Hi there. It's Wednesday, November 2 and you're reading The Loop, a quick wrap-up of today's news.
Let's start here
In truly thrilling news for anyone who grew up watching Madagascar, Sydney's Taronga Zoo is investigating how five lions escaped from their enclosure this morning.
The zoo's executive director, Simon Duffy, said four of the lions "calmly" made their way back to their main exhibits on their own and "one lion cub was safely tranquillised".
No human or animal was injured, and the zoo said in a statement this afternoon that all lions are "doing well", according to vets and zookeepers.
"An initial review of this morning’s incident has confirmed that an integrity issue with a containment fence enabled five lions to temporarily exit their main exhibit," the statement read.
"Taronga Zoo remains open and is extremely grateful to its staff and the community for their support today."
A family spending the night in a tent as part of the zoo's Roar and Snore package say zookeepers ran them to a bathroom block after a duress alarm sounded.
"The guides had their radios on, and we heard them, and they said, 'they're still outside', so we realised something is outside, and they said it's the lions, so we're like, 'oh scary'," guest Magnus Perri told us.
"We were a bit surprised, [we thought] is this part of the action package?"
What else is going on
- Online gambling companies will be required to ask punters a series of new questions under new advertising rules announced by the federal government, reminding them to be aware of the risks of problem gambling. The current "gamble responsibly" tagline on advertisements will be replaced — here's more on what's changing
- Mechelle Turvey has praised the generosity of those offering support after her teenage son's alleged murder in Perth, as rallies are held around the country. A WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains the names and images of deceased Aboriginal people, used with the permission of their families
- Government lawyers who flagged the original Robodebt proposal as illegal later "appeared to come under pressure" from then-social services minister Scott Morrison to provide advice about the scheme so it could be submitted to the Finance Department, a royal commission has heard
- Mobile phones will no longer be allowed at government schools in the NT from the first term of next year, in a move intended to curb classroom distractions, bullying and mental health issues. Secondary school students will have to turn their devices off and put them away during school hours, and they'll be banned altogether at primary schools
What Australia has been searching for online
- Julie Powell. The bestselling author of Julie & Julia has died aged 49, according to US media reports. Her brother-in-law told the LA Times her death was caused by "cardiac arrest caused by a heart arrhythmia".
- Matt Hancock. The UK's former health minister, who led the country's COVID-19 response, has been suspended from the Conservative Party for joining the jungle reality TV show I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.
One more thing
Harry x Grease for Halloween. That is all.
You're up to date
Thanks for reading.
ABC/wires
