Biden calls for calm and promises peaceful transition, frog count begins, Countdown turns 50

Power point | Mildura’s old power station – converted into an event space – was one of the big winners at the Australian Institute of Architects’ national awards last night when it took our prizes for sustainability and urban design.

Optus fine | The telco has paid a $12m fine over its mobile network outage last year that resulted in more than 2,000 people being unable to make triple zero calls.

Fighting talk | The prime minister who vowed before the last election to foster a “kinder, gentler parliament” has now hailed Australia’s rowdy, robust and combative style of political debate as proof of a functioning democracy, warning that “only dictatorships pretend to be perfect”.

Frog call | Australians are being encouraged to use a smartphone app to collect recordings of frogs next week to provide a snapshot of how the amphibians – one in five species of which are at risk – are faring.

Taking root | We’ve had street libraries for a long time, enabling locals to exchange books. But now plant libraries are taking root in city neighbourhoods, as Sarah Ayoub discovers.

‘Bring it down’ | Joe Biden has promised to ensure a peaceful transition of power to Donald Trump in an address to the nation from the White House lawn overnight in which he also urged Americans to “bring down the temperature” of the political discourse. Follow the latest live. The wealth of the 10 richest people in the world – mainly US tech billionaires – increased by a record amount after Trump’s victory. We also look at the 10 policies where Democrats had no answer to the Republicans.

Ukraine call | Hours after Russia launched a huge, eight-hour drone attack on Kyiv, European leaders gathering for a summit in Budapest are have urged Donald Trump to support Ukraine in its war against Russia.

Coalition collapse | Germany’s unpopular three-party coalition collapsed after Olaf Scholz fired his finance minister, paving the way for a possible general election in March.

California blaze | Hundreds of firefighters in California are battling a fast-moving blaze that erupted on Wednesday, and has grown to more than 14,000 acres (5,665 hectares), prompting evacuations.

Monkey business | Forty monkeys are on the loose in South Carolina after escaping from a research facility.

Rugby union | Less than a month after switching rugby codes, Joseph Sua’ali’i will make his debut for Australia after being picked at outside centre to start Saturday’s Test against England at Twickenham.

Cricket | Australia A captain Nathan McSweeney’s soft dismissal against India A at the MCG yesterday has given the veteran Marcus Harris the equivalent of a half-volley outside off stump in the great Australian bat-off.

Football | The Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé has not been named in France’s squad to face Israel and Italy, with the head coach, Didier Deschamps, saying it was a “one-off decision”. There’s Europa League action this morning with Ange Postecoglu taking his Spurs team to Turkey to take on Galatasaray.

Victoria | A man found guilty of performing the Nazi salute will be sentenced at Melbourne magistrates court.

NSW | There will be a committal mention for a woman charged with the murder of her two sons in the Blue Mountains.

Sydney | The inquest into the death of Michelle Mitchell, who was allegedly murdered by her husband in Inverell in 2021, will hand down its findings.

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