Elon Musk handpicked by Trump to carry out slash-and-burn cuts plan

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World’s richest man has been an enthusiastic cost-cutter – but he may find the public sector an entirely different beast

Donald Trump, president-elect of the US, announced on Tuesday that he has selected Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, with plans to reduce bureaucracy in the federal government by roughly a third.

Musk had pushed for a government efficiency department and has since relentlessly promoted it, emphasizing the acronym for the agency: Doge, a reference to a meme of an expressive Shiba Inu. Trump said the agency will be conducting a “complete financial and performance audit of the entire federal government, and making recommendations for drastic reforms”.

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Flights to Bali cancelled after volcano spews dangerous ash cloud 9km into air

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Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin flights in and out of Australia were cancelled after Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki erupted

Three Australian airlines have cancelled flights to and from Bali after a volcanic eruption near the Indonesian holiday spot created a dangerous ash cloud.

The groundings affected Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin Australia flights on Tuesday and Wednesday, leaving passengers stranded.

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Trump selects Elon Musk to lead government efficiency department

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Musk and ex-presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to head up Department of Government Efficiency (Doge)

Elon Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will lead the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, Donald Trump said on Tuesday.

Despite the name, the department will not be a government agency. Trump said in a statement that Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to government never seen before.” He added that the move would shock government systems.

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Ukrainian girl killed by Russian drone as attacks surge – BBC.com

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  1. Ukrainian girl killed by Russian drone as attacks surge  BBC.com
  2. Russia Launches Missiles Against Ukraine’s Capital  The New York Times
  3. Russia stages first missile attack on Kyiv since August, Ukraine says  Reuters
  4. Russia fires dozens of missiles and drones at Ukraine's capital as North Korean troops start fighting in Kursk  CBS News
  5. Ukraine’s war effort faces uncertain future as Russia mounts record drone strikes  CNN
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Trump Names Fox News Host Pete Hegseth to Head Pentagon, John Ratcliffe to Lead CIA – The Wall Street Journal

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  1. Trump Names Fox News Host Pete Hegseth to Head Pentagon, John Ratcliffe to Lead CIA  The Wall Street Journal
  2. Senior commanders react to Trump’s new cabinet picks  CNN
  3. Trump's defense choice stuns the Pentagon and raises questions about the Fox News host's experience  The Associated Press
  4. Trump nominates Pete Hegseth to serve as defense secretary  Fox News
  5. People Can't Stop Watching This Unearthed Clip Of Trump's Defense Pick Hitting A Man With An Axe On Live TV  Yahoo Entertainment
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Trump Picks Pete Hegseth, a Veteran and Fox News Host, for Defense Secretary – The New York Times

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  1. Trump Picks Pete Hegseth, a Veteran and Fox News Host, for Defense Secretary  The New York Times
  2. Trump picks Fox News host and Army veteran Pete Hegseth to serve as secretary of defense  CNN
  3. ‘Who the f--k is this guy?’: Defense world reacts to Trump’s surprise Pentagon pick  POLITICO
  4. Trump nominates Pete Hegseth to serve as defense secretary  Fox News
  5. Trump Names Fox News Host Pete Hegseth to Head Pentagon, John Ratcliffe for CIA  The Wall Street Journal
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China’s leaders urge investigation into Zhuhai car attack that killed 35 – Reuters

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  1. China's leaders urge investigation into Zhuhai car attack that killed 35  Reuters
  2. Man Upset About Divorce Allegedly Rams Car into Crowd, Killing 35: Reports  PEOPLE
  3. China Clears Memorial To Victims Of Deadly Car Ramming Attack  Barron's
  4. Chinese Driver Plows Car Into Crowd, Killing 35 in Rare Attack  Bloomberg
  5. Recap | Zhuhai car attack, Trump taps billionaires for China diplomacy and more top stories  South China Morning Post
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Emperor penguin found on Australian beach, thousands of miles from home – The Washington Post

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  1. Emperor penguin found on Australian beach, thousands of miles from home  The Washington Post
  2. Emperor penguin found on a beach in Western Australia is being cared for by a local registered carer  Yahoo! Voices
  3. Emperor penguin travels over 2,000 miles from Antarctica to Australia in possible first  USA TODAY
  4. Surfer Spots an Emperor Penguin on a Beach in Australia, Thousands of Miles From Its Antarctic Home  Smithsonian Magazine
  5. First emperor penguin known to reach Australia found on tourist beach  The Associated Press
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Germany set for early elections in February after government collapse – The Washington Post

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  1. Germany set for early elections in February after government collapse  The Washington Post
  2. Olaf Scholz signals willingness for earlier German confidence vote  Reuters
  3. Beleaguered Scholz Makes Election Pitch to Skeptical Germans  Bloomberg
  4. Five things to know about Germany’s government crisis  The Associated Press
  5. Germany's election campaigning kicks off in parliament  DW (English)
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Streeting’s hospital league table plan riles NHS medics and bosses

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Health secretary says controversial scheme for trusts in England is necessary to raise standards

Wes Streeting plans to publish a football-style league table of the best- and worst-performing hospitals in England, prompting fury from NHS bosses and staff at the prospect of struggling trusts being “named and shamed”.

The health secretary will announce the controversial move on Wednesday to an audience of health service leaders and defend it as a “tough” but necessary way of raising care standards.

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Backlash as San Francisco votes to transform stretch of highway into park

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Opponents say closing Great Highway to cars will increase traffic as supporters argue it will mitigate coastal erosion

Californians have voted to close part of a nearly century-old highway in San Francisco to cars, transforming a two-mile section into a park for pedestrians and cyclists.

On election day, city residents voted to approve Proposition K, extending the ban on vehicles on a portion of the Upper Great Highway along the coastline. The measure has sparked intense debate over whether cars should have regular access to the area.

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Amsterdam fears another night of unrest as it grapples with antisemitism and violence – CNN

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  1. Amsterdam fears another night of unrest as it grapples with antisemitism and violence  CNN
  2. Opinion | A Worldwide ‘Jew Hunt’  The New York Times
  3. How violence surrounding a soccer match between Israeli and Dutch teams unfolded  NBC News
  4. Calling a Football Riot a Pogrom Insults Historical Memory  Jacobin magazine
  5. Amsterdam Struggles to Quell Unrest Days After Attacks on Israeli Soccer Fans  The Wall Street Journal
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Saudi crown prince accuses Israel of committing ‘collective genocide’ in Gaza – CNN

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  1. Saudi crown prince accuses Israel of committing ‘collective genocide’ in Gaza  CNN
  2. At Riyadh summit, Saudi crown prince backs Iran, accuses Israel of genocide  The Times of Israel
  3. 'MBS was willing to go a long way toward Israel, but Netanyahu has become unhinged'  Haaretz
  4. Iran and Trump Are Front of Mind at Muslim Summit in Saudi Arabia  The New York Times
  5. Saudi Arabia’s MBS demands immediate end to Israel’s war in Gaza, Lebanon  Al Jazeera English
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Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby resigns over sex abuse scandal handling – PBS NewsHour

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  1. Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby resigns over sex abuse scandal handling  PBS NewsHour
  2. Church warned Welby resignation ‘tip of the iceberg’ as pressure grows over sex abuse scandal  The Independent
  3. Clergyman who could be on selection panel knew about John Smyth’s abuse  The Guardian
  4. Who Might Be the Next Archbishop of Canterbury?  The New York Times
  5. Archbishop of Canterbury: Justin Welby is standing down from his job  BBC
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