Friday's news in under 5 minutes.

We’ve rounded up all the latest news from Australia and around the world – so you don’t have to go searching.

1. Former AFL player admits to badly beating his girlfriend.

A Brisbane Lions player has admitted to bashing his then-girlfriend so badly that she suffered severe brain injuries.

Albert Proud, 27, pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm and wilful damage at the Holland Park Magistrates Court on Brisbane’s south side yesterday.

An attempted murder charge, and a charge of acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm were dropped.

Last November Proud beat  outside her home in Sunnybank. She suffered severe brain injuries, and reportedly lost a litre of blood.

Proud’s application for bail was denied, despite his lawyer arguing he was struggling to access treatment for substance and alcohol abuse problems in custody.

The court heard Proud has a lengthy criminal history, which includes violence and substance abuse offences.

Proud was remanded in custody and faces a lengthy jail term. He will be sentenced at a later date.

2. World Health Organisation warns of danger of Zika virus.

The World Health Organisation has set up a Zika virus “emergency team” after the explosive spread of the virus.

Zika has been linked to thousands of babies being born with small heads and brains in Brazil.

WHO Director General Margaret Chan said Zika had gone “from a mild threat to one of alarming proportions” and was having a “heart-breaking” impact.

The team will meet on Monday to decide whether Zika should be treated as a global emergency.

The last time an international emergency was declared was for the Ebola outbreak in West Africa which has killed more than 11,000 people.

3. Gunman arrested at Disneyland Paris.

French police have arrested a man at a hotel inside Paris Disneyland carrying two guns.

Police said the  man, 28, was not known to security services.

He was also carrying a copy of the Koran and a box of ammunition, the BBC reported.

He was arrested as he tried to enter the New York Hotel on the Disneyland grounds, after his bag set off metal detectors.

There are reports that police are still looking for a female companion.

“During a routine security screening checkpoint at one of our hotels, weapons were discovered in a guest’s luggage through our X-ray machine,” the themepark’s spokesman Francois Banon said.

“The police were immediately notified and the individual was arrested. We continue to work closely with the authorities and the safety and security of our guests and cast members is our utmost priority.”

Disneyland Paris remained open during the incident.

4. Indigenous award winner asked to give back award after refusing to stand for anthem on Australia Day.

Wagga Wagga City councillor Paul Funnell has asked Wiradjuri man Joe Williams to hand back his Australia Day award after he refused to stand for the national anthem.

Williams, who received the local Citizen of the Year award, said he would never stand for the song he believes divides black and white and prevents Australia from moving forward, the Daily Liberal reports.

He said he didn’t stand for the anthem because he felt it alienated Aboriginal people.

“What does Advance Australia Fair really mean? I was told by an Aboriginal Elder that it meant advance Australia – for fair-skinned people,” he said.

“I don’t believe the national anthem represents me as an Aboriginal man, and I’m not the only one. Aboriginal people are far from free.

“What is Wagga council going to do; take the award off me?

“If I don’t stand up and speak up on what’s happening – who will?”

5. The Age newspaper cancels plans for Mark Latham’s column.

After reportedly receiving serious blowback from its own journalists, Crikey claims The Age newspaper has cancelled Mark Latham’s column before it even started.

The Fairfax newspaper was recently linked to a plan to publish a regular column from the failed former politician now turned professional opinionator/offender.

Latham made headlines for criticising 2015 Australian of the Year Rosie Batty and apparently using a Twitter account to send offensive tweets about this year’s Queensland Australian of the Year Cate McGregor.

He resigned his regular Australian Financial Review Column last year, although there was speculation he was pushed from the position.

Latham remains a regular panelist for Nine’s The Verdict.

6. Roger Federer out of the Australian Open.

Despite a late rally in the third set, fan favourite Roger Federer was unable to beat world number one Novak Djokovic in their semi final last night.

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