Global Pulse

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大洋洲

  • Mali faces advancing rebels in ‘difficult’ situation

    Mali faces advancing rebels in ‘difficult’ situation

    Three days after launching the largest coordinated assault in nearly 15 years against Mali’s ruling military junta, a unified force of Tuareg separatists and al-Qaeda-linked jihadists continues advancing across northern Mali, with Russia’s defense ministry acknowledging Tuesday that the security situation “remains difficult”.

    The broad, dawn attacks launched Saturday targeted multiple strategic positions across the West African nation, including military sites near the capital Bamako. In a stunning development that has shaken junta leadership, Defense Minister Sadio Camara — widely regarded as the architect of the junta’s decision to pivot away from Western partners and align with Russia — was killed in fierce fighting against the joint force of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) Tuareg rebels and the jihadist Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM).

    Junta chief Assimi Goita, who seized power in a 2020 coup on a promise to defeat Islamist insurgency, has not made any public appearance or statement since the attacks began. A Malian security source told Agence France-Presse that Goita is staying out of public view “for security reasons”, while an anonymous elected official in Bamako confirmed that military leadership is currently reassessing its strategy in the wake of the assault. This unexpected absence has fueled widespread uncertainty over the future of the country’s ruling military council.

    On Tuesday, Russian defense officials confirmed that fighters from the Moscow-controlled Africa Corps — the paramilitary force deployed to support the Malian junta — have withdrawn from the key northern town of Kidal, which is now fully under the control of the allied armed groups. The ministry also confirmed that rebel fighters launched attempts to seize high-priority targets in Bamako, most notably the presidential palace. Russia, which has been the junta’s primary foreign backer since 2022, stated that regrouping rebel forces remain active across the north, while the Kremlin separately said Moscow is urgently seeking a return to peace and stability for the Sahel nation.

    Local sources confirm that Malian government forces have already abandoned multiple outposts in the northern Gao region, the country’s second-largest military stronghold. One anonymous local politician reported that troops withdrew from the border town of Labbezanga near Niger and pulled back to the more defensible position of Ansogo. Late Monday, two large explosions were recorded near Bamako’s international airport by an AFP journalist on the ground, though the source of the blasts has not yet been confirmed. Local residents reported the blasts originated from the military Base 101 located at the airport, with no exchange of small arms fire reported before or after the detonations.

    Analysts note that this coordinated offensive marks an unprecedented milestone: two historic foes — Islamist insurgents seeking to establish religious rule and Tuareg separatists fighting for an independent state of Azawad — have set aside their differences to fight a common enemy in the junta and its Russian backers. This new alliance was formalized one year ago, echoing the 2012 crisis that first plunged Mali into ongoing conflict, when the same two groups briefly allied to seize control of northern Mali before turning on one another. At that time, former colonial power France intervened to repel the offensive, but French forces fully withdrew from Mali in 2022 after relations with the junta collapsed.

    Some analysts have framed the attacks near Bamako’s centers of power as a strategic diversion to draw junta forces away from Kidal, a longstanding stronghold of Tuareg pro-independence movements. Kidal was retaken by junta forces backed by Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group — the predecessor to the current Africa Corps — in a 2023 offensive, but it fell back to rebel control in the recent assault. As of Tuesday, the security situation across central Mali’s Mopti region, which was also targeted in Saturday’s attacks, remains unclear and fluid.

    Mali has now faced more than a decade of persistent jihadist violence and overlapping insurgencies, which has displaced hundreds of thousands of people across the country and into neighboring nations including Mauritania, Niger and Burkina Faso. The large-scale offensive has raised serious new questions about the junta’s ability to contain the insurgency, despite repeated claims that its military strategy, partnership with Russia and increased troop deployments have successfully rolled back the jihadist threat.

  • UAE pulls out of OPEC oil cartels citing ‘national interests’

    UAE pulls out of OPEC oil cartels citing ‘national interests’

    In a move that sent immediate shockwaves through global energy markets already reeling from volatility sparked by ongoing Middle East conflict, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced Tuesday it will officially withdraw from both the OPEC cartel and the broader OPEC+ alliance this Friday, framing the decision as a necessary step to prioritize its independent national interests.

