latest news – Michmutters

Tag: latest news

Categories
Australia

The Loop: Why Donald Trump’s estate was searched, John Barilaro to be grilled by inquiry again, and when to see the sturgeon supermoon

The Loop: Why Donald Trump's estate was searched, John Barilaro to be grilled by inquiry again, and when to see the sturgeon supermoon

Hi there. It’s Friday, August 12, and you’re reading The Loop, a quick look at today’s news.

Let’s start here: The latest on the FBI raid of Donald Trump’s estate

the US Department of Justice has filed a motion to unseal the warrant used in the search of donald trump‘s Florida home, as well as the property receipt.

it eats like this US Attorney-General Merrick Garland says federal agents searched the former president’s estate as part of an investigation into whether he illegally removed records from the White House as he was leaving office.

Mr Garland, the nation’s top law enforcement official, said he personally approved the decision to search Mr Trump’s home.

He said the Justice Department asked a court to unseal the search warrant due to “substantial public interest” in the wake of Mr Trump revealing the search was happening.

Attorney General Merrick Garland is speaking into a microphone with his eyebrows raised.
Merrick Garland’s Justice Department has faced fierce criticism following the search of Mr Trump’s home.(AP: Evelyn Hockstein)

Something you’ll be hearing about today: John Barilaro

The former New South Wales deputy premier will give evidence again today at a parliamentary inquiry examining his appointment to a lucrative US trade role.

Here’s what you need to know:

  • The whole day has been set aside to hear from John Barillarowho withdrew from the job after controversy surrounding the recruitment process
  • He last fronted the inquiry on Monday in a session which yielded multiple revelations
  • The NSW opposition has said it will ask questions about Mr Barilaro’s girlfriend Jennifer Lugsdinwho helped get a job at Investment NSW

Today’s evidence will begin at 10am AEST.

A close up of Barilaro with his eyebrows raised during questioning.
John Barilaro first gave evidence to the inquiry on Monday.(AAP: Bianca De Marchi)

News while you snoozed

loading

  • another armed man has been arrested after taking up to 10 employees and customers hostage at a bank in Beirut, Lebanon. The man threatened to set himself on fire with petrol unless he was allowed to withdraw some of his trapped savings from him to pay his father’s medical bills. After hours of negotiations, he accepted an offer from the bank, released his hostages and surrendered

loading

Here’s what Australia has been searching for online

  • Paul Green. ICYMI yesterday, the former rugby league coach and player died aged 49. Players and NRL clubs have paid tribute to Green, who spent a decade playing at the top level

loading

  • Tommy Lee. The Mötley Crüe drummer is back in the headlines — this time for posting a naked photo to Instagram, which was live for a few hours before being removed

One more thing: Today’s the day for the sturgeon supermoon

Today’s sturgeon Moon marks the last time Australians will see a supermoon until 2023.

So when’s the best time to see it?

moonrise is when you’ll be able to get the clearest view of the sturgeon Moon, so — for those living on Australia’s east coast — keep your eyes to the eastern horizon any time after 5:30pm AEST on Friday, August 12.

You can learn more about the sturgeon supermoon right here.

You’re up to date!

We’ll be back this evening with more updates.

loading

ABC/wires

.

Categories
Sports

The Loop: Australian swimmer Emma McKeon makes history, more space junk in NSW, and a huge cycling crash at the Commonwealth Games

The Loop: Australian swimmer Emma McKeon makes history, more space junk in NSW, and a huge cycling crash at the Commonwealth Games

Hi there. It’s Monday, August 1, and you’re reading The Loop, a quick wrap-up of today’s news.

One thing to know: Australian house prices are falling, and quickly

A new report from analytics firm CoreLogic has found that house prices in Australia are dropping at their fastest pace since the global financial crisis in 2008 and market conditions are “likely to worsen” as interest rates continue to rise.

The data shows the nation’s median property value dropped by 2 per cent since the beginning of May to $747,182 (this includes both houses and apartments).

