It's been a busy few hours for the president-elect, who promised to be more "restrained" online but has subsequently been lashing out at The New York Times for its coverage of the "Trump phenomena" and then gleefully gloating about how many of his former Republican enemies have called him to congratulate his election. [Phil Helsel, NBC]

The letter Trump is referring to was issued by the publisher and executive editor of the NYT and thoughtfully raised the questions everyone is asking: did the media underestimate Trump's support? [Read]

And as for the subscriptions? Well they're surging says the paper. [The Hill]

Of course Trump advocated more countries, including Japan, acquiring nuclear weapons. He did so in an interview with the NYT! [Transcript]  So is this attempted denial, in Trump's post-truth world, the first sign of a repositioning on this issue as he's already done with his changed attitude towards Clinton?

Trump's first major interview as president-elect is coming up on CBS's 60 Minutes. Trump insists he will build the wall although concedes it could be fence in some parts. He's also said he will immediately deport or imprison two to three million illegal immigrants living in the United States. [Emily Schultheis/CBS News]

Now we might not quibble about the difference between a wall and a fence if they did the same job. But Trump would. 

2. The Australian reaction

Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull with President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle earlier this year. Photo: Supplied

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull doubts Trump will rescind the deal he personally began negotiating with Barack Obama back in January to resettle in the US hundreds of asylum-seekers languishing on Nauru and Manus Island. [My report/Fairfax]

Great piece by Deborah Snow, who examines the reaction of the asylum-seeker community, who have lived without any hope of freedom for so long. [The Sydney Morning Herald]

In some bitter irony, Daniel Meers reports that the government is negotiating with Malaysia to take refugees the United States doesn't accept. (How many the US will take is unclear). Yes, that's the same Malaysia Labor struck a people-swap deal with while in government; which the Coalition rejected. [Daily Telegraph]

The UNCHR backs the US deal. It isn't directly involved but it wants a solution for all on Nauru and Manus Island, not just those already recognised as refugees. [Naomi Woodley/ABC]

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull with Immigration Minister Peter Dutton. Photo: Andrew Meares

And with an insight into the PM's thinking, Laura Tingle writes Malcolm Turnbull wanted to make clearing the detention centres a top priority and began working on it immediately after taking over from Tony Abbott. [Financial Review]

The policy solution is a credit to Turnbull and the first and hugely reassuring sign that he was actually working up a better plan for the country all that time he was waiting to take on Abbott.

"For all the talk about Turnbull being Tony Abbott in a nicer suit, this has been Turnbull's project," writes Michael Gordon. [The Age]

Meanwhile, back to Trump, the attack on the media is not just confined to the US. Abbott has slammed the ABC after a number of high-profile presenters criticised Trump, a candidate who was exposed as bragging about grabbing women by the you know where. Communications Minister Mitch Fifield and the conservative Senator Eric Abetz, who was dumped by Turnbull, also joined in on the attack.  [The Australian]

"Donald Trump is good for fossil fuels, good for steel and good for Australia" and could be worth a $10 billion boost to the budget via soaring iron prices, Resources Minister Matt Canavan claims. [David Uren/The Australian]

Uh-oh. Guess who is suddenly sounding a lot like Trump? Bill Shorten, says a worried business sector. [Financial Review]

Australia should not walk away from its alliance with the US, but we will need to be more sceptical of American policies and actions than in recent decades, argues former foreign minister Gareth Evans. [The Australian]

An excellent piece by Tom Switzer, former advisor to Brendan Nelson when he was opposition leader, on Trump.  Switzer correctly identifies support within the Australian Liberal Party for Trump coalescing around the fight against political correctness. [Fairfax]

Ross Gittins on why the Yanks are "stoopid" to be attacking cheap Chinese imports is also a good read. [Fairfax]

3. (The rest of) Australian politics

One Nation adviser James Ashby. Photo: Andrew Meares

"My reflexes are pretty good for an old chick." God bless Australian politics. James Jeffrey has this remarkable story about the controversial One Nation staffer, James Ashby (yes, that James Ashby who used to work for the Liberals and took Peter Slipper, the former Speaker to court for sexual harassment), allegedly throwing his phone at a fellow staffer working for West Australian One Nation Senator Rod Culleton (who is facing High Court action over his own eligibility to sit in the Parliament.) Ashby now works for Pauline Hanson and is credited for her much savvier handling of the role second time around, including her adept use of social media. This flare-up confirms suspicions that all is not well within the minor party, despite the considerable power they wield on the Senate crossbench. [The Australian]

Paul Keating does not support constitutional recognition of indigenous Australians but a treaty instead. An important and surprising development, given Malcolm Turnbull, Tony Abbott and the Labor party supports recognition. [Troy Bramston/The Australian]

Attorney-General George Brandis has criticised the Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia for using its scarce funds to go after News Corp cartoonist Bill Leak under Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. The same organisation is set to have its funding slashed by $800,000 next year. [The Australian]

The $2.5 billion emissions reduction fund is running out of money. This is one of the Coalition's main drivers in reducing carbon emissions in the absence of a price on carbon. [Mark Ludlow/Financial Review]

Human Services Minister Alan Tudge. Photo: Kirk Gilmour

Human Services Minister Alan Tudge is working on a digital portal for students receiving government assistance to complete all their transactions online so they don't have to visit the dreaded Centrelink office. In 2000 this might have been a nice story'  but in 2016, it's a reminder of how embarrassing and painfully slow dealing with the arms of government can be. [Laura Tingle/Financial Review]

Keep an eye on NSW politics this week. After suffering a Trump-style loss to the Shooters and Fishers party in the byelection in Orange, the Deputy Premier Troy Grant is likely to face a leadership spill in the Nationals' partyroom on Tuesday. [Sean Nicholls/The Sydney Morning Herald]

4. Huge earthquake in NZ

Photo: Hagen Hopkins

Two people are dead after the quake, measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale, struck just after midnight local time 23 kilometres deep south-east of Hamner springs.  [Live Blog/Fairfax]

A tsunami warning was issued for the entire South island and then for the entire east coast. [Fairfax]

5. British politics

President elect Donald Trump with UKIP's Nigel Farage at Trump Tower.

... is in a tizz over Nigel Farage's meeting with the president-elect. Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn says Trump needs to "grow up" when it comes to immigration. [BBC]

6. The war in Iraq

An image taken from a video made available by jihadist media allegedly shows members of Islamic State destroying a stone slab at what they said was the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud in northern Iraq. 

Another gain for Iraqi forces, backed by the global coalition. Iraqi troops have recaptured the ancient city of Nimrud, which was taken by Islamic State two years ago. [Reuters]

And that's it from me today – you can follow me on Facebook for more.

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