    A top-tier global oil producer with a decades-long history inside the organization, the UAE has quietly grown frustrated with OPEC’s binding production quota system in recent years, according to industry insiders. The nation’s official state news agency WAM carried the formal announcement, which confirms a major shakeup for the decades-old oil exporting bloc.

    The UAE’s membership in OPEC dates back to 1967, when the emirate of Abu Dhabi joined the organization four years prior to the formal unification and independence of the UAE from British protection. It becomes the second OPEC member to exit the bloc in recent years, following Angola’s departure in 2024.

    In its official statement outlining the decision, UAE officials emphasized that the move aligns with the nation’s long-term strategic and economic vision, as well as its rapidly evolving energy profile as it diversifies its output and invests in both fossil fuel expansion and renewable energy development. “During our time in the organisation, we made significant contributions and even greater sacrifices for the benefit of all,” the statement read. “However, the time has come to focus our efforts on what our national interest dictates.”

    Industry analysts warn the departure comes at an already fragile moment for global energy markets, representing the most significant shock to the oil order since the 1970s oil crisis. The exit is expected to weaken the influence of OPEC, which has long been dominated by Saudi Arabia, the UAE’s regional neighbor and long-running geopolitical rival. Already strained shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz—where roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supplies pass—have been choked by an ongoing Iranian blockade, and the UAE has faced repeated Iranian attacks on its infrastructure in recent months. Frictions between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have also intensified over backing for opposing factions in the years-long Yemeni civil war, further eroding cooperation within the bloc.

    Before the current outbreak of Middle East conflict, the UAE ranked as the fourth-largest producer in the 22-member OPEC+ alliance, trailing only Saudi Arabia, Russia and Iraq. Jamie Ingram, managing editor of the Middle East Economic Survey, noted that the departure strips OPEC of roughly 13 percent of its total production capacity, according to data from the International Energy Agency.

    Jorge Leon, senior energy analyst at research firm Rystad Energy, explained that the immediate impact on oil markets may be muted while Hormuz shipping remains restricted. However, he warned that the long-term implications are significant: free of OPEC+ production caps, the UAE can now ramp up output at will, calling into question the long-term sustainability of Saudi Arabia’s role as the global oil market’s primary stabilizer. “As OPEC’s capacity to smooth out supply imbalances diminishes, we face the prospect of a far more volatile global oil market moving forward,” Leon noted.

    Founded in 1960 to coordinate oil policy among producing nations, the Vienna-based OPEC bloc launched its expanded OPEC+ partnership with 10 independent non-member producers in 2016 to increase its collective market leverage. The group first rose to global prominence in 1973, when it imposed an oil embargo on nations allied with Israel during the Yom Kippur War, triggering the first global oil crisis that sent prices quadrupling in just a few months and cemented the cartel’s outsized influence over global energy security. In the 1980s, facing growing competition from non-OPEC producers, the group introduced its iconic production quota system to maintain price stability and market control—a framework that helped it weather major disruptions including the 2008 global financial crisis and the post-Covid-19 pandemic price shock, even as internal tensions among member states continued to grow.

  • Family-owned Aussie mattress retailer A.H. Beard collapses into voluntary administration

    Family-owned Aussie mattress retailer A.H. Beard collapses into voluntary administration

    After more than a century of continuous operation as a staple of Australian manufacturing, one of the country’s most storied family-owned mattress brands, A.H. Beard, has fallen into voluntary administration, closing a historic chapter for the nation’s bedding industry.

    Official notices published this week confirmed that insolvency practitioners Peter Lucas and Damien Lau from P.A Lucas & Co have been appointed as joint administrators to oversee the company’s restructuring process, which leaves the long-standing firm’s future hanging in the balance. According to reports from *The Daily Telegraph*, chairman Garry Beard was visibly emotional, breaking down in tears as he delivered the news to workers at the brand’s southwest Sydney manufacturing facility on Tuesday.

    The collapse has been pinned on a confluence of mounting economic headwinds that have squeezed domestic manufacturing in Australia in recent years. Plummeting discretionary household spending, as consumers cut back on big-ticket non-essential purchases amid cost-of-living pressures, has paired with skyrocketing raw material and operational production costs to erode the company’s profit margins. Compounding these challenges is a steady consumer shift toward lower-cost imported bedding products, which has undercut pricing for local manufacturers like A.H. Beard that prioritize domestic production.

