Hi there. It's Friday, October 7 and you're reading The Loop, a quick wrap-up of today's news.
Let's start here: South-east Australia is on flood alert
Communities across Australia's south-east are bracing for another round of wet weather, with the Bureau of Meteorology warning of widespread rainfall over the next 24 hours. Here's what we know:
- Rain has swept across parts of south-east Queensland, NSW, Victoria and Tasmania today, and more is expected to fall across the weekend
- It's prompted the Bureau of Meteorology to issue multiple flood watch warnings, with the most issued in NSW and Tasmania, although there are also warnings for rivers in central and north-west Victoria
- Forecasters say Sydney could experience a reprieve from flooding, with only minor to moderate flooding expected for the Hawkesbury-Nepean areas — but the Bureau of Meteorology is monitoring it in case it changes
- Conditions are expected to ease up on Monday, but the forecast could change as the cold front passes over the eastern states
For the latest flood watch and weather warning information, head to the BOM's website.
We heard about the NCA bomber's sentencing
If you missed it this morning, Domenic Perre will likely die in prison after being given a life sentence for murder.
- The 65-year-old was convicted in June of sending a parcel bomb to the Adelaide headquarters of the National Crime Authority (NCA) which killed Detective Sergeant Geoffrey Bowen and injured lawyer Peter Wallis in 1994
- Supreme Court Justice Kevin Nicholson handed Perre a life sentence with a non-parole period of 30 years and seven months
- The non-parole period will commence after Perre finishes a six-year and 10-month sentence for drug trafficking — meaning he won't be eligible to seek parole until November 2054, when he's aged 98
- Geoffrey Bowen's wife, Jane Bowen-Sutton said the sentence gave her family a "a quiet acceptance to our tragic loss"
- Peter Wallis's daughter Genevieve said the sentence would help the families "move forward"
News alerts you might have missed
- US President Joe Biden says Vladimir Putin's threat to use nuclear weapons means the world is facing 'the prospect of Armageddon'
- Thailand's Prime Minister has ordered an urgent investigation after 24 children were among 37 people killed at a daycare centre yesterday
- Victoria's pandemic declaration will end at 11:59pm next Wednesday, October 12. It means positive COVID-19 cases will no longer need to isolate, but is still strongly recommended
What Australia has been searching for online
- Super Mario Bros. The hotly-anticipated trailer for the film was released earlier this morning during Nintendo's presentation at New York Comic Con. Missed it? We've got you.
- Kevin Spacey. The actor's civil trial for sexual misconduct allegations has begun in New York. Actor Anthony Rapp has accused the 63-year-old of making unwanted advances when Rapp was 14 years old, and is one of a slew of allegations levelled at Spacey, who has denied all suggestions of inappropriate conduct.
One more thing: Welcome back to Fountain Lakes
Crack open the Tia Maria and footy franks, we've got our first glimpse of Kath and Kim's upcoming return to our screens.
Fountain Lakes's foxiest ladies will star alongside hunk-of-spunk Kel Knight, Brett Craig and Sharon Strzelecki to celebrate their 20th anniversary, but they're keeping the details of what the special will entail a secret — for now.
Kath and Kim: Our Effulent Life will air on Channel 7 as a two-part special in November.
You're up to date
We'll be back to do it all again next week.
ABC/wires