Brittany Higgins defends herself under cross-examination; Henry Kissinger dies; and a new newsletter for chart lovers

By Antoun Issa

Good afternoon. Brittany Higgins has passionately defended herself during a defamation trial from accusations that she was inconsistent about whether she was naked or her dress was around her waist on the night she claimed she was raped in Parliament House.

She broke down in tears as she told the court she was more concerned about being raped than she was about where her dress was.

She told the federal court she felt violated when she found out that a female security guard had given an interview to Four Corners about finding her naked on a couch but she accepts the guard was correct that she was naked.

Top news

• Henry Kissinger dies at 100 | The former secretary of state of Richard Nixon became one of the most prominent and controversial figures of US foreign policy. On the right, he is seen as a brilliant statesman. On the left, hostility burns over his record on Chile, where the CIA instigated the overthrow of Salvador Allende; on Pakistan, where he and Nixon turned a blind eye to the slaughter of hundreds of thousands; on the Middle East; on Cyprus; on East Timor and more.
• Israeli hostage families forced to shelter in police station after Palestinian protest | Family members of Israeli hostages held in Gaza sought protection in a Melbourne police station on Wednesday night when pro-Palestinian protesters entered the lobby of their hotel to protest with a megaphone and signs. Anthony Albanese said today the protest was “beyond contempt”. The Israeli delegation had travelled to Canberra earlier in the week and was due in Sydney today as part of a week-long tour to meet politicians and community members.
• Israel-Hamas truce to continue | Israel’s military says a truce with Hamas will continue “in light of the mediators’ efforts to continue the process of releasing hostages, and subject to the terms of the agreement”. Hamas has agreed to extend the truce for a seventh day, Reuters is reporting. The six-day halt to fighting in Gaza was set to end at 4pm AEDT today.
• Elon Musk hurls profanity-laced retort at fleeing advertisers | The tech billionaire took a swipe at advertisers who pulled money from X in recent weeks amid a backlash over his endorsement of an antisemitic tweet and reports of increased hate speech on the platform. “If someone’s going to try to blackmail me with advertising, blackmail me with money, go fuck yourself,” he said during an on-stage interview at an event in New York.
• OECD predicts RBA has reached interest rate peak | Australia is heading into a sluggish year for economic growth, but interest rates have probably reached their peak, according to the latest OECD update. Inflation talk continued today in Canberra, with the independent MP Monique Ryan taking aim at the stage-three tax cuts, which she said were “inflationary, expensive and unfair”. The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, said the tax cuts were “baked in” to inflation forecasts and the government had not changed its position.
• Victorian treasurer expresses support for decriminalising cannabis | The Victorian treasurer, Tim Pallas, says he supports moving to a health-based response to cannabis, telling reporters: “I don’t think a criminal approach to this is best.” Pallas made the comments during debate on a Legalise Cannabis party bill, which is pushing to allow for personal use. The state government yesterday said it was committed to discussions on the decriminalisation of the drug.
• Australian basketballer Josh Giddey accused of relationship with minor | Police in Newport Beach, California are looking into allegations that Oklahoma City Thunder player Josh Giddey, who turned 21 last month, had an improper relationship with an underage girl in their jurisdiction.
• Kerry Stokes must hand over Ben Roberts-Smith emails | Seven West Media’s chairman, Kerry Stokes, has failed to overturn a court ruling that he hand over thousands of emails exchanged with Ben Roberts-Smith’s legal team and other documents relating to the former soldier’s failed defamation action. Nine newspapers argue Seven exerted a measure of control over the defamation proceedings and should therefore be liable for costs.
• Kiwi chicks born in wild for first time in a century | Two kiwi chicks – the national icon of New Zealand – have been born in the wild around Wellington for the first time in more than 100 years, one year after an initiative began to reintroduce the national bird back to New Zealand’s capital.
• Air pollution from fossil fuels ‘kills 5 million people a year’ | The stark figures, published on the eve of the Cop28 climate summit in Dubai, will increase pressure on world leaders to take action.

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