    Beyond its iconic status as a multi-generational family business, A.H. Beard leaves a major legacy as a pioneer of sustainable industry practice in Australian bedding. Kylie Roberts-Frost, chief executive of the Australian Bedding Stewardship Council, described the news as a devastating loss for the entire sector, noting that the brand’s early voluntary commitment to green initiatives laid the foundation for the council’s industry-wide sustainability programs. “The scheme of getting manufacturers on board with voluntary green measures — using recyclable materials and getting beds out of landfills at the end of its life cycle — would not exist were it not for the voluntary efforts of A.H. Beard,” Roberts-Frost said. “What makes this so difficult to sit with is that A.H. Beard was doing the right thing. They were investing in sustainability, supporting a stewardship scheme, and taking responsibility for end-of-life at a time when many in the industry are not.”

    Founded in 1899, A.H. Beard has been led across three generations of the Beard family: currently, the business is run by chairman Garry Beard, his brother Allyn Beard, and Garry’s son Matthew Beard, who serves as chief executive officer. Over its 126 years of operation, the company estimates it has produced and sold more than 10 million mattresses. It built a reputation as a leading supplier to Australia’s hospitality sector, and even sold a specialized luxury mattress model to the Chinese market for upwards of $100,000. The brand’s collapse marks one of the most high-profile casualties of ongoing economic pressure on small and medium-sized domestic manufacturing businesses in Australia.

  • Anthony Albanese make surprise appearance on The Hundred with Andy Lee

    Anthony Albanese make surprise appearance on The Hundred with Andy Lee

    Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made an unanticipated, memorable appearance on the ninth-season premiere of the hit Channel 9 comedy game show *The Hundred*, where he delivered a series of sharp, playful roasts of fellow panel guests and opened up about little-known personal anecdotes from his life before entering the nation’s top office.

    Hosted by beloved Australian comedian Andy Lee, *The Hundred* structures its episodes around 100 everyday Australians from across the country, who join the show remotely via Zoom to participate in on-air polls and interactive segments. For the opening episode of the new season, Albanese stepped into the program’s signature “hot seat” for a fun segment testing how many of the 100 participants could recognize the country’s sitting Prime Minister. Impressively, 98% of the respondents correctly identified Albanese – a result that prompted the Prime Minister to fire off a quick-witted quip, asking, “Who are the two people who are leaving Australia at this point in time?” The joke landed instantly with the studio audience and viewers watching at home alike.

    Beyond the recognition segment, Albanese leaned into the lighthearted tone of the night, sharing a throwback to a lesser-known gig he held years before entering politics: part-time event DJ. Going by the playful stage name “DJ Albo”, Albanese explained he spent many years spinning tracks for charity fundraisers hosted by Reclink, an Australian organization that uses sport and the arts to support community members facing disadvantage. “I haven’t done it for a while because I’m busy with other things,” he told the panel, adding a joking note about crowd reactions to his sets that drew more laughs from the room.

    Albanese also showcased one of his most well-known (and previously private) personal mannerisms during the appearance: his so-called “everything is fine face”. He told the audience this is the neutral, polite expression he pulls when greeting fellow politicians he does not agree with politically. To demonstrate the trick, host Andy Lee stepped into the role of a disagreeable political colleague, with Albanese greeting him with a firm handshake and a wide, unflappable grin – a performance that brought roars of laughter from the crowd.

    A long-running staple of Australian comedy television, *The Hundred* welcomes back regular panellists Mike Goldstein and Sophie Monk for its ninth season, alongside a rotating lineup of popular Australian comedians including Joel Creasey, Kate Langbroek, Pete Helliar, Denise Scott, Hamish Blake, Glenn Robbins and Dave Hughes. Albanese’s surprise opening-night guest spot kicks off a season packed with A-list celebrity guests, with upcoming appearances scheduled for Olympic swimmer and musician Cody Simpson, Boost Juice founder Janine Allis, Melbourne AFL captain Max Gawn and Australian actor-activist Samuel Johnson, according to entertainment outlet TV Blackbox.

