This is The Loop, your quick catch-up for this morning's news as it happened.
Key events
Live updates
That's all for The Loop today
By Claudia Williams
Thank you for joining me today.
If you are just joining here is a bit of what we covered today:
- The first Barbie doll with Down's syndrome has been released
- Collingwood captain Darcy Moore has been praised for his speech on Anzac Day
- Inflation data for the March quarter will be released today
- The Taliban have killed the mastermind of the suicide bombing at Kabul airport
- Jurors in Ed Sheeran's trial again copyright allegatsions have been warned not to dance
You can keep up-to-date with other news on the ABC's website, by subscribing to our mobile alerts, and by watchingNews Channelor listening to local radio here.
Jacinda Arden accepts Harvard fellowships
By Claudia Williams
The former New Zealand prime minister has been appointed to dual fellowships at Harvard Kennedy School and to a concurrent fellowship at the Berkman Klein Center.
She has previously said she will continue to help tackle violent extremism online as an unpaid special envoy for the Christchurch Call.
She will also join the board of Prince William's earthshot prize.
Earthquake hits New Zealand's North Island
By Claudia Williams
An earthquake has reportedly struck the North Island of New Zealand.
GeoNet, which monitors earthquakes in New Zealand, says there was a magnitude-5.7 earthquake reported in Porangahau followed closely by magnitude-5.3 shake.
The strength and depth of the shakes are being investigated as well as any damage caused.
Civil trial against Donald Trump begins
By Claudia Williams
A lawyer for writer E. Jean Carroll says her accusation that former US president Donald Trump raped her was not a "he said, she said" dispute.
The civil trial over Mr Trump's conduct nearly three decades ago has started in federal court in Manhattan.
Ms Carroll claims Mr Trump raped her in the changing room of a high-end retail store in the mid-1990s, and defamed her by denying it happened.
In an October 2022 post on his Truth Social platform, he called Ms Carroll's rape claim a "hoax" and "complete scam".
Ms Carroll is seeking unspecified damages for what she calls significant pain and suffering, lasting psychological harm, and invasion of privacy.
Putin signs decree taking over Russian assets at energy firms
By Claudia Williams
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree establishing temporary control of the Russian assets of two foreign energy firms.
The decree — outlining possible retaliation if Russian assets abroad are seized — makes clear that Moscow has already taken action against Uniper SE's Russian division and the assets of Finland's Fortum Oyj.
The decree says Russia needs to take urgent measures to respond to unspecified actions from the United States and others it says are "unfriendly and contrary to international law".
The shares in the two entities has been placed in the temporary control of Rosimushchestvo, the federal government property agency, the decree says.
Taliban kill mastermind of suicide bombing at Kabul airport
By Claudia Williams
The Taliban have killed the senior Islamic State group leader behind the August 2021 suicide bombing outside the Kabul airport.
The bombing killed US service members and about 170 Afghans, according to the father of a Marine killed in the attack.
The US military has informed families of the 11 Marines, the sailor and the soldier killed in the blast.
Those family members shared the information in a private group messaging chat, according to the mother of another Marine.
AP
Jurors warned not to dance in court
By Claudia Williams
Earlier we covered that Ed Sheeran is in court defending his song Thinking Out Loud following allegations he ripped off Marvin Gaye's tune Let’s Get it On.
A video of Sheeran performing his song and Gaye's hit was played for jurors.
This prompted the judge to warn people to keep their composure.
"We don't allow dancing," US District Judge Louis Stanton told the seven-member jury.
Bernie Sanders rules out election bid, endorses Biden
By Claudia Williams
US Senator Bernie Sanders has ruled out running for president in 2024 and has endorsed Joe Biden's reelection.
“The last thing this country needs is a Donald Trump or some other right-wing demagogue who is going to try to undermine American democracy or take away a woman’s right to choose, or not address the crisis of gun violence, or racism, sexism or homophobia,” he said.
Mr Biden announced yesterday that he would seek a second term.
