This is The Loop, your quick catch-up for this morning's news as it happens.
Key events
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That's it for The Loop this morning
By Kate Ainsworth
Thanks for joining us — if you're looking to catch up, here's what we covered this morning (hit the link to jump straight to the post):
- A trial into whether Elon Musk misled Tesla shareholders with a 2018 tweet has begun in San Francisco
- Australia's vaccine advisory body ATAGI is considering approving a fifth COVID-19 vaccine dose
- Climate activist Greta Thunberg was detained while protesting at a coal mine site in Germany
- Donald Trump will make his first 2024 presidential campaign appearance next week in South Carolina
- The world's oldest person, Sister Andre, has died in France at the age of 118
- And Madonna has announced a career-spanning tour (but there's no Australian dates just yet)
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.
Turns out Elon Musk wasn't invited to the World Economic Forum after all
By Kate Ainsworth
The World Economic Forum says billionaire Elon Musk wasn’t on the guest list, despite the Twitter owner's claims.
The annual meeting of business and political leaders in the Swiss ski resort of Davos started yesterday.
In a tweet last month, Mr Musk said that his reason for declining the Davos invitation was because "it sounded boring".
But a spokesperson for the forum says the last time the Tesla and Twitter CEO got an invitation was back in 2015.
Ineos flags interest to buy Manchester United
By Kate Ainsworth
Ineos, the firm of British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe has officially entered the race to buy English football powerhouse Manchester United.
Manchester United is currently owned by the Glazer family, who said in November that they were considering selling the club.
Ratcliffe is one of the UK's richest men and a boyhood fan of United, and made an unsuccessful $7.5 billion bid to buy Chelsea last year.
Ineos says the company has formally put themselves into the process.
Infectious diseases expert says fifth COVID shot 'makes sense'
By Kate Ainsworth
A Brisbane infectious diseases expert says it make sense to offer more Australians access to a fifth COVID-19 vaccine dose.
Federal health minister Mark Butler has asked Australia's vaccine advisory body to look at whether an additional shot is necessary.
Currently, only adults with a severely compromised immune system are eligible.
The Director of Infectious Diseases at the Mater Hospital Dr Paul Griffin says it's the right move, with further waves likely this year.
"I think there's lots of people that want to get another dose, those people that had their last dose some time ago and people who might have a perceived increased risk, whether they're travelling, or working in a high-risk role for example.
"So we don't want to boost people again too early but I think they're all the things ATAGI are considering and that should lead to another dose fairly soon."
Want to own a Taylor Swift guitar? Now's your chance
By Kate Ainsworth
A signed Epiphone acoustic guitar with Taylor Swift's evermore album cover is up for auction for charity.
The guitar has been signed by Swift, with the current bid at $US2,250.
But if Swift's guitar isn't your thing, Eminem is auctioning off a pair of signed Nike Air Maxes, and BTS's J-Hope has donated a black jumpsuit and belt worn during a photo shoot for his debut solo album.
A signed print of an oil painting of Jimi Hendrix owned by Joni Mitchell is also up for sale, and Olivia Rodrigo's custom 2022 Glastonbury Festival outfit (the one she wore for that memorable performance with Lily Allen) will also go under the hammer.
The auction is happening on February 5 after the Grammy Awards, with proceeds going to MusiCares, which helps musicians in times of financial and medical crisis.
You can check out the full list of items up for auction below:
Bodies of Nepal plane crash victims returned to families
By Kate Ainsworth
Nepalese authorities have begun returning the bodies of Sunday's plane crash victims to their families.
The Yeti Airlines flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara nosedived into a gorge minutes before it was due to land, killing all 72 people on board, including an Australian.
Australia says it's working with authorities in Nepal to assist in the recovery of Sydney man Myron Love, who was on the plane.
The aircraft's data recorder has been sent to France for analysis, as they try to find out what caused the crash.
Watch: Margot Robbie speaks to News Breakfast about her latest film
By Kate Ainsworth
Aussie actress Margot Robbie sat down to chat with News Breakfast's Michael Rowland about her latest film, Babylon, alongside her co-star Diego Calva.
Robbie, who plays Nelly in the film, says the script was "unlike anything I had read before".
Catch up on the full chat below:
Trump to make first 2024 campaign appearance next week
By Kate Ainsworth
It seems like months ago that former US president Donald Trump announced he'd be running in 2024, but now he's set to make his first public appearance of his new campaign in South Carolina next week.
