Global Pulse

作者： admin

  • Prabowo touts Indonesia’s economic growth and investment gains in State of the Nation address

    Prabowo touts Indonesia’s economic growth and investment gains in State of the Nation address

    In a nationally televised annual State of the Nation address delivered to Indonesia’s parliament in Jakarta on Friday, President Prabowo Subianto highlighted the Southeast Asian nation’s strongest first-half economic expansion in 13 years, projecting that full-year growth could hit 6% despite persistent global economic volatility. However, his optimistic outlook has drawn pushback from economists, who argue headline growth numbers are disconnected from the everyday struggles of ordinary Indonesians.

    Prabowo outlined that Indonesia’s economy grew 5.61% in the first quarter of 2024, followed by a 5.45% expansion in the first half of the year. This marks the highest first-quarter and first-semester growth rate the country has recorded since 2011. “With the right policies, rational policies and policies based on common sense, I am confident our economic growth can reach 6% by the end of this year,” the president told the assembled lawmakers, striking a confident tone in his speech.

    Notably, Prabowo emphasized that robust GDP growth and rising investment are not ends in themselves. He stressed that the true measure of economic success lies in whether expansion translates to improved welfare for the general population, particularly low-income households. “For me, growth and investment are not the final goal. Our goal is the welfare of our people,” Prabowo said. “High growth that cannot be enjoyed by most of our people is of no benefit to us.”

    The address came ahead of Indonesia’s 81st Independence Day celebrations on Monday, with the president outlining that every rupiah of incoming investment should be directed toward creating formal employment, expanding access to critical public services, and boosting government support for vulnerable communities. He cited recent investment data to back up his administration’s track record: realized investment hit 1,931 trillion rupiah (equivalent to $108 billion) in 2023, generating more than 2.7 million new jobs, while first-half 2024 investment reached 1,010 trillion rupiah ($56.7 billion), creating an additional 1.4 million positions.

    Prabowo also highlighted several flagship social and economic policies his administration has rolled out, which he said are already delivering tangible benefits to Indonesians. These include the signature Free Nutritious Meals program, expanded social assistance schemes, and regulatory policies designed to boost downstream processing of Indonesia’s abundant natural resources, moving the country beyond exporting unprocessed raw materials. “Our promise of nutritious meals, social assistance and down-streaming is no longer merely a plan on paper,” he said. “It is already underway, and the people are feeling the benefits.”

    Launched in 2023 to address widespread malnutrition, the Free Nutritious Meals program aims to deliver free daily meals to nearly 90 million school-aged children and pregnant women across the archipelago. Beyond improving public nutrition, the government designed the initiative to stimulate demand for local agricultural goods and support employment across the domestic food supply chain. However, the program has faced growing public and regulatory scrutiny in recent weeks following a string of food poisoning incidents that have sickened thousands of students nationwide. Most recently, on Thursday, 269 students from three high schools in Karo Regency, North Sumatra, fell ill after eating meals supplied through the government program.

    Beyond concerns over the free meals initiative, some independent economists have questioned whether the government’s strong growth figures align with the economic realities facing most Indonesian households. Nailul Huda, a researcher at Jakarta-based think tank the Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios), pointed to slowing household consumption, rising layoffs, and persistent challenges in securing stable formal work as evidence that the benefits of recent growth have not been widely shared.

    Huda noted that softening consumer confidence and ongoing labor market concerns point to a clear gap between headline GDP growth and the daily experiences of most Indonesians, especially those in lower income brackets. “The government always claims the economy is growing strongly, but lower-income communities do not feel it,” Huda said.

  • Perth teens accused of beating black swan and forcing it to inhale vape fumes face new charges after police confirm swan’s death

    Perth teens accused of beating black swan and forcing it to inhale vape fumes face new charges after police confirm swan’s death

    A disturbing case of animal cruelty in Western Australia has taken a tragic turn, with authorities confirming the black swan abused by two local teenage boys has succumbed to its injuries, leading to upgraded criminal charges against the pair.