Join us at 8am as we dive into Biden's re-election announcement and tackle your all your curly questions with the ABC's Michael Rowland (plus on-the-ground news and analysis from our North America correspondents).
Follow along on the ABC app and website
Tanya Plibersek defends changes to PBS
By Claudia Williams
Pharamacy leaders have expressed oncerns that supply shortages means there are not enough medicines to cater for people's needs following the federal government's announcement it will double the amount of medicine some people can collect with each script.
However, Labor MP Tanya Plibersek says she doesn't think it is an "honest argument".
"The same number of patients will be taking the same amount of medicine, they just won't have to line up every month at the pharmacy to get it," she told ABC News Breakfast.
"You might need to make sure you've got enough medicines for that initial bump, when people are getting two months' supply instead of one.
"In general, this is great for patients, they will halve the cost of their medicine"
You can read more about the government's announcement here.
ispace loses contact with moon lander
By Claudia Williams
Japanese company ispace says its mission to the moon has likely failed after losing contact with its spacecraft moments before touchdown.
Communications ceased as the lander descended the final 10 meters.
Flight controllers looked at their screens in Tokyo, expressionless, as minutes went by with no word from the lander.
“We have to assume that we could not complete the landing on the lunar surface,” said Takeshi Hakamada, founder and CEO of the company, ispace.
If it had landed, the company would have been the first private business to pull off a lunar landing.
Ed Sheeran appears in New York court for copyright trial
By Claudia Williams
The trial alleging Ed Sheeran ripped off the classic Marvin Gaye tune Let’s Get it On with his hit song Thinking Out Loud has started.
Heirs of songwriter Ed Townsend allege Sheeran, his label Warner Music Group and music publisher Sony Music Publishing owe them a share of the profits for allegedly copying Gaye’s song, which Townsend co-wrote.
The trial is the first of three Sheeran could face from lawsuits over similarities between the two hits.
A lawyer for Townsend’s heirs told jurors that Sheeran “recognised the magic” of Gaye’s song and “decided to capture a bit of that magic for his own benefit.”
Sheeran and will testify to how the song was unique and sprang from a late-night conversation about everlasting love and loss.
Reuters
Coming up today: Inflation data to be released
By Claudia Williams
The Australian Bureau of Statistics will release its March quarterly inflation data at 11.30am.
This comes as the monthly consumer price index for February fell to 6.8 per cent, down from 8.4 per cent in December.
Read more about what is expected at the link below.
'It means so much': AFL captain praised for speech
By Claudia Williams
Collingwood captain Darcy Moore is being praised for his tribute following his club’s victory over Essendon on Anzac Day.
“No matter if you wear the black and white stripes or the red sash, this game is about so much more than the four points.
"I want to thank and mention all men and women who are serving our country's interests both at home and abroad in war and peacekeeping operations.
"To the families of those serving and those veterans, too often your stories go untold and on behalf of the Collingwood Football Club I want to acknowledge the pain of war that runs through so many families across this country."
Mattel introduces Barbie doll with Down's syndrome
By Claudia Williams
Mattel has worked with the National Down Syndrome Society in the United States to release the first Barbie with Down's syndrome.
Mattel says the new doll's face is a rounder shape, and has almond-shaped eyes, smaller ears and a flat nasal bridge.
"The doll’s palms even include a single line, a characteristic often associated with those with Down’s syndrome," the company said.
She wears a pink necklace with three upward chevrons representing the three copies of the 21st chromosome as well as pink ankle foot orthotics.
What Australia is searching for: Harry Belafonte dies aged 96
By Claudia Williams
Singer, actor and activist Harry Belafonte has died of congestive heart failure in New York.
A leading actror in1950s movies, Belafontewould then worked with Martin Luther King Jr. during the US civil rights movement in the early 1960s.
He became the driving force behind the celebrity-studded, famine-fighting hit song We Are the World in the 1980s.
"I've got to be a part of whatever the rebellion is that tries to change all this," he told the New York Times in 2001.
"The anger is a necessary fuel. Rebellion is healthy."