He'll be joined by two well-known South Carolina Republicans — US Senator Lindsey Graham, one of Trump's most loyal backers, and Governor Henry McMaster — at the State House in Columbia on January 28.
The announcement by his campaign team says Trump will be unveiling his campaign's state leadership team.
If you're wondering why he's chosen South Carolina, the state is one of the first to hold presidential nominating contests during election years — and Trump won the state over current US President Joe Biden in 2020.
South Carolina is also traditionally included in the first three Republicans presidential nomination contests, with the other two being Iowa and New Hampshire.
Trump hasn't hit the campaign trail since he formally began his presidential run in November last year, instead making occasional appearances before invited guests at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
Actor Jeremy Renner out of hospital after snow plough accident
By Kate Ainsworth
Here's some good news for your Wednesday — actor Jeremy Renner says he's been discharged from hospital and is at home after a serious snow plough accident earlier this month.
Renner shared the news in a tweet responding to his Paramount+ TV series Mayor of Kingstown, saying he watched the latest episode at home.
Renner was run over by his snow plough in Nevada while trying to use it to free a relative's vehicle on New Year's Day, and left him in a critical condition with major chest trauma and other injuries.
Authorities are still investigating the incident, but say there were no signs the Marvel star was impaired, and there was no suggestion of foul play.
Ash Barty is back on the courts at Melbourne Park
By Kate Ainsworth
Sorry to get your hopes up tennis fans, but it's not because she's a late entry into the Australian Open this year to defend her title.
The former world number one (and mum-to-be) took to the courts to have a hit with the First Nations ball kids squad.
The morning training session was organised as part of today's Australian Open First Nations Day, which aims to celebrate Indigenous art, culture and sport.
The now-retired Barty says it's great to be back out on the court.
"A day like today brings people together and I'm certainly very happy to be here back on court hitting with yellow balls," she said.
"It's few and far between these days but certainly nice to be out here with the kids."
India will overtake China as most populous country by the end of the year
By Kate Ainsworth
That's according to the UN, even though India's population growth has been slowing down in recent years.
Currently, India estimates its population at 1.38 billion, compared to China's 1.4 billion.
India is also one of the youngest countries in the world — 27.3% of its population is aged between 15 and 29.
It comes as China's population declined for the first time in 60 years in 2022 — which has been blamed on the ending of the long-standing one-child policy.
French mayor asks Madonna to lend their city a painting
By Kate Ainsworth
Speaking of Madonna (who's going back on tour, if you missed it), she's been asked to lend the French city of Amiens a 19th century painting.
Yes, really.
The mayor of Amiens says the "Diana and Endymion" painting by Jerome-Martin Langlois, commissioned by French King Louis XVIII, was lost during World War I.
French newspaper Le Figaro reported that the painting, or a nearly identical one, went on sale at an auction in New York in 1989 where Madonna paid $US1.3 million for it.
But lending the painting is for a good cause — Amiens wants it to help its chances of becoming the European Capital of Culture.
"We do not dispute in any way the legal acquisition that you have made but we are candidates to be European Capital of Culture in 2028. So I would like that on this occasion, this year, you could lend us your painting," Amiens mayor Brigitte Foure said in a video posted on Facebook.
Madonna has so far not commented on the request (I suspect she's busy rehearsing Vogue).
World's oldest person, French nun Sister Andre has died aged 118
By Kate Ainsworth
Lucile Randon, also known as Sister Andre, has died aged 118 in France, her retirement home has confirmed.
Born on February 11, 1904, Sister Andre became the world's oldest living person in April 2022, after the death of Japanese woman Kane Tanaka.
She was also the oldest known survivor of COVID-19 — she tested positive a month before her 117th birthday.
Sister Andre kept working until she was 108, telling reporters last year that work kept her alive.
Funeral for George Pell to be held on February 2
By Kate Ainsworth
A funeral for the late Cardinal George Pell will be held at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney on February 2 before he's buried in the church's crypt, the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney has confirmed.
His body will lie in state in the cathedral the day before, where the church anticipates thousands of people will turn out to pay their respects to the late Cardinal.
On February 2, a Pontifical Requiem Mass will beheld, which will also be shown in the Cathedral forecourt and livestreamed, before he's buried in a private ceremony.
