Parking will cost $5 an hour, with a 20‑minute free period for short stops.

President Donald Trump met the man who had proudly proclaimed himself “Donald Trump's worst nightmare,” but he seemed to find the opposite.

The Republican president and New York City’s Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani were warm and friendly, speaking repeatedly of their shared goals to help Trump's hometown rather than their combustible differences.

Trump, who had in the past called Mamdani a "100% Communist Lunatic" and a “total nut job," spoke openly of how impressed he was with the man who had called his administration “authoritarian.”

“I think he is going to surprise some conservative people, actually," Trump said of the democratic socialist as Mamdani stood next to him in the Oval Office.

The meeting offered political opportunities for both men. For Mamdani, a sit-down offered the state lawmaker — who until recently was relatively unknown — the chance to go head-to-head with the most powerful person in the world.

For Trump, it was a high-profile chance to talk about affordability at a time when he’s under increasing political pressure to show he’s addressing voter concerns about the cost of living.

Until now, the men have been political foils who galvanized their supporters by taking on each other, and it's unclear how those backers will react to their genial get-together and complimentary words.

“We’re going to be helping him, to make everybody’s dream come true, having a strong and very safe New York,” the president said.

“What I really appreciate about the president is that the meeting that we had focused not on places of disagreement, which there are many, and also focused on the shared purpose that we have in serving New Yorkers,” Mamdani said.

‘I’ll stick up for you'

Mamdani and Trump said they discussed housing affordability and the cost of groceries and utilities, as Mamdani successfully used frustration over inflation to get elected, just as the president did in the 2024 election.

“Some of his ideas are really the same ideas that I have,” the president said of Mamdani about inflationary issues.

The president brushed aside Mamdani's criticisms of him over his administration's deportation raids and claims that Trump was behaving like a despot. Instead, Trump said the responsibility of holding an executive position in the government causes a person to change, saying that had been the case for him.

He seemed at times even protective of Mamdani, jumping in on his behalf at several points. For example, when reporters asked Mamdani to clarify his past statements indicating that he thought the president was acting like a fascist, Trump said, “I’ve been called much worse than a despot.”

READ MORE: 'Punishable by death': Trump's shock threat to Democrat veterans

When a reporter asked if Mamdani stood by his comments that Trump is a fascist, Trump interjected before the mayor-elect could fully answer the question.

“That’s OK. You can just say yes. OK?” Trump said. “It’s easier. It’s easier than explaining it. I don’t mind.”

Trump stepped in again when a reporter asked Mamdani why he flew to Washington instead of taking transportation that used less fossil fuels.

“I’ll stick up for you," Trump said.

All about affordability

Mamdani, who takes office in January, said he sought the meeting with Trump to talk about ways to make New York City more affordable. Trump has said he may want to help him out — although he has also falsely labelled Mamdani as a “communist” and threatened to yank federal funds from the city.

But Trump on Friday didn't sling that at the mayor. He acknowledged that he had said he had been prepared to cut off funding or make it harder for New York City to access federal resources if the two had failed to “get along,” only to pull back from those threats during the meeting.

“We don’t want that to happen," Trump said. "I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

Afterward, Mamdani’s former campaign manager and incoming chief of staff Elle Bisgaard-Church told NY1 that the pair clearly clearly disagreed on some issues but were able to find common ground on things like reducing crime.

“We discussed that we share a mutual goal of having a safe city where everyone can move around in comfort and ease,” she said, before later adding, “We know that there have been labels thrown all around that are just simply not fair and we kept it, again, at where we could find agreement on making the city affordable."

Trump loomed large over the mayoral race this year, and on the eve of the election, he endorsed independent candidate and former Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, predicting the city has “ZERO chance of success, or even survival” if Mamdani won. He also questioned the citizenship of Mamdani, who was born in Uganda and became a naturalized American citizen after graduating from college, and said he'd have him arrested if he followed through on threats not to cooperate with immigration agents in the city.

