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 this morning
By Tom Williams
Thanks for joining us today. If you're catching up, here's a bit of what was covered (click the link to jump straight to the post):
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Treasurer backs Stan Grant, calls out 'trolls and keyboard warriors'
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95-year-old woman remains in hospital after being tasered by police
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We have liftoff! SpaceX's latest private space flight just blasted off
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Greek PM calls for a second election as he seeks majority
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Martina Navratilova says she's doing 'OK' after undergoing cancer treatment
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Instagram is having issues, and Meta says it's aware
You can keep up-to-date with other news on the ABC's website, by subscribing to our mobile alerts, and by watching News Channel or listening to local radio here.
NSW gold mine to be investigated again over dust pollution
By Tom Williams
One of Australia's largest gold mines is facing a second investigation for air pollution a year after being fined for failing to prevent dust from blowing over homes in central-west New South Wales.
The NSW Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) fined Newcrest Mining's Cadia Valley Operations gold mine near Orange $15,000 for dust pollution in April, 2022.
As AAP reports, the EPA says in a new statement that it has launched another investigation into the site.
It has also written to the NSW chief health officer requesting a full health risk analysis be carried out to determine if mine dust was impacting the health of the community.
EPA chief executive Tony Chappel says Australian industry haa a moral and legal obligation to limit its impact on communities.
"Everyone in NSW has a right to clean air no matter where they live," he says.
"Industry has strict obligations to meet clean air standards and currently Cadia appears to be falling well short of our expectations."
Last week, the EPA reportedly received new evidence from the community suggesting actions by the mine to reduce dust pollution had not been effective.
Instagram is having issues, and Meta says it's aware
By Tom Williams
Don't worry; you're not the only one who is having issues with Instagram this morning.
A spokesperson for the app's parent company Meta has told the Reuters news agency that it is aware that some users are having trouble accessing Instagram today.
Thousands of people have been reporting problems on the outage tracking website Downdetector, with many saying they can't load Instagram.
It appears Meta's Facebook platform is also running into some issues.
Meta and its companies are yet to issue a full statement.
Have you been having issues with Instagram or Facebook this morning? Let me know in the comments.
ICYMI: The buy now, pay later industry is facing tougher regulation
By Tom Williams
In case you missed it late yesterday — the federal government is set to regulate the buy now, pay later industry under the Credit Act, to protect consumers against financial abuse by lending schemes.
In a speech later today, Financial Services Minister Stephen Jones will tell the Responsible Lending and Borrowing Conference that buy now, pay later services will be treated as credit products.
Providers will be required to have a credit licence, provide hardship requirements and minimum standards for conduct.
There were 7 million active buy now, pay later accounts in Australia last financial year, resulting in $16 billion in transactions — an increase of nearly 37 per cent compared to the previous year.
Speaking on ABC News Breakfast this morning, Treasurer Jim Chalmers says such services "have a role to play", but their risks need to be managed.
"And the best way to do that is to legislate, to regulate as a credit product, so that we can manage some of the risks around hardship and marketing, and in some of these areas," he says.
"So, they've got a legitimate role to play. We think that they do have that role to play in the system. They are very popular, but we need to make sure that we can manage them appropriately because the impacts of these, the harsher impacts of these, fall disproportionately on some elements of our society, and we don't want that."
Check out this WILD hole-in-one by golfer Michael Block
By Tom Williams
You love to see it.
Michael Block has added an exclamation point to his week at Oak Hill Country Club in the US state of New York by dunking a hole-in-one at the par-3 15th hole.
Block's tee shot landed directly in the hole without a bounce, and his ball caused some damage to the side of the cup as it flew in.
The moment caused some absolute scenes.
New South Wales just announced its squad for the opening State of Origin game
By Tom Williams
Including three debutants!
You can read the Sports team's full report below:
95-year-old woman remains in hospital after being tasered by police
By Tom Williams
A family friend of a 95-year-old woman tasered by police in southern New South Wales last week say her family are preparing for a tough few days ahead.
