Former MP from Katter’s Australian party claims victory in Townsville mayoral race after swing against former leader

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Nick Dametto says he is proud to ‘build the capital of northern Australia’ after byelection triggered by resignation of controversial former mayor

Townsville has voted decisively against its former controversial mayor and instead looks likely to elect a bodybuilding, bull-riding former state MP from the populist right in what has been described as one of the biggest swings in Australian electoral history.

Nick Dametto, 42, who was the deputy leader of Katter’s Australian Party’s and a Queensland parliamentarian before resigning and handing in his membership last month to run as an independent in Saturday’s byelection, had received more than 61% of the vote as of Sunday, with just over 30% counted.

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China sends coast guard to Senkaku islands amid row with Japan

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Activity around Japanese-held islands, also claimed by China, comes after PM Sanae Takaichi said Japan might respond militarily to an invasion of Taiwan

China has sent its coast guard through the waters of the Senkaku islands and military drones past outlying Japanese territory as Beijing ramps up tensions over the Japanese prime minister’s remarks on Taiwan.

On Sunday the Chinese coast guard said its ships made a “rights enforcement patrol” through the waters of the Senkaku, which are administered by Japan but also claimed by China as the Diaoyu islands.

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Michael Jackson is moonwalking back, but after the Springsteen flop is the pop biopic still relevant?

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Jackson’s songs are back on charts and biopic trailer racked up 116m views in 24 hours, yet there is a certain hesitation

Michael Jackson’s voodoo classic Thriller was high on Billboard’s Hot 100 in the week of 15 November, handing the 16-years-gone King of Pop a record for having a Top 10 hit across six different decades. Simultaneously, Jackson also broke records for receiving 116m views in 24 hours for the trailer of a new biopic, Michael, set for release in April.

Millions of fans may be excited and primed for a Jackson biopic. For comparison, the trailer beat out Taylor Swift’s Eras tour preview and it will join a procession of recent music biopics about Bruce Springsteen, Amy Winehouse, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley and Elton John. The most successful of all – the Freddie Mercury and Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody – took in nearly a billion dollars at the box office.

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Ukraine Invasion Day 1,366: their assets from a hole in the ground. BAVOVNA at Ryazan oil refinery. – Daily Kos

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  1. Ukraine Invasion Day 1,366: their assets from a hole in the ground. BAVOVNA at Ryazan oil refinery.  Daily Kos
  2. Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,362  Al Jazeera
  3. Ukraine’s Hardest Winter  Foreign Affairs
  4. Independent Thinking: What does Ukraine need to get through the winter?  Chatham House
  5. Zelensky on Russian attacks on the energy system: how to prepare for outages  112.ua
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At least 120 hurt in gen Z protests over corruption and drug violence in Mexico

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Clashes erupt between protesters and riot police in the capital as rallies take place in cities across the country

At least 120 people were injured as thousands of gen Z protesters took to the streets of Mexico City and across the country to voice their anger at corruption and the drug violence that claims tens of thousands of Mexican lives each year.

​Saturday’s rallies, which took place in dozens of cities from Tijuana in the north to Oaxaca in the south drew large crowds, with some demonstrators carrying the One Piece pirate flag that has become a global symbol of the youth movement.

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Ukraine announces energy shake-up after corruption scandal – DW

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  1. Ukraine announces energy shake-up after corruption scandal  DW
  2. Zelensky vows energy sector overhaul after $100m corruption scandal  BBC
  3. Once a shadowy dealmaker, former Zelenskyy associate is accused in Ukrainian corruption scandal  AP News
  4. Trump administration stays silent as massive Ukraine corruption scandal rocks Zelenskyy's inner circle  Fox News
  5. Zelensky’s Image Is Stained as Corruption Inquiry Shakes His Inner Circle  The New York Times
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Ukraine war briefing: Drones hit Russia’s Ryazan oil refinery – The Guardian

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  1. Ukraine war briefing: Drones hit Russia’s Ryazan oil refinery  The Guardian
  2. Ukrainian attack halts oil exports from Russia's Novo, affecting 2% of global supply, sources say  Reuters
  3. Ukraine attacks key Russian oil hub as deadly strikes pound Kyiv  CNN
  4. 2% of Russian global oil supply affected following Ukrainian attack  Euronews.com
  5. Ukraine says it attacked Russian oil refinery near Moscow as winter looms  Al Jazeera
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Coalition announce emissions policy after joint party room; more magic sand products recalled over asbestos contamination – as it happened

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This blog is now closed

Total fire ban in parts of New South Wales

While a storm system continues to affect parts of New South Wales’ east, the state’s west faces extreme fire danger.

I expect it will be pretty much what the Nationals have wanted all along because it’s been really clear that they have set the agenda in terms of the energy and climate policy of the Liberal Party.

I’m genuinely concerned and genuinely disappointed that this has happened because we do need to take action on climate change.

I think my a lot of my community will be going ‘Why on earth has the Coalition done this if they are seeking to ever take back seats’ like mine?

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At least four dead after migrant boats sink in Mediterranean – BBC

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  1. At least four dead after migrant boats sink in Mediterranean  BBC
  2. Four killed after two boats carrying migrants capsize off Libya’s coast  Al Jazeera
  3. Many Displaced Sudanese Feared Dead After Shipwreck Near Libya  The New York Times
  4. At least 42 migrants presumed dead after boat capsizes off Libya, says U.N.  abcnews.go.com
  5. At least four dead as two migrant boats capsize off Libya's coast, Red Crescent says  Reuters
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Alice Wong, ‘luminary’ writer and disability rights activist, dies aged 51

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Daughter of immigrants advocated for people with disabilities to have full autonomy over their lives

Alice Wong, a writer and disability rights activist who was born with muscular dystrophy and whose independence and writing inspired others, has died. She was 51.

Wong died Friday at a hospital in San Francisco due to an infection, said Sandy Ho, a close friend who has been in touch with Wong’s family.

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Thirteen people injured after demolition derby car ploughs into grandstand during NSW event

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Two in critical condition after driver crashes into crowd at Walcha Motorcycle Rally about 90km from Tamworth

A demolition derby car lost control and ploughed into a grandstand, injuring 13 rural motoring enthusiasts on Saturday night.

Emergency services rushed to Walcha’s showgrounds, which 90km from Tamworth in New South Wales, early in the evening after a crash at the Walcha Motorcycle Rally.

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