Mamdani beat back a challenge from Cuomo, painting him as a “puppet” for the president, and promised to be “a mayor who can stand up to Donald Trump and actually deliver.” He declared during one primary debate, "I am Donald Trump’s worst nightmare, as a progressive Muslim immigrant who actually fights for the things that I believe in.”

The president, who has long used political opponents to fire up his backers, predicted Mamdani “will prove to be one of the best things to ever happen to our great Republican Party.” As Mamdani upended the Democratic establishment by defeating Cuomo and his far-left progressive policies provoked infighting, Trump repeatedly has cast Mamdani as the face of Democratic Party.

Some had expected fireworks in the Oval Office meeting

The president has had some dramatic public Oval Office faceoffs this year, including an infamously heated exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in March. In May, Trump dimmed the lights while meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and played a four-minute video making widely rejected claims that South Africa is violently persecuting the country’s white Afrikaner minority farmers.

A senior Trump administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions said Trump had not put a lot of thought into planning the meeting with the incoming mayor — but said Trump’s threats to block federal dollars from flowing to New York remained on the table.

Mamdani said Thursday that he was not concerned about the president potentially trying to use the meeting to publicly embarrass him and said he saw it as a chance to make his case, even while acknowledging “many disagreements with the president.”

Instead, both men avoided a public confrontation in a remarkably calm and cordial series of comments in front of news reporters.

Mamdani, who lives in Queens — where Trump was raised — has shown a cutthroat streak just as Trump has as a candidate. During his campaign, he appeared to borrow from Trump's playbook when he noted during a televised debate with Cuomo that one of the women who had accused the former governor of sexual harassment was in the audience. Cuomo has denied wrongdoing.

But the tensions were subdued Friday as Trump seemed sympathetic to Mamdani's policies to want to build more housing.

“People would be shocked, but I want to see the same thing,” the president said.

READ MORE: Trump has failed his first electoral test of his second term

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Some residents in the New South Wales Hunter Valley region could be paying up to thousands of dollars more for their council rates next year under a proposed hike.

Cessnock City Council said it plans to ask the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) for permission to raise rates by 39.9 percent in the 2026-27 financial year.

Local councils need to be granted a "special variation" approval from IPART to increase rates above the yearly standard rate peg, the maximum percentage they can raise their general income. For Cessnock, the rate peg is 3.8 percent.

READ MORE: Former political staffer accused of staging anti-Trump attack on herself

The permanent hike was necessary to maintain current council services and shore up the financial future of the council, which had a budget deficit of more than $8 million, the council wrote in a fact sheet distributed to residents.

"Quite simply, Council's required expenditure for staff, materials, and contracts exceeds its revenue," the council said, adding that the future financial viability of the council was at stake.

"If we don't get the SV (special variation) approved then to even attempt sustainability we would have to significantly reduce all maintenance expenditure and pause all new infrastructure work – even then, independent advice by several parties suggests that liquidity would not be assured." 

Earlier this year, Cessnock City Council engaged the University of Newcastle to conduct a review of its finances. 

The resulting report found the council had been struggling financially for many years but had held off increasing rates above the standard rate peg. Delay was "no longer an option", the report said.

However, the proposed rate hike has angered many residents who say they will struggle to make ends meet if it goes ahead.

An online petition opposing the rate hike, started by Cessnock resident Mike Seale, has so far attracted 1500 signatures.

Seale said he will be paying around $1040 more per year if the rate rise goes ahead. 

"An extra $1000 will make a massive difference to me. I'm semi-retired, working three days a week," he said.

Seale said some people would be hit even harder, as the rates are calculated according to property values and he only lived on a small block.

"Some people have told me they will be paying up to $4000 more per year because they have a bigger block, maybe an acreage," he said. 

"There are a lot of families that have responded to me saying this is going to tip them over the edge. They don't know how they're going to make ends meet."

Stuart Battle is raising two foster kids on a rural property on the outskirts of Cessnock at Wollombi.

