Good morning, it's Wednesday, April 20. Here's what you need to get going today.
One thing to know right now: First city falls in fresh Russian attack
Here's what happened overnight:
- Russia has captured the Ukrainian city of Kreminna, after launching a fresh offensive in the country's east
- Serhiy Gaidai, the governor of the Luhansk region, told a briefing:
- He did not say exactly when the Russian forces established control over Kreminna, but said they had attacked "from all sides" and Ukrainian troops had withdrawn
- Officially, he said, 200 people were dead there but, in reality, "there are many more"
- Russia's Defence Minister said forces were "methodically carrying out" plans to "liberate" two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine.
And elsewhere:
- Russia's economy will not recover any time soon from sweeping sanctions and could see further damage if military action is expanded to hit energy exports, the new chief economist of the International Monetary Fund has said
- Meanwhile, Russia's Defence Ministry has again said it will observe a ceasefire around the Azovstal steel plant — the site of the Ukrainian's last stand in Mariupol — so that Ukrainian troops can lay down arms. No Ukrainian soldier accepted the offer yesterday
- The Pentagon says Ukraine's partners have provided additional military aircraft and parts to repair others that were damaged.
One thing you’ll be hearing about today: China and the Solomon Islands lock in security pact
- So far, there are no details on the final wording of the contentious security agreement, nor if the island nation will allow China military access
- A draft of the pact was leaked last month, and both Australia and the United States fear it could lay the framework for a Chinese military presence down the track, but both nations involved in the deal say this is not the case
- Since the announcement last night, the US has accused China of striking "shadowy" deals. A spokesperson for the National Security Council says senior US officials visiting the Solomon Islands this week will raise their concerns in person.
On the election front:
- Scott Morrison will announce a new partnership with the University of Adelaide that's expected to create 1,000 jobs in four years (it's a $50 million investment into defence research)
- Then the PM and Anthony Albanese will come face to face with for the first time in the campaign tonight at the Brisbane leaders debate
- And ICYMI last time, the 2019 debate gave one of the lines of that campaign, when then-Labor-leader Bill Shorten described Scott Morrison as a "space invader" after the latter encroached on his personal space while goading Mr Shorten over his policies. So watch this space …
News while you snoozed
Let's get you up to speed.
- The NSW government appears set to scrap the isolation rule that has been forcing household contacts of COVID-positive people to also stay home for seven days. Senior members of the NSW COVID and Economic Recovery Committee met last night to discuss overhauling the rules. A spokesperson for the Health Minister Brad Hazzard would not confirm what had been decided, but says the minister will comment on the issue later this morning
- Melissa Caddick's husband, Anthony Koletti, is attempting to claim some of the millions tied up in assets owned the Sydney fraudster. He submitted a statement to the Federal Court for a cut of several items, including two homes in Dover Heights and Edgecliff worth an estimated $20 million, Ms Caddick's Gucci wedding dress and various pieces of jewellery, together worth more than $95,000
- A school in Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, has been targeted by three explosions, killing six and injuring more than 20 people. No one has immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but the area has been targeted in the past by an Islamic State group affiliate
The news Australia is searching for
- Lachie Hunter: The AFL player says he's taking indefinite leave to deal with "personal issues". His team, the Western Bulldogs, released a statement saying he would be tackling "some individual challenges, which have affected his health and wellbeing"
- Boris Johnson: Britain's prime minister is facing new calls to quit after he apologised to the House of Commons for breaking lockdown laws — it was his first appearance in parliament since police fined him. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer described the apology as "mealy-mouthed". There'll be a vote on Thursday on a possible investigation into claims the PM misled parliament.
One more thing: Johnny Depp has taken the stand
The actor told a US court that domestic abuse allegations made against him by his former wife, Amber Heard, were disturbing, heinous and "not based in any species of truth".
Depp said he launched the lawsuit over an opinion piece she wrote for The Washington Post in 2018, where she referred to herself as a "public figure representing domestic abuse", but did not mention him by name.
He alluded to the fall in his career after her accusations, including being booted off the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, saying:
Depp's testimony is expected to stretch into Wednesday. Heard is scheduled to testify later in the trial.
Heard's lawyers, who have filed their own countersuit against Depp, say nothing in the article defames him.
That's it for now
We'll be back later on with more.
ABC/wires
