Good morning, it's Monday, February 7. Here's what you need to get going today.
One thing to know right now: Australia's Jakara Anthony has won a GOLD medal
It's Australia's *first ever* gold medal in the women's moguls. Here's the lowdown:
- Anthony had dominated the competition at the Beijing Winter Olympics — with the highest score in the opening qualification phase.
- The 23-year-old topped the standings in the first final, with an outstanding score of 81.91, then in the *second* final with 81.29, before clinching gold with an impressive 83.09.
- It's also Australia's first gold at this Winter Olympics, and breaks a 12-year drought for topping the podium (hope they had the national anthem ready).
- She said she refused to be distracted by her rivals during the three finals:
One thing you’ll be hearing about today: 'Horrendous' bushfires have hit WA's Wheatbelt
- Fires have torn through Western Australia's agricultural heartland overnight with farmland scorched and at least one home destroyed.
- The bushfires came after two other major fires destroyed homes in southern WA on Saturday in Denmark and Bridgetown in a horrific weekend for firefighters.
- Residents in WA's Bridgetown have been told to evacuate from a 500-metre radius around burning treated pine poles emitting toxic smoke. The fire in the area has been contained but not controlled. Here's incident controller Danny Mosconi:
News while you snoozed
Let's get you up to speed.
- Prince Charles says he's deeply honoured by the Queen's wish that his wife Camilla should be known as Queen consort when he eventually ascends the throne. He said they were "deeply conscious" of the honour, adding that his "darling wife" Camilla has been a "steadfast support."
- The ABC has welcomed the government's decision to pump almost $3.3 billion into the national broadcaster over the next three years, saying it provides funding certainty. The government also reversing a controversial funding freeze
- And in COVID news, elective surgery is back in Victoria and NSW (in a limited way). In Victoria, authorities say it will be limited to day surgery at private hospitals and day centres at up to 50 per cent of normal levels. In NSW, surgery needing overnight stays will be allowed in private hospitals up to 75 per cent capacity, while non-urgent elective surgery in public hospitals in regional and rural areas will also be allowed.
The news Australia is searching for
- Tahli Gill: Half of Australia's curling team (alongside Dean Hewitt), she was set to fly out of China after her positive COVID test — but the Medical Expert Panel in Beijing decided to let the pair stay (and then they beat the Swiss 9-6 for good measure)
- NSW vouchers: This is all part of the government's Dine and Discover program — NSW parents of schoolchildren can get five vouchers totalling $250, and adults can now apply for a $50 accommodation voucher, all to help revive the struggling tourism industry
One more thing: Why the International Space Station is being ditched in ocean
It's the most expensive object ever built (its final cost will be over $US100 billion) — but the ISS will meet its end in the ocean in 2031, NASA has announced.
That day will mark the end of 32 years of space station construction, experiments, photography and — since November 2000 — continuous human habitation, all while hurtling around the planet once every 90 minutes or so.
And why does it have to go? It's gunking up and wearing out — there's bacteria, fungi and other microbes that survive and thrive there too.
It's also flying around in about 96 per cent oxygen atoms — which is actually corroding the outside.
So what will NASA do next?
With its sights set further afield to deep space, the US space agency is funding commercial partners and outsourcing its low-Earth orbit activities to companies such as Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin and Lockheed Martin.
It's already given Axiom Space permission to attach modules to the space station, which will eventually detach to become their own low-Earth orbit facility.
That's it for now
We'll be back later on with more of the good stuff.
ABC/wires