He said he simply wouldn't be able to afford the rate rise, which for him would amount to almost $2000.

"Money is tight as it is, let alone with a 39.9 percent increase. It's a struggle with groceries and everything like that. We're self-employed, so your wages don't go up that much," he said.

Another Cessnock resident, who wanted to remain anonymous, told 9news.com.au she feared she would end up homeless as a result of the rate rise.

"I am a single 62-year-old woman and I still have a very large mortgage," she said.

"I have had to take on a second job and at times I work over 50 hours a week.

"I have to work well past 70 to pay off my house and this proposed increase will break me.

"I don't want to sell my house and, as I can't afford anything else, I will end up homeless."

The council has calculated that the average residential household in Cessnock would pay about $600 extra in rates under the proposed hikes, while those living on farmland would pay an average of $1360 more and businesses $2070.

In its fact sheet sent to residents, council said it was very conscious of the hardship that the rate rise might cause and it would work to improve further on its current policy for those in financial distress.

Cessnock City Council will be conducting a survey and holding five community meetings over the next week to consult with residents about the proposed rate hike.

At a heated extraordinary council meeting last month, in which councillors voted to go ahead with community consultation about the council's application to IPART, independent councillor Jessica Jurd walked out after voicing her objection to the rate increase.

"I do not support this application due to the fact that I know residents are struggling at the moment," she said.

The council's independent Deputy Mayor Tracey Harrington said she was angry that previous councils had let the situation get so bad that they were now "backed into a corner financially".

While she would be voting to go ahead with council's request to IPART, it was very reluctantly and only to avoid a worse fate of the council going into administration, Harrington said.

Billions of dollars of student debt have been wiped from the accounts of 100,000 Australians.

The Albanese government's pre-election promise to ease student loan debt passed parliament in August and has begun to roll out from today.

About three million Australians will have a total of $16 billion of all student loans, including HELP, VET, apprenticeship support loans and student startup loans.

READ MORE: Michael got a retail job when his career plans fizzled. Now he's Bunnings' top dog

The first 100,000 people will see their debt slashed from today, with another three million to follow in the next fortnight. 

Australians will receive a text message or email from the Australian Tax Office when the changes are automatically applied.

Education Minister Jason Clare said it was the "biggest cut in student debt ever".

"Today, 100,000 young Australians will get the best text message ever, telling them that their debts been cut by 20 per cent," he told Weekend Today.

"On average, that means about $5500 of debt wiped off their back.

"That's a lot of help for young people, out of TAFE, just out of university, maybe they're just out of home. They're certainly just getting started in life."

The 20 per cent reduction will be calculated based on what the debt amount was on June 1, before indexation was applied.

READ MORE: Aussie kids expecting a free e-bike next month may be disappointed

The legislation also raised the minimum amount people have to make to start repaying their loans from $54,435 to $67,000 and reduced the minimum repayments.

These changes are in addition to the $3 billion cut from the indexation applied to student loans earlier this year after the government switched the index rate to be whichever is lower: the wage price index or the consumer price index. 

The federal government earlier this month announced it will introduce a second round of 20 per cent cuts to student loan debt, totalling another $16 billion, by June 1 next year. 

"I will always fight for every young Australian to have access to a good education," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement at the time.

"This will help everyone with student debt right now, whilst we work hard to deliver a better deal for every student in the years ahead."

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Exclusive: In this nine.com.au series, we'll be talking to some of Australia's smartest and sharpest entrepreneurs, founders and CEOs to find out what makes them tick – and what advice they'd have for anyone starting out.

Bunnings managing director Michael Schneider originally wanted to be a marine biologist, but the university fees were too high and a scholarship was out of reach.

Then he considered being a school teacher but that didn't suit him either, so he picked up a job in retail – and pretty much never looked back.

Now he's the top boss at one of Australia's most popular brands, with Bunnings raking in $18.97 billion in revenue in 2024 alone.

These are his secrets to success.

