This is The Loop, your quick catch-up for this morning's news as it happens.
Key events
Live updates
Red carpet heating up at Critics Choice Awards
By Peta Fuller
We'll get to the who-wins-what later today (we'll be blogging that this morning), but for now, a few early stars:
Perrottet asked again about Nazi costume
By Jessica Riga
During this morning's press conference about housing, New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet pushed back on comments from the former state premier who has called Perrottet "unelectable" after he announced he wore a Nazi costume to his 21st birthday.
Reporter: Premier, just on your 21st birthday. The former NSW premier Bob Carr has called you 'unelectable' and called on Jewish leaders to come down harder on you than what they have. What do you make of his comments?
Perrottet: I won't be taking that gist from him.
BREAKING: Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has been sacked, Eddie Jones to replace
By Peta Fuller
Dave Rennie has been sacked as Wallabies coach with Eddie Jones confirmed as his replacement on a five-year contract ahead of the World Cup this year.
NSW's Premier talks through government's stamp duty plan
By Peta Fuller
After a bit of a delay, Mr Perrottet is speaking now about the scheme:
"We can't accept the status quo," he says
"We can't have an Australia that can't house its children."
About 2,500 people are expected to take up the offer from today, he says.
Coming up: NSW Premier's press conference
By Peta Fuller
It's day one of the first homebuyers land tax scheme in NSW and we're about to hear from Dominic Perrottet and the NSW Treasurer Matt Kean:
And here's a quick catch-up on the plan:
Speaking of tennis...
By Jessica Riga
News Breakfast's Catherine Murphy sat down with players Matteo Berrettini and Maria Sakkari to chat about the new Netflix series, Break Point.
With the Australian Open kicking off today, Berrettini said he's glad the series gives audiences the chance to see the personal sacrifices players make in their pursuit.
Break Point is from the team that turned Formula 1 into a mainstream sport with Drive To Survive.
So who is easier to work with: tennis players or F1 drivers?
“If I say I’ve got more tennis players phone numbers in my phone than Formula 1 drivers," executive producer Paul Martin says, "hopefully that answers your question."
Coming up: It's day one at the Australian Open
By Peta Fuller
And Rafael Nadal is back to defend his title — with Novak Djokovic (who wants an incredible 10th title in Melbourne) back in the running.
In the women's draw, there's obviously no Ash Barty to defend, so world number one Iga Swiatek comes in as a heavy favourite with two-time champ Naomi Osaka withdrawing and the suspension of two-time grand slam winner Simona Halep.
The heavy-hitters up today include Nadal (against the UK's Jack Draper) from 1:30pm AEDT and Swiatek (against Jule Niemeier) at 6pm.
Coles keeps limits frozen potato products as national shortage hits
By Peta Fuller
Supermarket giant Coles is continuing its purchase limits on frozen potato products amid a national potato shortage.
Coles says, for the foreseeable future, shoppers will be limited to two frozen potato products at a time.
What's driving it?
Bad weather has seen farmers on Australia's east coast unable to harvest their crops.
Vice -president of horticulture at the Victorian Farmers Federation and fifth-generation potato farmer Katherine Myers says heavy rain this year has seen crops left to rot in the ground:
"It's incredibly challenging both at the farm level and our empathy goes out to consumers and fish and chip shops and restaurants because it's not going to ease up any time soon I hate to say."
Coming up today: Committal hearing in missing campers case
By Peta Fuller
After almost three years, the families of Carol Clay and Russell Hill will this week learn what police allege happened to their loved ones, with the man charged with their murder set to face Melbourne Magistrates Court today.
The ABC's Shannon Schubert has this update:
"Former Jetstar pilot Greg Lynn will face court today for a hearing testing the evidence against him.
The 55-year-old is accused of the murders of 74-year-old Russell Hill and 73-year-old Carol Clay in March 2020. The pair's bodies were found in bushland near Dargo in the state's high country in November 2021 — more than 20 months after they vanished from their campsite in the Wonnangatta Valley.
For the first time, the families and friends of Ms Clay and Mr Hill will found out what police allege happened. Mr Lynn has indicated he will contest the charges.
The committal hearing is expected to last four days."
Biden gives sermon at Martin Luther King's Atlanta church
By Jessica Riga
US President Joe Biden has become the first sitting US president to deliver a Sunday sermon at Martin Luther King Jr's church in Atlanta.
The speech marked the national holiday that celebrates the civil rights activist's life and legacy.
"The battle for the soul of this nation is perennial," Biden said in his tribute to King.
"It's a constant struggle between hope and fear kindness and cruelty, justice and injustice."
"The fact is that I stand here at a critical juncture for the United States and the world in my view," Biden said, calling it a "time of choosing."
Sunday would have been King's 94th birthday.