    The incident unfolded earlier this month near Endeavour Island, located off the coast of the Mandurah region roughly 77 kilometers south of Perth. The two suspects — a 16-year-old and a 13-year-old from the Erskine suburb — reportedly took the swan out onto an inflatable watercraft before committing the brutal acts, which they recorded on camera to share on social media.

    Court documents and police reports detail the cruelty: the pair first removed a fishing lure tangled around the swan’s neck, then one of the teenagers held the bird’s beak open and forced a vape device into its mouth, forcing it to inhale large amounts of vape fumes. The second suspect repeatedly struck the swan on the head during the attack. Once the abuse was complete, the attackers uploaded the graphic footage to social platforms, where it spread quickly and sparked widespread public outrage.

    Police quickly identified the underage suspects after the video went viral, and initially charged both with one count of causing unnecessary harm to an animal. In a formal update issued Friday, Western Australia Police confirmed the critically injured swan had died from the abuse, clearing the way for additional legal action.

    “As part of ongoing investigations into the Mandurah animal cruelty incident earlier this month that ended with the death of a black swan, Mandurah Detectives have uncovered a second alleged offence,” a Western Australia Police spokesperson shared in an official statement.

    Following the confirmation of the swan’s death, prosecutors have added an additional count of animal cruelty by causing unnecessary harm to the existing charges against the two teens. The case has sparked renewed debate around youth accountability for animal cruelty and the enforcement of animal protection laws across Western Australia, with animal welfare advocates calling for stricter penalties to deter similar violent acts against wildlife.

  • France and England battle multiple wildfires as record heat grips Europe

    France and England battle multiple wildfires as record heat grips Europe

    A punishing new wave of record-shattering heat has swept across large swathes of Western Europe this week, creating tinder-dry conditions that have ignited dozens of destructive wildfires stretching from southwestern France to coastal Croatia, overwhelming firefighting teams and forcing thousands of residents and tourists to flee their homes.

    France, which is already enduring its driest calendar year on record, has been one of the hardest-hit regions. Overnight Thursday into Friday, a fast-moving wildfire tore through vast woodland areas in Landes, a coastal region in the country’s southwest. Local regional authorities confirmed Friday that the blaze forced more than 500 residents of the town of Luglon to evacuate their properties, as hundreds of firefighters were deployed to contain the spread. This blaze is just one of multiple major wildfires burning through forested land across France this week, with even normally cool, wet regions in northern France and Brittany seeing major outbreaks. Last month, a catastrophic, historic wildfire near the southwestern city of Bordeaux destroyed thousands of hectares of forest and displaced 250,000 people.

    Across the English Channel, the United Kingdom recorded its hottest day of the year Thursday, with temperatures hitting 38.1 degrees Celsius (100.6 degrees Fahrenheit) in west London. That same heat fueled wildfires across the West Midlands of central England, where multiple residential properties were completely destroyed by flames. Simon Tuhill, chief fire officer for the region, described the outbreak as one of the most significant wildfire incidents the service has ever responded to. New data from the UK’s National Fire Chiefs Council shows 1,017 wildfires have broken out across England and Wales since the start of 2024.

    The extreme heat has spread beyond France and the UK, devastating parts of Southern Europe as well. On the Croatian Adriatic coast, a wildfire fanned by strong gusts of wind erupted overnight Thursday near the coastal town of Omis, spreading rapidly toward the town center. The blaze forced more than 1,000 residents to evacuate, cut power to parts of Omis, destroyed dozens of vehicles, and even ignited fires on anchored boats, leading some evacuees to jump into the Adriatic Sea to escape. By early Friday, 36 people had sought medical treatment for fire-related injuries, 14 were admitted to hospitals, and seven remained in critical, life-threatening condition. Firefighters managed to contain the Omis blaze by Friday morning, but air crews were immediately dispatched further south to the Peljesac peninsula, where a second large wildfire broke out overnight.

    Further east in northern Greece, a wildfire swept through a coastal pine forest Thursday, threatening residential and tourist properties. Authorities evacuated more than 300 vacationers and local residents by sea to safety.

