G'day. It's Wednesday, January 5, and you're reading The Loop, a quick wrap-up of today's news.
One thing you should know
National Cabinet met today, and the Prime Minister has announced a bunch of changes to COVID testing in an attempt to reduce massive pressure on testing centres around the country.
He said:
- People who aren't symptomatic don't require PCR testing
- People who test positive via a rapid antigen test won't need a PCR test to confirm the result
- The seven-day rolling test requirement for truck drivers will be removed
- Negative tests will no longer be required to enter a hospital (but it's likely you'll be given one when you get there)
- Second tests will no longer be required for those coming from overseas
- Concession card holders will be able to access up to 10 free rapid antigen tests over the next few months
- But there's been no agreement on free RATs for everyone
- Provisions will be put in place to prevent price gouging on RATs
Want more detail? Have a scroll back through today's COVID live blog.
What else is going on
- The Acting Australian Border Force Commissioner is examining an "issue" that has arisen with Novak Djokovic's Australian Travel Declaration for the Australian Open, but little detail has been provided about what the issue is
- A Victorian man who allegedly lit a fire at Old Parliament House and was caught breaching his bail conditions just 15 minutes after leaving jail has been granted bail for a second time by the ACT Magistrates Court
News alerts you might have missed
- A 60-year-old man has died after being pulled from the surf on the Gold Coast. It's believed he was knocked unconscious while bodyboarding
- SA has recorded 3,493 new COVID cases with 125 people in hospital. Close contact testing protocol changes have been flagged for the coming days
Not signed up for ABC News alerts and want updates like these in real-time? Head to the ABC News app homepage ➡️ Settings ➡️ Notifications and tailor your alerts to what you want to know.
What Australia has been searching for online
- Australia vs England. It's been an on-and-off first day of the fourth Ashes Test, with patchy rain causing stoppages. Australia has already claimed the series, so England's battle to avoid the whitewash is on
- Elizabeth Holmes. ICYMI yesterday, the Theranos founder was found guilty on four charges of fraud and conspiracy linked to her blood-testing startup
One more thing
Remember this classic Nirvana album cover?
That baby, Spencer Elden (who's now 30) filed a lawsuit saying the band sexually exploited him in its 1991 album Nevermind — but a US federal judge has dismissed the case.
In his lawsuit filed last August, Mr Elden claimed he had suffered "lifelong damages" from the album cover, which depicted him swimming naked toward a dollar bill pierced with a fish hook.
He was seeking at least $US150,000 ($207,000) in damages from each of several defendants, including Universal Music Group, Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl and Courtney Love, Kurt Cobain's widow.
But US District Judge Fernando Olguin dismissed the lawsuit after Mr Elden missed a deadline to respond to the defendants' motion to dismiss the case.
You're up to date
Thanks for joining us.
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