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Good morning!

“Welcome back.” Those were the simple words of President Joe Biden as he met with President-elect Donald Trump overnight at the White House to discuss a peaceful transfer of power.

Also, in case you missed it, during an address to House Republicans yesterday, Trump hinted at a possible third term.

“I suspect I won’t be running again unless you say, ‘He’s so good we’ve got to figure something else out.’”

The Constitution states that no person can be President for more than two terms.

I’ve got 10 seconds

Quote of the day

“Today is a big day for me and for justice”.
Salah Al-Ejaili, an Iraqi journalist who was tortured by U.S. soldiers at Abu Ghraib prison in 2003, after winning $US14 million ($AU20 million) in compensation. Images of Al-Ejaili's torture were leaked to news outlets, leading to international outrage.

Stat of the day

3.5%
How much wages grew in the year to September, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Today in history

2018
UK’s Prime Minister at the time, Theresa May, approved a draft plan for Brexit — the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.

I’ve got 30 seconds

Some headlines from this morning:

  • The High Court has overturned a decision which held the Catholic Church responsible for historic child abuse by a Victorian priest. A victim survivor took legal action against the church as an adult in 2020, after he was sexually abused by a priest when he was five, in 1971. The Victorian Supreme Court sided with the man, finding the church “vicariously liable” - when an employer is legally held responsible for the actions of its staff. However, the Church appealed the decision in Australia’s most powerful court, the High Court, where it was reversed yesterday. The earlier liability ruling was walked back over a legal technical questions of whether the priest could be considered an employee of the church. Rightside Legal has represented child sexual abuse victims in several cases against Catholic institutions. It called the decision “tragic” and urged MPs to reform existing laws around vicarious liability.

  • Nurses and midwives across New South Wales have been striking as part of efforts to secure a 15% pay increase from the Government. The State Government has criticised the union after it warned hundreds of elective surgeries were at risk of being cancelled due to the industrial action. It comes after pay negotiations fell through last week, and follows strike action by NSW nurses and midwives last month. The NSW Government has offered the sector a 10.5% pay rise over three years. Workers are calling for a 15% pay increase, better conditions, and penalty rates for night shifts. Shaye Candish, Head of the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association, said the union had been “forced” to take action after failed negotiations. The state’s Health Minister, Ryan Park, said the rallies were “disappointing”.

Recommendation of the day

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I’ve got 1 minute

35 people have been killed after a car attack in southern China

At least 35 people have died and 43 others are injured after a car drove through a sports centre in southern China.

Emergency services were called to the scene after reports a man had driven into crowds of people in Zhuhai — a city near the Chinese border with Macau.

Authorities say a 62-year-old driver attempted to flee the scene, but was stopped by police. He was taken to hospital with serious injuries and remains in a coma.

Local police have described the incident as “serious and vicious”.

Context

According to a statement from Zhuhai police, a driver rammed into crowds of people at a sports centre on Monday night, killing 35 and injuring dozens.

The driver was hospitalised in a serious condition. Authorities described his injuries as self-inflicted.

He has been detained and is expected to be questioned after receiving treatment.

Authorities confirmed there is no indication that the attack was related to a popular airshow, which is being hosted in Zhuhai this week.

Response

According to Reuters, users on the Chinese social media platform Weibo criticised authorities’ response to the attack.

One user said: “It took over 24 hours to learn about this incident.”

Many locals accused officials of censorship after dozens of images of the incident were allegedly removed from social media.

Mourners have since created a memorial outside the centre, with many laying candles and flowers.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called for “coordinated risk prevention and control efforts to ensure social stability,” according to China's state-run Xinhua news agency.

State-owned television station CCTV said President Xi Jinping has called for the suspect to face the full extent of the law, and said efforts to treat those injured in the attack should be prioritised.

Investigations are continuing.

Reporting by Achol Arok.

I’ve got 2 minutes

Who’s who in Donald Trump’s new White House team?

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will take office in January. Ahead of his inauguration, Trump has announced several key figures who will join his Cabinet and administration.

This includes senior officials who will oversee areas like foreign policy, immigration, and environmental matters.

Several high-profile politicians and businesspeople have been confirmed, including Tesla and X owner Elon Musk and Florida Senator Marco Rubio.

Here’s who we know will be in Trump’s new team.

Susie Wiles

Following his election win, Trump’s first appointment was his Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles. Wiles co-led Trump’s successful campaign.

The White House Chief of Staff is a key role with wide-ranging responsibilities, from developing policy to managing the President’s staff and schedule.

The Chief of Staff also sits in the U.S. Cabinet, alongside the heads of Government departments, and the President and Vice-President.

Wiles will become the first woman to take on the role.

Elon Musk

In a post to Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump announced Tesla CEO Elon Musk and biotech billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy would co-lead the new Department of Government Efficiency.

