The Loop: Some weather warnings lifted, schools closed, Zelenskyy's message and tearful WA reunions

Good evening. It's Thursday, March 3. Here's what's been happening today. 

One thing you need to know right now: The severe weather warning for Sydney has been cancelled

• The severe weather warnings for Sydney, the Illawarra and Central Tablelands have been cancelled by the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).
• A BOM update said heavy rain could continue to fall over parts of the Mid-North Coast and Hunter, but rainfall totals have been downgraded to a possible 60 to 100 millimetres. Damaging wind gusts are also possible along the coast in those areas.

In Queensland:

• The storm focus in Brisbane has now shifted towards the Cooloola Coast, Fraser Coast and Wide Bay-Burnett.
• Schools across south-east Queensland will only be open to vulnerable children and those of essential workers tomorrow. The region has been warned it could experience "very dangerous" weather over the next 24 to 48 hours.
• Earlier today, the premier advised parents and carers in the northern Moreton Bay region, the Sunshine Coast, Gympie and Wide Bay to pick up their children.

Another big story today: Volodymyr Zelenskyy has addressed the nation in a video 

... And this time the Ukrainian president gave an upbeat assessment of the war, calling on his countrymen to keep up the resistance.

Here are some of the things he said:

"No-one will be conquered. Even if they can accumulate more equipment and more people, it doesn't change anything for them. They will be destroyed everywhere."

The president also said the fighting was taking a toll on the morale of Russian soldiers:

"These are not warriors of a superpower. These are confused children who have been used."

Watch some of his video here:

Volodymyr Zelenskyy tells Russian troops to "go home".

One more thing: WA's border is officially open again

After more than 700 days of being closed, the hard border lifted.

Premier Mark McGowan said the state was embarking on a new chapter of the pandemic and, while border restrictions served an important purpose, they would almost certainly be left in the past. 

Here's what Perth Airport looked like this morning (and if you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around):

There have been emotional scenes at Perth Airport, with some families waiting almost two years to reunite.

News you might have missed

• Car parks: Plans for four new car parks in Treasurer Josh Frydenberg's electorate of Kooyong were dumped amid allegations of pork-barrelling. The Treasurer was facing heated constituent backlash for his car park promises, worth a combined $65 million. 
• Refugees: The UN said 1 million people had fled Ukraine since Russia's invasion less than a week ago. That amounts to more than 2 per cent of Ukraine's population on the move in under a week.

That's it for the day

We'll be back tomorrow with more.

ABC/wires