    Meteorologists across the continent recorded near-record temperatures Thursday, with parts of France ranging from southwestern Aquitaine to the eastern Rhone River valley hitting 41 degrees Celsius (106 Fahrenheit). Forecasters predicted temperatures would hold near those extreme levels Friday before cooling over the weekend. Climate scientists have repeatedly linked this type of extreme heat event across Europe to human-caused climate change, noting that many European nations, accustomed to long, cool winters and moderate summer temperatures, remain poorly equipped to handle prolonged extreme heat, with most residential and public buildings lacking air conditioning.

  • China’s viral ‘spicy strips’ take a bite of global snack market

    China’s viral ‘spicy strips’ take a bite of global snack market

    In a state-of-the-art production facility nestled in Pingjiang county, Hunan province — the birthplace of China’s iconic latiao, or spicy strips — uniformed workers with protective masks carefully season and sort through massive piles of the chewy, flavor-packed snack that is quickly winning over consumers far beyond China’s borders.

    A unique combination of spicy, sweet, and satisfyingly chewy, latiao are crafted by cooking wheat flour dough under controlled high temperature and pressure, resulting in the product’s signature spongy, reddish texture that resembles oil-coated flattened french fries. What began as an improvised emergency food source in the wake of a 1998 natural disaster has evolved into a massive Chinese domestic industry valued at over 60 billion yuan ($8.9 billion), and is now rapidly expanding into international markets fueled by rising global interest in Chinese culture, a trend dubbed “Chinamaxxing” online.

    The Hunan facility visited by Agence France-Presse, operated by leading domestic brand Mala Wangzi, produces nearly 700 tonnes of latiao daily — all currently sold within China. But across the industry, the snack has built a loyal global fanbase. According to Mala Wangzi Vice President Li Manliang, latiao from Chinese producers are now exported to more than 160 countries and regions, marking a clear shift toward full internationalization of the industry. Regional expansion in East and Southeast Asia has been particularly rapid, while consumers in North America, Australia and Europe are increasingly purchasing the snacks through specialty Asian grocery stores, cross-border e-commerce platforms, and viral social media content.

    Weilong, China’s largest latiao producer listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, reported overseas revenue of 117 million yuan last year, representing a nearly 50 percent jump from 2024. Social media platforms TikTok and Instagram are flooded with user-generated content of first-time foreign tasters reacting to the snack’s signature heat and texture. One influencer’s video of eating a full-scale model house constructed entirely from latiao racked up 1.5 million views, while an Australian food reviewer’s clip of testing an extra-large latiao gained 2.6 million views and earned a glowing endorsement: “If you can handle your spice, I think you would enjoy this. Highly, highly recommend.”

    The history of latiao stretches back to 1998, when devastating floods in Pingjiang destroyed the region’s entire soybean crop, wiping out the local industry for traditional dried tofu snacks. Local food producers improvised the first latiao using accessible wheat flour as a substitute, creating the emergency staple that would eventually become a national cultural snack. For decades, latiao carried a public reputation as an unhealthy, unhygienic “junk food” — a stigma that major brands have invested years of work to overcome through improved food safety practices and transparent production.

    “When I was young, my parents always said latiao had too many additives,” explained 22-year-old Beijing resident Wang Jingfei. “But as the industry has matured and major brands have prioritized food safety standards, most people don’t see it as a problem to eat occasionally now.” At the Mala Wangzi facility, production staff regularly livestream tours of the factory floor to showcase its strict hygiene protocols, which Li says follow standards similar to those used in the pharmaceutical industry. The brand has also reformulated its recipes to align with modern consumer preferences for healthier options, cutting back on oil, salt, sugar and artificial additives while shifting to more natural raw ingredients.

    To connect with its core consumer base of younger shoppers, Mala Wangzi has rolled out a range of creative marketing initiatives: pop-up latiao museums across major Chinese cities, over 4,000 official latiao-themed weddings for super fan couples, and sponsorships for e-sports tournaments, music festivals and anime conventions. For many young Chinese consumers, the snack remains a beloved comfort food. “I find latiao quite addictive and actually really stress-relieving,” said 24-year-old consumer Yang Xuhao. “If I don’t want a full meal, I’ll just eat latiao, and I always have a pack to snack on while I watch shows.”

