While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Nov 30 edition

Former US Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao arrives at Trump Tower on another day of meetings scheduled with President-elect Donald Trump on Nov 21, 2016 in New York. PHOTO: AFP

Donald Trump to nominate Elaine Chao for transport post: Source

President-elect Donald Trump plans to nominate former Labour Secretary Elaine Chao to head the Transportation Department, a source with knowledge of the decision said.

The source, who requested anonymity, confirmed the pick to Reuters.

Chao, the wife of Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, served as labour secretary under President George W. Bush and was the first Asian-American woman to hold a Cabinet position. The formal announcement was expected on Tuesday afternoon.

Although Trump spoke on the campaign trail about wanting to "drain the swamp" in Washington, more than half of his nine key appointments so far have been accomplished Washington insiders, such as Chao.

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Obamas open door on their final family Christmas in the White House

US First Lady Michelle Obama flung open the doors of the White House to the media to give people a glimpse of her family's final Christmas in their presidential home.

After eight years in residence, the Obamas will make way for President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania in the new year, with his inauguration set to take place on Jan 20.

It was a bitter-sweet moment for Mrs Obama over the weekend, according to Vogue magazine as she took delivery of her final official White House Christmas tree.

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Dutch parliament votes to ban face veils in some public places

The Dutch parliament voted to ban face veils in some public places, a law the government said was essential for security but which opponents said pandered to anti-Muslim sentiment.

The law, passed by the lower house but still requiring the senate's approval, bans veils and other items that hide the face such as ski masks and helmets, in places where identifying the wearer is considered essential, including government buildings, public transport, schools and hospitals.

Few women in the Netherlands wear face veils, but a ban has long been a demand of Geert Wilders' anti-Islam opposition Freedom Party which is leading in polls ahead of elections in March..

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US actress Evan Rachel Wood says in open Twitter letter she was raped twice

Evan Rachel Wood, the star of hit HBO series WestWorld, revealed in an open Twitter letter that she was raped twice.

The 29-year-old, who said in a recent interview with Rolling Stone magazine that she had been subjected to physical, psychological and sexual abuse, offered more details in the lengthy post.

Both rapes happened "many many years ago" and had been one of the many factors that led to an attempt to commit suicide.

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All eight Harry Potter films in one feature-length movie

It would take over 19 hours to watch all eight movies in the Harry Potter film franchise. But one "Potterhead" has taken all eight films and edited them into a single movie which has been posted online, reports Entertainment Weekly.

Tim Stiefler has named his work Wizardhood in reference to Richard Linklater's 12-year opus Boyhood.

His edited version lasts just short of an hour and 20 minutes and condenses over 10 years in the life of Harry Potter (played by Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) into one feature-length movie.

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