Police set to charge 'tinnie terrorist' five over boat escape plot

David Wroe and Adam Gartrell   Police remained hopeful at the weekend of laying charges against five men who they suspect of planning to take a boat to Indonesia before joining the Islamic State terror group in Syria, Fairfax Media understands.

Moscow needs to wrestle Syria into peace talks, Bishop says before high-level meeting

David Wroe   Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad is stronger now thanks to Russia's backing and high-level talks this week must therefore focus on getting Moscow to steer Assad into peace and political talks, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says.

Malcolm Turnbull's bodyguard held over shooting death at Baghdad embassy

David Wroe and Lindsay Murdoch   Australian Federal Police were due to arrive at the weekend in Baghdad where a former commando Sun McKay was being held for questioning over the shooting death of a fellow security contractor at the Australian embassy.

'Thrown on the scrapheap'

Peter Hannam   For John Church, a leading authority on sea-level rise caused by global warming, there was much that was fitting – and yet callous – about being sacked at sea.

'Shocking': $35 an hour nannies forces government scheme overhaul

Cosima Marriner and Adam Gartrell   The Turnbull Government has been forced to overhaul its $185 million nanny trial, which has seen nannies appointed to just 60 families who are paying an average of $35 an hour for care.

Fluoro vests, watermelons and not an onion in sight: On the road with Malcolm

Andrew Meares   Sunday 8 May, Canberra

Being diplomatic, they're the $4.6m soirees we have to have

Adam Gartrell   Australian diplomats spent almost $5 million wining, dining and entertaining abroad last year, with former politicians Kim Beazley, Nick Minchin and Alexander Downer responsible for the biggest bills.

Panama Papers not a good look for PM

Nassim Khadem   With the federal election looming, now is not the time to be caught up in a tax controversy.

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Political football: A debate hiding in plain sight

Mark Kenny   Friday night: take-away night. For Malcolm Turnbull though, it might also be the safest place to hide.

Shooting at Australian embassy in Baghdad

David Wroe, Lindsay Murdoch   The shooting follows claims about security, weapons safety and diplomatic breaches.

Negative gearing's hidden taxpayer cost

Peter Martin   Taxpayers who negatively gear cost other taxpayers an average of $310 per year, a new analysis of Tax Office data shows.

Abbott's Green Army battle-weary

Nicole Hasham   The federal government's Green Army of young jobseekers enlisted to restore the environment has suffered mass casualties.

Turnbull is not a criminal

Nassim Khadem   The Prime Minister may be named in the Panama Papers. But while as taxpayers we are fascinated by the secret dealings of the rich, we need to distinguish the crooks from the rest.

Militarized? Not us, says Immigration boss

Noel Towell   'Some decisions won't please everyone,' public service boss says.

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Do debates make a difference?

Tom McIlroy   Bill Shorten and Malcolm Turnbull will go head-to-head tonight. But will anyone be watching?

Farmers want 50 cents a litre milk levy

Michael Koziol   Farmers are calling for a 50 cent emergency "milk levy" paid for by consumers.

Murphy loses court electoral roll bid

Jane Lee   Melbourne man Anthony Murphy has lost a High Court bid to give people more time to enrol to vote before the next federal election.

Election brings promises on never-never

Mark Kenny   Both sides are promising to boost the economy - but do the maths and the figures look increasingly rubbery

NASA scientist begs Australia to keep monitoring

Peter Hannam   A top scientist from US space agency NASA weighs into CSIRO backing away from monitoring aerosols.

Grand designs in Rudd's House of Cards

Paul McGeough   Run, Rudd, Run. Can the former Prime Minster 'who pissed everyone off' snare the UN's top job?

Hanson-Young calls for asylum death inquiry

Greens Senator wants independent investigation into the death of asylum seeker on Nauru.

Lucky they are not 'chopped up'

Nicole Hasham   Turnbull government won't take responsibility for welfare of newly released asylum seekers in PNG.

More Brough, Ashby evidence needed: AFP

Louise Hall   AFP applies to court to access more evidence for a possible criminal case against Brough.

Coalition interns plan illegal, say lawyers

Mark Kenny   A centrepiece of Malcolm Turnbull's re-election platform, the budget's paid interns program, breaches current workplace laws and would require changes which are unlikely to get through a hostile Senate.