    Still, the snack’s image rehabilitation is not complete. Some consumers have cut latiao out of their diets to prioritize healthier lifestyles. “I picked up the habit when I was in school, but I’ve quit now,” said 22-year-old Li Peng. “I want to keep a healthy routine and get in shape, so I stopped eating them.” Some international tasters have also voiced mixed feedback: one foreign reviewer’s viral video with 2.8 million views described latiao as “kind of like chewy tofu” and noted it was “very oily” compared to popular Western snacks. Even so, the ongoing global growth of latiao shows that Chinese snack culture is increasingly resonating with consumers around the world.

  • Thousands stranded as heavy rain kills at least four in Japan

    Thousands stranded as heavy rain kills at least four in Japan

    A catastrophic episode of “unprecedented” heavy rainfall battered eastern Japan this week, claiming the lives of at least four people and leaving thousands of passengers trapped overnight at Tokyo’s key Narita International Airport as widespread flooding and power failures disrupted road and rail networks, local authorities confirmed Friday.

    The torrential downpours that swept through the region late Thursday triggered urgent landslide warnings and widespread power outages, pushing weather officials to issue the highest-level heavy rain emergency alert for the hard-hit Chiba region for the first time in the agency’s history. By Friday midday, Japan’s public broadcaster NHK updated the death toll to six, citing two additional fatalities not initially counted in official reports.

    Among the early confirmed fatalities were an older man in his 60s or 70s found floating in a flood-swamped road, a 66-year-old woman who became trapped inside her submerged vehicle, a man of unknown age discovered collapsed on a public street, and a fourth victim whose age and gender have not yet been identified, according to the Chiba Prefecture Disaster Management Office.

    Across the prefecture, nearly 26,000 households remained without electricity as of Friday morning. Official data shows 45 homes have been fully flooded in urban centers including Ichikawa, Kashiwa and Sakura, while an additional 39 properties have suffered damaging water seepage below floor levels.

    A senior official from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) noted at a press briefing Thursday that the storm was on track to reach a level of rainfall never before recorded in the region. Approximately 6,000 airport users were stranded overnight at Narita, one of two major international gateways serving the Japanese capital, after all passenger trains connecting the airport to central Tokyo were canceled through Friday afternoon. Images and on-the-ground reports show sleeping bags stacked throughout terminals as passengers rested across terminal floors, and long queues formed at check-in counters as operations struggled to resume.

    Philip, a UK traveler who spoke to AFP, explained he endured a grueling nine-hour journey including a lengthy taxi ride before reaching the airport early Friday. Armed with a sleeping bag, he said, “I’ve just been trying to get some sleep and watching Netflix now. Just get on with it, really. Nothing else you can do.” Social media posts from stranded passengers confirm airport staff distributed complimentary bottled water, food and sleeping supplies to those stuck in the terminal.

    An AFP reporter on the ground at Chiba Station also saw hundreds of commuters stranded there after all rail services were suspended, while NHK footage showed vehicles partially submerged up to their headlights in floodwaters in Kashiwa. Hundreds of displaced residents spent the night in emergency evacuation shelters set up across Chiba, according to local public media.

    One small business owner from Ichikawa City told NHK Thursday that the sudden storm caught the entire community off guard. “This happened all of a sudden, so it was a complete surprise. The power is out, so I’m worried whether I can open my business in the next couple of days,” she said.

    A stranded air traveler echoed that sense of disruption, telling NHK, “I never thought I’d spend the night at the airport, but it is what it is and we are learning. We’re never going to forget this trip.”

    By Friday morning, all level-5 heavy rain emergency warnings for the region had been downgraded to level-4 alerts as rainfall began to ease. Scientists have long linked human-caused climate change to an increase in the frequency, duration and intensity of extreme weather events across the globe, a trend that has made severe flooding events more common in Japan in recent decades.