  • US government critical of Australia’s ‘opposition’ to ISIS bride repatriation

    US government critical of Australia’s ‘opposition’ to ISIS bride repatriation

    A diplomatic rift has emerged over the fate of 13 Australian citizens – four adult women and nine children – currently stranded in northeastern Syria, after senior United States State Department officials publicly condemned Canberra’s ongoing refusal to facilitate their repatriation. The stranded group, all linked to members of the defunct Islamic State (ISIS) militant network, had recently attempted to leave the overcrowded al-Roj camp where they have been held for years, only to be turned back and detained once again, a reversal that drew direct criticism from US policymakers.

    In a February 18 correspondence obtained and published by the *Sydney Morning Herald*, a senior State Department policy analyst laid out Washington’s formal position, noting that the US has actively pushed for all nations to repatriate their citizens held in Syrian detention camps. The official emphasized that this push has grown more urgent amid rapidly shifting security and political developments across northeastern Syria, where the future of camp governance remains deeply uncertain. “I see that the Australian government has dug in on its opposition to repatriating them from the camp,” the analyst wrote, adding that the frustration of the stranded group, now forced back to al-Roj after a failed exit, is entirely understandable. “I can only imagine how frustrating their return to Roj is,” the correspondence read.

    The group had made tangible progress toward a return to Australia earlier this year. With support from prominent Sydney community leader and respected medic Jamal Rifi – an Order of Australia recipient who has spent more than a decade assisting this population – the citizens secured valid Australian passports. By Saturday last week, they had exited al-Roj camp and even held confirmed tickets for commercial flights back to Australia, only for the effort to collapse when Australian authorities blocked the repatriation, forcing them back to the camp. Rifi has long argued that Australia’s domestic security is better served by bringing the group home, particularly the children, who he calls innocent victims of their parents’ ideological choices. In a February statement, Rifi noted, “I said publicly that these children were the first victims of the terrible actions of their fathers,” adding that bringing the group home would leave Australia safer than leaving them stranded in a unstable region where extremist radicalization remains a persistent risk.

    Major Australian Islamic and community organizations have echoed Rifi’s calls, placing mounting public pressure on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s center-left government to reverse course. The Australian National Imams Council, the Muslim Legal Network, and the Lebanese Muslim Association have all publicly urged the government to allow the group to return, framing the children’s situation as a humanitarian crisis that cannot be ignored.

    In response to the unfolding controversy, the Albanese government has denied providing any official assistance to facilitate the group’s exit from Syria, though it has acknowledged that the citizens hold a legal right to enter Australian territory under existing national legislation. Prime Minister Albanese doubled down on his long-held position during a press briefing in Canberra Tuesday, reaffirming his opposition to voluntary repatriation for adult citizens who chose to join ISIS. “My views have not changed with regard to people who went overseas and chose to support ISIS rather than Australia, when ISIS had an objective of setting up a caliphate to literally attack democracies like Australia,” he told reporters. He did, however, acknowledge the vulnerable status of the children, describing them as “victims of their parents’ bad choices, evil choices, to undermine Australia’s national interest” – a stance that leaves the government caught between legal obligations, political pressure, and diplomatic criticism from its closest ally.

