Global Pulse

标签： Oceania

大洋洲

  • Seoul leads Asian stocks higher as US inflation eases rate fears

    Seoul leads Asian stocks higher as US inflation eases rate fears

    Asian stock markets surged across the board on Wednesday, with South Korea’s benchmark index leading the charge, as a cooler-than-forecast U.S. inflation reading quelled immediate fears of an interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve this month. The upbeat momentum was reinforced by strong early second-quarter earnings from major Wall Street banks and a last-minute U-turn from former U.S. President Donald Trump on planned tariffs on cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz, though renewed geopolitical friction between the U.S. and Iran continued to push global oil prices higher.

    Tuesday’s U.S. Consumer Price Index data delivered a major jolt of confidence to global investors, showing annual inflation cooled to 3.5% in June, down from a three-year high of 4.2% in May. The drop marked the sharpest monthly deceleration in inflation in six years, and came in well below the 3.8% rise economists had projected. The decline was largely driven by falling energy costs, fueled by a brief truce between Washington and Tehran that temporarily reopened the key Strait of Hormuz shipping lane.

    Investors reacted quickly to the reading, scaling back bets on a Federal Reserve rate hike at its upcoming July policy meeting. However, analysts have warned that the sudden resurgence of U.S.-Iran tensions, which has driven crude prices up more than 10% since hostilities flared last week, could put upward pressure on energy costs and derail the recent inflation cooling trend. “The softer inflation data is likely to be welcomed by Federal Reserve officials, reducing the immediate pressure for further rate hikes,” noted Fiona Cincotta, senior market analyst at City Index. “However, the recent rebound in oil prices and renewed U.S.-Iran tensions could yet complicate the inflation outlook if higher energy costs persist.”

    Stephen Innes, managing partner at SPI Asset Management, echoed that cautious outlook, pointing out that rate hike expectations for later this year remain firmly on the table. “The Fed can keep the gun on the table without firing it,” Innes said. “Markets still price at least one hike this year, with some chance of a second, so the tightening story has not disappeared. The consumer price index data simply removed the tripwire sitting directly in front of July.”

    The rally across Asian markets came as a welcome reprieve for investors after weeks of steep sell-offs, which had hit the technology sector particularly hard amid concerns over stretched valuations and massive capital outlays for artificial intelligence development. South Korea’s Kospi index, which had suffered some of the heaviest losses in recent weeks, led gains with a 6.7% close at 7,318.27, climbing as much as 7% at its intraday peak. The jump was fueled by a 10% rebound in chipmaking giant SK Hynix, which had fallen around 30% from its record high set last month.

    Gains were broad across the region: Japan’s Nikkei 225 closed up 0.9% at 68,363.59, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index gained 1.3% to 24,667.27, and Shanghai’s Composite index edged up 0.2% to 3,976.41. Minor gains were also recorded in Sydney, Singapore, Taipei and Manila. The U.S. dollar extended losses against most major global currencies following the inflation data, as lower rate hike expectations reduced the greenback’s yield appeal.

    The positive regional momentum followed a solid trading session on Wall Street, where technology stocks bounced back from recent losses immediately after the inflation release. Sentiment on Wall Street was further lifted by better-than-expected second-quarter profits from major U.S. banking giants including JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Bank of America, Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo, kicking off the unofficial start of earnings season on a strong note. The upward trend was not universal, however: IBM plummeted more than 25% after releasing disappointing preliminary quarterly results, blaming slowing customer spending driven by higher expected costs for memory chips and other AI-related infrastructure.

    Even as investors celebrated the cooling inflation print, Federal Reserve policymaker Kevin Warsh struck a cautious tone during testimony before the House Financial Services Committee on Tuesday, warning that the fight against inflation is far from over. “There might be some that look at this morning’s data and say, ‘Oh, mission accomplished! Everything is swell,’” Warsh said. “That is not my view.” He added that Fed officials have “no tolerance” for persistently high inflation, and remain committed to taming the multi-year inflation surge that has hit U.S. household budgets. “What I’d say is there’s plenty of work to do,” Warsh said.