How do you start the day to set yourself up for success?

Retailers tend to be morning people – trading performance, inventory availability and the like tend to form our habits early.

When I'm travelling, early starts are also good for exploring a city or taking in some exercise.

At home, it varies depending on the day.

Sometimes an early workout is great and occasionally a bit more sleep before coffee and a light breakfast can work a treat.

What are three daily habits you always stick to?

Every day can look different for me, whether it's heading out to stores to hear from our team or looking at an exciting new product to roll out for our customers.

No matter what I'm doing, three daily habits I stick to are:

1. Keep moving – avoid sitting, walking meetings are a great way to stay present and keep active.
2. Get back to people quickly – it's polite, professional and keeps you engaged with team, customers and suppliers.
3. Find time for a laugh – life is short, make every day count.

READ MORE: Influencer turned business owner reveals mistake jobseekers keep making

Lots of Aussies are looking for a career change. What small action can help them get ahead of other candidates?

I'm someone who has made many pivots over the course of my career.

From starting on the shop floor at Target, to studying teaching, working in financial services and then finding my way back to retail, each role has helped shape me as a teammate and leader.

My best career advice would be to take every opportunity to learn and grow, even if it means stepping outside of your comfort zone.

Be proactive in asking questions, seeking feedback and don't be afraid to put your hand up for new roles or projects.

Sometimes just being curious and taking the smallest step can lead to the biggest change.

What financial myth did you previously believe that you wish you never bought into?

For many of us starting out in our careers, there's the idea that financial success is about climbing the ladder quickly.

Over time, I've learned that resilience and consistency matter more.

Don't buy into the myth that there's a shortcut; steady progress and staying true to your values are what really counts.

What do you wish you could tell your 20-year-old self?

I'd tell myself to not worry too much about the future as it will all work out.

Every experience, good and bad, shapes who you become as a leader.

Be open to new opportunities and ideas, and build strong relationships and trust with others which will serve you well throughout your career.

Have you got a story? Contact reporter Maddison Leach at Google Play.

A US-based brand designer is in Brisbane this week after his rebrand of the city's logo went viral.

Caleb Nugent, the co-founder of BrandFoundry Collective, unveiled a new city logo design based on the shape of the river that snakes through the city, conveniently in a loose "B" shape.

The logo came at the request of Instagram account @brisbane, a privately owned platform that is not the city's official tourism brand.

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Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner was one of many to praise the design, sharing it on his Instagram account.

"Everyone's getting inspired by Brisbane," he wrote.

"@calebnugentdesign has put forward some great ideas to help pitch Brisbane to the world.

"But the only way to capture the buzz of Brisbane is to experience it in person.

"What do you think of Caleb's rebrand?"

Schrinner's office has today confirmed there is no meeting planned with Nugent and the city had not funded the trip.

Nugent, who lives in Oregon, had never been to Australia, let alone Brisbane, before this week.

His design business is less than two years old.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DQBNrMGEqEC/

Nugent told Carla Bignasca on 4BC earlier this week that while most of his work is for paying clients, he produces social media content as a way to build his brand.

"I take the little (Google Maps) street view guy. I hover over the state and I drop a little pin somewhere on the map and wherever I land… if there's a business nearby, I take that business and and give it a new look and rebrand it just like we would for clients," he told Bignasca.

"That's the content that I've been doing that's been getting the most attention."

When the @brisbane account commented asking him to design a logo for the city, he decided to take it on as an "afternoon project".

"I was like, well, okay, I guess I'll just take a look at the city from above and see what pops out and it was really cool because immediately that B was so visible," Nugent said.

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The grief-stricken families of two police officers ruthlessly gunned down in cold blood at the deadly Wieambilla ambush have been dealt another blow by the "disappointing" coronial findings. 

Days before the third anniversary of the callous ambush that claimed six lives, the family of Constables Matthew Arnold, 26, and Rachel McCrow, 29, are reeling after the Queensland coroner delivered the final report into the horrific attack. 

