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The Loop: Jair Bolsonaro hospitalised, federal government promises ADF support to flooded WA, Damar Hamlin released from Cincinnati hospital

This is The Loop, your quick look at this morning's news as it happens.

Live updates

Keeping you in The Loop

By Kelsie Iorio

Pinned

Thanks for joining our live wrap of today's key headlines.

You can stay up to date on the ABC News website and by subscribing to our mobile alerts.

If you're just joining us, here's what you need to know:

  • The Bureau of Meteorology says there is no risk of a tsunami after NT residents were awoken by a magnitude-7.7 earthquake north of Darwin overnight
  • Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has left hospital in Cincinnati and returned to his home state for further treatment after he went into cardiac arrest on the field during an NFL match last week
  • The federal minister for emergency management says the government will provide as much ADF support to WA as it needs in response to record-breaking flooding in the Kimberley
  • Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has been admitted to a hospital in Florida with intestinal discomfort, but his doctor says it's "not a serious case" and he likely won't need surgery
  • Thousands of nurses from two major New York City hospitals have gone on strike after contract negotiations stalled over pay and staffing levels
  • Wales and Los Angeles FC winger Gareth Bale has decided to end his top-level playing career at the age of 33, having reached exceptional milestones in both club and international football

Baz Luhrmann talks Elvis with Variety

By Kelsie Iorio

This comes ahead of the Golden Globes, which you can catch tomorrow morning:

Western Europe launches first satellite

By Kelsie Iorio

Virgin Orbit's "Cosmic Girl" has taken off from Newquay's spaceport in Cornwall.

It's the UK's first satellite launch.

And yes,  Jamiroquai has weighed in on it:

Kamala Harris condemns Brazil attacks

By Kelsie Iorio

US Vice President Kamala Harris has condemned the attack on Brazilian state institutions perpetrated by supporters of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro.

Harris called Sunday's invasion of Brazil's Congress, Supreme Court, and presidential palace a "clear and obvious attack on a democratic process".

She made remarks during the swearing-in ceremony for the new US Ambassador to Brazil, Elizabeth Bagley, in Washington DC.

Harris also said the US is looking forward to Bagley's leadership and to working with Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Reporting with Reuters

Damar Hamlin continuing treatment in Buffalo

By Kelsie Iorio

I wasn't sure if Damar Hamlin was going to make it after those horrific on-field scenes last week.

It's not the same injury, but it brought back memories of the likes of Christian Eriksen and Phil Hughes.

He's got a long way to go in his recovery, but this little snippet of positivity in that process is just so good.

Belgium to extend the life of two nuclear reactors by 10 years

By Michael Doyle

Belgium has reached an agreement with French utility Engie to extend the life of two nuclear reactors by 10 years, the prime minister said on Monday, overturning a plan to exit nuclear power in 2025 as the war in Ukraine has changed energy strategy.

The Doel 4 and Tihange 3 reactors — the newest of Belgium's seven reactors — were due to close for good in 2025, but will now restart in November 2026 after necessary work and will continue operating for 10 years.

"The extension of these two nuclear reactors is crucial to guarantee our energy security," Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo told a news conference after meeting cabinet members.

Belgium had planned to exit nuclear power entirely in 2025, but Russia's invasion of Ukraine has forced the government to rethink plans to rely more on natural gas.

Belgium's electricity network operator has warned that Belgium would face a significant shortage in the winter of 2026 to 2027 without the nuclear extension.

Reporting by Reuters

Police reveal new information on first-grade classroom shooting in the US

By Kelsie Iorio

Virginia Police Chief Steve Drew says a six-year-old student fired a handgun that wounded a first-grade teacher while she was teaching a class.

Chief Drew had previously said that the shooting was not accidental and declined to elaborate, but today he alleged the student pulled the gun out, pointed at the teacher and fired at her.

He said there was no physical struggle over the gun preceding the gunshot.

Teacher Abby Zwerner is in stable condition in an area hospital.

The boy was later taken into police custody and no students were injured.

Virginia law does not allow six-year-olds to be tried as adults, and a child that age is too young to be committed to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice if found guilty.

Authorities have not specified where the boy was being held.

ADF support on the ground in WA

By Kelsie Iorio

The federal minister for emergency management says the government will provide as much ADF support to Western Australia as it needs in response to record-breaking flooding in the Kimberley.

Yesterday the government announced it had made emergency relief funding available to help those who've been displaced or affected by the floods.

Minister Murray Watt says, as well as financial support, the Commonwealth will continue to deploy defence resources to help.

"If the West Australian government judges that more support is needed then we’d be very happy to supply that," he says.

Mr Watt added while it wasn’t the only cause, climate change had definitely played a role in the severity of the floods.

He said in the last 12 months around 60 per cent of council areas nationally had been declared disaster zones.

