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Turnbull notches up a win but faces internal revolt in the Senate

1. The Senate giveth and the Senate taketh away

The Senate sat well into the early hours of Tuesday morning, debating the Government's union-busting bills.

One of the two pieces of legislation passed in a badly-needed win for the Turnbull government. Employment Minister Michaelia Cash managed to woo every single crossbencher except Tasmanian Jacqui Lambie. [My report/Fairfax]

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Nats break ranks over Adler ban

Nationals senators have voted against government policy to support ending the import ban on the lever-action Adler shotgun.

But it was not all good news for the Government.

Even before the sleep deprivation there were some tense moments when the Nationals split and voted against Turnbull's ban on the Adler shotgun. What's more, they were driven to the defiance by the government's own "inaction" on the issue, say at least two government MPs. [My report/Fairfax

This comes after the extraordinary swing against the Nationals in the Orange byelection and Attorney-General George Brandis' careless admission that the LNP party in his home state of Queensland may split. [Philip Coorey/Financial Review]

Kimberley Kitching is introduced to the Senate to represent Victoria for the ALP at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday 7 November 2016. Photo: Andrew Meares

Senator Kimberley Kitching. Photo: Andrew Meares

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Before we leave the Senate, take note of this motion passed against Bill Shorten's Captain's Pick for the senate - Kimberley Kitching. The government, with the help of the Greens, passed a motion noting she was found to have provided untruthful evidence to the Fair Work Commission. [Michelle Grattan/The Conversation]

The motion is only symbolic but the attack on Kitching and its implications going forward for Shorten are critical and should be watched closely.

To the rest of Aus politics:

Australia would support going it alone on the Trade Pacific Partnership trade deal if the United States pulls out after Donald Trump is inaugurated. [Simon Benson/The Australian]

President Barack Obama reluctantly gave up his effort to have the TPP ratified by the US Congress. President Xi Jinping says China will not shut the door to the outside world but will open it even wider.

President Barack Obama with China's President Xi Jinping. Photo: AP

And a great column from Peter Hartcher about China filling the leadership vacuum the United States has created. [The Sydney Morning Herald]

Newspoll Watch - five down, 25 to go until Turnbull records the same amount of losses in the polls that he used as a reason to roll Tony Abbott. [Philip Hudson/The Australian]

Some comfort for Turnbull however, his approvals are on the up.

Treasurer Scott Morrison needs to face the inevitable on the budget and soon, writes Laura Tingle. [Financial Review]

The woman who claims to be offended under Section 18c of the Racial Discrimination Act by a QUT students' Facebook post about indigenous-only computer labs is considering appealing a judge's decision to throw the case out of court. [Hedley Thomas/The Australian]

The tax office is looking at scrapping the tax deductions relating to non-compulsory work uniforms (used by half a million workers). [Nassim Khadem/Fairfax]

2. UK politics

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May. Photo: AP

Theresa May gave a major speech to the the leading UK business organisation CBI. [Full speech]

The British Prime Minister says she wants an early deal on the status of Britons living in the EU and vice-versa but stressed she doesn't want to rush Britain's exit from the EU. 

But her most significant comment is her hint of a transitional deal to avoid a "cliff edge". [Michael Wilkinson/The Telegraph]

And another day, another UKIP resignation. Former leader Diane James will sit in the European Parliament as an independent saying her relationship with the party has become "increasingly difficult". [BBC]

3. Jo Cox alleged killer searched far-right websites

Jo Cox's sister Kim Leadbeater, mother Jean and Gordon arrive for the first day of Thomas Mair's trial.

Jo Cox's sister Kim Leadbeater, mother Jean and Gordon arrive at court. Photo: Getty Images

Evidence tendered to the Old Bailey suggests British MP Jo Cox was the victim of a political murder. The court has already heard that Thomas Mair yelled "Britain First" during the alleged attack. 

Police searching Mair's house found far-right books and a Nazi swastika and a print-out of Cox's opinion piece on why she wanted Britain to remain inside the EU. 

Cox was murdered just days before Britons voted to leave the EU. [Reuters]

4. Is Trump about to give a gig to a Dem?

Protesters march outside a conference of the so-called alt-right in Washington.

Protesters march outside a conference of the so-called alt-right in Washington. Photo: Al Drago/New York Times

"Heil Victory" was heard at the an alt-right gathering in the US on Saturday celebrating Donald Trump's election. [Joseph Goldstein/The New York Times]

Democrat Tulsi Gabbard is meeting Trump at (where else?!) Trump Tower amid reports she could be made Ambassador to the United Nations. [Jessie Hellmann/The Hill]

5. Kabul attack

There have been twin attacks in Afghanistan's capital. One killed an anti-terror commander while the other, targeting a mosque, killed at least 30 people and wounded 50 more. Suicide and terror attacks have been on the rise over the last two months. [Samim Faramarz/Tolo News]

6. Pope grants abortion forgiveness

Pope Francis has approved the new edict.

Photo: AP

Pope Francis says priests can now grant forgiveness to any woman who has had an abortion. [Julie Zauzmer/The Washington Post]

 
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