Morning everyone. Four years to the day since supporters of Donald Trump tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power, the president-elect’s victory in November’s election has been certified amid high security in Washington. We have reports and analysis.
Meanwhile, Justin Trudeau has quit as Canada’s prime minister, the Queensland attorney general asked prosecutors to rethink “inadequate” sentences, and there is a radical plan to reshape Test cricket. Plus: what is human metapneumovirus, and should we be worried?
Australia
Big love | Australia’s enthusiasm for fuel-guzzling SUVs and utes is continuing to flourish. Large cars dominate the list of the 10 most popular cars of 2024 with the Toyota Corolla the only small car making the cut.
Sentence rethink | Queensland’s attorney general has ordered state prosecutors to appeal against two sentences for crimes which she says are “manifestly inadequate”.
Shooting arrests | Queensland police have arrested two suspects wanted for the alleged murder of 23-year-old Chloe Mason, who was shot and killed in a Brisbane suburban street just before Christmas.
Children ‘ate off floor’ | Children at a care centre in Wagga Wagga allegedly ate scraps of food off the floor, did not receive first aid after falls and were repeatedly left unsupervised, a court has heard, forcing the facility to be closed.
Boat deaths | Two men aged 82 and 69 have died and a 59-year-old woman is in hospital after a boat capsized off a beach near Point Connor in South Australia.
World
Trudeau quits | Justin Trudeau has announced his resignation after a snowballing leadership crisis that has caused the prime minister to lose support within his party. Our correspondents assess his “mixed legacy”.
‘We should not forget’ | The US Congress has certified Donald Trump’s presidential election victory this morning in an event heavy with symbolism, four years to the day since he incited a violent mob to disrupt a similar ceremony in a bid to overturn his 2020 election defeat. Joe Biden warned Americans they “should not forget” what happened four years ago. Our live blog followed the event and the reaction.
Gaza hope | Israel and Hamas appear to be edging closer towards a ceasefire and hostage release deal that could bring the bloodshed in the Gaza Strip to an end amid reports of optimism among decision makers.
Starmer hits back | Keir Starmer has said the online debate about child sexual exploitation is based on lies with politicians “jumping on the bandwagon simply to get attention” as he hit back at Elon Musk. We explain what Musk is on about, why he’s fallen out with Nigel Farage and how the French president, Emmanuel Macron, joined the condemnation of the world’s richest man.
China concern | China’s currency hit a 16-month low overnight, despite efforts by the central bank and stock exchanges to soothe investor worries about impending US tariffs and an already struggling economy. In the US, Trump has denied a report saying he will pare back his tariff plan.
Disease spreads | Cases of human metapneumovirus, a respiratory disease that causes flu-like symptoms, have surged in northern China. We explain what the disease is, and why at this stage it is unlikely to see pandemic-level spread.
Full Story
Charles Duhigg on how to become a supercommunicator
Journalist and Pulitzer prize-winning author Charles Duhigg tells Reged Ahmad about how to improve your communication skills.
In-depth
Melbourne is famous for its street art, with the city’s brightly coloured walls and laneways a popular feature on Instagram feeds the world over. Josh Nicholas meets the artists behind the art and finds that their influences include Leonardo da Vinci.
Not the news
When a journalist wrote an article saying she was looking for somewhere on the coast for a holiday, a woman she had never heard of emailed to say she was welcome to crash at her fibro shack. Stephanie Wood explains what happened next in the latest instalment of our Kindness of Strangers series.
Sport
Cricket | England and Australia could play two Ashes series every three years from 2027 onwards under a radical two division plan being considered for Test cricket.
Tennis | Cruz Hewitt, the 16-year-old son of two-time slam winner Lleyton Hewitt, will play a qualifier for the Australian Open today but is taking expectation in his stride.
Premier League | Wolves entertain high-flying Nottingham Forest this morning, and we look at the fallout from Sunday’s epic Liverpool-Manchester United clash.
Media roundup
Sydney commuters face more delays as staff plan to renew industrial action on the city’s train network, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. Melbourne’s west – Australia’s “fastest-growing region” – is the focus of a special report in the Age. The former Queensland premier, Steven Miles, is claiming credit for securing a $7bn upgrade for the troubled Bruce Highway, the Courier Mail says. Australian stars were snubbed at yesterday’s Golden Globes ceremony, the Herald Sun claims.
What’s happening today
Geelong | Barwon Health faces court over the death of a patient in a psychiatric unit in 2022.
Economy | Australian Bureau of Statistics releases building approval figures at 11.30am.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