But the numbers vary depending on location, so here’s a breakdown of what has happened in the major cities:

A table showing that Australia's median property price dropped 1.3 per cent in July 2022 to $747,812.
Property prices in Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart fell sharply in July.(CoreLogic)

Economists predict Australian house prices could fall between 12 and 20 per cent after recently reaching record highs.

Today we heard a lot about China’s influence in Solomon Islands

A major investigation by Four Corners has uncovered details of how money from Beijing has helped keep the controversial leader of the Solomon Islands in power.

It also revealed how China is pursuing economic opportunities across Solomon Islands to boost its strategic interests in the Pacific.

A Chinese state-owned company is negotiating to buy a deep-water port and a World War II airstrip in the country.

You can read the full report from the Four Corners team right here.

Here is what happened when Four Corners tried to film a Chinese business in Solomon Islands as part of the investigation …

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume.

Play Video. Duration: 4 minutes 35 seconds

Watch what happened when Four Corners tried filming a Chinese business in Solomon Islands

News you might have missed

  • australian swimmer Emma McKeon has won a record-breaking 11th Commonwealth Games gold medal, overtaking legends of the sport such as Ian Thorpe and Leisel Jones to have the most gold medals of any Commonwealth Games athlete. On social media she described the moment as “a huge milestone” in her career

loading

  • You might remember that last week we reported on what appeared to be large pieces of space junk which were discovered in the New South Wales Snowy Mountains region. Well, the existence of another huge piece has now been brought to light (well, to Earth, more accurately). It’s also believed to be linked to SpaceX, but the company is yet to claim ownership of it. Here’s what it looks like…
a piece of space junk sitting in a paddock
More space junk has been found in the NSW Snowy Mountains, this time at a property in Moonbah.(Supplied: Nick Lodge)
  • The federal government has warned gas producers that it will pull its “gas trigger” to restrict their exports if domestic supplies for next year aren’t guaranteed. It comes after consumer watchdog the ACCC warned the government to consider intervening because the outlook for next year was “very concerning”, with most gas supplied slated for export

Here’s what Australia has been searching for online

  • bill russell. The celebrated American basketballer and civil right activist has died at the age of 88. Russell was a 12-time NBA All-Star and the centerpiece of a Boston Celtics dynasty which won 11 championships in 13 years. Tributes have been flowing from basketballers and activists around the world, including the NBA itself…

loading

  • Nichelle Nichols: The American actor who broke barriers for black women in Hollywood when she played lieutenant Nyota Uhura in the original Star Trek TV show has died aged 89. She also served for many years as a NASA recruiter, helping to bring minorities and women into the astronaut corps. Here’s how her de ella fellow Star Trek cast member George Takei remembered her today…

loading

One more thing: There was a huge cycling crash at the Commonwealth Games

Some dramatic photos have emerged after three cyclists were taken to hospital and spectators were injured in a horrific crash during a heat of the men’s scratch race at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

England’s Matt Walls was catapulted over the barriers and into the crowd at the Lee Valley VeloPark, before receiving treatment and eventually leaving in an ambulance.

Spectators were also hurt when Walls and his bike came over the top of the barriers at a corner of the track.

A male track cyclist lands in the crowd with his bike following a crash at the Commonwealth Games.
Matt Walls and his bike cleared the barrier surrounding the track during the crash.(Getty Images/PA Images: John Walton)
Three riders lay on the ground, one collects himself and one lays horizontally in the crowd after a crash
Walls lays horizontally among the shocked crowd. (AP: Ian Walton)
Three riders tumble through the air after a fall
Riders had also failed in a crash lower down the banking. (AP: Ian Walton)

Retired Australian cyclist Stuart O’Grady told Channel Seven he believes the varying abilities of cyclists has contributed to the crashes we’ve seen at the Commonwealth Games (there was an earlier one involving Australia’s Matt Glaetzer too).

“We have got a varying ability of athlete at the Commonwealth Games, more so than Olympics and World Championships,” he said.

“We may not be at the level as the big international superstars, so when you are racing on a few millimetres of tire on bikes with no breaks and high-pressure incidents, things can go wrong really quickly.”

You’re up to date!

We’ll be back tomorrow with more.

If you happen to hop on a bike before then, just …

loading

ABC/wires

.