Good morning, it's Wednesday, March 2. Here's what you need to get going today.
One thing to know right now: Russia has launched a missile at Kyiv
Here's the lowdown:
- Russia has warned residents of Kyiv they should leave their homes as they prepare to strike more targets in the Ukrainian capital
- Overnight, Russian forces launched a missile strike on a TV tower in Kyiv, that is next to the Holocaust memorial commemorating one of the biggest single massacres of Jews by Nazi Germany
- Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted calling the move "evil" and condemned Russia for its actions
One thing you’ll be hearing about today: Sydney faces a flooding threat
- Up to 200mm of rain is expected to fall today and there's a severe weather warning in place for heavy rain and high winds along the NSW coast from Newcastle to Bega
- The SES says heavy to torrential rain is expected to hit Sydney, the Illawarra and the South Coast as an east coast low moves towards the state
- These were the latest flood warnings for Sydney this morning (but our live blog here or ABC Emergency will keep you up to date):
- And a second flood-related death has been confirmed in Northern NSW. The Mayor of Lismore said he understands it's another elderly person
- Meanwhile further north, Ballina hospital was evacuated overnight due to rising floodwaters
- And in Brisbane, flooding in some areas next to the river may not recede until early next week as water is released from Wivenhoe Dam (that's to drain its flood mitigation component in case of further wet season rain)
Also: Joe Biden's State of the Union is happening today (at 1pm AEDT). You can get up-to-speed with that here
News while you snoozed
Let's get you up to speed.
- Scott Morrison has caught COVID-19 and says he has flu-like symptoms, but will continue in his role. The PM developed a fever late yesterday and will spend the next week isolating at home in Sydney
- One of Australia's two largest warships, the HMAS Adelaide, is expected to leave Tonga this week after a humanitarian mission was hampered by massive power failures on board
The news Australia is searching for
- Species Rex: That's the news that the apex predator itself, Tyrannosaurus rex, might actually be three species. Researchers said variations from an examination of about three dozen Tyrannosaurus fossils warrant two additional species: T. imperator, meaning "tyrant lizard emperor", and T. regina, meaning "tyrant lizard queen" (one guess only for what Rex means).
- Cain Velasquez: The former UFC heavyweight champion is facing an attempted murder charge after he was allegedly involved in a shooting in California.
- Fantastic Beasts: There's a new trailer out for The Secrets of Dumbledore. Let me save you the google:
One more thing: Movies on the banned list in Russia
Russia's facing a *lot* of bans — financial, sporting and now movies.
Big studios Warner Bros, Disney and Sony have all halted the release of films in Russian cinemas.
What does that mean? The Batman, Turning Red and Morbius are some of the big ones that won't screen there.
The Cannes Film Festival has banned official Russian delegations overnight, and Netflix says it won't carry state-backed channels.
And ICYMI, this has to be a slightly heartwarming movie fact that came to light this week — the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy voiced beloved bear Paddington in the Ukrainian version:
That's it for now
We'll be back later on with more.
ABC/wires