Clare Nowland, who has dementia, remains in in a serious condition in Cooma Hospital after the incident at her aged care home.
A critical incident investigation is underway and parishioners gathered at her local church yesterday to pray for her recovery.
Family friend, Graham Boller says its a difficult time for the community.
"She means a lot to the community and it's what our community is and her family are all of the same," he says.
"They're all really lovely people and very caring people and its a very tough situation for the town and everybody at the moment."
Sam Kerr helps push Chelsea towards another title
By Tom Williams
Australia's Sam Kerr has helped push Chelsea to the very brink of a fourth straight Women's Super League title in England, providing the key assist in their crucial 2-0 win over Arsenal.
The Matildas captain set up a goal in the Blues' victory, which keeps them on top of the standings, but Manchester United have ensured the race will go to the final day next weekend.
Scorsese debuts Killers of the Flower Moon in Cannes to thunderous applause
By Jessica Riga
The Cannes Film Festival is well underway, with the season's most anticipated flick receiving rave reviews.
Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon — a sweeping American epic about greed and exploitation on the bloody plains of an Osage Nation reservation in 1920s Oklahoma — is one of his most ambitious.
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone and Robert De Niro, the film stretches nearly three and a half hours and cost Apple $200 million to make.
Cannes is, of course, also all about the fashion.
SpaceX's Falcon 9 first stage booster lands back on Earth
By Tom Williams
SpaceX says Falcon 9’s first stage booster has landed back on Earth at its loading zone, which it says is a first for a human spaceflight mission.
Here's the moment it touched back down:
We have liftoff! SpaceX's latest private space flight just blasted off
By Tom Williams
The latest private space flight by SpaceX is on its way to the International Space Station, after taking off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The SpaceX Dragon craft is carrying two Saudia Arabian astronauts (including the country's first woman in space), an American businessman and a retired NASA astronaut, who is leading the mission.
The trip will take around 16 hours.
Here's the moment of liftoff:
Guitar smashed by Kurt Cobain sells for $900,000
By Jessica Riga
One of Kurt Cobain's smashed-up guitars has sold for $900,000 at an auction in New York.
The late frontman of the rock band Nirvana died in 1994, and was known for his intense and raw performances.
The busted black Fender Strato-caster, which has been put back together but is no longer playable, had been expected to sell for a tenth of the purchased amount.
Julien's Auctions called the total sale "astounding".
Treasurer backs Stan Grant, calls out 'trolls and keyboard warriors'
By Tom Williams
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has backed journalist Stan Grant, who is stepping back from hosting Q+A after tonight's episode due to racial abuse he has received, including after he appeared on the ABC's coverage of King Charles's coronation.
The treasurer, who has been interviewed by Grant on Q+A, says it's "a really sad situation".
"I have come to know Stan a bit from being on his Q+A show, and I respect him. And I think it's really sad and really unfortunate that the trolls and the keyboard warriors are silencing a really important voice in our community," he says.
"And you don't have to agree with everything that Stan says, but he is a voice of authority, he's someone who reflects on the long, historical sweep of our country, going back tens of thousands of years, and he's entitled to more respect than he's been shown."
Q+A is live from Melbourne tonight from 9:35pm AEST.
Rome's Trevi Fountain water turns black in climate protest
By Jessica Riga
Climate activists in Rome have turned the legendary Trevi Fountain waters black to protest against what they describe as the government's subsidies of fossil fuels.
They poured vegetable 'charcoal' into the fountain at the bottom of the city's Spanish steps, chanting slogans about global warming.
Police removed the activists from the hugely popular tourist site.
Climate activists have staged numerous demonstrations, spraying some works of art and blocking highways
Foo Fighters name Josh Freese as their new drummer, replacing Taylor Hawkins
By Tom Williams
American rockers Foo Fighters have confirmed that their new drummer is Josh Freese, a session drummer who has played with the band of late, and has previously played with the likes of The Offspring, Nine Inch Nails and Guns N' Roses.
