⏳ Monday Fix: From Down Under to Down and Out

Morning all,

Djokovic cannot stay, Prince Harry cannot come home, and the BBC cannot keep the status quo.

Until tomorrow,

Your Fixers

GOOD LISTENER?

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OKAY, WHERE WE?

The Australian Open begins today, without Novak Djokovic. Following a hearing on Sunday, Djokovic was told his visa was revoked, and he was ultimately deported.

The Financial Times reported the three judges ruled "unanimously" against the player. Djokovic said he was "extremely disappointed".

While the deportation order means he would be banned from entering the country for three years, the country's prime minister has already suggested that could be flexible.

Serbian reaction? The tennis player's home country has staunchly defended him. The Serbian prime minister described the outcome as "scandalous".

Prince Harry has launched legal proceedings against the UK government over his desire to pay for police protection while in the UK.

The prince - who stepped back as a senior member of the royal family in 2020 - said it is too dangerous to return to the UK without the guarantee of police protection.

The news sparked a lot of debate online over the weekend. Some reports excluded the fact Prince Harry wanted to personally pay for the police protection in their headlines. According to a statement from Prince Harry's legal team, his privately funded security in the US "cannot replicate the necessary police protection needed" in the UK.

In Texas, a British citizen was shot and killed in a stand-off with police after holding a number of people - including a rabbi - hostage in a synagogue.

According to BBC News, the man's brother apologised on the 'Blackburn Muslim Community' Facebook group, saying his sibling had mental health issues. All of the hostages were released within a few hours. Following the incident, two teenagers were arrested in England as part of the police investigation.

ON TODAY'S AGENDA....

There will be a secret ballot vote today for a new president of the European Parliament.

The vote comes following the death last week of David Sassoli. According to The Financial Times, he is likely to be succeeded by a Maltese MEP called Roberta Metsola.

THE MURDER OF ASHLING MURPHY

The latest news on this case is that a person of interest is currently in hospital and police are waiting to question them and gather "crucial" DNA evidence. Reports suggest the man was hospitalised with "a variety of wounds" on Thursday that he couldn't explain, including some that are considered to be self inflicted.

According to The Irish Times - the outlet that seems to have the most detail on this case - the suspect has a partner and children.

Why is the mountain bike so important? Because there have been reports a different woman was followed by a man on a bike in the hours prior to the murder of Ashling.

Important to note: No charges have been filed against the suspect.

In light of last week's news, our weekend piece looked at some of the key statistics when it comes to gender-based violence. We hope you find it a helpful read as these important conversations continue.

PANDEMIC... BUT POSITIVE

• In Ireland, The Irish Times had a headline over the weekend saying "for the first time in many months, all the main pandemic indicators are stable or improving".
• In England, minister Oliver Dowden expressed hope that all restrictions could be lifted by the end of this month, saying the "signs are encouraging".

STARK STATISTICS

In the two years since the pandemic began, the world's ten wealthiest men have doubled their fortunes.

According to the charity Oxfam, their combined wealth has gone from €620 billion to €1.3 trillion. As The Guardian noted, while the income of 99% of the world's population decreased between March 2020 and October 2021, the top ten billionaires added a combined $1.3 billion to their wealth every day.

What is Oxfam calling for? A wealth tax. As RTÉ News pointed out, a 1.5% wealth tax on millionaires in Ireland could generate around €4 billion, while the same rate on billionaires could amount to €0.7 billion.

Here is a link to the full report - Inequality Kills.

MEDIA MATTERS

The BBC faces some tough decisions about how to fund its future.

Why? Because the Conservative government has decided the annual licence fee which funds the broadcaster should be scrapped beyond 2027, with a new funding model to be established.

The government also decided the licence fee would remain at a flat rate for the next two years, despite any impact on inflation.

The Guardian said the move means "the corporation will have to make hundreds of millions of pounds in spending cuts in order to balance its books".

The Times wrote there are "concerns" that "senior Tories appear to be linking the settlement to the BBC's political coverage", particularly in the wake of the recent reports of parties in Downing Street.

Remember: There are reports up to 35 letters of no confidence in the prime minister have been received. In order to trigger a leadership battle, 54 letters are required.

MOST READ

• BBC News: Two teens held in UK over Texas synagogue siege
• The Guardian: Boris Johnson accused of targeting BBC to save his premiership
• The Financial Times: Djokovic flies out of Australia after court upholds visa cancellation
• Al Jazeera: Tonga calls for 'immediate aid' after volcanic eruption, tsunami
• The Irish Times: Ashling Murphy murder: Suspect being treated for injuries he could not satisfactorily explain

WATCHING OUT FOR

Reframed: Marilyn Monroe - a new four-part CNN docuseries which began last night takes a look at the legacy of one of the most influential women of the last century.  

According to the description, "the series re-examines Monroe’s story to uncover themes of feminism, sexuality and power that continue to drive the cultural conversation today".

Here is a link to the trailer.

TODAY MARKS...

Martin Luther King Jr Day. Every year on the third Monday in January, the US celebrates Martin Luther King Day. The civil rights advocate has often been described as one of the most influential activists of the 1960s.

ON A LIGHTER NOTE...

So discreet.