    Oil prices extended their ongoing rally on Wednesday, despite the soft inflation data, after U.S. forces carried out new strikes on Iranian targets and Trump reimposed a naval blockade on ships traveling to and from Iranian ports. By 0200 GMT, West Texas Intermediate crude was up 0.9% to $80.04 per barrel, while Brent North Sea crude rose 1.1% to $85.68 per barrel, extending a double-digit percentage gain that has built up over the past week of escalating tensions.

  • UK announces social media curfew for older teens

    UK announces social media curfew for older teens

    The United Kingdom has expanded its sweeping new regulations targeting underage social media use, announcing a landmark overnight curfew for 16- and 17-year-olds just one month after rolling out a full ban for children under 16 on major platforms.

    In an official statement released Tuesday, the UK government confirmed the new policy, which restricts 16- and 17-year-olds’ access to popular platforms including Instagram and Facebook between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. The regulatory package also includes a mandatory default setting that will disable widely criticized addictive design features such as infinite scrolling for this age group. Unlike the under-16 ban, these restrictions are not fully mandatory: users can manually override the settings if they choose. However, critics have already raised questions about the measures’ effectiveness, and details on how the government will enforce these changes remain undisclosed as of press time.

    The under-16 ban, announced last month by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration, covers all of the world’s largest social media platforms: Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. That policy is scheduled to go into effect in early 2027, making the UK one of a growing number of nations implementing strict age-based restrictions on social media access for minors.

    “Even as young people gain greater independence at 16, they should still be protected from the most addictive online features that can have a harmful impact on their wellbeing,” UK Technology Minister Liz Kendall said in the official announcement. “These measures will be crucial in helping young people get the sleep they need, focus on school and college, and spend more quality time with family and friends.”

    Additional components of the new regulatory framework include mandatory break requirements for under-18 users of AI chatbot platforms, requiring providers to prompt minor users to take regular pauses from interaction.

    Reaction to the new rules has been split across advocacy and public health circles. While some children’s welfare organizations have hailed the reforms as a long-overdue step to protect vulnerable young people from the well-documented harms of excessive social media use, other observers have warned that poorly enforced restrictions could push teens toward unregulated, less safe alternative platforms that lack even basic content moderation protections.

    The UK’s policy shift comes amid a growing global trend of strict age-based social media regulation. Australia was the first country to implement a national under-16 social media ban in December 2024, a move that has so far produced mixed results in terms of compliance and enforcement. Canada and the United Arab Emirates have both announced similar under-16 bans in recent months, while Indonesia began enforcing its own under-16 social media restriction in March 2025.

  • France fireworks fizzle as Spain advance to World Cup final

    France fireworks fizzle as Spain advance to World Cup final

    Coming into the 2025 FIFA World Cup semi-final clash against Spain at Arlington, Texas’ AT&T Stadium, France entered the tie with a reputation as the tournament’s most devastating attacking unit. Praised as the most exciting offensive collective since Brazil’s iconic 1982 squad, Les Bleus had piled up 16 goals across six prior matches, with the dynamic front line of Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue terrorizing opposition defenses at every turn. But on Tuesday night, that free-scoring form vanished into the Texas humidity, as Spain’s dominant midfield masterclass secured a clinical 2-0 victory that crushed France’s bid to reach an unprecedented third consecutive World Cup final.

    For France, the match was a painful lesson that attacking flair alone cannot win knockout football, echoing the fate of Brazil’s beloved 1982 side that fell short of glory despite their mesmerizing play. Spain’s midfield trio of Rodri, Dani Olmo and Fabian Ruiz completely shut down France’s supply lines to their star forwards, leaving the vaunted French attack unable to register a single shot on target until more than 75 minutes had elapsed. By that point, Spain had already built a two-goal cushion and was controlling the tempo with ease, cruising through the final stages to confirm their place in the tournament’s deciding match.