  • South Australia farewells last WWII Bomber Command veteran Angas ‘Gus’ Hughes at state funeral

    South Australia farewells last WWII Bomber Command veteran Angas ‘Gus’ Hughes at state funeral

    South Australia has gathered to bid a formal, heartfelt farewell to one of its most revered World War II veterans, Angas “Gus” Hughes, who passed away just weeks shy of his 103rd birthday, leaving behind a legacy of extraordinary courage and sacrifice. As the state’s last surviving Bomber Command veteran following the passing of Raymond “Ray” Merrill earlier in 2024, Hughes’ death closes a pivotal chapter in Australia’s wartime military history.

    A state funeral, the highest civic honor for a distinguished citizen, was held at the Drill Hall on Adelaide’s Torrens Parade Ground to celebrate Hughes’ life of service. Around 150 mourners including active-duty military personnel, state government dignitaries, and Hughes’ extended family gathered to pay their respects, with the service also streamed online to allow people across the country to join the commemoration. In a mark of national respect, all Australian flags atop South Australian government buildings were flown at half-mast throughout the day of the service.

    The ceremony space was decorated with mementos from Hughes’ decades-long connection to the military: his service medals, squadron flags, and personal artifacts that traced his journey from enlistment to his later work supporting the veteran community. His Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) cap and sword were placed atop his casket as a symbol of his lifelong commitment to his country.

    South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas, one of the featured speakers at the 90-minute service, reflected on the awe-inspiring weight of Hughes’ sacrifice. “It is impossible to comprehend getting into a plane in the knowledge that there is a 45 per cent chance that it will result in the end of his life,” Malinauskas told the gathering. “We have grown up knowing peace and prosperity … the sacrifices cannot be fathomed. His was a life well lived and a story well told.”

    Group Captain Greg Weller of the RAAF delivered the formal military eulogy, recalling his 10-year friendship with Hughes. “His story reflects the courage, mateship and airmanship which has become synonymous with the Bomber Command,” Weller said. “His story and legacy will help and inspire future generations.”

    Beyond tributes to his military service, family members shared intimate memories of the man behind the medals. Hughes’ grandson Angas Quantrill and granddaughter’s husband James Collison delivered emotional personal tributes, recalling his warmth, humility, and enduring sense of adventure even in advanced age. Collison shared stories of Hughes’ trip to Normandy at 97 years old, and a visit to London where the veteran got to climb back into the cockpit of the same Lancaster bomber he had flown during the war.

    The service concluded with a moving rendition of The Last Post, after which attending military personnel stepped forward to place a remembrance poppy on Hughes’ casket, a traditional gesture of respect for fallen service members.

    Hughes’ military story is one of remarkable survival and resilience. He enlisted in the RAAF on his 18th birthday, serving as a bomb aimer and navigator with the No. 467 Squadron of Bomber Command, completing 31 dangerous combat operations over the course of the war. In September 1944, just days before his 21st birthday, his Lancaster aircraft was shot down over German-occupied Europe. Hughes managed to parachute to safety, evaded enemy capture for three days, before being taken prisoner. He spent seven brutal months in a German prisoner of war camp, enduring a 200-kilometer forced march across frozen Europe in the depths of winter as Allied forces advanced. Hughes documented his harsh experience in a personal journal, recording that he survived on just one piece of bread a day during the march, wearing the same clothes for the entire 21-day journey.

    After returning to Australia at the end of the war, Hughes remained an active and beloved member of the national veteran community, sharing his story with younger generations to preserve the memory of Bomber Command’s sacrifices well into 2024. Post-war, he trained and worked as an accountant until his retirement, and built a loving family life. He was predeceased by his wife Elaine, and is survived by his daughter Sharyn, son Wally, five grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.

  • Home loan applications plummet as controversial tax changes hit Australian housing market

    Home loan applications plummet as controversial tax changes hit Australian housing market

    Australia’s national housing market is facing a sharp downturn, with new official data showing home loan commitments falling for the second consecutive quarter, a drop that leading economists have directly linked to the federal Labor government’s recent overhauls of negative gearing and capital gains tax rules.

