Barnaby Joyce returns to his rightful place on page one of the Sydney Tele and other news and views

Barnaby Joyce reveals he would likely have lied to Malcolm Turnbull over his affair if asked - Sydney Daily Telegraph

AN unapologetic and defiant Barnaby Joyce has declared God will be the only judge of his personal choices, revealing he probably would have lied to Malcolm Turnbull over his affair with a young staffer if the Prime Minister had directly asked.
In the first interview alongside Vikki Campion, the mother of his unborn son, from his rent-free Armidale flat he described as “a bachelor’s pad”, Mr Joyce said he will hold on as Nationals Leader because the “tide will turn” and people will “get bored of it”.
Rather than stay out of the limelight during a week of personal leave, Mr Joyce instead gave an interview to a sympathetic Fairfax reporter, insisting “we didn’t breach the code ... we weren’t partners” when plum government jobs were created for Ms Campion, who is due in April.

A song for Barnaby's son as mum and dad are forced to find a new home and it's all the fault of the media - politicalowl
Gender pay gap: Men still earn more than women at most firms - BBC

The majority of small and medium-sized companies are still paying male employees more than their female colleagues.
Almost three in four firms pay higher wages collectively to men, according to the latest government figures.

The childbearing penalty - Why women earn less than men - politicalowl

Netanyahu Peril Grows, as Trusted Aide Agrees to Testify - New York Time

The mushrooming corruption scandal plaguing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel took a surprising new turn on Tuesday, with an allegation that one of his closest advisers had sought to bribe a judge into dropping a criminal investigation involving the prime minister’s wife.
At the same time, the Israeli police said they had arrested several of Mr. Netanyahu’s friends and confidants, as well as top executives of Bezeq, the country’s biggest telecommunications company, in a widening inquiry into whether Mr. Netanyahu had traded official favors for favorable news coverage.
The new allegations significantly raise the level of political and legal peril the prime minister faces, suggesting that he or some in his camp could be exposed to charges of obstructing justice.

A new dawn for South Africa? - Brookings

In order to bring real change, Ramaphosa needs to do three things—all of which are essentially about money.
First, he needs to take prompt and concrete action to prosecute Zuma for corruption as well as each person that assisted Zuma in creating a corrupt state. ...
Second, Ramaphosa needs to revive the ANC as an organization, starting by rooting out corruption by promptly removing and prosecuting corrupt party members. ...
A third, urgent way in which Ramaphosa can bring renewal is by urgently probing the role of neo-capitalism in the perpetuation of severe poverty in South Africa.

Stop the presses - Ranald MacDonald in Pearls and Irritations

Hot news! – the ABC has gone right wing.
On radio programs nationally, on Q & A, the 7.30 Report and the Drum, we are being deluged with the views of Murdoch columnists, the IPA, right-wing pollies and the truly vengeful ABC critics seemingly at any time of day or night.
‘Balance’ for the ABC being so eagerly sought by Pauline Hanson and her One Party through Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has been achieved.