Hi there. It's Wednesday, July 13, and you're reading The Loop, a quick wrap-up of today's news.
One thing to know: The State of Origin decider is here
The deciding game of this year's State of Origin series is taking place at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium tonight, with the Queensland Maroons and New South Wales Blues locked at one game apiece.
The game is set to begin at 8:10pm AEST, and you can follow our live blog right here.
NSW are the favourites (despite playing in Queensland), but both teams have had players ruled out due to injuries or COVID-19.
Queensland won Origin I in Sydney last month with a score of 16-10, before NSW claimed Origin II with a resounding 44-12 victory in Perth.
Today we heard a lot about the Pacific Islands Forum
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese landed in the Fijian capital Suva today, to meet with foreign leaders at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), in the hope of healing divisions which threaten the unity of the peak regional body.
Here are some things to know:
- The PM said he wanted to help heal a rift caused by the nation of Kiribati announcing it would quit the forum
- The controversy has its roots in a complex dispute over leadership, but the opposition in Kiribati has accused China of driving the decision
- Mr Albanese has welcomed the United States' promise to ramp up its diplomatic engagement in the Pacific
- He will meet with the Solomon Islands PM with the aim of having "an open dialogue" to improve relations
- There was a brief kerfuffle today during the US Vice-President's address when two uninvited Chinese embassy officials entered the room
News you might have missed
- The seventh committee hearing into last year's January 6 riot at the US Capitol has heard how a tweet from then-president Donald Trump and an "unhinged" meeting at the White House sparked the insurrection. Here are the key moments from the hearing
- Chinese-owned social media giant TikTok has admitted its staff in China can access Australian users' data, which has prompted warnings that the app may be compromised. The company says its US-based security team limits data access only to employees who need it. However, Chinese cybersecurity laws compel social media companies to hand over information if Beijing requests it
Here's what Australia has been searching for online
- Byron Bay hailstorm. Locals have shared images of the subtropical seaside town of Byron Bay looking like a snow field after an intense hailstorm turned its streets white last night. The Bureau of Meteorology said the hail was from an "unusual" winter thunderstorm — the result of a warm trough colliding with a cold air mass
- Emmy nominations. In case you missed them in this morning's Loop, the 2022 Emmy Award nominations have been dominated by the likes of brilliant shows like Succession, Ted Lasso and Squid Game. Here's the full list of nominees (which includes a few Australians)
One more thing: Meet Australia's highest-paid CEOs
ABC business reporter Nassim Khadem has taken a look at Australia's highest-paid executives, reporting that Afterpay's co-CEOs and founders, Anthony Eisen and Nick Molnar, had the biggest pay packets in the last financial year.
Here are the deets:
- The pair collected a combined $264.2 million in the last financial year
- Together, they earned more than 2,800 times the full-time average wage
- The 2021 financial year was a bumper year for CEO bonuses, according to a report by the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors
- The average bonus awarded to ASX 100 chiefs hit a record $2.31 million, beating the 2017 record of $2.3 million
If that wasn't enough to make you feel a little sad, here's a table that will …
So yeah, let those numbers sit with you for a moment.
You're up to date!
We'll be back tomorrow with more of this thing we call news.
ABC/wires