"You can't have that happen without something being behind it and that something is undoubtedly climate change," Mr Watt says.

Reporting by Georgia Hitch

Wild weather hits northern New Zealand

By Kelsie Iorio

New Zealand's North Island has been hit by major storms caused by an ex-tropical cyclone, causing widespread flooding, land slips and power outages.

Forecasters have issued severe weather warnings for several areas including Auckland, the Coromandel and Hawke's Bay.

Rain is predicted to peak in most regions this afternoon.

JUST IN: Australia names T20 World Cup squad

By Kelsie Iorio

Alyssa Healy has been named in Australia's 15-player T20 World Cup squad, with selectors backing her to recover from a calf injury by the time the tournament starts next month.

Leg spinner Georgia Wareham is also in the squad after recovering from a torn ACL.

Damar Hamlin's doctors: 'Learn CPR'

By Kelsie Iorio

Here's ESPN reporter Coley Harvey, who's been covering this story since it first happened:

NT residents wake to earthquake tremors

By Michael Doyle

The Bureau of Meteorology says there is no risk of a tsunami after NT residents were awoken by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake north of Darwin overnight.

The undersea earthquake hit at 4:47am ADST on Tuesday, approximately 600 kilometres north of the Northern Territory capital.

Residents across Darwin, Palmerston, Katherine and Arnhem Land have reported feeling tremors.

The level of infrastructure damage — if any — remains at this stage unclear.

You can read more about the earthquake with our reporter Thomas Morgan:

New York nurses strike over pay, conditions

By Kelsie Iorio

Thousands of nurses from two major New York City hospitals went on strike on Monday after contract negotiations stalled over pay and staffing levels.

The New York State Nurses Association said in a statement that the walkout involved more than 7,000 nurses at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx and Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan.

The COVID pandemic, a respiratory syncytial virus outbreak and this year's flu season has put a strain on the healthcare sector across the most populous city in the US, creating tensions between nurses and their employers.

Striking nurses rallied outside both hospitals, chanting "every patient is a VIP" and waving signs in support of hiring more nurses and better pay.

The hospitals said in separate statements on Monday that they offered a 19.1 per cent compounded wage increase to the nurses, and Montefiore Medical Center also said it was committed to create over 170 new nursing positions.

Montefiore said the strike forced them to reschedule all elective surgeries and procedures and postpone appointments at ambulatory locations. Sinai said most of its outpatient appointments and procedures were going forward as scheduled.

Reporting with Reuters

Welsh legend Gareth Bale retires from international football

By Michael Doyle

Wales and Los Angeles FC winger Gareth Bale has decided to end his top-level playing career at the age of 33, having reached exceptional milestones in both club and international football.

Bale played a Wales record of 111 games for his country and was a five-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid.

He helped the Welsh reach the 2016 and 2020 Euros before leading them in their first World Cup since 1958 at Qatar 2022.

"After careful and thoughtful consideration, I announce my immediate retirement from club and international football," Bale said on social media.

Bale started his senior career at then-Championship side Southampton, which introduced the 16-year-old to professional football before he moved to Tottenham Hotspur a year later.

After six seasons and nearly 150 appearances in the Premier League, Bale was signed by Real Madrid for a fee reported by British media as a world record of 100 million euros.

Reporting by Reuters

Bolsonaro hospitalised but doctor says it's 'not a serious case'

By Kelsie Iorio

Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has been admitted to a hospital in Florida with intestinal discomfort.

His wife Michelle said on Instagram it was due to a stabbing he suffered during the 2018 election campaign.

Brazilian doctor Antonio Luiz Macedo, who has been treating Bolsonaro since the stabbing, said he was unlikely to need surgery.

"It is not a serious case," he told Reuters.

Bolsonaro supporters launched the worst attack on state institutions since the country's return to democracy in the 1980s on Sunday.

His successor as president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who took office on January 1, blamed Bolsonaro for inflaming his supporters with a campaign of baseless allegations about election fraud.

Bolsonaro flew to Florida 48 hours before his term ended.

Reporting with Reuters

JUST IN: Damar Hamlin released from hospital in Cincinnati

By Kelsie Iorio

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is heading back to his home state after being released from a Cincinnati hospital.

It's barely been a week since the 24-year-old NFL player went into cardiac arrest on the field during a game against the Bengals and had to be resuscitated on the field.

He'll continue his recovery in Buffalo.

Just yesterday he cheered on the Bills from his hospital bed during their regular season-ending 35-23 win over the New England Patriots.

Setting you up for the day

By Michael Doyle

Good morning. Here is the news you need to know this morning:

  • Residents in the Northern Territory have been woken up by tremours from an earthquake north of Darwin
  • Welsh soccer legend Gareth Bale has announced his immediate retirement from the sport
  • Nurses in New York City have gone on strike over pay and staffing levels, which has delayed procedures

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.

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