The World Today

President Donald Trump has dropped a political bombshell - abruptly sacking the head of the FBI, James Comey. In a formal termination letter, President Trump told Mr Comey that new leadership was needed to restore trust.

A US political expert says Donald Trump has made a mistake, and inadvertently drawn attention to allegations of Russian intervention in the presidential election, by firing FBI director James Comey.

The Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison says he's focused on delivering a practical budget that will show the Government has been listening to Australians' concerns about cost of living pressures. He's called on parliamentarians to join the government 'in the middle' to pass the measures to be announced today. The Government's widely tipped to spend up big on infrastructure, focus on the health system, and try to introduce measures to make housing more affordable.

Measures to improve housing affordability are likely to feature prominently in tonight's budget. The Foreign Correspondent program has looked at how other countries have tackled their housing problems. The program sent reporters to London, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Tokyo and New York in search of some solutions.

A leading bank analyst says Australia's big four banks are unlikely to raise interest rates any further this year. The prediction comes after the Commonwealth Bank reported a 4 per cent increase in its cash profit to $2.4 billion in the three months to March.

The Federal Government has foreshadowed that tonight's budget will also contain measures to help Indigenous Australians who were subjected to extreme levels of radiation when Britain conducted nuclear tests at Maralinga in the 1950s and 60s. Those who remained in the area are to receive improved healthcare, with access to a veterans' gold cards to cover medical costs. Author Frank Walker says there's no provision for the affected descendants of those exposed to the radiation. He says the gold card is 'nice but not enough' and Australia is the only country that has not compensated nuclear test victims.

The Queensland Government has made a last minute bid in the Federal Budget, asking for a tax incentive for international blockbuster films. Screen Queensland says the state and Australia needs to increase the location tax offset in order to be more competitive in the international film market. It also says there are significant flow-on effects for the economy.

Mark Latham's been banned for life from re-joining the Labor Party after throwing his lot in with the Liberal Democrats. Mr Latham's former Labor colleagues are saying good riddance to the man who led them to defeat at the 2004 election. But they may yet be seeing more of him, with suggestions Mark Latham could be gearing up for a political comeback.

Indonesia says it will ban the ultra-conservative Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir because of the threat it poses to public order and national unity. It's the government's first major counterstrike on the organisations that were behind huge protests in Jakarta against the city's Christian governor, Ahok. It comes as a court hands down its verdict in the governor's blasphemy trial.

Australian judge Graham Ellis is still waiting for a visa to enter PNG so he can chair the Interim Commission Against Corruption. The body is meant to replace PNG's controversial Taskforce Sweep, which was dissolved after it sought to arrest the Prime Minister for official corruption. It means there is currently no active agency to coordinate the fight against corruption in PNG, a major issue that led to protests, violence and unrest in the country last year.