  • War in the Middle East: latest developments

    War in the Middle East: latest developments

    Two months after a joint U.S.-Israeli military offensive sent shockwaves rippling through global energy markets and upended regional security, the Middle East remains locked in a state of elevated tension, with new diplomatic moves, ongoing military clashes and economic volatility defining the latest chapter of the crisis. On Monday, the White House confirmed it is reviewing a new proposal from Iran aimed at de-escalating tensions and unblocking the critical Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which roughly 20% of global oil supplies transit daily. According to Iran’s Fars News Agency, Tehran transmitted the written proposal, which outlines Iran’s non-negotiable red lines covering both its nuclear program and activity around the strait, to Washington via diplomatic channels in Pakistan. U.S. President Donald Trump convened a meeting of his top national security advisors to assess the offer, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt telling reporters during a daily briefing that the proposal is “being discussed” among senior administration officials. As diplomatic talks remain in their earliest stages, the ongoing impasse between Washington and Tehran has already triggered fresh volatility across global markets. On Tuesday, international oil prices jumped sharply, while global equity markets sank, as shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely choked, disrupting global energy supply chains. Beyond the diplomatic standoff, Iran has laid out clear conditions for restoring security across the oil-rich Persian Gulf: Tehran demands ironclad security guarantees that the U.S. and Israel will not launch another offensive against its territory. “A durable and permanent cessation of aggression against Iran supplemented by credible guarantees of non-recurrence and full respect for the legitimate sovereign rights and interests of Iran” are non-negotiable preconditions for any de-escalation, Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran’s permanent representative to the United Nations, told a session of the UN Security Council Monday. Meanwhile, military clashes continue to claim lives across the region despite the existing ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health confirmed Monday that recent Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon killed four people, including one civilian woman, and wounded 51 more, three of whom are children. Israeli military leadership has warned that the country faces an extended period of conflict across multiple fronts in the coming year. Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir noted that the IDF has maintained continuous, multi-front combat operations since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that sparked the ongoing Gaza war, and projected that 2026 will bring another full year of fighting across all active fronts. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed that assessment, emphasizing that Hezbollah remains a critical national security threat that requires continued Israeli military action in Lebanon. “There are still two central threats from Hezbollah: the 122mm rockets and the drones. This demands a combination of operational and technological activity,” Netanyahu said in a formal statement. While Netanyahu acknowledged that Hezbollah now retains only roughly 10 percent of the missile arsenal it held at the start of the current conflict, he added that the remaining weapons still pose a constant threat to Israeli civilians living in the country’s northern border regions. As tensions simmer on all fronts, the international community continues to monitor developments closely, with growing concern over the risk of the conflict expanding into a wider regional war that could have devastating consequences for the global economy and civilian populations across the Middle East.

  • ‘Two five-eighths’: Trent Hodkinson calls for the Bulldogs to make a change in the halves to fix their attacking woes

    ‘Two five-eighths’: Trent Hodkinson calls for the Bulldogs to make a change in the halves to fix their attacking woes

    As the last Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs halfback to steer the club to an NRL grand final, Trent Hodkinson knows firsthand how positional misalignment can derail a once-promising side. Now, he’s sounding the alarm on a familiar pattern unfolding at Belmore this season, one that mirrors the turbulence that forced him out of the club nearly a decade ago.

    Hodkinson’s legacy with the blue-and-whites remains one of the club’s most celebrated recent chapters. In 2014, just months after he and halves partner Josh Reynolds broke Queensland’s long State of Origin winning streak, Hodkinson led the Bulldogs to the NRL’s ultimate decider. Their successful pairing was built on complementary strengths: Hodkinson served as the chief playmaker, controlling match tempo with a pinpoint kicking game, while Reynolds thrived in the five-eighth role, playing off instinct and creating opportunities with spontaneous play. The dynamic worked seamlessly—until a 2015 roster restructuring pushed Hodkinson out the door to make room for two five-eighths, Reynolds and Moses Mbye. The result was disastrous: in 2016, the Bulldogs posted the lowest point total of any top-eight side in the competition.

    Today, Hodkinson sees the same problematic setup taking shape. Current Bulldogs playmakers Lachlan Galvin and Matt Burton are both natural five-eighths, in his assessment, and the lack of a dedicated, controlling halfback at the No.7 position has left the team’s attack adrift. Through the early part of the 2024 season, Canterbury has scored the second-fewest points of any club in the NRL, a statistic that echoes the 2016 slump.

    NRL Immortal Andrew Johns has already publicly called for Galvin to shift permanently to five-eighth, a recommendation Hodkinson fully endorses. The former Bulldogs playmaker has thrown his support behind two candidates to fill the vacant halfback role: veteran experienced playmaker Sean O’Sullivan, who is already a member of the Bulldogs roster, and young up-and-comer Mitchell Woods, who is currently working his way back from injury.

    “It reminded me of 2015 when it was myself, Josh Reynolds and Moses Mbye, and three couldn’t go into two. I got pushed out of the club but I truly believe Moses and Josh were two five-eighths,” Hodkinson explained. “It’s a similar situation now. I know Lachie’s been playing seven and he played a really good game the other week against Penrith, but I feel like they’re very similar players. Toby Sexton, who left the club last year, was a genuine seven, and you’ve got O’Sullivan there who’s a genuine seven.”