    New figures released for the June quarter show nationwide home loan commitments dropped 5.2% to $97.6 billion, following a 3.4% decline in the first three months of the year. The slump has left open house inspections across the country noticeably quieter, with far fewer prospective buyers turning out to view properties as investor activity retreats from the market.

    Maree Kilroy, lead economist at Oxford Economics Australia, told reporters that the tax changes introduced by the government in May have severely eroded investor confidence in the residential property sector. “The changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax have soured investor sentiment,” Kilroy explained. “As expected, driving much of this contraction was investor lending which fell 10.2% in the quarter.”

    To understand the impact of the reforms, it is necessary to break down the changes themselves. Negative gearing is a long-standing tax strategy that allows property investors to offset short-term rental losses against their personal taxable income, reducing their overall annual tax bill. The government’s reforms restricted this benefit, while changes to the Capital Gains Tax replaced a 50% discount for properties held over one year with an indexation model that adjusts for inflation when calculating taxable profit on property sales. The new structure typically leaves investors facing a larger tax bill when they sell their investment properties.

    The downturn has been felt across every major Australian state, with investor lending leading the decline. The only segment of the market that avoided a fall in the total value of lending was first home buyers, even as the raw number of first home buyer loans also slipped. Kilroy noted this anomaly is likely explained by the ongoing uptake of the government’s 5% Deposit Scheme, which allows first time buyers to enter the market with a very small deposit, pushing up average loan sizes and offsetting the decline in loan volumes.

    Treasurer Jim Chalmers has pushed back against criticism from investors and pushed forward with defending the tax reforms, framing the shifts as a deliberate policy to rebalance the housing market in favour of aspiring first time buyers. “It’s early days but these figures are an encouraging sign that the market is shifting in favour of first homebuyers,” Chalmers said. “Our tax reform agenda is all about helping more first homebuyers into the housing market and we expect to see those benefits play out over years, not months. We recognise that people are under pressure and we’re taking action.”

    Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) confirmed the broad nature of the downturn, with lending falling across all borrower categories in the June quarter, bringing total activity back to levels seen at the same time last year. ABS head of finance statistics Mish Tan also noted that the Reserve Bank of Australia lifted the national cash rate for the third time in 2026 during the quarter, adding additional pressure to borrowing conditions. “While the value of home loans increased 6.8 per cent since June quarter 2025, this was lower than the 19.1 per cent annual growth recorded in the March quarter,” Tan said. She added that the 10.2% drop in investor lending marked the largest single-quarter fall for that segment since September 2022.

    The slump in loan demand has already hit the country’s largest lenders, with all four major banks reporting double-digit declines in new mortgage applications through the third quarter of the year. Westpac recorded a 20% drop in applications, while the National Australia Bank and Commonwealth Bank of Australia both saw 15% falls. Looking ahead, Kilroy projected that the slowdown will continue through the coming financial year, predicting that total property turnover across Australia will fall by one fifth in the 2026-27 fiscal year.

  • Billy Slater stands down as Queensland State of Origin coach

    Billy Slater stands down as Queensland State of Origin coach

    In a stunning Friday announcement that has sent ripples through the National Rugby League (NRL), Queensland Maroons State of Origin head coach Billy Slater has confirmed he will step down from his role ahead of the 2027 series, leaving both Queensland and New South Wales needing new head coaches for the next edition of Australian rugby league’s most iconic annual interstate rivalry.

    A legendary former fullback who earned 31 caps for the Maroons during his playing career, Slater took over the coaching reins in 2022 and delivered unprecedented immediate success for Queensland, leading the side to three consecutive State of Origin series titles. His three-year tenure ended earlier this year, however, after the Maroons fell to a devastating game three decider defeat on home soil, a result that ultimately pushed the fan favorite coach to decide to move on from the role.

    Queensland Rugby League (QRL) now faces a pressing search for a new leader to take on the side against New South Wales’ new coach Matt King, who replaced long-serving Blues mentor Laurie Daley earlier this month.

