The Loop: Zelenskyy says Russia at 2024 Olympic Games shows war is 'acceptable', and Flume 'didn't see' Hottest 100 win coming — as it happened
Catch up with The Loop, your quick wrap of this morning's news
This is The Loop, your quick catch-up for this morning's news as it happens.
By Kate Ainsworth
Thanks for joining us. If you're just catching up, here's some of what we covered this morning (hit the link to jump to the post):
You can keep up-to-date with other news on the ABC's website, by subscribing to our mobile alerts, and by watching News Channel or listening to local radio here.
By Kate Ainsworth
Novak Djokovic might have taken the world number one ranking away from Carlos Alcaraz, but the 19-year-old doesn't seem to mind, if this tweet is anything to go by.
(Don't feel too bad for Alcaraz though, he's world number two — and recently did a campaign with Calvin Klein.)
By Kate Ainsworth
The Victorian coroner is expected to recommend major changes to the state's bail laws today when findings are handed down into the death of Veronica Nelson, an Indigenous woman who died in custody.
Ms Nelson died in a prison cell three years ago after being remanded in custody over a shoplifting offence.
Her death sparked an inquest, which heard Victoria's tough bail laws, introduced in the wake of the 2017 Bourke Street car attack, were disproportionately harming Aboriginal women.
The 37-year-old died from a combination of severe malnutrition, a rare medical condition, and heroin withdrawal, despite making repeated calls for help in the hours leading up to her death.
Last week, the Victorian government announced it would stop outsourcing health care for female prisoners to for-profit companies.
The findings will be handed down later this morning.
By Kate Ainsworth
Mining company Rio Tinto has apologised to the WA community after a radioactive capsule it sent from a Pilbara mine site to Perth went missing last week.
Health authorities issued an urgent warning after the 8-millimetre capsule was lost on a journey from the Gudai-Darri site, 110 kilometres north-west of Newman on Friday.
Yesterday, WA's Deputy Premier Roger Cook said it was very concerning a toxic substance has made its way into the community.
In a statement, Rio Tinto said it had conducted radiological surveys at the mine site and had launched its own investigation into what went wrong.
By Kate Ainsworth
At least 10 children have died and eight are missing after a boat carrying students from a religious school capsized in north-west Pakistan.
Seven injured students have been taken to hospital, according to local officials in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where the accident took place.
Kohat's district commissioner Mahmood Aslam said around 50 students from a local religious school had gathered for a picnic, with 25 venturing out on the water — which was closed by authorities for recreational trips — on a boat that capsized.
The pupils who had died were aged between seven and 12 years old, according to a list shared with Reuters.
He said Pakistani military divers were helping with the rescue and recovery efforts.
The accident came on the same day as a bus accident in southern Pakistan that killed more than 40 people.
By Kate Ainsworth
New Zealand authorities say five people have been rescued from floodwaters and houses hit by landslides in Auckland overnight.
Four people are confirmed to have died since the city was hit by catastrophic floods on Friday.
Auckland is under a state of emergency, with dozens of roads and state highways still closed.
Thunderstorms and rain are set to continue today, with new downpours also forecast for tomorrow.
By Kate Ainsworth
If you missed it over the weekend (no judgment), Flume took out triple j's Hottest 100 again for his song Say Nothing ft. MAY-A.
His win sparked a mixed reaction online, with some adamant they'd never heard the song (same) but others saying it was a deserving winner.
But no-one is more surprised than Flume himself — he told Tony Armstrong on News Breakfast he "genuinely did not see it coming".
You can catch up on the full chat below:
By Kate Ainsworth
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says if Russia is allowed to compete at the 2024 Paris Games, it will send a message that "terror is somehow acceptable".
"Attempts by the International Olympic Committee to bring Russian athletes back into the Olympic Games are attempts to tell the whole world that terror is somehow acceptable," Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address.
He said Russia must not be allowed to "use [the Games] or any other sport event as propaganda for its aggression or its state chauvinism".
Zelenskyy also used his address to outline the "very tough" situation in the eastern Donetsk region, saying Ukraine needs faster weapons supplies to withstand Russian attacks.
"Russia wants the war to drag on and exhaust our forces. So we have to make time our weapon. We have to speed up events, speed up supplies and open up new weapons options for Ukraine," he said.
By Kate Ainsworth
Head's up Sydney public transport commuters, you're being warned of long queues and delays for bus services over the coming days because of staff shortages.
Transport for New South Wales says that operators are making adjustments to deal with the issue, including by adjusting timetables.
The Rail, Trams and Bus union says the shortage is due to privatisation, and shows that operators of private buses aren't up to scratch and it's the responsibility of Transport NSW.
