Morning everyone. The strait of Hormuz remains closed amid an impasse over the Middle East ceasefire but Israel says it wants to negotiate with Lebanon, despite giving no undertaking that the globally condemned bombardment of Beirut and other Lebanese cities would stop. Economists have warned that the disruption in the oil market could last a year, and our exclusive data shows a marked fall in car journeys in Sydney and Melbourne.
Elsewhere, our reporter plumbs the depths of Sydney’s sewers in search of an answer to the poo ball problem, a writer shares their love of ukuleles, and track stars go head-to-head.
Australia
Fuel toll | Road traffic is falling on Australia’s east coast as fuel prices bite. Most key Sydney highways recorded 20% fewer weekend trips, while Melbourne’s Tullamarine Freeway saw traffic fall almost 50% in the week ending 6 April.
Market turmoil | Global oil markets could take as long as a year to return to something like pre-Iran war normality – even if the conflict ended tomorrow. This warning from leading experts comes as Anthony Albanese visits Singapore for talks with the country’s prime minister focused on fuel supplies: we examine why he’s headed over and what he hopes to achieve.
Info wars | Australian personnel operating a state-of-the-art surveillance plane are filtering information gleaned from the Middle East war to ensure intelligence is not shared with the United States for offensive purposes, the defence force chief says.
Lehrmann loss | Bruce Lehrmann has lost his last legal avenue to challenge his failed defamation case against Network 10 and Lisa Wilkinson after Australia’s top court dismissed his case.
‘Inherently dangerous’ | Transit safety and public housing officers in the Northern Territory will soon be armed with guns, in what has been labelled an “inherently dangerous and unnecessary” move that would “disproportionately impact Aboriginal Territorians”.
World
‘No Hezbollah here’ | Benjamin Netanyahu has called for negotiations with Lebanon after worldwide condemnation of Israel’s intense bombardment, which has threatened to torpedo the US-Iran ceasefire. Meanwhile, in a short video address posted on X earlier, he said there was “no ceasefire in Lebanon”. The boss of Abu Dhabi’s state-owned oil company has warned that the strait of Hormuz is “not open” as uncertainty over the truce pushed the price of oil above US$100 a barrel. Peter Beaumont asks whether Israel was deliberately trying to sabotage the ceasefire, as the devastated people of Beirut tell our reporter there are “no Hezbollah here” and plead for the bombing to stop.
White House | Melania Trump, the US first lady, has told reporters she “never had a relationship” with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. It was unclear which specific accusations spurred her to respond publicly.
Hungary probe | The European Commission is being urged to investigate whether Hungary’s elections are being undermined by Russian manipulation, intimidation of journalists and voter coercion by the ruling party.
Cell reset | A woman who lived with three life-threatening autoimmune diseases for more than a decade has returned to a near-normal life after a cell therapy reset her wayward immune system.
Imperial decline | The mass drowning of emperor penguin chicks as sea ice is melted by the climate crisis has led conservationists to declare the species officially in danger of extinction.
Writer revealed | Freida McFadden, the thriller writer best known for The Housemaid, has revealed her real identity as Sara Cohen, ending years of speculation about the author.
Full Story
Newsroom edition: did the Albanese government try to bury its gambling reforms?
Jo Tovey speaks to Patrick Keneally, Mike Ticher and Tom McIlroy about the Albanese government’s long-awaited gambling advertisement reform, and whether a partial ban is better than nothing.
In-depth
In an item truly suited to the in-depth section, Penry Buckley gets down and dirty at Sydney’s Malabar sewage treatment plant to find out how engineers are trying to stop fatbergs spewing poo balls on to the city’s beaches. “We’ve put it in our hands and we have felt it,” manager Fiona Copeman says. “We’ve tried to understand what it is.”
Not the news
A chance ukulele singalong led by Play School star Justine Clarke inspired Melanie Tait to take up the instrument. She explains why it has brought her the kind of happiness that can only be compared to falling in love.
Sport
Athletics | Australia’s top sprinters, Gout Gout and Lachlan Kennedy, are locking horns again while the track queen Jess Hull is out to complete the set of middle-distance crowns at the national championships in Sydney.
A-League | David Squires casts his eye over how Western Sydney Wanderers are going to great lengths to annoy cross-town rivals Sydney FC. On the field, it’s Europa League action this morning with Aston Villa at Bologna and Forest in Porto.
Golf | Follow the action live from Augusta as Jason Day starts well in the Masters. Earlier, Tom Watson criticised the PGA for allowing LIV rebels such as Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed back in the fold.
Media roundup
Cyclone Malia is weakening as it heads towards Queensland, the ABC reports. The foundation set up by Grace Tame is closing after struggling to sustain long-term funding, the Sydney Morning Herald reveals. Designs costing $1 are making Corrimal the centre of NSW’s drive to make housing more affordable, the Illawarra Mercury reports. And the Gold Coast is fast becoming the influencer capital of Australia, the Bulletin claims, with a ranking of the top 50 social media personalities.
What’s happening today
Sydney | A federal public inquiry into youth justice system from 9am.
Alice Springs | The Parrtjima light festival opening weekend starts at 7pm.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
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