This is The Loop, your quick catch-up for this morning's news as it happened.
Key events
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Live updates
That's all for The Loop this morning
By Brianna Morris-Grant
Thanks for joining me today. If you're catching up, here's a bit of what was covered (click the link to jump straight to the post):
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A viral photo of Wikileak's founder Julian Assange dishevelled and unwell is AI-generated
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Former vice president Mike Pence announces he will not appeal a judge's order to testify in the investigation into attempts to overturn the 2020 election
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Online searches relating to Barbiedoubled after the newest trailer dropped
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Former Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon's husband has been arrested in a party finance probe
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Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador says he does not agree with criminal charges brought Donald Trump
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A Russian girl sent to an orphanage after drawing an antiwar sketch at school has returned to her mother
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The founder of Cash App has been fatally stabbed in San Francisco
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A large tornado tore through Missouri, killing at least five people and causing widespread destruction
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A children's book author has been dropped by his publisher over alleged anti-trans threats
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Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro is facing questions about diamond jewelry gifts
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.
Planned Parenthood suing Idaho over abortion referral ban
By Brianna Morris-Grant
A Planned Parenthood affiliate and two doctors have filed a lawsuit to block Idaho authorities from punishing healthcare providers for referring patients to get abortions in other states.
Idaho's Attorney General Raul Labrador, a Republican, said last week the state's near-total abortion ban "prohibits an Idaho medical provider from ... referring a woman across state lines to access abortion services."
Planned Parenthoodsays Mr Labrador's interpretation of the law violates the US Constitution by prohibiting protected free speech and attempting to extend Idaho law beyond its borders.
Idaho's law mandates 2-5 years in prison for a provider convicted of performing an illegal abortion, and suspension of the medical license of a provider who assists in one.
Child approached by dingo on K'gari Fraser Island in second incident
By Brianna Morris-Grant
Rangers are urging people to be on alert after another child had a close encounter with a dingo on K'gari Fraser Island this week.
A 10-year-old boy was lying in shallow water yesterday afternoon when a dingo approached him and put its mouth on his leg.
The dingo backed away before the boy's parents ran to him. The boy was unhurt.
It comes after a six-year-old girl was flown to hospital with minor injuries after being bitten on the head and hands while swimming nearby on Monday.
Creator of Catan board game dies aged 70
By Brianna Morris-Grant
The creator of internationally renowned board game Catan, Klaus Teuber, has died aged 70.
The German-born Mr Teuber died after a brief illness.
A statement from the Catan studio team on social media noted: "Klaus’ contributions to the board gaming industry are immeasurable, we will remember him most as a kind and selfless human being, an inspirational leader, and most importantly, as a friend."
The board game, originally called The Settlers of Catan when introduced in 1995, has sold tens of millions of copies and is available in more than 40 languages.
Players compete to build settlements on a fictional island.
Dealer pleads guilty in death of The Wire actor
By Brianna Morris-Grant
A Brooklyn drug dealerhas pleaded guilty to providing The Wire actor Michael K Williams with fentanyl-laced heroin, causing his death.
The famed actor overdosed in his Brooklyn penthouse apartment in September 2021.
Authorities say he died hours after buying the heroin from Irvin Cartagena on a sidewalk, in a deal that was recorded by a security camera.
Cartagena, 39, signed a plea agreement with prosecutors stipulating that the mix of heroin and fentanyl he sold Mr Williams resulted in his death.
Brazil's Bolsonaro questioned about diamond jewelry
By Brianna Morris-Grant
Former President Jair Bolsonaro is facing questions about diamond jewelry gifts received when he was in power.
Federal police and prosecutors are investigating whether three sets of jewelry brought into the country from Saudi Arabia were public gifts Mr Bolsonaro improperly tried to prevent from being incorporated into the presidency’s public collection or were private gifts he tried to sneak into Brazil without paying taxes.
He is also under investigation for any involvement in a rampage by his supporters through the national capital after he left office and for numerous actions during the presidential election campaign he lost last fall.
LATEST: How Cleo Smith's rescue changed a community
By Brianna Morris-Grant
The disappearance and rescue of Carnarvon school girl Cleo Smith put her regional West Australian hometown in the global spotlight.
More than 500 days later the town, some 900 kilometres north of Perth, is preparing for heightened attention again with a solar eclipse bringing thousands of visitors from around the world to the region later this month.
But the jailing of Cleo's abductor Terence Darrell Kelly brought with it a moment of reflection and some sense of closure for locals, before tourists descend on the town ahead of the eclipse and the madness of school holidays begins.
- Read the full story by ABC Pilbara's Peter de Kruijff here:
Publisher drops children's illustrator for alleged anti-trans threats
By Brianna Morris-Grant
A children's book illustrator from Alaska known for drawing mother-baby animal pairs like sea otters and wolves was dropped by his publisher this week after authorities allege he posted transphobic notes threatening children.
Mitchell Thomas Watley, 47, will have a preliminary hearing April 11 in Juneau on a single count of terroristic threatening for allegedly placing notes in businesses that included an assault rifle superimposed over the transgender flag.
The text on the notes read: “Feeling Cute Might Shoot Some Children.”
In Juneau, booksellers removed the books Watley illustrated for his wife, Sarah Asper-Smith.