Freese's time on the stool comes after longtime Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins died last year.
The band revealed the news during a live-stream overnight, where they jokingly teased that famous drummers such as Tommy Lee and Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers might be joining the band.
Foo Fighters previously announced that their next album, due out in June, will be dedicated to Hawkins and frontman Dave Grohl's late mother Virginia Hanlon Grohl.
Greek PM calls for a second election as he seeks majority
By Tom Williams
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, whose conservative party has won the country's election but without enough parliamentary seats to form a government, says he will seek a second election to consolidate his victory without the need for a coalition partner.
Mitsotakis's New Democracy party was 20 percentage points ahead of its main rival, the left-wing Syriza party, with nearly 90% of the votes counted.
But due to the current electoral system of proportional representation, his 40% vote share was still not enough to secure a majority of the 300 seats in parliament, meaning he would either have to seek a coalition partner from a smaller party, or head to a second election.
"From tomorrow, I will follow all constitutional procedures, but maintaining my firm view that the mathematics of proportional representation is akin to party horse-trading and results in a dead-end," Mitsotakis says.
"Without a doubt, the political earthquake that occurred today calls on us all to speed up the process for a definitive government solution so our country can have an experienced hand at its helm as soon as possible."
A new vote, likely in late June or early July, will be held with a new electoral law which gives bonus seats to the winning party, making it easier for it to form a government on its own.
Martina Navratilova says she's doing 'OK' after undergoing cancer treatment
By Tom Williams
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova says she is doing "OK" after undergoing treatment for throat cancer and breast cancer.
"I've gone through a very difficult year but now I'm OK," the 18-time Grand Slam singles champion said at the Italian Open after receiving the Racchetta d'Oro (Golden Racket) award.
"Tennis gave me a surprising life for which I am very grateful," she said. "I always tried to give something back when I played, and also in retirement."
The 66-year-old said in January that her prognosis was good and that she was going to start treatment that month. She said then that she noticed an enlarged lymph node in her neck while attending the season-ending WTA Finals in Fort Worth, Texas, in November, and a biopsy showed early stage throat cancer.
While Navratilova was undergoing tests on her throat, she says, the unrelated, early stage breast cancer was discovered.
Navratilova returned to her work as a TV analyst in March, when in an interview with TalkTV's Piers Morgan, she said she was told by doctors that "as far as they know, I'm cancer-free", and she should be "good to go" after some additional radiation treatment.
News Australia is searching for: Man City vs Chelsea
By Tom Williams
Manchester City has celebrated its Premier League title in style with a 1-0 win against Chelsea.
It's the third successive title for City, and its fifth in six seasons — and the finals of the Champions League and FA Cup are still to come.
"We always believed we could do this. This group of lads are professionals and winners," defender Kyle Walker says.
"Rest assured we are not finished. We have the FA Cup against our bitter rivals (Manchester United) and then the Champions League.
"We will celebrate tonight and then move on to try and create history."
Arsenal's 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest on Saturday meant City was confirmed champion even before its final home match of the campaign.
One more thing: Saudi astronauts are about to head to space on a SpaceX rocket
By Tom Williams
The latest private space flight by Elon Musk's SpaceX is preparing for liftoff this morning, weather and rocket permitting.
The passengers include Saudi Arabia's first astronauts in decades, as well as Tennessee businessman John Shoffner, who started his own sports car racing team.
They'll be led by retired NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, who now works for Axiom Space, the company that arranged the 10-day trip.
The company would not say how much the latest tickets cost, but it previously cited per-seat prices of $US55 million ($83 million).
SpaceX's Falcon rocket is scheduled to take off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at around 7:40am AEST — and you can watch the stream below.
Representing the Saudi Arabian government this time are Rayyanah Barnawi, a stem cell researcher set to become the kingdom's first woman in space, and Royal Saudi Air Force fighter pilot Ali al-Qarni.