Ramaswamy unsuccessfully ran to secure the Republican Party’s nomination for President this year. He dropped out and supported Trump in January.

Trump said the department would “slash excess regulations... and restructure Federal Agencies”. He suggested it would be “’The Manhattan Project’ of our time”, referring to the secret development of nuclear warheads during World War II.

Tom Homan

Trump has appointed Tom Homan, former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as his new “border czar”.

‘Czar’ is a term used to describe a senior government official in a particular area, like climate or immigration.

Homan is currently CEO of the non-profit border security organisation Border911. Its website says it’s made up of “the most distinguished border security experts”.

Defence

Florida U.S. House of Representatives member Mike Waltz will become the National Security Adviser. This role involves advising the President on threats to the U.S. and the country’s relationship with the rest of the world.

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Waltz, a former army officer, “understands our adversaries are engaged in hostile economic and military efforts designed to harm [us]”.

On Wednesday, Trump announced Fox News host Pete Hegseth will be his Secretary of Defense. Hegseth will supervise the Department of Defense.

Lee Zeldin

Former House Representative for New York Lee Zeldin is set to become the head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA was set up in 1970 under Republican then-President Richard Nixon.

Trump’s campaigned on plans to roll back environmental protections and expand mining of coal, oil, and natural gas.

Zeldin posted on social media calling his new position an “honour”, promising to “restore US energy dominance”.

Kristi Noem

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem will lead one of the largest federal departments — the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The DHS employs more than 260,000 workers and oversees the border force, customs, and emergency management. It currently has an annual budget of over $US60 billion ($AU95 billion).

Noem campaigned extensively for Trump during the election. She was widely considered a leading candidate to be Vice President until the release of her autobiography, where she recounted fatally shooting her dog.

Foreign policy

Florida Senator Marco Rubio is tipped to be Secretary of State, the country’s most senior foreign affairs official.

Rubio, who unsuccessfully ran against Trump to be the Republican candidate in 2016, has called for the U.S. to end funding to Ukraine.

Trump has said he will end Russia’s war in Ukraine in “one day”.

New York Representative Elise Stefanik is set to be named the U.S. ambassador to the UN. Stefanik would represent the U.S. at major UN meetings.

Power

The U.S. Constitution mandates the “separation of powers” between the three branches of Government:

  • Executive (President and Cabinet),

  • Legislative (Congress),

  • and Judicial (Supreme Court).

This means that unlike Australia’s Parliament, U.S. Cabinet members appointed to represent Government departments are not allowed to hold House or Senate seats.

If they are confirmed as members of Trump’s cabinet, Waltz, Stefanik, and Rubio will have to give up their seats.

Reporting by Harry Sekulich and Lucy Tassell.

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🍊 The Canadian women’s soccer coach was sacked. Read more here.
🍊 The only women's golfer to ever make the men's cut. Her name?
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Give me some good news

A three-year-old in India has become the world’s youngest chess competitor with an international rating.

Anish Sarkar from north Kolkata made headlines after he played at a recent tournament, where he faced five players with International Chess Federation ratings. Chess ratings aren’t a ranking but are calculated to measure how a player is likely to perform against other players. The toddler has been given a rating of 1,555 by the global body of chess.

This puts him at the higher end of average adult tournament players. Chess grandmasters are rated above 2500. Sarkar’s father, a maths teacher, told local media that he tried to introduce his son to Peppa Pig – but he was more interested in chess.

Want more good news? Sign up to our weekly Good Newsletter here - we promise it’ll make your week better!

Reporting by Harry Sekulich.

TDA tidbit

A local council in Scotland bought a marble bust for £5 ($AU9.75) in 1930. Now, it could sell for over £2.5 million ($AU4.9 million).

The 18th century marble bust was sculpted by Edmé Bouchardon, a French artist.

According to CNN, the council purchased the sculpture to display in a town hall. The bust was reportedly misplaced until it was found in 1998 being used as a door stopper.

Now, an overseas buyer has offered to pay millions of dollars for it.

Reporting by Nandini Dhir.

Want more from The Daily Aus? Listen to our podcast!

The average Australian watches porn for the first time before their 14th birthday, according to a new report from the national violence prevention organisation Our Watch.

They surveyed nearly 1,000 young people aged 14 to 20 to learn more about the impact of pornography on young people. Nearly three-quarters of respondents said porn is degrading to women, and that it shows aggression and violence against women. A third of respondents said they use porn to educate themselves about sex. So, does it matter, and should we care?

Our Watch warns online porn can negatively affect young people’s attitudes towards gender, sex and relationships. And, it can lead to violence. Our Watch CEO Patty Kinnersly joins us in today's deep dive to talk us through the report's findings.

TDA asks

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