Good morning. It’s “obscene” that 140,000 Australians were “cheated out of welfare support they were entitled to” when they signed up to a student loan scheme in the 1990s, according Kristin O’Connell from the Antipoverty Centre. When the Coalition dumped the program in 2003 it conceded that many recipients would never be able to repay the funds. But the government is still chasing them.
Meanwhile, we meet families kept apart for years by the Australian immigration system, and the race intensifies to get foreign diplomats out of Sudan. And, ahead of today’s long-awaited defence policy review, we have analysis of what we know so far.
Australia
Student debt | The government is still chasing $2bn of debt from more than 140,000 former low-income students who traded away their right to welfare under a loan scheme two decades ago.
Immigration delays | Families are living in constant fear of being torn apart as wait times for partner visas blow out – to years in some cases, according to newly released figures.
Military moves | The defence force is expected to get its biggest overhaul in decades when a strategic review ordered by the Albanese government is released today. Here’s what we know so far.
Reducing emissions | Most Australians feel positive about switching off the gas and turning to cleaner energy options, with environmental reasons one of the biggest drivers behind the shift, according to new research.
Two periscopes, please | The wreck of Australia’s first submarine is disintegrating, sparking a new mission to salvage a relicfor the Australian War Memorial.
World
Sudan conflict | With a series of ceasefires failing to hold, the death toll has now passed 420 as battles rage in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, and the city of Omdurman. Foreign nations are intensifying increasingly desperate efforts to evacuate diplomats and their families.
Republican nomination | Donald Trump is a “four-time loser” who will not necessarily be the Republican presidential nominee despite dominating primary polling, according to the New Hampshire governor, Chris Sununu.
Russian-Ukraine war | France, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania expressed dismay after China’s ambassador in Paris questioned the sovereignty not only of Ukraine but all the former Soviet Republics, including the Baltic states.
US abortion | Republican frustration with a supreme court decision that blocked restrictions on a widely used abortion pill spilled into public view when the South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham lost his cool in a television interview.
Blue tick flip-flop | Twitter has again U-turned over its verification policy, restoring the “blue tick” free of charge to celebrity users of the social network.
Full Story
Why does the RBA need to change?
The Reserve Bank of Australia has undergone its first review since the 1990s and is preparing to make sweeping changes to the way it makes decisions. Economics correspondent Peter Hannam talks to Jane Lee about how the recommendations will change the way bank sets interest rates.
In-depth
From the Pope’s new puffer jacket to the sleepless nights it causes Google’s boss, unrestrained AI development generates meme-worthy headlines. But how much of a danger does it actually pose?
The approach to product development by AI practitioners and the tech industry would not be tolerated in any other field, says Valérie Pisano, one of thousands of signatories to a letter that calls for a six-month moratorium on the creation of “giant” AIs more powerful than GPT-4. The risks cited include “loss of control of our civilisation”.
Not the news
Holy guacamole! With coloured bathroom suites apparently pushing all-white sets out of fashion, Eva Wiseman finds joy exploring the Pantone explosion of the Brokenbog plumbing warehouse and asks: are you ready for the return of the avocado loo? (No.)
The world of sport
London marathon | Sifan Hassan has defied injury and nearly being taken out by a motorbike to claim an extraordinary victory in the London Marathon.
Wrexham AFC | Hollywood celebrities and fans celebrated Wrexham AFC’s glorious return to the English Football League in a comeback story that has captivated people across the globe.
FA Cup | Manchester United triumphed over Brighton in a penalty shootout to set up a date against Manchester City in the final.
Media roundup
The Canberra Times reports on an “extensive” survey that says public servants are more productive working from home. The Australian mafia has appointed a new godfather, according to the Herald Sun. The WA state government has allocated $77m to protect Aboriginal cultural heritage sites, the West Australian reports.
What’s happening today
Defence review | Guardian Australia’s reporters will bring you all the details of the strategic review of the defence force when the embargo on it lifts at 12pm AEST. Keep an eye on our live blog for updates.
Defamation battle | Former commando Heston Russell and the ABC return to court for the next hearing in a defamation case.
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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.
