RUSH HOUR: The stories you need to know today

WOULD you like cash with that? A woman who got drive through from Burger King received a surprise when she opened her bag.

The stories you need to know today

Good morning, and welcome to our morning news coverage. We will be bringing you the best of what’s happening this morning, so you can get across the news quickly.

9am

That’s it for our live #RUSHHOUR news blog. You can get across the stories you need to know today below or go to news.com.au for the latest headlines.

8.30am

Happy Australia Day. Send us your photos using the hashtag #Straya2015.

Rosie Batty has been named Australian of the Year and vowed to use her new title to fight against domestic violence.

Meanwhile, Australia’s governor-general Sir Peter Cosgrove will skip his first Australia Day in the job, in order to offer condolences to Saudi Arabia following the death of King Abdullah.

King Abdullah died on Friday at the age of about 90 after being hospitalised with pneumonia.

Sir Peter, who will land in Saudi Arabia today, is the latest in a long line of world leaders to converge on the Middle East to pay their respects to the late king.

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8.20am

A man has been taken to hospital after being sexually assaulted by two men in NSW.

The 24-year-old man was walking alone near a caravan park on River Rd, Sussex Inlet on early on Sunday morning when he was attacked.

He was allegedly struck on the back of the head before being held to the ground by two males who sexually assaulted him.

A man was sexually assaulted by two man at Sussex Inlet. Picture: realestate.com.au

The man was able to struggle and break free before running back to the caravan park where he notified friends of the incident.

Following the incident, the man saw a car described as being similar to a silver Audi hatchback being driven near where the incident occurred..

Police from Shoalhaven Local Area Command investigating the incident and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

8.10am

Greece’s outgoing prime minister has conceded defeat to the radical left Syriza party, saying he is delivering a country that has put the worst of its financial crisis behind it.

Antonis Samaras said he had received a country “on the brink of disaster” when he took over in 2012 and that he has set the foundations for growth and a definitive end to Greece’s financial crisis.

Anti-bailout Syriza, led by the 40-year-old Alexis Tsipras, won Sunday’s snap general election, but it was unclear whether he would have enough seats in parliament to form a government alone, or whether he would need the support of a smaller party.

Head of Syriza leftist party Alexis Tsipras greets supporters after casting his vote. Picture: AFP/Louisa Gouliamaki

7.50am

Nick Kyrgios believes he can reach the Australian Open semi-finals after posting an epic fourth-round win at Melbourne Park.

Handicapped by back soreness, and struggling emotionally, Kyrgios fashioned an incredible 5-7 4-6 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 8-6 victory over Andreas Seppi.

The victory catapulted the 19-year-old into the quarter-finals, the first Australian man to reach the last eight here since Lleyton Hewitt’s run to the 2005 final.

Nick Kyrgios celebrates his win. Picture: Scott Barbour/Getty Images

7.30am

A US woman got a surprise at a Burger King drive-thru: a bag full of cash instead of food.

Janelle Jones of New Hampshire says she discovered on the way home that the bag did not contain the sweet tea and junior spicy chicken sandwich that she had ordered Friday at the Rochester fast-food restaurant.

Would you like cash with that? Woman gets surprise delivery from Burger King drive through. Picture: AP Photo/Paul Sakuma

Foster’s Daily Democrat reports that Jones called her husband and they decided to return the $2,631, which was a Burger King bank deposit.

Matthew Jones says the couple briefly considered keeping the money, which they certainly could have used. But he says he and his wife are Jehovah’s Witnesses, and that “Jehovah sees everything.” The newspaper reports that the restaurant confirmed the couple’s account but had no comment on it.

7am

Actress Angelina Jolie, the special envoy for the United Nations Refugee Agency, UNHCR, appealed Sunday for urgent funding to assist more than three million displaced Iraqis and Syrians living in dire conditions in northern Iraq.

Visiting Iraq for the fifth time, Jolie said that the slow pace of funding this year to help people displaced by the conflicts in Syria and Iraq has triggered a humanitarian crisis that will lead to catastrophe if not addressed. The UNHCR said it received only 53 percent of the $337 million required to fund its response to internal displacement in Iraq and Syria during 2014.

Angelina Jolie delivers a speech during a press conference in Khanke camp in Dahuk, north of the Kurdistan region, 430km northwest of Baghdad, Iraq. Picture: AP Photo/Seivan M. Selim

The civil war in Syria, now entering its fourth year, prompted millions to flee their homes to neighboring countries and abroad as the fighting showed no sign of easing.

6.40am

It is Australia Day and as part of the celebrations, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has knighted Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, and Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston.

In a press statement from Mr Abbott’s office, he said the award recognises Prince Philip’s contribution to Australia throughout The Queen’s 62 year reign.

“He has served Australia with distinction and is patron of over 800 organisations,” Mr Abbott said.

There are also 23,000 young Australians this year participating in the Duke of Edinburgh award, which has supported the development of young people for more than 50 years.

Queen Elizabeth II with her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh in October last year. Picture: Samir Hussein/WireImage

The Duke of Edinburgh joins The Prince of Wales who was appointed a Knight of the Order of Australia in 1981.

Mr Abbott also paid tribute to Mr Houston for his “extraordinary and pre-eminent achievement and merit in service to Australia over many years”.

Most Australians would know Mr Houston for leading the response to the loss of flights MH370 and MH17. He heads the Joint Agency Coordination Centre searching for MH370, and was also sent as a special envoy to Ukraine, leading efforts to recover, identify and repatriate Australians killed on MH17.

“Successive governments have relied on Sir Angus’ wisdom, judgment and character,” Mr Abbott notes. “Throughout his life, Sir Angus has put Australia first.”

The Prime Minister with Angus Houston. Picture: Gary Ramage

6.15am

North Korea will allow foreigners to participate in a month-long volunteer program teaching English or tourism management to its tour guides.

The month-long placement at Pyongyang Tourism College is run by UK travel company Juche Travel Services, and will offer “unparalleled levels of interaction and engagement with local Koreans”.

Volunteers will need to have a TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language qualification) or a background in tourism management.

The scheme costs 1000 euros (AU$1416), and at this stage the company will offer two intakes of up to five people in 2015, one in May and one in November.