Hi there. It's Friday, July 22 and you're reading The Loop, a quick wrap-up of today's news.
Let's start here: The January 6 hearings
The latest hearing in Washington DC focused on what former US president Donald Trump was doing for three hours while rioters stormed the Capitol. The key takeaways included:
- Mr Trump wanted to join the rioters at the Capitol, and became frustrated when his Secret Service agents refused to let him.
- A White House employee testified that Mr Trump watched Fox News from his dining room as the riot unfolded.
- At 2:24pm on January 6, Mr Trump tweeted an attack on then-vice president Mike Pence, who was being sheltered by members of the Secret Service. Just two minutes later, Mr Pence was evacuated to safety for a second time, coming within 40 feet (12 metres) of the rioters.
- Outtakes from Mr Trump's message in the Rose Garden the day after the riots showed him stumbling over his words and becoming irate. "I don't want to say the election's over," he said.
But watch this space for more — the January 6 committee plans reconvene in September.
Coincidentally, that's the same month Mr Trump plans to announce his 2024 presidential bid, according to a report by the Washington Post.
We heard a lot about Splendour in the Grass
Organisers of the Byron Bay music festival have cancelled the first day of the event due to severe weather.
Heavy rainfall forced the on-site campground to be closed, before organisers issued a statement on Friday afternoon, saying they cancelled all performances scheduled for the Amphitheatre, Mix Up, GW McLennan and Park(lands) Stages.
Organisers are hopeful that performances will go ahead as planned on Saturday and Sunday.
News alerts you might have missed
- Parts of Queensland have been battered by heavy rain from an east coast low. A man's has been found dead in floodwaters in Nanango, while other parts of the state's south-east remain on high alert for flash flooding.
- US President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID-19 for the first time, but says he's feeling well and is only experiencing mild symptoms. Mr Biden has received two booster vaccines and is also taking the antiviral medication Paxlovid, and will continue to work from the White House.
What Australia has been searching for online
- Don't Worry Darling: The highly-anticipated film starring Florence Pugh, Harry Styles and Olivia Wilde has released a new trailer today ahead of its official release in cinemas on September 23. Haven't seen it yet? Don't worry, we've got you.
- Prince George: Kensington Palace has released a new photo of the third in line to the British throne, ahead of his ninth birthday tomorrow. The snap was taken by his mother, the Duchess of Cambridge, while they were on holiday in the UK earlier this month.
One more thing
If you think everyone is holidaying in Europe lately, may we suggest a visit to a Swiss village a little closer to home?
On top of a hill in the Tamar Valley in northern Tasmania, you'll find a small, Swiss-inspired village called Grindelwald.
So why is there a Swiss village in Tasmania? Dutchman Roelf Vos loved his trip to Switzerland so much that he was inspired to recreate it at home.
It first opened in 1989 as the Grindelwald Holiday Resort but is now known as the Tamar Valley Resort.
And if you're curious about whether the Grindelwald in Switzerland knows about their Tasmanian counterpart, the answer is yes.
You're up to date
We'll be back next week to do it all again.
ABC/wires