    Slater’s sudden departure has reignited long-running NRL speculation that the Queensland icon is positioning himself to take over as head coach of his long-time club side, the Melbourne Storm. Current Storm head coach Craig Bellamy has already confirmed he plans to retire from the role at the end of the 2027 NRL season, leaving a high-profile vacancy that many NRL analysts see as a perfect fit for Slater.

    In a public statement released alongside his resignation announcement, Slater reflected on the profound honor of coaching the Maroons, a role he described as one of the most rewarding experiences of his life. “From being a boy who idolised this team, to a player, to guiding a group that has inspired our State, this has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve done in my life,” Slater said. “I want to thank the players, this group gave everything for the jersey, for each other and our State, and I’m proud of what we’ve built together. To the staff, and to the QRL for the opportunity to lead this team, thank you. And to my fellow Queenslanders, thank you for the trust you put in me to be our coach. Being a Queenslander has always been a huge part of who I am, and that will never change.”

    Across his tenure as Maroons coach, Slater compiled an 8-7 win-loss record. QRL officials are now weighing two potential paths to replace him: hiring an already established senior NRL coaching figure, or turning to another Queensland rugby league legend, with fan favorites Cameron Smith and Johnathan Thurston repeatedly named as top potential candidates for the role.

    QRL chair Brian Canavan paid tribute to Slater’s far-reaching contributions to Queensland rugby league across his decades involved with the program, both as a player and a head coach. “Billy has made an extraordinary contribution to Queensland Rugby League, both as a player and as a coach,” Canavan said. “Over the past five seasons he has led the Maroons with authenticity, pride and a deep understanding of what it means to represent this state. He has helped shape a new generation of Queensland players, sharing the values and standards that have defined the Maroons for decades. On behalf of the Queensland Rugby League, I want to sincerely thank Billy for his commitment, leadership and service. His impact on our organisation and on Queenslanders everywhere will be felt long after his tenure as coach concludes.”

  • US markets strive for a positive week ahead of retail sales data and signs of cooling inflation

    US markets strive for a positive week ahead of retail sales data and signs of cooling inflation

    As Wall Street prepares to close out what is on track to be a winning week, U.S. equity futures were pointing to a mixed session Friday, with investors awaiting the release of closely watched July retail sales data that could shape the Federal Reserve’s next interest rate move.

    Early Friday trading saw the S&P 500 futures tick up 0.1%, while Nasdaq 100 futures also added 0.1%. In contrast, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipped 0.1% as investors locked in recent gains following a record-setting day on Wall Street Thursday.

    Thursday’s session closed with U.S. major stock indices hitting all-time highs, fueled by softer-than-expected July inflation data that reinforced bets the Federal Reserve will hold interest rates steady at its next policy meeting. The inflation report showed price growth cooled across key sectors last month, and a concurrent pullback in energy prices amplified market optimism. That upbeat sentiment has shifted slightly Friday, however, as crude oil prices rebounded following attacks on two United Arab Emirates-flagged oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global chokepoint that carries roughly 20% of the world’s daily oil supply.

    The upcoming retail sales report, due for release shortly before U.S. markets open Friday, comes after consumer spending slowed in June following two months of strong gains driven by tax refund disbursements to U.S. households. While overall consumer spending has remained resilient through months of elevated interest rates and price hikes, shoppers have shifted their habits, allocating larger shares of their paychecks to essential costs like groceries and gasoline, pulling back on discretionary purchases in the process.

    Energy prices have emerged as a key source of volatility for households and businesses alike, as ongoing Middle East tensions and strained geopolitics keep markets swinging. Data from automotive group AAA showed the national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline rose overnight to $4.08, marking a 92-cent year-over-year increase. Early Friday, Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil, climbed 24 cents to settle at $87.31 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose nearly 1% to $81.83 per barrel.

    Persistent energy volatility has been compounded by fading hopes for a new nuclear deal between the U.S. and Iran that would unlock additional global oil supplies, leaving the Strait of Hormuz facing ongoing congestion and security risks. This uncertainty has made long-term budgeting for fuel and shipping costs far more challenging for both businesses and household budgets across the country.

