Your morning Briefing

Welcome to your morning roundup of what’s making news and the must-reads for today.

Hello readers. Here is your two-minute digest of what’s making news today.

Facebook image of Khaled SharroufPic: Facebook

ISIS wife, baby back

The wife of an Islamic State ­terrorist and her three-year-old child were secretly returned to Australia last year, the first confirmed case of an Australian family escaping the Syrian “caliphate”. In what authorities fear could be the beginning of a wave of ­returning foreign fighters and their families, The Australian can reveal that the woman and her child arrived in Australia in the middle of last year, having lived in the so-called Islamic State caliphate since late 2015.

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Barnaby Joyce walks into the Royal Hotel Armidale while on hols .pic John Grainger

Joyce sexual harassment claim

Barnaby Joyce has come under renewed pressure after Nationals federal president Larry ­Anthony yesterday confirmed the party’s executive was assessing a sexual harassment complaint lodged against him. Mr Anthony said the complaint, made by a West Australian woman, was being “taken seriously” and treated with “strict confidentiality”. Mr Joyce, who was publicly urged by parliamentary colleague Andrew Broad yesterday to step down as leader, rejected the accusations, describing the complaint as “spurious and ­defamatory”. On his first full day in Washington, Malcolm Turnbull declines to back Barnaby.

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Former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott arrives during House of Representatives Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra, Tuesday, August 8, 2017. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) NO ARCHIVING

‘I know about winning’

Tony Abbott, in a guest comment piece, writes: One thing I am not going to cop is gratuitous criticism from ministers who are only in government because I led them there. It is the prime minister’s right to choose his ministerial team and, given some of the policies of this government, I’m happy to serve on the backbench.

“Even so, I would be failing the taxpayers who provide my salary if I didn’t offer some thoughts on how our country’s pressing problems might better be ­addressed.”

Tony Abbott

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Qantas Group Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce presents the company's half-year financial results in Sydney, Thursday, February 22, 2018. Qantas has announced an 18 percent profit increase. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins) NO ARCHIVING

Qantas soars with economy

Qantas boss Alan Joyce has declared the Australian economy is starting to fire on all cylinders after posting a record underlying first-half profit, but says Australia risks an investment drain after Donald Trump’s tax cuts. After unveiling an interim underlying pre-tax profit of $976 million, Mr Joyce said there had been growth and that made it important to focus on keeping the economy competitive. “What we are seeing is good demand in all segments,” Mr Joyce said.

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United States' Lindsey Vonn answers questions after receiving a letter of appreciation for her grandfather's service during the Korean War in Jeongseon, South Korea, Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Vonn’s swansong

Lindsey Vonn came to South Korea with the goal of taking home an Olympic medal and leaving something even more special behind. She did both. The American ski great said yesterday she recently scattered some of the ashes of her grandfather, who served during the Korean War, on a rock near the mountain where the downhill races were run. “I know that it would mean a lot to him to be back here, a part of him is in South Korea always,” Vonn said. Keep up with all the Winter Olympics action in our live blog.

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Kudelka’s view

Jon Kudelka Letters Cartoon for 23-02-18Version: (1280x720 - Stretched version)COPYRIGHT: The Australian's artists each have different copyright agreements in place regarding re-use of their work in other publications.Please seek advice from the artists themselves or the Managing Editor of The Australian regarding re-use.