After sitting through five weeks of confronting testimony during the 2024 inquest, the family hoped that Coroner Terry Ryan's findings would usher in change for frontline police.

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Instead, the family and friends shook their heads in disbelief as Ryan found the attack was not an act of terror, but that of a psychotic trio suffering a twisted, shared delusion.

"Matt and Rachel's lives were precious," said Judy McCrow, mother of Rachel.

"Their deaths – under such horrible, brutal circumstances – were preventable. Because we love and miss them so much, we will continue to forever grieve and live shattered lives."

Outside court, their carefully prepared statement was rewritten to express their overwhelming grief and disappointment with the findings. 

"We thank the coroner for his work," McCrow said on behalf of both families. 

"Like us, he was forced to watch the harrowing videos and listen to every disturbing and disgusting detail.

READ MORE: Bail as P-plater 'singular error' allegedly kills pregnant woman, court hears

"We hoped it was enough to guide urgently required reforms.

"Any coronial recommendation must prevent a tragedy like this from happening again, and we are initially disappointed with the coronial recommendations, but we need time to read, process and respond to the findings." 

Key recommendations include the development of drones to improve police safety and a mandatory health assessment for weapons licence applicants.

"We believe that it is vitally important that the recommendations are immediately implemented, not just in Queensland but right across Australia," McCrow said. 

"Costs should not be a limiting factor … how much will it cost in terms of financial and psychological trauma-related factors if more police lose their lives?"

"Every police officer now and into the future must be protected and must have the skills and ability to keep others safe."

McCrow said the family would channel their grief and advocate for change.

"There will never come a day, hour, minute, or second that we will stop thinking about Matt and Rachel," she said.

"We plead with authorities not to forget Matt and Rachel … to ensure they didn't die in vain."

It was a plea Deputy Commissioner Cheryl Scanlon was quick to honour outside the coroner's court. 

"Today is obviously a very important day for the families and those lives have been lost," Scanlon said.

"It was a dark day for the Queensland Police Service … and we will never lose sight of that and the loss of our officers and a member of the community."

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Queensland's Surfers Paradise is preparing for the influx of approximately 15,000 school leavers for schoolies.

Authorities and volunteer organisations are implementing safety measures and providing support services for the annual event.

Police have increased their presence, deploying officers from across the south-east region.

READ MORE: Frame-by-frame images show how plane exploded into a fireball

"We'll be patrolling not only in high visibility uniform, but also in plain clothes and conducting activities which include random breath testing on the entries into schoolies as the schoolies arrive, as well as a lot of wanding activities," police said.

Parents are urged to remain vigilant.

"Keep an eye on what your kids are doing. Let them celebrate the school that they're leaving behind and the next chapter of their life," police said.

Ambulance services are also on standby, advising students to prioritise safety.

"The first piece of advice is always be safe and watch your mate," ambulance service personnel said.

There are indications that students are participating in safer activities this year.

"It seems that the school leavers are actually engaging in a lot more daytime activities that doesn't include excessive consumption of alcohol," ambulance service personnel said.

A pop-up emergency treatment centre, staffed by doctors, nurses, social workers, and mental health specialists, will operate between 6pm and 2am daily.

The centre is equipped with a resuscitation station and facilities for treating minor injuries, and is anticipating up to 100 presentations each night.

Red Frogs Australia has mobilised 550 volunteers to provide assistance to school leavers.

"We've just bumped in 10,000 pancake shakers today and also with seven tons of red frogs," said a representative from Red Frogs Australia.

The organisation also offers a walk-home service.

"Last year we had 8429 callouts, 2400 were for random acts of pancakes, but they can also ring for walk homes. We've got a lot of walk home teams here, we did about 3000 walk homes last year," said a representative from Red Frogs Australia.

This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress.

Alex Worker warns New Zealand risks becoming a price-taker in its own land.

The Amua device could cut cow nitrous oxide emissions by up to 95%.