    Beyond naming O’Sullivan as an immediate option, Hodkinson is pushing for the club to give the talented 19-year-old Woods an opportunity at the top level. As a member of the coaching staff for New South Wales’ under-19s Origin side, Hodkinson has seen Woods’ ability firsthand, and says the young prospect fits the profile of a traditional game-controlling halfback the club desperately needs.

    “I’m not the coach there and (Cameron) Ciraldo gets paid the big money to make the decisions, but I’d even like to see young ‘Woodsy’,” he said. “We had him last year in the 19s Origin team and he’s a genuine seven. I haven’t seen him too much the last 6-8 months with how he’s going physically, but he’d be more than capable to step up.”

    Hodkinson also suggested Galvin, who has a large physical frame, could make a successful transition to lock if the club opts to bring in a dedicated halfback. He added that while Galvin turned in an impressive performance against the Panthers recently, the young playmaker needs to improve consistency to hold the No.7 role long-term.

    Against the common modern argument that the halfback and five-eighth positions are interchangeable—just numbers on the back of a jersey—Hodkinson stands firm that the two roles remain distinct. “I still think they’re unique positions, I really do,” he said. “You’ve got to have that one dominant half and that guy that steers them around the field. They’re similar at times but I think they’re still separate positions. You’ve got a seven, a halfback, and you’ve got a six, a five-eighth. As much as they’re compared to being very similar, they’re still very different in a way.”

    Woods, who turns 20 next month, faces ongoing speculation over whether he is mature enough for the intensity of NRL football. But Hodkinson argues that young playmakers can only prove their readiness at the top level by being given an opportunity to compete.

    “You probably don’t know until you give them a crack and get out there and then they’ve just got to figure it out themselves,” he said. “I’m sure there’s plenty of eyes at the Dogs or at multiple clubs that know when these young fellas are ready to make the step. It’s exciting, there are some really good, talented young halves coming through and I’m excited to see how they all go.”

    For now, the Bulldogs’ coaching staff led by Ciraldo holds the final call on how the club will resolve its halves puzzle, but Hodkinson’s warning echoes across Belmore: failing to address the current positional imbalance could lead to a repeat of the struggles that derailed the side nearly a decade ago.

  • Australian shares hit longest losing streak in years on inflation fears

    Australian shares hit longest losing streak in years on inflation fears

    Australia’s benchmark share market extended its downward trajectory into a sixth consecutive trading session on Tuesday, marking its longest losing run in more than two years, as spiking crude oil prices and widespread investor anticipation of a key upcoming inflation reading dragged most sectors lower.

    The flagship S&P/ASX 200 shed 55.70 points, a 0.64% decline, to close at 8710.70, while the wider All Ordinaries index followed a similar path, falling 55.80 points or 0.62% to settle at 8935. The Australian dollar also weakened against the U.S. dollar, ending the session at 71.63 U.S. cents. This six-session losing streak is the longest the ASX 200 has recorded since June 2022.

    Out of the 11 major market sectors, nine closed in negative territory, with only the energy sector delivering consistent gains, lifted directly by the ongoing rally in global oil prices. International benchmark Brent Crude climbed an additional 2.5% to hit $US110 per barrel on Tuesday, as traders monitored stalled negotiations over a potential U.S.-Iran peace deal that has stoked concerns over global oil supply disruptions.

    Major Australian energy names logged solid gains on the back of rising crude prices: Woodside Energy saw its shares rise 0.84% to $32.40, oil and gas producer Santos gained 1.18% to close at $7.74, and fuel retailer Ampol added 1.27% to end the day at $34.26.

    These energy gains were more than offset by broad declines across consumer discretionary, healthcare, and materials sectors, as investors braced for Wednesday’s critical inflation data release. Markets fear that a hotter-than-expected inflation reading will give the Reserve Bank of Australia justification to resume its cycle of interest rate hikes, a prospect that has weighed heavily on rate-sensitive sectors.

    Leading the declines in consumer discretionary stocks, conglomerate Wesfarmers dropped 2.10% to $72.31, gaming giant Aristocrat Leisure fell 4.21% to $46.20, and Lights Wonder slipped 3.27% to $116.32. In the healthcare space, biotechnology leader CSL extended its recent downward trend, falling 2.22% to $128.90, Sigma Healthcare declined 0.72% to $2.75, and medical technology firm Pro Medicus dropped 1.53% to $136.