Pilots likely 'lost control' of Nepal aircraft, airlines consultant says
By Peta Fuller
A veteran airline consultant says it's likely that the pilots have lost control of a plane that crashed in Nepal, killing at least 68 people, and one Australian is believed to have been aboard.
The plane with 72 passengers and crew was on its way from Kathmandu to the tourist town of Pokhara when it crashed and caught fire yesterday.
Neil Hansford is a veteran airlines consultant and told ABC Radio he believes it's a case of pilot handling:
"What I'm looking at it from all reports is... the pilots of lost control of the aircraft and that's why it's ended up on the edge of a ridge and there are suggestions that it actually was upside down."
And videos shared on social media show a plane flying low over a populated area, before appearing to roll sharply out of frame:
Slow-moving weather system to dump more rain on Queensland
By Peta Fuller
Already-soaked parts of north and central Queensland are looking at some big rainfall totals today — and 24-hour totals could reach up to 400mm.
Prosperine has seen some of the most significant falls, recording more than 350mm since 9am yesterday.
Senior Forecaster Vikash Prasae says widespread rain and potential flash flooding is expected to continue until Wednesday.
"Prosperine is where the severe weather warning is current at the moment, extending from Ayr all the way through the central coast and Sarina. They are likely to see more rainfall in the coming 24 hours."
George Santos will have to go from congress if he broke finance laws, Republican says
By Peta Fuller
The newly elected US congressman (who lied about much of his life story), is facing growing pressure.
Fellow Republican (and House Oversight Committee Chairman) James Comer took to CNN to add to that overnight, saying Santos is "a bad guy":
"It's not up to me or any other member of Congress to determine whether he can be kicked out for lying. Now, if he broke campaign finance laws, then he will be removed from Congress."
Mr Santos has repeatedly refused to resign, even as pressure has grown within his own party for him to do so.
He said he would vacate his New York City-area seat only if he loses the next election.
BREAKING: Melbourne woman missing for a week has been found
By Peta Fuller
Dakota Lee Nagel was last seen by friends on January 8, and reported missing by her mother last Wednesday.
At this stage, police have not provided any further information.
Islamic State claims bomb attack on Congo church that killed at least five
By Peta Fuller
Islamic State has claimed responsibility for hitting a Sunday service at a Protestant church in the eastern Congolese town of Kasindi, the group said on its Telegram account.
At least five people have died and 15 were wounded.
Funeral for mum who died in Sea World helicopter crash
By Peta Fuller
Vanessa Tadros will be farewelled in Sydney's west today, two weeks after the collision between two helicopters on a Gold Coast beach.
Ms Tadros' 10-year-old son Nicholas survived the crash and yesterday became responsive for the first time after being in a coma — he remains in critical condition.
'Minimal' chance of survivors in Ukraine apartment strike
By Peta Fuller
Ukraine says it doesn't have the capacity to intercept the type of missile which hit an apartment building in Dnipro, killing at least 29 people, with up to 40 still trapped under rubble.
The city's mayor told Reuters the chances are "minimal" of finding more survivors in the wreckage.
The ABC's global affairs editor John Lyons is in Kyiv, and says the building was hit by a KH-22 missile:
"KH-22s were designed as anti-ship weapons, with their warheads weighing 950 kilograms. Ukrainian officials say they don't have the weapons capable of stopping such missiles and that by firing them into residential areas Russia is committing a war crime."
News Australia is searching for
By Peta Fuller
- Tottenham v Arsenal: Gunners fans will be happy this morning — Arsenal has extended its Premier League lead to eight points with a 2-0 win at Tottenham. The north London derby was helped by an own-goal by Tottenham's goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, leading to scenes like this:
One more thing: It's Critics Choice awards time (and COVID has hit the guest list)
By Peta Fuller
Awards season is *on* and we're here for it — today it's Critics Choice (from 10am AEDT).
Some late changes to the guest list — it's a no for Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, up for The Banshees of Inisherin (both got COVID, according to the Hollywood Reporter).
And yes, Jeff Bridges is up for lifetime achievement and fingers crossed for either the Cate Blanchett/Margot Robbie in the Best Actress contest —but mostly cheering on this news, with Christina Applegate heading along to her first awards since her MS diagnosis:
That's it for The Loop this morning
By Peta Fuller
Thanks for joining us — if you're looking to catch up, here's what we covered this morning (click the link to jump straight to the post):
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A veteran airline consultant says it's likely that the pilots have lost control of a plane that crashed in Nepal, killing at least 68 people
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Already-soaked parts of north and central Queensland are looking at some big rainfall totals today — and 24-hour totals could reach up to 400mm
- Ukraine says 'minimal' chance of survivors in missile-hit apartments, and accuses Russia of war crimes
- And the Critics Choice Awards are up today — with COVID stopping Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson from showing up
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.
