Zimmerman - to avoid having to face a preselection battle to contest the upcoming federal election.
Until 5pm Tuesday, a committee comprising of Prime Minister Scott Morrison, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and federal Liberal president Christine McDiven will have direct control in endorsing candidates without preselection challenges.
Here's a handy little tool which might fill you in on the three MPs mentioned above. For instance, it reveals that Ms Ley has never voted against the majority of her party since February 2006 while Mr Hawke has just once since 2007. Mr Zimmerman is quite the rebel, and has voted against the party majority five times since entering Parliament in December 2015.
Also today it was revealed an independent inquiry into abuse allegations against senior Coalition figure Alan Tudge found there is "insufficient evidence" to back explosive claims made by a former staffer.
But the lead investigator did concede the former staffer's decision not to participate limited available evidence.
On the other side of the world, a training building near Europe's largest nuclear power plant was set alight after being struck by Russian missiles. The fire has been extinguished now.
US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm (of course) said there was no indication of elevated radiation levels at the Zaporizhzhia plant, which provides more than 20 per cent of Ukraine's total electricity.
There have been fresh reports of civilian casualties and devastating damage, even as Moscow agreed to a Ukrainian request for humanitarian corridors to allow terrified residents to flee.
Straight-talking Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskiy said bluntly: "Europeans, please wake up. Tell your politicians - Russian troops are shooting at a nuclear power plant in Ukraine."
And if you're feeling anxious, terrified or just world-weary about EVERYTHING, know you're not alone. Indeed ACM writer John Hanscombe might have just been speaking to you - and you alone - when he wrote this. Or it could be us all.
"This past week has been confronting. There have been times when I've had to switch off, turn away from the news, find distraction in the normally crushing routines that in these times of uncertainty have become the scaffold of normality. The washing, the ironing, the vacuuming offer refuge from a world gone mad."
And with that, I'm off to find the Hoover - back Monday.
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THE NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- 'No basis' for abuse allegations, Tudge seeks re-election
- PM takes joint control of NSW Liberals, can choose candidates
- Tasmanian man died from AstraZeneca vaccine, coroner confirms
- Ukrainian nuclear plant hit by missiles
- Batman dives deep into the darkness of the vigilante crimefighter
- Buying limits introduced as floods cut supply chains
- Want to fix our schools? Start by paying teachers properly
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Frogs, rats use a snake as a life raft in Queensland flood
