☕️ Trump to remain on ballot

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I’ve got 10 seconds

Quote of the day

“The search must go on.”
Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke speaking ahead of the 10-year anniversary of the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370. Loke also said he is in discussions with a U.S. company to assist with searches for the plane.

Stat of the day

0.7%
The national rental vacancy rate for February 2024, a record low, according to Domain. The property website’s researchers said conditions may ease later in the year.

Today in history

2012
The documentary “Kony 2012” was uploaded to YouTube. It was one of the first videos that went viral online. It focused on Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony, and its makers hoped the film would raise enough awareness to get Kony arrested.

I’ve got 30 seconds

Some headlines from this morning:

• The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned a legal ruling in the state of Colorado that found Donald Trump can’t run for President because of his involvement in the riots on 6 January, 2021. Under the initial ruling, Trump’s name would not have appeared on the ballot in Colorado because Section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution forbids anyone from running for high office if they have previously held "civil or military office" and have engaged in "insurrections" (riots). In its decision, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled “states have no power under the Constitution to enforce Section 3 with respect to federal offices, especially the Presidency." It paves the way for Trump to appear on ballots across the country, where similar rulings were made by some other state courts. Trump called it a “very important decision”.

• Thousands of mourners have gathered in freezing conditions in Moscow to visit the grave of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The 47-year-old died in an Arctic penal colony last month. His family, along with supporters and Western leaders have accused the Russian government of his murder. Russia has denied any involvement in Navalny’s death. Russian authorities arrested a group of mourners before a funeral service over the weekend.

I’ve got 1 minute

Aussie households spend 16% of their income on transport

The average Australian household spends over $400 a week on car-related costs, according to data from the Australian Automobile Association (AAA).

Its latest Transport Affordability Index shows fuel costs were higher for regional drivers than city drivers. It also found these costs are increasing at a faster rate for regional drivers.

Car loan repayments and fuel were the biggest contributors to weekly costs.

Weekly costs

AAA findings from the last three months of 2023 found that households spent $50 more on weekly car costs compared to the same period in 2022.

City drivers paid more for insurance, services, and tyres than regional drivers did.

Transport expenses, including public transport, accounted for around 16.4% of the average weekly income.

State by state

Here’s what the average household in each capital city spends on transport, including public transport, per week:

I’ve got 2 minutes

Leaders from some of Asia’s biggest countries are in Melbourne. Here’s why.

Southeast Asian leaders have gathered in Melbourne for the start of this week’s ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Summit.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to meet with several leaders on the sidelines of the three-day summit, which began yesterday.

Australia is not a formal member of ASEAN, but its relationships and trade deals with member states are considered vital for economic stability.

Here’s a list of ASEAN member countries.

• Indonesia

• Thailand

• Philippines

• Vietnam

• Singapore

• Malaysia

• Cambodia

• Brunei

• Myanmar

• Laos

Why does it matter?

ASEAN nations have a combined population of 685 million people.

Australia’s trade deals with ASEAN countries totalled $178 billion in 2022.

ASEAN countries also represent a significant number of Australia’s international student population.

For example, over 100,000 students from ASEAN countries are enrolled in courses around the country.

What will happen?

This week’s summit marks 50 years of Australia’s involvement with ASEAN.

Albanese has scheduled meetings and events with all leaders attending the summit.

The PM is expected to push for stronger economic ties between Australia and ASEAN countries during these meetings.

Albanese said: “Building Australia’s links with the countries of Southeast Asia is a priority for the Government.”

China

Concerns about China’s influence in Southeast Asia may also be raised.

Albanese said the government considers ASEAN countries to be “at the centre of a stable, peaceful, and prosperous region. Strengthening our relationship ensures our shared future prosperity and security.”

In a speech to Australian Parliament last week, Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. mentioned concerns about security in the South China Sea, which he said is “crucial to the preservation of regional peace and... global peace”.

Myanmar

Myanmar is the only ASEAN nation without a leader at the summit.

Its ties with the association have been strained since the Myanmar military overthrew the incoming government in a 2021 coup. ASEAN responded by banning Myanmar’s ruling generals from its summits.

The Australian Government has condemned the military regime and imposed sanctions on those who supported the coup, which saw Australian academic Sean Turnell, who worked with Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, imprisoned until late 2022.

Over the weekend, the NRL launched its new season in Vegas.

In one of the games, Brisbane Broncos player Ezra Mam alleged a racist comment was made against him by Sydney Roosters player Spencer Leniu.

We’ll explain everything you need to know about the incident and the wider NRL Vegas experiment in today’s deep dive.

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Give me some good news

UK singer songwriter RAYE had a record-breaking night at the BRIT Awards, taking home the most wins in a single night in the awards’ history.

The 26-year-old artist won six out of seven BRITs she was nominated for, overtaking the record for the most wins in one night, previously jointly held by Harry Styles, Adele, and Blur. The winners list also included Aussie Kylie Minogue who received the British music industry’s ‘global pop icon’ award.

TDA tidbit

LeBron James has outdone himself.

The 39-year-old has become the first NBA player to score more than 40,000 points. L.A. Lakers player James already held the record for being the highest-ever scoring player, but now he can add this 40K milestone to the list.

It happened over the weekend during a home game against the Denver Nuggets.

However, it wasn’t all fun and games, as the Lakers lost 124-114.

James said: “Being the first player to do something, it’s pretty cool in this league, just knowing the history.

“But for me, the main thing, as always, is to win, and I hated that it had to happen in a defeat.”

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