The Cardinal died in Rome last week aged 81.
Missed the Australian Open last night?
By Kate Ainsworth
If you weren't up all night watching the tennis (no judgment, I wasn't either) you would have missed the rest of what was frankly a bizarre day at Melbourne Park.
Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis was just five points away from victory in the third set against Italy's Fabio Fognini before rain caused play to be suspended.
Until then, the Aussie was up 6-1, 6-2, 4-2 against the Italian, and the match will resume later today.
Meanwhile Alex de Minaur cruised to victory in straight sets in his first-round match, while Alexei Popyrin won a five setter agaisnt Taiwan's Chun-Hsin Tseng.
As for what else is coming up today — organisers have to get all the matches that weren't able to be played yesterday due to extreme heat and then rain (also known as: classic Melbourne weather) out of the way, so that will push today's matches even later.
Finding it hard to keep up? Same. But that's why my dedicated ABC Sport colleague Paul Johnson will be blogging all the action as it happens later today.
But if you want to get ahead of the curve and find out everything that happened last night, look no further than yesterday's blog:
Severe weather warning cancelled for parts of Queensland
By Kate Ainsworth
Some better news for parts of Queensland this morning — the Bureau of Meteorology has cancelled a severe weather warning for Queensland's Central Coast and Whitsundays region.
Although the immediate threat of severe weather has passed, a broad flood watch and multiple flood warnings remain current over parts of the state's north-east.
The BOM says rain and flooding in the area between Mackay and Bowen will continue to be monitored, with further warnings to be issued if necessary.
ATAGI considering approving fifth COVID vaccine dose
By Kate Ainsworth
If you missed it last night, Australia's vaccine advisory body is considering whether to approve a fifth dose to protect people against COVID-19.
Only adults with a severely compromised immune system are currently eligible for a fifth vaccine.
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler says the Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation is looking at whether to expand the eligibility.
"I've made clear that advice to me from ATAGI, the Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, was that we should expect advice from them very early this year about an additional booster dose," he told 7.30.
"They and governments are thinking about need to be prepared for the next winter."
Thousands of Victorian homes are without power after severe storm
By Kate Ainsworth
If you're just waking up in Victoria without power, this might be why.
About 4,000 homes and businesses are without power after thunderstorms lashed the state last night.
The SES received more than 200 calls for help due to fallen trees and building damage, particularly around Melbourne's east and Ecucha in northern Victoria.
Powercor says there were a large number of outages overnight, and about 1,500 people around Bendigo and Echuca are still without power.
Ausnet Services says there are widespread outages across central and south-east Victoria, with more storms forecast for Victoria today.
Graceland to hold public memorial for Lisa Marie Presley
By Kate Ainsworth
A public memorial service for Lisa Marie Presley will be held on January 22 at Graceland, the famous home of her father, Elvis Presley.
A representative for her daughter, actor Riley Keough, says the memorial will be held on the front lawn of the Memphis mansion at 9am.
Presley died last week aged 54, hours after being hospitalised for a medical emergency.
Her family has previously announced that she will be buried at Graceland next to her son, Benjamin Keough, who died in 2020.
Presley was also the sole heir of the Elvis Presley Trust, which partly managed Graceland — with People reporting yesterday that Graceland will now be inherited by Presley's three daughters.
Trial into Elon Musk tweet about Tesla begins
By Kate Ainsworth
Over in San Francisco, the jury selection has begun for a trial over an Elon Musk tweet saying he would take Tesla private in a multi-billion-dollar buyout.
If you're not familiar with the case (and you'd be forgiven as there's no shortage of Musk/Twitter headlines floating about), back in 2018 Elon Musk tweeted that he had secured funding to take his electric car company Tesla private.
The only problem — funding wasn't secured, and Tesla wasn't taken private.
Musk is now being sued by a group of Tesla shareholders, who say that tweet manipulated the share price of the company and they lost billions of dollars as a result.
The Tesla CEO though argued that the funding was secured from Saudi Arabia's Investment Fund, and therefore didn't commit securities fraud.
If the jury rules in favour of the shareholders, Musk could be ordered to pay billions of dollars in damages (on top of the $US20 million he paid to the Securities Exchange Commission, and the $US20 million Tesla paid for the now-infamous tweet.
It's not yet known whether Mr Musk will give evidence — but media boss James Murdoch is on the list of witnesses.