    Speaking after the final whistle, Mbappe, who came into the match one win away from making history as only the second player ever after Brazil’s Cafu to feature in three straight World Cup finals, admitted France had been outplayed across every area of the pitch. “We kept finding ourselves outnumbered 3-on-2 in midfield,” the Real Madrid star explained. “And against Spain, that’s a real problem…When you put it all together, the result is a defeat. It’s a huge disappointment. I don’t think we played the match we wanted to play — whether tactically, technically, or in terms of our overall performance level. And when you don’t do what you’re supposed to do in a World Cup semi-final, you don’t win.”

    The result brings a bitter, underwhelming end to Didier Deschamps’ tenure as France head coach, who is set to depart his post after the tournament. Deschamps, who led France to World Cup glory in 2018 and a runner-up finish in 2022, had been widely expected to cap his tenure with another deep run, with many arguing a third final appearance would have cemented his legacy as one of France’s greatest ever managers. Many questions will now be raised about why Deschamps failed to prepare a tactical game plan to neutralize Spain’s renowned possession-based passing system, a weakness that was exploited fully on Tuesday.

    Despite the disappointing exit, Deschamps struck a reflective tone when addressing reporters, insisting he had no regrets over his time in charge of the national side. “It is not really important on a personal level whether I leave this competition in the semi-final or final,” Deschamps said. “It’s not time to talk about the future. And I am extremely happy. I am very proud of everything we’ve done with the national team. I have been lucky as a player to enjoy a big moment. Today is not such a moment but I think we must accept it without forgetting everything that we’ve experienced so far.”

    For Mbappe, the premature exit means France will now face a third-place match at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday, a fixture that carries little consolation for a side that entered the tournament with title ambitions. While the 27-year-old acknowledged the crushing weight of the disappointment for the entire squad, he struck a defiant note about the future of French football, with the 2028 European Championships on the near horizon.

    “It was a dream for us to reach the final, to give our country the chance to keep dreaming and to make history,” he said. “Now, it is something we have to face with our heads held high. I believe that when you win, you win with your head held high; so when you lose, you have to lose with your head held high, too. But right now, there is immense disappointment. I find it hard to put into words just how disappointed the squad and I are. Yet even if it might seem a bit robotic at times, we have to pick ourselves up, go on vacation, and move on to the next chapter. Because football waits for no one. We have to start over, put this failure behind us, and learn from it.”

    For Spain, the victory marks a return to the World Cup final, bringing the nation one step away from lifting a second world title after their maiden triumph in 2010.

  • Gibraltar and Spain end border checks

    Gibraltar and Spain end border checks

    Decades of cross-border tension and daily commuter frustration formally came to an end this Wednesday, as Spain and the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar lifted all routine land border controls between the two territories under a landmark post-Brexit agreement reached with the European Union and United Kingdom.

    Moments after midnight, an Agence France-Presse reporter on site witnessed dozens of pedestrians and vehicles cross the frontier from Spain into Gibraltar without undergoing mandatory customs or identity checks, marking the first unimpeded crossing in modern history. Hundreds of gathered celebrants waved Spanish flags at the opening, while Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Fabian Picardo declared to the crowd that “Europe is back.”

    Situated on the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula, Gibraltar—commonly nicknamed “The Rock”—is a self-governing British territory covering just under 7 square kilometers, with a permanent population of only 40,000. Despite its small size, it depends heavily on a daily workforce of roughly 15,500 people who commute from neighboring Spanish towns. For generations, rush-hour queues stretching for kilometers were a ubiquitous fixture at the border, with delays worsening dramatically during periodic spikes in diplomatic tension over Madrid’s longstanding sovereignty claim to the territory.

    The change follows a formal treaty signed Tuesday in Brussels by EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic, alongside ministers from the UK, Spain, and Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Picardo. Negotiated over four years of intensive talks following Britain’s 2020 exit from the European Union, the agreement aligns Gibraltar with Europe’s Schengen Area, the continent’s passport-free travel zone. Routine identity checks will only remain in place for travelers arriving at Gibraltar’s airport and seaport from non-Schengen destinations.

    Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares framed the deal in a pre-signing radio interview, noting it “opens a new era” for Gibraltar and its surrounding Spanish region that will unlock “enormous opportunities.” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez plans to visit the border region Wednesday, where crews have already begun removing the old chain-link fencing that long separated the two sides. Sanchez has called the new arrangements the tearing down of “the last wall” inside the EU, laying the groundwork for a zone of shared cross-border prosperity.

    Picardo echoed the sentiment, describing the agreement as a step that eliminates “the physical barriers of a bygone era of friction” while preserving Gibraltar’s autonomy, stating the territory retains “the keys to our own front door.”

    Business and labor leaders across the region have widely praised the move, saying it will resolve longstanding problems that held back economic opportunity on both sides of the border. Owen Smith, head of the Gibraltar Federation of Small Businesses, explained that the daily hassle of border delays has long been a major barrier to recruiting and retaining cross-border workers who choose to live in more affordable Spanish communities. “It’s been a big factor in retention, and certainly a fluid border is going to make life much easier,” Smith told AFP, calling the reform “very, very positive.”

    Manuel Triano Paulete, secretary general of the CCOO trade union for Spain’s Campo de Gibraltar region surrounding the territory, framed the end of arbitrary controls as the removal of a persistent “Sword of Damocles” hanging over cross-border workers, who for decades never knew how long their daily commute would take due to politically motivated delays.

    The border has been a flashpoint in Anglo-Spanish relations for more than three centuries. Spain ceded Gibraltar to Britain under the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, and Madrid has maintained a formal sovereignty claim over the territory ever since. The most severe disruption came in 1969, when Spanish dictator Francisco Franco ordered the full closure of the border in response to Gibraltar’s overwhelming public vote in a referendum to remain a British territory. That closure lasted 13 years, cutting off thousands of workers from their jobs and splitting hundreds of families apart. Since the border reopened in 1982, periodic diplomatic tensions have repeatedly led to sudden tightening of controls and crippling daily queues.

    For the surrounding region, the economic stakes of the reform are high. Gibraltar’s economy, built on financial services and online gaming, boasts one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, and it has long served as an economic lifeline for Campo de Gibraltar, a region that has historically recorded one of Spain’s highest unemployment rates.

  • Record-smashing heat wave surges from West to eastern US, Canada

    Record-smashing heat wave surges from West to eastern US, Canada

    A historic, record-shattering heat wave driven by a persistent heat dome is pushing eastward across North America this week, placing more than 100 million people across the United States and Canada under official heat warnings and triggering dangerous wildfire and air quality risks across the continent. What began as an unprecedented heat event in the western U.S. has spilled over into densely populated regions of the East Coast, Mid-Atlantic and southern Canada, following a pattern scientists link directly to fossil fuel-driven climate change.

    By Tuesday, the heat dome had already toppled long-standing all-time temperature records across western states. Billings, Montana hit 111 degrees Fahrenheit (44 degrees Celsius), breaking its previous record by three full degrees, while Salt Lake City, Utah reached 109 degrees Fahrenheit, topping its old benchmark by two degrees. While extreme heat and dry conditions remain locked in the Mountain West, the mass of high pressure is now moving toward populated eastern corridors that already saw deadly brutal heat earlier this month, stretching from Virginia up through New England and into Canada’s most populous regions including Ontario and Montreal.

    The U.S. National Weather Service projects that above-average, dangerous heat will reach the Northeast by Tuesday, with peak high temperatures hitting the region on Wednesday before spreading into the Mid-Atlantic. Major cities from Richmond, Virginia to Boston, Massachusetts will see highs climb into the upper 90s to near 100 degrees Fahrenheit, putting daily and all-time temperature records at risk of being broken. In Canada, the country’s capital Ottawa and largest city Toronto are both forecast to hit 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit on Tuesday, with the real feel temperature climbing even higher due to oppressive humidity.