Their publisher, Sasquatch Books, owned by Penguin Random House, said Wednesday it has ended its publishing relationship with Watley and will discontinue selling their books.
Predawn US tornado kills at least 5, sows destruction
By Brianna Morris-Grant
A large tornado tore through southeastern Missouri before dawn, killing at least five people and causing widespread destruction.
A broad swath of the Midwest and South is keeping a wary eye out for further storms that could spawn additional twisters and hail.
The severe weather was the third in a series ofmassive storm sover the last two weeks that have spawned dozens of tornadoes, mainly in the South and Midwest, killing at least 63 people.
Just a day earlier video emerged of a tornado outside Pleasantville, Iowa.
Cash App founder fatally stabbed in San Francisco
By Brianna Morris-Grant
Bob Lee, the technology executive who created Cash App and was chief product officer of cryptocurrency MobileCoin, was fatally stabbed in San Francisco.
“Our dear friend and colleague, Bob Lee passed away yesterday at the age of 43, survived by a loving family and collection of close friends and collaborators,” MobileCoin chief executive Josh Goldbard said in a statement.
Police say the incident is an "open and active investigation".
Russian girl who drew antiwar sketch leaves orphanage
By Brianna Morris-Grant
A Russian girl sent to an orphanage after drawing an antiwar sketch at school has been taken from the facility by her mother, the Kremlin children's rights commissioner says.
The 13-year-old's father was convicted of discrediting the Russian military and handed a two-year prison term, while his daughter was dispatched to the orphanage.
The girl drew a picture at Yefremov School Number 9 that depicted missiles flying over a Russian flag at a woman and child.
The drawing also featured the words “No to war” and “Glory to Ukraine.”
The school called police, the girl was questioned, and Moskalyov was fined and eventually prosecuted and convicted over his social media posts.
Mexican president criticises Trump charges
By Brianna Morris-Grant
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador says he does not agree with the criminal charges brought against former US president Donald Trump.
"Supposedly legal issues should not be used for electoral, political purposes," Mr Lopez Obrador said.
"That's why I don't agree with what they are doing to ex-President Trump."
Leftist populist Mr Lopez Obrador compared Mr Trump's case to the December ousting of former Peruvian President Pedro Castillo, who was removed from office and arrested after trying to dissolve congress.
"It should be the people who decide," said Mr Lopez Obrador, who said he could not say whether Mr Trump was guilty or not.
UPDATE: Man charged with DV offences after fatal NSW crash
By Brianna Morris-Grant
A man has been charged with domestic violence offences after being arrested as part of investigations into a single-car crash that killed a woman and three boys in the New South Wales Riverina.
Police were told the rear door of a home in Yanco, near Leeton, was allegedly kicked in and a resident threatened shortly after 11 o'clock on Tuesday night.
About 15 minutes later, a car travelling along Research Road crashed, killing a 36-year-old woman and three boys aged 10, 11 and 12.
- You can read the rest of this story by ABC Riverina's Penny Burfitt here:
Malta marks Holy Week
By Brianna Morris-Grant
Actors dressed as Roman soldiers, Jewish priests and important Biblical figures have started Holy Week processions in Malta.
Ex-Scottish leader's husband arrested in party probe
By Brianna Morris-Grant
Former Scottish first minister and Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon's husband has been arrested in a party finance probe.
Police in Scotland did not identify Peter Murrell as the 58-year old man arrested “in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party.
Scottish police have been investigating how 600,000 pounds ($1,112,349) earmarked for a Scottish independence campaign was spent.
“Clearly it would not be appropriate to comment on any live police investigation, but the SNP have been cooperating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so," the party said in a statement.
Let’s get you set up for the day:
By Brianna Morris-Grant
Former president Donald Trump has called on Republicans to slash funding for the US Justice Department and the FBI, one day after pleading not guilty in New York to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
It comes as former vice president Mike Pence announces he will not appeal a judge's order to testify in the investigation into attempts to overturn the 2020 election.
The decision sets the stage for a possible appearance by Mr Pence before a federal grand jury.
Meanwhile Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has indicated troops could pull out of Bakhmut if Russia closes in.
Bakhmut, in Ukraine's mainly Russian-occupied Donetsk province, has proven one of the bloodiest and longest battles of Russia's invasion.
And US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has welcomed Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen as a "great friend of America", to a meeting on US soil.
China has reacted to past trips by Taiwanese presidents through the US, and to past trips to Taiwan by senior US officials, with shows of military force.
News you're searching for:
By Brianna Morris-Grant
- Julian Assange
A viral photo of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange looking unwell and disheveled in London’s Belmarsh prison has been debunked as AI-generated.
The Associated Press says the photo was created using Midjourney V5, an AI text-to-image generator.
One more thing: Search for blonde dye, 'Barbie fashion' spike after trailer drops
By Brianna Morris-Grant
Hours after the newest trailer debuted for the upcoming film with Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, online searches relating to Barbie doubled.
Interest in ‘Barbie Fashion' rose by 106 per cent worldwide, according to research by fashion website Flaunt Your Fashion.
Meanwhile searches for ‘Barbie style' increased by 142 per cent worldwide.
In addition, searches for ‘pink clothes,' Barbie's signature color, jumped 174 per cent, and searches for blonde hair dye, Barbie's signature hair color, went up 157 per cent.
