Hi. It's Wednesday, March 16 and you're reading The Loop, a quick wrap-up of today's news.
Let's start here
A 12-storey apartment building in central Kyiv has been struck by shrapnel from an artillery shell, destroying the top floor and setting the building alight.
Kyiv's emergency service agency said a neighbouring building was also damaged, with two people injured and 37 people evacuated.
- Kyiv is currently under a 35-hour curfew
- The UNHCR says more than 3 million Ukrainians have now fled the country
- Air raid sirens have been activated in multiple cities today
Head of the Kyiv region, Oleksiy Kuleba, says Russian troops are trying to cut off the Ukrainian capital from transport arteries and destroy logistical capabilities.
He says "kindergartens, museums, churches, residential blocks and engineering infrastructure are suffering from the endless firing", across the city and surrounds.
What else is going on?
- A Northern Rivers MP wants an inquiry into the handling of emergency triple zero phone calls during the NSW floods after an estimated 20 communities were plunged into complete communication isolation for days, unable to call for assistance, supplies or even contact emergency services
"I was like, I'm going to die. We could die. This could be our last day on earth and we couldn't say anything to anybody we love and it was pretty horrific."
- Coraki resident Dominique Sorrensen who was trapped in the NSW floods with no communication
- Peter Dutton has called Vladimir Putin a "paranoid" dictator and ramped up warnings about Russia's "unholy alliance" with China in another escalation in language from one of the federal government's fiercest critics of the Russian invasion
News alerts you might have missed
- Collingwood's AFLW qualifying final against the Brisbane Lions will be rescheduled due to a COVID outbreak affecting the Magpies squad
- SA has recorded its highest daily total of COVID-19 cases in almost two months with 3,122 new cases, two days after the Adelaide Cup long weekend
What Australia has been searching for online
- Ed Sheeran. The Grammy Award-winning artist has announced he's coming back to Australia and New Zealand as part of a massive stadium tour just days after he posted a tribute to Aussies and good mates Shane Warne and Michael Gudinski, saying "the world keeps taking incredible people away".
- Bruno Fornaroli. The Perth Glory striker has scored a Socceroos call-up — he's previously represented Uruguay, but a change in FIFA's eligibility rules means the 34-year-old is now eligible to represent Australia and is set to be named in extended squads for upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
One more thing
Pack your bags! New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says vaccinated Australians can travel next door without having to quarantine from April 12.
Aunty Cindy says the reopening will be just in time for the Australian school holidays, as well as lining up with NZ's ski season.
Travellers will be required to return a negative COVID-19 test before they leave, plus two negative tests when they arrive and then another one on day six of their stay, but Ms Ardern says this can be a RAT.
Tourism Minister Stuart Nash says NZ will be launching a campaign to attract Australian tourists back across the ditch.
You're up to date
Thanks for joining us.
ABC/wires