    AMP’s chief economist Shane Oliver warned that headline inflation is likely to spike to 5% in the March quarter data, driven by surging fuel costs and rising insurance premiums. “We are going to see a spike,” Oliver noted. “On our rough estimates fuel prices rose by 30 per cent in the month of March – a bit less for petrol, a lot more for diesel – and that is on its own going to add more than one percentage point to inflation.”

    Major mining stocks also slumped, pressured by rising operational fuel costs and a 1.14% drop in gold prices to US$4628 per ounce. BHP fell 1.30% to $55.43, Rio Tinto slipped 0.47% to $172.12, though Fortescue Metals bucked the broader trend to climb 1.72% to $20.11. Gold producers were hit particularly hard: Northern Star Resources dropped 2.89% to $21.50, Evolution Mining fell 2.98% to $12.69, and Newmont sank 4.50% to $158.69.

    Beyond domestic inflation expectations, market volatility continues to be driven by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, according to Kyle Rodda, senior financial market analyst at Capital.com. Rodda noted that equity prices have fluctuated wildly on unconfirmed reports about potential plans to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil chokepoint. He added that those reports lack credibility, as follow-up negotiations between parties have failed to materialize, former U.S. President Donald Trump has rejected the proposed deal, and military forces continue to build up around the Persian Gulf.

    Interestingly, while Australian markets grappled with downside pressure, Wall Street notched another all-time record high during overnight trading on Monday.

    In individual company news, Domino’s Pizza Australia saw its shares plunge 10.70% to $15.85, mirroring a selloff in its U.S.-listed parent company after the American fast food giant reported first-quarter sales that missed analyst expectations. The company blamed weak consumer sentiment, intense industry competition, and ongoing cost-of-living pressures for the underperformance. Bega Cheese also dropped 4.28% to $5.59 even though the company did not release any price-sensitive new information to the market. In contrast, Reliance World rallied 3.68% to $3.15 after the firm confirmed its full-year trading outlook for the 2026 fiscal year ending June 30.

  • AFL 2026: Richmond has lost two of its luckless young guns for an undetermined period of time

    AFL 2026: Richmond has lost two of its luckless young guns for an undetermined period of time

    The Richmond Tigers Australian Football League club has been dealt a fresh injury blow, with two of its young high-potential players set for extended time off the field after suffering new setbacks in training and VFL competition over the past week.

    First-round draft pick Josh Smillie, who has yet to make his senior AFL debut after being recruited by Richmond at the end of 2024, re-teared a previous quad injury during a low-intensity kicking drill at club training last week. Ben Serpell, Richmond’s high performance manager, confirmed that while the re-injury did not damage the original surgical site where Smillie underwent treatment for his prior quad issue, there is currently no confirmed timeline for the young talent’s return to competitive play.

    “To be clear, the original surgical site’s still intact, so we are going to shift him back to the TBC time frame,” Serpell told reporters. The high performance manager also acknowledged the deep frustration both players are feeling after their latest setbacks, noting that the entire club shares that disappointment. “Both Josh’s (Smillie and Gibcus) are clearly very frustrated with their injuries at this point in time, as is everyone at the Club. I think at this point in time it’s really important that we get our arms around these guys and support them through their respective recoveries and make sure that we get behind them as they progress forward.”

    The injury news is similarly discouraging for key defender Josh Gibcus, who picked up an ACL strain during a Victorian Football League (VFL) match over the weekend. Gibcus was initially assessed for the knee injury in the first quarter of the game, cleared to return to play, but reported ongoing discomfort in the days following the match. A follow-up MRI confirmed the strain, which Serpell emphasized is not a full rupture, and did not occur on the same knee that Gibcus previously had reconstruction surgery on.

    As the injury is an uncommon presentation, club medical staff will consult multiple specialist surgeons to weigh treatment options, including a non-surgical path that has already proven successful for another of the club’s players. “It is an uncommon injury, so we need to be considered with our approach for his return to play. We need to consult a number of different surgeons. We can see, for instance, Gab Seymour from our women’s program sustained a similar injury last year. She didn’t go through surgery, and she’s back out training. So we are hoping for the best for Josh,” Serpell said. The club plans to update supporters once a clear treatment and recovery plan is finalized for Gibcus, who will remain sidelined in the interim while the club assesses its options.

