This is The Loop, your quick catch-up for Monday morning's news as it happened.
Key events
Live updates
That's it for The Loop today
By Felicity Ripper
Thanks for joining us for The Loop this morning as we wrapped up the news happening here, and around the world.
If you're just catching up, here's a bit of what's been happening:
Albo is hanging with Obama
By Felicity Ripper
Earlier we mentioned that the Obamas were in town.
The PM has tweeted a photo with the former US president.
The UK is outlawing laughing gas
By Felicity Ripper
The British government is cracking down on laughing gas, making it a criminal offence to be found with nitrous oxide.
There will be tighter rules for retailers selling the gas, which has become the second most-used drug among 16 to 24-year-olds.
The ban goes against advice from the UK's advisory body on the misuse of drugs, which said criminalisation was disproportionate with the level of harm it caused.
Nitrous oxide is regularly used as an anaesthetic in medicine and dentistry, and as a gas for making whipped cream in cooking.
In Australia, you may have heard the small canisters of the gas referred to as "nangs".
NSW election counting resumes
By Felicity Ripper
Labor won the NSW election on Saturday, but whether it will govern in majority is less clear.
Counting has just resumed.
You can keep up to date with the outcomes of today in our live blog:
Death toll rises in chocolate factory blast
By Felicity Ripper
A fourth person has been confirmed dead and three people remain unaccounted, two days after a powerful explosion at a chocolate factory shook a small town in Pennsylvania.
West Reading Borough Chief of Police Wayne Holben confirmed the body of a fourth victim was found under debris on Sunday at the RM Palmer Co. plant in the borough of West Reading, about 96km northwest of Philadelphia.
Chief Holben vowed that rescuers and officials “will not rest until every single person affected by this tragedy has been accounted for” from the blast that happened just before 5pm on Friday.
Rescue crews have been using heat imaging equipment and dogs to search for possible survivors after the blast destroyed one building and damaged a neighboring building.
Crews are now using heavy equipment to methodically and carefully pull debris from the site.
Borough Fire Chief Chad Moyer said on Saturday night that the chance of finding survivors was “decreasing rapidly” due to the explosion's force and the amount of time that had passed.
Mayor Samantha Kaag said officials were “still hopeful to at least get some answers and get some recoveries so that people have that reassurance and that closure".
“We're just trying to hold out as much hope as we can to get the right answers, to get quality answers, to get information to those that are affected and then let it go over to the investigation,” Mayor Kaag said.
'Serious human rights violations' on both sides of conflict with Russia
By Felicity Ripper
The UN's human rights mission in Ukraine says it has uncovered evidence of ill treatment of prisoners of war on both sides of the conflict with Russia.
It's documented incidents of torture, including things such as electrocution, beatings, and shooting in the limbs.
The head of the UN mission in Ukraine, Australian Matilda Bogner, says they interviewed 400 prisoners, approximately half on each side.
"We have found unfortunately that there are serious human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law," she says.
"So this includes summary executions, it includes torture, it includes ill treatment and poor conditions of detention."
News Australia is searching for: LeBron James
By Felicity Ripper
LeBron James returned to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday after a month-long injury absence.
He was, however, held out of the starting lineup.
The Lakers declared James available for their game against the Chicago Bulls after a pregame workout.
James scored 19 points off the bench, but Zach LaVine scored 32 points to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 118-108 victory over the Lakers.
The NBA's career scoring leader hasn't played since February 26, when he complained of a sore right foot after a win at Dallas.
James has played in a game as a reserve just once previously in his 20-year NBA career, doing it with Cleveland on December 11, 2007.
Zelenskyy asks for residents to support defence
By Felicity Ripper
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy marked the day of the Ukrainian National Guard on Sunday by renewing his call for residents in the country to help in the nation’s defence against Russia.
“Today our National Guard celebrates its day and it will be right if we all thank the National Guardsmen together,” Mr Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address.
“Fellow Ukrainians! Support our warriors whenever possible. Don't forget about volunteers’ fundraising campaigns and join when you can.
"It is very important for everyone who has informational influence to participate in informational work. This applies not only to journalists."
GPs call for prescription reform
By Felicity Ripper
Australia's peak GP body is calling for reforms to prescription rules to double the number of medicines that can be collected at a pharmacy following a doctor's visit.
The Royal Australian College of GPs wants 60 days supply for 143 medicines used to treat chronic conditions.
That's in line with a 2018 recommendation from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee.
The College's President Dr Nicole Higgins says the reforms would reduce the number of doctor visits and save patients hundreds of dollars a year.
"It is cumbersome for patients to have to go and get these scripts from their GPs and their pharmacists for chronic stable conditions," she says.
Lady Gaga has appeared on the set of Joker 2
By Felicity Ripper
Lady Gaga is back in action as Harley Quinn, filming a scene in downtown Manhattan at the Supreme Court building alongside co-star Joaquin Phoenix.
Joker: Folie à Deuxwill is expected to be a musical, and is scheduled to be released in theaters on October 4, 2024.
Protests grow in Israel
By Felicity Ripper
Earlier, we mentioned protests erupting in Israel after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed his defence minister.
