Coverage and analysis of national and international events.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been warmly welcomed by European leaders in London, with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announcing a new $3 billion (AUD) deal that would allow Ukraine to purchase 5,000 air-defence missiles using export finance.

The scenes in London have contrasted sharply with the shouting and finger pointing in Washington at the weekend. 

The fiery exchange marks a difficult time in world politics. 

So how are the major parties here navigating it? 

And the health funding announcements keep coming from both sides of politics. In the latest development, Labor is promising 50 new urgent care clinics to be rolled out across the country at a cost of $650 million.

This time the Coalition hasn't immediately matched the policy and says there'll be further announcements in to come. 

Coverage and analysis of national and international events.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is visiting the White House to try to convince US President Donald Trump that a lasting peace in Ukraine will endure only if Kyiv and European leaders are at the table as negotiations move forward with Moscow.

Ahead of his meeting, the Prime Minister said there was quote "no more important relationship" for his country than that with the United States.

Also, Australia's Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations says he isn't concerned that US President Donald Trump didn't appear to know what the Australia – United Kingdom – United States Partnership (AUKUS) was when Mr Trump was asked about it during today's meeting.

Murray Watt says wouldn't "make too much of a president with a lot on his plate not remembering one acronym."

And from billions promised to Medicare, to a Chinese naval flotilla in the Tasman Sea; from Peter Dutton's past share purchases to long night in Senate Estimates, it has been a drama-filled week in Federal Politics.

Coverage and analysis of national and international events.

Australia's home for the best coverage of the biggest breaking news events with specialised analysis of politics, business and sport and agenda-setting interviews with some of the world's leading experts, and change makers.

Australian Defence officials yesterday revealed they were given no advance warning that China was preparing to carry out live-fire exercises in the Tasman Sea last week, between Australia and New Zealand. 

They confirm they only learned about the drills from a Virgin Australia pilot, after commercial airlines picked up radio communications from Chinese naval officers.

Defence Minister Richard Marles says it is "unclear" whether "live firing" took place during the drills on Friday, but maintains the notification was inadequate. 

Also, US President Donald Trump says his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit the White House this week to sign a long-sought minerals deal that will closely tie the two countries together for years to come.

The Ukrainian President has called the deal a framework, saying it is just a start and that there are no security guarantees in the deal.

And Qatar Airways acquisition of a 25 per cent stake in Virgin Australia has been given the green light by Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

Coverage and analysis of national and international events.

The Australian Defence Force says it's closely monitoring the Chinese warships that have now re-entered Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone after conducting live fire exercises without notice in the Tasman Sea last week.

The opposition is accusing Labor of downplaying the incident.

Also, Australia's chief financial markets regulator Joe Longo warns he can't do his job properly if he is kept in the dark,  as the size of so-called private investments not on the Australian share market triples.

For the first time in its 27-year history,  the Australian Securities and Investments Commission has released the first request for help from members of the public, and from users of financial markets.

And as the unofficial election campaign rolls on the Greens have launched a string of what they call "Robin hood" reforms — proposals for social and cost-of-living policies they say could be funded by much higher taxes on corporations and billionaires.

The latest is a proposal to get ADHD and autism diagnoses funded through Medicare.

Coverage and analysis of national and international events.

Australia's home for the best coverage of the biggest breaking news events with specialised analysis of politics, business and sport and agenda-setting interviews with some of the world's leading experts, and change makers.

Ukraine could join the European Union before 2030 if the country continues its reforms at their current speed, according to the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. 

President von de Leyen's call comes as a flurry of meetings take place in Washington DC and at the United Nations in New York to discuss Ukraine's future. 

Also, the United Nations says it is gravely concerned about growing violence in the West Bank, after Israel sent tanks into Jenin for the first time in more than two decades. 

So how will this affect the phase 2 negotiations of the Gaza ceasefire deal? 

And eSafety Commissioner Julie Inmnan-Grant says she could've fined encrypted messaging app Telegram triple the $1 million penalty issued yesterday, after the platform failed to report on time how it tackles terrorism and child abuse material.

Today, Ms Inman-Grant will lay bare Australia's progress in combatting online harm today as she fronts senate estimates.

Coverage and analysis of national and international events.

Australia's home for the best coverage of the biggest breaking news events with specialised analysis of politics, business and sport and agenda-setting interviews with some of the world's leading experts, and change makers.

The head of Australia's professional body for general practitioners says the federal government's $8.5 billion pledge to expand Medicare bulk billing is "welcome".

The federal government is promising nine out of 10 GP services will be bulk-billed by 2030, as part of a Medicare funding boost that will form the centrepiece of Labor's federal election campaign.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese unveiled the policy at a campaign rally in Tasmania on the weekend, in a speech laden with dire warnings about risks to the health system posed by the Coalition and Peter Dutton.

But within hours the Coalition pledged to match Labor's Medicare boost dollar for dollar.

Also this morning, Centre-right opposition leader Friedrich Merz has claimed victory in the German election, with exit polls also indicating that Alternative for Deutschland, or AfD, is heading for the strongest showing for a far-right party since World War II.

The election result comes as Germany and the rest of Europe grapple with the new Trump administration, and the Russia-Ukraine war.

And Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is prepared to give up his presidency in exchange for peace in Ukraine. 

The Ukrainian president's comments come as the country marks the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion amid what could be the most significant shift in geopolitics since World War II.

Coverage and analysis of national and international events.