Good morning, it's Wednesday, December 1. Here's what you need to get going today.
One thing to know right now: Epstein's pilot says Ghislaine Maxwell was his 'number two'
The first witnesses in the British socialite's sex trafficking trial have taken the stand. Here's the lowdown:
- Pilot Lawrence Paul Visoski Jr says Ms Maxwell "was the number 2". He added that "Epstein was the big number 1"
- It supports what prosecutors told jurors: that the pair were "partners in crime"
- A woman using the pseudonym Jane was the first of four alleged victims to testify
- She said she was 14 when she had "sexual contact" with Epstein and that Ms Maxwell was in the room
- Ms Maxwell is accused of recruiting and grooming underage girls to give Epstein erotic massages and has pleaded not guilty to eight counts of sex trafficking and other crimes
- Her lawyers say she's being made a scapegoat for Epstein's alleged crimes
One thing you’ll be hearing about today: Omicron was in Europe weeks ago
In news no-one wanted:
- The Netherlands has confirmed the variant was in the country as early as November 19
- That's a week before it was reported by South African authorities
- According to the National Institute for Public Health: "It is not clear yet whether these people have visited southern Africa."
Also coming up:
- Australia's GDP figures are coming out this morning (11:30am AEDT if you're super keen). The prediction? Australia spent less, earned less and produced less in the lockdown-affected September quarter than in the three months before — about 3 per cent less on private estimates
- And it's world AIDS day today. Science has turned HIV into a treatable, preventable condition (you can read more on that here)
News while you snoozed
Let's get you up to speed.
- Lesotho's ex-PM and his current wife have been charged with his estranged wife's murder. In a case that's shocked the African nation, the pair have denied involvement in the shooting near the estranged wife's home in the capital.
- Celebrity surgeon (and former Oprah show regular) Dr Mehmet Oz is planning to run for a senate seat in the US as a Republican
- Donald Trump's former chief of staff Mark Meadows has said he'll cooperate with the January 6 investigation into the Capitol riots, after months of negotiations
- Author Alice Sebold has apologised to the man who has now been exonerated for the 1981 rape that was the basis for her memoir Lucky. She says she's struggling with the role she played “within a system that sent an innocent man to jail"
The news Australia is searching for
- Matildas draw: It was a goal in the dying stages that clinched a 1-1 draw for the women in their second (and final) friendly against the US.
- Queensland flood: The southern border town of Inglewood is being evacuated because of rising floodwaters, while an emergency alert has also been issued for Leyburn on the Southern Downs. There's also major flooding likely near Ipswich
One more thing: Rihanna's now a hero (officially)
So Barbados has celebrated ditching the Queen and becoming a republic.
And what's more fitting than making arguably the most famous Bajan (TIL that's someone from Barbados) "the right excellent" and a National Hero.
The PM couldn't resist dropping in this Rihanna lyric reference (circa her 2012 hit):
Here's what Rihanna (the right excellent) said:
"This is a day that I will never, ever forget. It’s also a day that I never saw coming … nothing compares to being recognised in the soil that you grew in."
It is the first time in more than 20 years that Barbados has bestowed a national hero honour: The last person to receive the title was former cricket player Garfield St Aubrun Sobers.
Bravo.
That's it for now
We'll be back later on with more of the good stuff.
ABC/wires