Things are expected to be particularly chaotic over the next couple of days, especially Tuesday and Wednesday as more people return from school holidays.
The NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet says it's not just NSW that's facing this issue — he says it's all part of the ongoing affects of the pandemic.
By Kate Ainsworth
A man has died and several others are missing after a serious fire at an apartment complex in Clayfield, in Brisbane's north early this morning.
Residents of the building on Bonney Avenue were evacuated around 5am, with firefighters battling the blaze that broke out in one of the apartments.
Paramedics are treating a number of people who were rescued from the fire, with firefighters sweeping the building to look for several people who are still unaccounted for.
Authorities don't believe the man's death is suspicious.
As of 6:30am AEST, the fire was under control, but smoke is still affecting the surrounding area.
By Kate Ainsworth
Talk about preparation — after winning his 10th Australian Open last night (and 22nd grand slam overall), Novak Djokovic slipped into something more comfortable: a customised jacket just for the occasion.
Or I suppose it could have been left over from last year's tournament (before all the controversy)?
Even Nick Kyrgios is a fan of the custom Lacoste kit.
And by the sounds of it, Djokovic has jacket 23 ready to roll, too.
By Kate Ainsworth
The federal government has announced nearly $300 million in funding to revitalise the arts, entertainment and culture sector.
The new national cultural policy will see $286 million invested across the sector over five years, including setting up a new funding body for the arts council called Creative Australia.
Under the Creative Australia umbrella, four new bodies will be set up including a First Nations-led agency, Music Australia, Writers Australia, and a new body for workplace safety.
Arts Minister Tony Burke says the funding is a much-needed first step.
"It's the step for the next five years, before the lockdown period the industry was already in a vulnerable state," he said.
"This is about five years reviving the industry, getting things on the front foot again."
By Kate Ainsworth
Avatar: The Way of Water has claimed the number one spot at the US box office for the seventh weekend in a row.
In the US alone, it earned an additional $US15.7 million — with the film raking in an estimated $US2.1 billion, making it the fourth-highest grossing film of all time (passing Star Wars: The Force Awakens).
And fun fact — James Cameron has directed three of the four highest-grossing films.
By Kate Ainsworth
More than 100 people gathered at a park in Elanora, on the Gold Coast, to mourn Wendy Sleeman, whose body was found in a car last week.
Family, friends and members of the local community remembered the 61-year-old as a kind-hearted and loving woman who had "endless patience and always had time for others".
Ms Sleeman went missing from her home last Tuesday, with her body found in a car parked at a Brisbane apartment complex two days later.
Her son, Slade Murdok, has been charged with multiple offences, including unlawful stalking, kidnapping, attempted arson, and assault occasioning bodily harm.
You can read the full story below:
By Kate Ainsworth
The Serbian tennis star has done it again — he's claimed his 10th Australian Open title at Melbourne Park overnight, and has equalled Rafael Nadal's record of 22 men's grand slam singles titles.
Djokovic defeated third-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6, 7-6.
The win means Djokovic will also return to the position of world number 1 in the men's singles rankings, unseating 19-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz who didn't play in the Australian Open this year.
Speaking after the match, an emotional Djokovic said it was the "biggest victory of my life".
Missed it, or want to relive the match again? Catch up on the action with our live blog from last night:
By Kate Ainsworth
The UK's housing minister says the British government is partly to blame for the deadly Grenfell tower fire in 2017, which killed 72 people.
Speaking on Sky News, Michael Gove said building regulations were deficient and could be exploited by developers.
"I think that if you look at what happened to Grenfell, there were lots of factors. But yes, government collectively has to take some responsibility," he said.
"There's a difference between presiding over a system that's negligent and actively exploiting it. But it is undeniably the case that the system of building regulation was not right."
The fire at Grenfell Tower, a 23-story housing block in west London, was found to have started by an electrical fault in a refrigerator, with the combustible cladding system retro-fitted to the tower's external walls the main factor in the flames quickly spreading.
It was Britain's deadliest fire in a residential building since World War II.
By Kate Ainsworth
If you missed it earlier this month, the NFL and sporting world was shocked when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on field during a Monday night game.
24-year-old Hamlin went into cardiac arrest after making a tackle against the Cincinnati Bengals on January 2.
Now out of hospital and continuing his recovery, he's sent a message to Bills fans, medical staff who helped care for him, and his family and friends.
"I can't tell you how appreciative I am of all the love, all the support and everything that's been coming in my way," he said.
You can watch his full message (that goes for nearly six minutes) below:
By Kate Ainsworth
Good morning, it's Monday, January 30 and you're reading The Loop, a wrap-up of today's headlines to get you going.
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