Your afternoon Briefing

Labor target Jim Molan, the ASX books its worst loss in two years, and a pregnant woman has died after a snake bite.

Good afternoon, readers. Labor are targeting Jim Molan, the ASX is steaming towards its worst session post Brexit, and a pregnant woman and her unborn baby have died after a suspected snake bite.

Local shares track their worst fall since June 2016 as Wall St extends a rout with major indices falling over 4pc.

$62bn cleaved from ASX

The ASX is steaming towards its worst session post Brexit while Wall Street has been brought to its knees. Judith Sloan writes today’s market fall was inevitable.

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Market didn’t get tested, you did

If a 6 per cent daily drop makes you squirm, then you probably have too much invested in stocks for your own psychological good, writes Jason Zweig.

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Liberal Senator Jim Molan reacts after being sworn in as Senator in the Senate chamber at Parliament House in Canberra, Monday, February 5, 2018. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) NO ARCHIVING

Labor targets Molan

Bill Shorten has asked Malcolm Turnbull if he will make new senator Jim Molan remove “racist” materials on his social media feeds. Keep up with parliament in our live blog. In other news, the High Court has ruled Jacqui Lambie’s No 2 Tasmanian candidate Steve Martin can take her place in the Senate.

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A woman in Western Australia has died of suspected snake bite.

Woman killed by snake bite

A heavily pregnant woman and her unborn baby have died after a suspected snake bite in Western Australia.

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Kokoda track closed

Kokoda Track shutdown

Traditional land owners have blocked the Kokoda Track as a protest against local authorities and the Australian Government.