    Market analysts note that the latest inflation data has shifted expectations for Fed policy significantly. “The disinflation ducks are starting to line up, and with oil also backing off [earlier this week], the market has steadily stripped away the case for another near-term Fed hike,” Stephen Innes, managing director of SPI Asset Management, said in a client commentary Friday. If inflation continues to cool, the Federal Reserve is widely expected to hold interest rates steady, avoiding the economic drag that would come from additional borrowing cost increases.

    In pre-market equity trading Friday, Reddit jumped more than 12% after the social media giant confirmed it would join the S&P 500 index next week, a move that will force index-tracking funds to buy billions of dollars in RDDT shares. On the downside, chip manufacturing equipment maker Applied Materials slumped after its second-quarter financial results missed analyst expectations, dragging down semiconductor sector futures slightly.

    Global equity markets were also mixed on Friday. Britain’s FTSE 100 dipped 0.1% to 10,761.60, following a high-profile special parliamentary election that saw former UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage reclaim the seat he resigned from a month prior, defeating independent candidate Count Binface, a satirical comic who ran dressed as a trash can. In continental Europe, Germany’s DAX index gained 0.7% to 26,476.21, while France’s CAC 40 edged less than 0.1% lower to 8,654.97. In Asian markets, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 added 0.6% to close at 68,713.80, and South Korea’s Kospi jumped 2.4% to end the day at 6,977.94.

    In currency markets, the U.S. dollar saw barely perceptible movement against major pairs, dipping only slightly to 159.15 Japanese yen from 159.16 yen in the prior session. The euro also edged fractionally lower to $1.1555 from $1.1556.

  • Two children admitted to hospital after contracting bacterial infection from Melbourne petting zoo

    Two children admitted to hospital after contracting bacterial infection from Melbourne petting zoo

    An ongoing investigation by Victoria’s Department of Health has been launched after an outbreak of shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), a dangerous foodborne and zoonotic bacterial pathogen, linked to a Melbourne petting zoo left two young children hospitalized, with one facing lifelong health impacts and a potential kidney transplant.

    Four weeks ago, a 3-year-old child was admitted to Monash Children’s Hospital following infection contracted during a visit to the interactive animal attraction. The toddler has already developed permanent brain damage and acute kidney failure, with clinical teams indicating a kidney transplant may be necessary to sustain long-term health. A second infected child, aged 2, spent more than two weeks receiving life-sustaining dialysis at the same hospital unit after falling ill from the same outbreak.

    According to Australia’s Centre for Disease Control (CDC), STEC bacteria naturally reside in the gastrointestinal tract and faeces of many animals, with cattle being the most common carrier. The agency records more than 1,000 confirmed STEC infections across the country annually, and the pathogen can trigger severe gastrointestinal distress and catastrophic kidney dysfunction in vulnerable populations. In the most serious cases, STEC infection progresses to haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening condition that destroys red blood cells and causes irreversible kidney damage. Both STEC infection and HUS disproportionately affect children under five years old, and no vaccine currently exists to prevent infection.

    Typical symptoms of STEC infection, including watery or bloody diarrhoea, abdominal cramping, nausea, and vomiting, develop three to four days after initial exposure. Infected children can carry and spread the bacteria for up to three weeks, while adults typically remain contagious for approximately one week. The CDC confirms that direct contact with animals at petting zoos and farms is a well-documented transmission route, but infection can also occur through swallowing contaminated recreational water, or consuming contaminated food or beverages.

    Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Caroline McElnay has issued a public warning urging parents and caregivers to prioritize rigorous hand hygiene to reduce infection risk. “Good hand hygiene is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself and your family from infections that can, in rare cases, lead to serious illness such as haemolytic uraemic syndrome,” McElnay stated. “While HUS is very rare, young children can become seriously unwell, so it’s important to wash your hands, and help children wash theirs, after using the toilet and after contact with animals.”

    The Department of Health’s investigation into the source and scope of the outbreak remains ongoing as of press time.