The Skinny - Australia's News Update

The Queensland Premier has ordered a full inquiry into the alleged hit run murders of a pregnant couple on Australia Day, Queensland is reopening its border to all of New South Wales and Victoria in February, accused paedophile principal Malka Liefer has faced court in Melbourne, International Holocaust Remembrance Day has been held across the world, NSW Police are hunting men behind robberies across Sydney’s inner west and Taronga Zookeepers are trying to find out how an ape escaped its enclosure.

A 17-year-old has been charged with murder after a pregnant woman and her partner were hit and killed by a car on Brisbane’s bayside, Former Melbourne principal Malka Leifer has been extradited from Israel to face child sex abuse charges, AstraZeneca has denied reports its vaccine is less effective in the elderly, U.S. President Joe Biden has spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time since taking office and a TV series could be made about Harry Potter.

The Pfizer vaccine has been given the green light from the Therapeutic Goods Administration and is expected to start rolling out in late February, the travel industry is facing collapse with a new study indicating 40,000 jobs will be lost when JobKeeper ends, hundreds of firefighters are battling bushfires threatening lives in South Australia, NSW Police are warning ‘Invasion Day’ protesters they will be fined if they breach public health orders and Space X has completed the first mission in its rideshare program.

Watch the Senate Inquiry LIVE on the Australian Online News homepage as Google threatens to remove the search function in Australia if the government is successful in implementing a proposed media bargaining code, Police hunt those involved in a brawl on Sydney’s northern beaches, an Australian Open player tests positive to COVID-19 after complaining about hotel quarantine, parts of the south-east are set to swelter into next week and a domestic tuxedo cat meets its LEGO doppelganger.

The United States has welcomed a new President in a star-spangled inauguration featuring Jennifer Lopez and Lady Gaga, Donald Trump broke with tradition and didn’t attend the inauguration but said he’ll be back in a different form, Novak Djokovic has written a letter to the Australian public addressing his hotel quarantine issues in Melbourne, Brisbane coronavirus restrictions are lifting tomorrow and the Tiger King lashes out from prison.

Donald Trump has detailed his successes in office in what’s likely to be his final speech as U.S. President as Joe Biden farewelled his hometown of Delaware ahead of tomorrow’s inauguration in Washington, Mr Biden and Kamala Harris held a memorial marking 400,000 American lives lost to the coronavirus pandemic, restrictions are on track to be lifted in Greater Brisbane tomorrow with only 2 new cases detected from travellers in hotel quarantine, a driver has been charged over an alleged burnout in Sydney’s west and Netflix has hit 200 million subscribers.

South-east Queensland is expected to be smashed by more storms after a deluge of rain caused flooding overnight, Topical Cyclone Kimi has been downgraded for could reform, Nick Kyrios has weighed in on the Australia Open quarantine drama, U.S. First Lady Melania Trump has called for peace and unity as her husband prepares to leave office and check out the incredible homemade Iron Man suit.

72 tennis stars are in hotel quarantine ahead of the Australian Open with Novak Djokovic sending Tennis Australia a list of demands, authorities are investigating if there’s a link between 30 deaths and the Pfizer vaccine in Norway, residents in North Queensland are preparing for Tropical Cyclone Kimi, security has been tightened in Washington DC ahead of Joe Biden’s inauguration, Rock producer and convicted killer Phil Spector has died from COVID-19 and see the Gold Coast mansion with a hefty price tag.

Donald Trump has been impeached for a second time after a vote in the US House of Representatives but he may not face trial until after his term ends, guests from the Hotel Chancellor in Brisbane are spending time in new accommodation after six people linked to the facility were infected with the UK strain, a 19-year-old man has been charged with the alleged rape of a woman in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley, Three people have died in drownings in Victoria, Rebel Wilson has revealed the most frightening moment of her life and space-aged wine has been brought back to earth – does it taste any different?

More than 100 people have been evacuated from a hotel in Brisbane after it was discovered six people with the UK strain were linked to the facility, Samsung has showcased a new robot, electronics company Razer has created a transparent smart mask, Coon cheese has crumbled to pressure and changed its name and there are calls for Donald Trump’s cameo to be removed from Home Alone 2.