Now, tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets, blocking Tel Aviv's main artery, transforming the Ayalon highway into a sea of blue-and-white Israeli flags and lighting large fires.
Demonstrations are taking place in Beersheba, Haifa and Jerusalem, where thousands of people gathered outside Netanyahu's private residence.
Police are scuffling with protesters and have sprayed crowds with a water cannon.
Former NSW minister says Barilaro saga played into election outcome
By Felicity Ripper
Former NSW Liberal Minister Andrew Constance says the scandal around John Barilaro's trade job played a role in the party's election defeat.
The former Deputy Premier, Mr Barilaro, dominated headlines last year after he was appointed to a lucrative trade job in the United States.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption cleared him of wrongdoing over the saga.
But Mr Constance says the attention the Premier and senior ministers had to devote to the saga distracted from their pitch to voters.
"We spent more time in the last 12 months talking about Manhattan compared to talking about the issues in Monaro or Bega," he says.
"And that very much created an environment which the community felt, well hang on a sec, you've gotta look after our interests."
Two dead after shooting in Hamburg, Germany
By Jessica Riga
German police say two people have died in a shooting in Hamburg, in the second deadly such incident in the city this month.
Police say they're investigating, but have so far declined to comment about the suspect.
Local media reported police were called shortly before midnight, and 28 vehicles were rushed to the scene.
Ukraine has demanded an emergency UN meeting
By Felicity Ripper
The war-torn country has called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to “counter the Kremlin's nuclear blackmail” after Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed plans to station tactical atomic weapons in Belarus.
One Ukrainian official said Russia "took Belarus as a nuclear hostage".
An explosion deep inside Russia wounded three people Sunday, further heightening tensions.
Russian authorities blamed a Ukrainian drone for the blast, which damaged residential buildings in a town just 175km south of Moscow.
Russia has said the plan to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus comes in response to the West's increasing military support for Ukraine.
Mr Putin announced the plan in a TV interview that aired Saturday, saying it was triggered by a UK decision this past week to provide Ukraine with armour-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium.
You can read more on the developments over the weekend here:
Chris Minns to talk wages 'soon'
By Felicity Ripper
NSW Premier-elect Chris Minns says he'll start having discussions with unions over new workplace agreements "soon".
Labor has pledged to scrap the public sector wage cap, and shake up the negotiating process.
Union leaders are poised to use the election of the new government to push for pay increases, and better conditions, particularly in essential industries like nursing and teaching.
Chris Minns has told Nine Radio talks will start shortly, with some awards set to expire in June.
"We know we're going into these negotiations with economic principles in mind but there is an [opportunity] to talk about what we can do in New South Wales and have a genuine negotiation, as I said during the campaign," he says.
"Every other state doesn't have a wages cap in place. We think we can get a sensible resolution and we've gotta start that process."
Israeli consul in New York resigns, says cannot serve Netanyahu
By Jessica Riga
Returning to the protests in Israel now, and Israel's consul-general in New York says he's resigning in protest at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's firing of Defence Minister Yoav Gallant in a surging dispute over a judicial overhaul sought by the government.
"I can no longer continue representing this Government," Asaf Zamir said on Twitter.
"I believe it is my duty to ensure that Israel remains a beacon of democracy and freedom in the world."
The Obamas have landed in Australia
By Jessica Riga
Former US President Barack Obama has touched down in Sydney ahead of a scheduled speaking tour.
Mr Obama flew into town yesterday with his wife Michelle on a private jet.
Mr Obama is set to speak at the city's An Evening with President Obama before heading to Melbourne.
Adele extends Vegas residency, plans concert film
By Jessica Riga
Adele fans, rejoice!
The singer has announced she's extending her Las Vegas residency with 34 more dates between June and November and also plans to release a concert film.
Saturday night's show was the last performance in the British singer's original Weekends With Adele series that covered 34 dates since last November on the Las Vegas Strip.
"Playing to 4,000 people for 34 dates is not enough, and I know that," Adele said during Saturday's show.
"So I am coming back for a few weeks in June, and I'm going to release it to make sure anyone who wants to see this show can see it."
Thousands of Israelis are protesting
By Felicity Ripper
Israelis have taken to the streets in protest after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed his defence minister who had urged the government to halt a highly-contested plan to overhaul the judicial system.
Reuters TV footage showed huge crowds blocking Tel Aviv's main highway as well as a group of protesters lighting a bonfire in the middle of the highway.
Wine producers warned of 'Prosecco' use
By Felicity Ripper
The Australian wine industry has warned local producers may no longer be able to use the name Prosecco to describe sparkling wine.
The EU is again seeking protection for wine geographical indications including prosecco, as it negotiates amendments to an Australian wine trade agreement.
Australian Grape and Wine CEO Lee McLean says it's the second time the EU has tried to stop the use of the name in Australia.
"The EU is reaching the final stages of its negotiation with Australia on a free trade agreement, they are holding firm on this view that prosecco should be protected as a GI, we are holding firm on the view that it should be protected as a grape variety name, so Australian grape growers and producers can keep using the term," he says.
