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National

The Loop: Depp's $10m win, top Facebook official steps down, and Elon Musk tells employees to show up or 'work somewhere else'

Hi there, it's Thursday, June 2. Here's what you need to get going today.

One thing to know right now: Depp won his defamation case

Here's the lowdown:

  • Johnny Depp has won his defamation case against his ex-wife, Amber Heard, after a six-week trial that included confronting testimony about the couple's explosive marriage
  • He was awarded $US10.35 million ($14.4 million) in damages
  • Heard was also awarded $US2 million after she made a counterclaim against Depp's lawyer, who called her abuse allegations a hoax
  • Depp said the jury's decision gave him his life back and he was "truly humbled":
  • Heard said she was disappointed "beyond words", adding: "I'm even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It is a setback":
  • Crowds outside the court chanted "Johnny, Johnny" as the verdict was read out:

One thing you’ll be hearing about today: The Queen's (official) party

Break out the party hats, today's the *real* celebration of Queen Elizabeth II's birthday. Here's what to expect:

  • Trooping the Colour is the sovereign's personal inspection of British and Commonwealth regiments — it's been used to celebrate a monarch's birthday  for hundreds of years
  • But the moment everyone will be waiting for is this: the balcony appearance at Buckingham Palace at the end
  • We know this year it'll be limited to "working royals", which means no Prince Harry and Meghan (even though they're in town for events around the jubilee), and no Prince Andrew. So it *won't* look like this:
The balcony appearance is expected to be stripped back this year compared to 2019. (Reuters: Hannah Mckay)

News while you snoozed

Let's get you up to speed.

  • Sheryl Sandberg, the number two executive at Facebook owner Meta, has announced she's stepping down. Ms Sandberg has served as chief operating officer at the social media giant for 14 years, and has written several books on women's workforce participation, including the famous Lean In. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg says he doesn’t plan to replace Sandberg in the company’s existing structure
Sheryl Sandberg was at the social media giant for 14 years. (AP: Thibault Camus)
  • Treasurer Jim Chalmers will be briefed later today on the situation facing Australia's energy markets, particularly surging gas prices. Forecast gas prices in Victoria soared to more than 50 times their normal level earlier this week, prompting the energy market regulator to intervene. But the Treasurer is so far refusing to speculate on whether a federal "trigger" could be pulled, allowing some gas exports to be reserved for domestic use
  • Russia has reacted angrily to the US decision to provide Ukraine with advanced rocket systems. The US will send high mobility artillery rocket systems, capable of hitting targets 80 kilometres away, as part of a new support package. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the weapons can only be used inside Ukraine
The US will send Ukraine a small number of high-tech, medium range rocket systems. (AP: Tony Overman, The Olympian)

The news Australia is searching for

  • Franklin: That'll be this news — AFL star Lance Franklin has failed to overturn his one-game ban for striking Richmond's Trent Cotchin and will miss the Sydney Swans' match on Saturday, when they take on Melbourne
  • KK: The popular Bollywood singer (real name Krishnakumar Kunnath) has died about an hour after performing on stage in the Indian metro city of Kolkata. He was 53. Fans have taken to social media to express their shock over his death, especially since he posted regarding the "pulsating gig" at Nazrul Mancha a few hours before he died

One more thing: Musk lays down the WFH *law*

Are you relaxing with comfy pants for another commute-free, work-from-home day?

Be grateful you don't work for Tesla then.

Billionaire CEO Elon Musk has told his employees to get back to the office full time.

"Everyone at Tesla is required to spend a minimum of 40 hours in the office per week," Musk wrote in the email sent on Tuesday night.

In response to one of his followers on Twitter, Mr Musk said: "They should pretend to work somewhere else."

The email was seen by reporters at wire service Reuters, and confirmed by two sources. Tesla did not respond to Reuters' request for comment.

That's it for now

We'll be back later on with more.

ABC/wires

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