  • Round 9 team lists: Superstar fullbacks cleared to return as the Wests Tigers cop brutal triple blow

    Round 9 team lists: Superstar fullbacks cleared to return as the Wests Tigers cop brutal triple blow

    As the new round of the National Rugby League (NRL) approaches, the competition is bracing for a series of major team changes, driven by a mix of encouraging injury recoveries and devastating late-season setbacks for several franchises. One of the biggest stories heading into the weekend is the triple crisis hitting the in-form Wests Tigers, who will be without three critical players when they face off against the Cronulla Sharks this Sunday.

    Young star fullback Jahream Bula, who has been managing a nagging shoulder injury for multiple weeks, will be sidelined for up to four weeks to prioritize full recovery. He will be replaced in the starting lineup by Sunia Turuva. Bula’s absence is compounded by two more absences: inspirational captain Api Koroisau is suspended for three weeks, forcing hooker Tristan Hope to step into his position, while Kai Pearce-Paul will also miss the clash due to a head knock, with Tony Sukkar named as his replacement. This wave of injuries and suspensions marks a major blow for head coach Benji Marshall’s rapidly improving side, coming as they prepare to face a Sharks team that has shaken up its starting 17 to address defensive struggles. Cronulla has promoted veteran starters Cam McInnes and Briton Nikora to the first team to shore up their leaky defense ahead of the encounter.

    While the Wests Tigers face a major test of their depth, two of the league’s biggest superstars have received the all-clear to return to action, delivering a massive boost to their respective sides. In the Hunter region, the Newcastle Knights are preparing to welcome back star fullback Kalyn Ponga from a hamstring injury for their upcoming clash against the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Ponga’s return is paired with good news for the Knights: powerful centre Bradman Best has also been cleared to make his comeback. To fit the returning stars into the lineup, Fletcher Sharpe will shift to five-eighth, while Sandon Smith moves back to a bench role. For the visiting Rabbitohs, forward Keaon Koloamatangi has been named in the starting back row.

    Saturday night’s heavyweight matchup between the Brisbane Broncos and Sydney Roosters is already shaping up as an early preview of the upcoming State of Origin series, with another superstar returning to the field. Broncos fullback Reece Walsh, who has been sidelined with a facial fracture, has been named to start in the clash, where he will go head-to-head against Roosters captain James Tedesco, who is currently fighting to retain his spot in the New South Wales Blues Origin squad. Walsh is not the only key returnee for Brisbane: star forward Pat Carrigan is also back in the starting side after completing his suspension.

    Across the other NRL fixtures this weekend, a series of other changes and positional shakes have been confirmed. The Canterbury Bulldogs have retained Matt Burton and Lachlan Galvin in their halves partnership for their game against the North Queensland Cowboys, but winger Marcelo Montoya has been dropped from the starting side following a poor performance in Brisbane last round. The Cowboys have also made a change on the wing: Zac Laybutt will step in for Murray Taulagi, who misses out with a concussion.

    For defending premiers Melbourne Storm, halfback Jahrome Hughes will miss the upcoming game, with Tyran Wishart tapped to fill the void at halfback. The clash will also mark the NRL debut of exciting young winger Hugo Peel, who has earned a spot in the starting lineup. Melbourne has also made multiple changes to its back row, with Ativalu Lisati, Shawn Blore and Alec MacDonald all named to start.

    The Redcliffe Dolphins have named Brad Schneider at five-eighth for their next fixture, with winger Jack Bostock named to an extended bench as he works his way back from a long-term injury. The Canberra Raiders named Simi Sasagi in their starting back row, but the forward will need to pass a late fitness test later this week to take the field. Canberra will definitely be without Noah Martin (ankle injury) and Zac Hosking (concussion) for the round.

    Finally, New Zealand Warriors head coach Andrew Webster faces a selection call in the halves, with Luke Metcalf in line for a return after being named to the extended bench for the side’s trip to Sydney to face the Parramatta Eels. Parramatta has named experienced veteran Dylan Walker in its lineup despite the centre leaving last week’s game with his left arm in a sling.