Your noon Briefing

Hello readers. Here’s the latest on how this Friday is playing out and a long read for lunchtime.

Hello readers. Here’s your digest of how the day has played out so far.

Steve Martin and Jacqui Lambie. PICTURE SUPPLIED

Door slams on quick Lambie comeback

Tasmanian local mayor Steve Martin will seek to take Jacqui Lambie’s Senate spot, despite conceding there is a potential Constitutional cloud over his eligibility. The Devonport Mayor this morning released advice from the Senate clerk — received last year, before recent High Court decisions — to support the case that his mayorship is not an office of profit under Section 44 of the Constitution. He was confident he was eligible to take Ms Lambie’s place in a count-back expected to be ordered by the High Court, following the former Senator’s resignation this week due to her British dual citizenship.

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(FILES) This handout photo taken on November 1, 2015 and received by the US Department of Defense/Missile Defense Agency shows a terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor being launched from a THAAD battery located on Wake Island in the Pacific Ocean, during the Flight Test Operational (FTO)-02 Event 2a. A controversial missile defense system whose deployment has angered China is now operational in South Korea, a US defense official said May 1, 2017. Washington and Seoul agreed to the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery deployment in July in the wake of a string of North Korean missile tests. "It has reached initial intercept capability," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity. / AFP PHOTO / DoD / Ben Listerman / ---EDITORS NOTE --- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / DoD / Missile Defense Agency / Ben Listerman" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

US goes to ground on new arms race

The US, accusing Russia of violating a Cold-War era arms treaty, has begun researching the development of a ground-based cruise missile banned under the pact to counter weapons that Washington believes Russia is fielding, according to US officials.The preliminary research in recent months by the US military, previously undisclosed, is aimed at potentially reviving an arsenal of the prohibited ground-based, intermediate-range missiles, in the event Moscow continues violating the pact with new weapons, the officials said.

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US Senator Al Franken poses for a photo where he appears to grope broadcaster Leeann Tweeden.

Senator sorry over groping ‘joke’

US senator Al Franken faced allegations of sexual misconduct today after a woman said he kissed her against her will during a 2006 rehearsal and he posed for a photo in which he appeared to grope her while she was asleep. Senator Franken said he didn’t recall the rehearsal events occurring the same way but offered his “sincerest apologies.” He said the photo was a failed joke and he “shouldn’t have done it.”

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YDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 11: (L-R) Mark Philippoussis of Australia talks with his father Nick during a training session during the Adidas International at the Sydney International Tennis Centre on January 11, 2004 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

Alleged child rapist Nick Philippoussis in hospital

Australian tennis coach Nick Philippoussis, accused of raping two nine-year-old girls he trained in the US, has been hospitalised in San Diego. The 68-year-old father of former world top 10 Australian player Mark Philippoussis has been in custody since his shock arrest in July after failing to make $US9.2 million ($A12.9 million) bail. He was scheduled to appear in a San Diego court on Thursday. Philippoussis was initially held in a protected section of the tough San Diego County Jail, but his lawyer Ryan Tegnelia said his client was hospitalised about a month ago.

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DEAL-20171117 embargo for THE DEAL 17 Nov 2017FEE APPLIESIllustration for CEW issue Pic : Steven moore

Lunchtime long read from The Deal: The Daughter Effect

The practice of men claiming their daughters as feminist credentials while turning a blind eye to sexism has passed its use-by date, writes Catherine Fox, as in the wake of Weinstein-gate, a range of high-profile men — including New York governor Andrew Cuomo and actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck — have been guilty of trotting out their daughters to try and make themselves look better.

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Key analysis: Turnbull needs to get on with it

Malcolm Turnbull is enthusiastically claiming credit for the success of the same-sex marriage postal survey and enjoying positive momentum, writes Dennis Shanahan. But he is missing a vital political opportunity that Bill Shorten is seizing.

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Comment of the day

“Has he allocated space for illegal immigrants? If he hasn’t, he’s definitely not progressive.”

Steve Mac, on Richard Di Natale’s North Melbourne renovation project.