Your afternoon Briefing: Trump delays State of Union address

Good afternoon, readers. Donald Trump delays State of the Union address and Australian writer Yang Hengjun charged with espionage.

Good afternoon, readers. Donald Trump will deliver the State of the Union address after the shutdown ends and Australian writer Yang Hengjun has been charged with espionage.

US President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable meeting with conservative leaders at the White House on January 23, 2019, to discuss the security and humanitarian crisis at the southern border. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP)

Trump backs down on State of Union

Donald Trump will deliver the State of the Union address after the government shutdown ends, after the Democrats blocked him from delivering it in Congress.

-

Yang Hengjun. Supplied

Writer ‘charged with espionage’

Australian Yang Hengjun has been charged with espionage, his friends say, as his family hire a prominent Beijing lawyer.

-

Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova uses an ice towel during a break in her women's singles semi-final match against Danielle Collins of the US on day 11 of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 24, 2019. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE --

Heat stress soars at Open

Petra Kvitova blasted through to a place in her first Australian Open final as it became too hot to play in Melbourne. Meanwhile, Anna Wintour slammed tennis legend Margaret Court over gay rights and questioned why her name remains on the Melbourne stadium.

-

Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten (left) and Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen (right) during a media press conference after speaking to the Chifley Research Centre in Sydney, Tuesday, March, 13, 2018. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins) NO ARCHIVING

Labor stokes super class divide

Billionaire investor Robert Millner says Labor’s proposed franking credit changes create two unequal classes of investors.

-

CEO of The Star Group Matt Bekier on the Gold Coast for the official opening of The Darling at the Star Casino. Pic Tim Marsden

The Star tipped to trump Crown

The Star will beat out James Packer-backed Crown Resorts in the fight to attract VIP players, says JPMorgan.