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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Mike Hohnen

Afternoon Update: US Republicans debate; Dutton urges Woolworths boycott; and De Minaur downs Wimbledon champ

The Florida governor, Ron DeSantis (left) and former US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley (right) speak during the fifth Republican primary debate at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa
The Florida governor, Ron DeSantis (left) and former US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley (right) speak during the fifth Republican primary debate at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Photograph: Andrew Harnik/AP

Welcome, readers, to Afternoon Update.

Today, Republican presidential nominee hopefuls Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley hashed it out in an animated debate.

The pair carried out the fifth Republican primary debate but with less than a week to go before the first-in-the-country Iowa caucuses, they aren’t the only nominees who made waves today.

Representing the two polar ends of the nominee pool, Chris Christie officially suspended his campaign, commenting, “It is clear to me tonight that there is not a path to win the nomination,” while Donald Trump, the undisputed leader of the pack, held his own town hall hosted by Fox News, using his airtime to attack all of the above.

  • We would also like to apologise for the absence of today’s Morning Mail which regretfully did not go out due to technical difficulties.

Top news

Alex de Minaur of Australia thanks fans after victory in a charity match against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain
Alex de Minaur thanks fans after victory in a charity match against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain. Photograph: Graham Denholm/Getty Images
A ship transits the Suez Canal towards the Red Sea
A ship transits the Suez Canal towards the Red Sea. The UN security council has adopted a resolution calling for an end to Houthi attacks on shipping in the area. Photograph: Sayed Hassan/Getty Images
  • UN security council demands immediate end to Houthi attacks | Resolution calling for end to the attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Houthis was adopted despite abstentions from Russia and China.

  • Port Moresby rocked by deadly riots as police strike over pay | A violent riot has led to several deaths and shops and businesses being set on fire in Papua New Guinea’s capital.

  • Trump told European leaders that US ‘will never come to help you’ | Then president told European commissioners in 2020 that “Nato is dead” and the US would never defend Europe if it were attacked.

In pictures

Diana, Princess of Wales, hongis a young woman at Eden Park during the Royal visit, 1983
Diana, Princess of Wales, hongis a young woman at Eden Park during the Royal visit, 1983. Photograph: thefairfaxarchives.co.nz

How New Zealand’s story in a million pictures was almost lost forever

Rescued by an American gallery, a trove of photos depicting pivotal scenes in modern New Zealand is now being auctioned and sold to institutions. Click here for the full story.

What they said …

Stephen Harrison in his role as the HyperVerse ‘chief executive’ Steven Reece Lewis, left, and as himself
Stephen Harrison in his role as the HyperVerse ‘chief executive’ Steven Reece Lewis, left, and as himself. Composite: HyperVerse/Stephen Harrison

***

“I am sorry for these people, because they believed some idea with me at the forefront and believed in what I said, and God knows what these people have lost. And I do feel bad about this.” – Stephen Harrison, who posed as the chief executive of HyperVerse, one of the hyper crypto investment schemes in which people lost millions of dollars. Harrison was paid for his role but denied he had “pocketed” any of the money they lost.

In numbers

The PCR test positivity rate (17%) for Covid-19 in NSW for the week ending 7 January

Before bed read

Taylor Swift arrives at the 81st annual Golden Globes awards ceremony
Taylor Swift arrives at the 81st annual Golden Globes awards ceremony. Photograph: Allison Dinner/EPA

Is it OK to speculate about Taylor Swift’s sexuality? Arwa Mahdawi takes more offence at the idea that it’s upsetting to discuss a public person’s sexuality in 2024 – especially when no one seems perturbed at gossip about celebrities’ straight sex lives.

Daily word game

Wordiply

Today’s starter word is: HOM. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.

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