Or, more accurately, PM Anthony Albanese’s in the air… He’s the third Aussie leader in 20 years to get a bells-and-whistles state visit to the US. It came about as a consolation prize when President Biden had to cancel his trip to Sydney thanks to a budget crisis and congressional game-playing… Now Albanese will arrive in the American capital amid a budget crisis and congressional game-playing – so much so there was speculation the trip might be canned. But he’s there and will hold talks with Biden over the AUKUS defence deal, what’s goss in the Asia-Pacific region, and a host of economic matters. As for one of the things that’s on Biden’s mind, the US House of Representatives remains frozen as the Republicans struggle to elect a speaker. That’s a problem because Congress faces a government funding deadline in November, and Biden wants funding for aid to Ukraine and Israel.