    The combination of unseasonable heat, dry conditions and trapped hot air has already exacerbated wildfire risk across North America. Fierce wildfires are burning out of control in southwestern Ontario and northern Minnesota, while smoke from hundreds of miles away blazed in northern Quebec and northwestern Ontario turned the sky over Montreal a hazy yellow by Tuesday morning. Environment and Climate Change Canada warned that the hot, stagnant air will degrade air quality across much of the region, pushing the national Air Quality Health Index into high-risk categories that threaten vulnerable populations. While cooler temperatures are expected to reach eastern regions by the end of the week, the heat dome will remain anchored over the U.S. Mountain West for the entire remainder of July.

    Meteorologists explain that heat domes form when large areas of high pressure trap sinking air near the surface, preventing cloud formation and precipitation and allowing heat to build steadily over days or even weeks. While heat domes are a naturally occurring climate phenomenon, climate scientists emphasize that modern extreme heat events like this are directly amplified by decades of fossil fuel emissions that have warmed the planet.

    “We know that heat domes are, of course, a natural part of the climate system,” said Marc Alessi, a climate scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, during a recent briefing. “But the climate system now is fundamentally different due to fossil fuel-driven climate change. Our atmosphere is much warmer. Our oceans are much warmer. They’re releasing a lot more heat into the atmosphere, and this heat dome is an example of what fossil fuel-driven climate change looks like.”

    A recent analysis from the international research group World Weather Attribution found that the extreme heat and humidity that hit the East Coast earlier this month, timed with the U.S. 250th Independence Day celebrations, would have been “virtually impossible” to occur without human-caused climate change.

    Scientists also note that a developing “super” El Niño in the equatorial Pacific Ocean is adding additional pressure that is amplifying the current heat dome. Record-warm sea surface temperatures in the central Pacific are shifting the paths where tropical storms form and release energy, which in turn distorts the jet stream over the western U.S. and allows hot high-pressure air to become trapped near the surface. U.S. climate forecasters project that this El Niño will peak between October and December of this year at potentially record-breaking intensity, with the largest temperature impacts following in 2027. When combined with long-term human-caused climate change, the previous El Niño event helped make 2023 the second-hottest year on record globally, and 2024 the hottest year ever recorded.

  • Tasmania government to explore buying James Boag brewery, Premier Jeremy Rockliff says

    Tasmania government to explore buying James Boag brewery, Premier Jeremy Rockliff says

    One of Australia’s most historically significant breweries, the 143-year-old James Boag Brewing facility in northern Tasmania, may avoid permanent closure after its Japanese parent company gave preliminary backing to a Tasmanian state government acquisition proposal.

    The site, which first opened its doors in Launceston — Tasmania’s second-largest city — in 1881, has stood alongside Hobart’s Cascade Brewery as one of the nation’s oldest operating commercial breweries. Last month, its parent firm Lion, a beverage distribution giant wholly owned by Japan’s Kirin Holdings, announced plans to permanently shut down production at the Launceston facility this coming November, a decision that immediately sparked widespread community outcry and put 42 local jobs at risk.

    Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff confirmed this week that Kirin has now granted in-principle support for the state government to advance a full acquisition of the brewery site. Speaking after a high-level meeting with Kirin leadership in Japan, Rockliff emphasized the site’s irreplaceable place in Tasmania’s industrial and cultural identity. “The Boag’s site is woven into the fabric of our state’s heritage, so any transition must be handled responsibly, with an unwavering focus on unlocking long-term economic opportunity for Launceston and the entire north,” he said. “Any future planning for the precinct must balance three core goals: protecting the site’s unique heritage character, attracting new private investment that creates and preserves local jobs, and building a space that can adapt to meet the needs of coming generations.”

    As of Wednesday, no details have been released on the potential purchase price the government is considering, nor has a formal plan been announced for the site’s future use. Rockliff confirmed that both Kirin and Lion have committed to collaborating closely with the state government and Launceston City Council to explore all viable future options. The two sides have also agreed to move forward with required enabling legislation to streamline future redevelopment of the site, a process made necessary by the site’s complex land and infrastructure status.

    Rockliff acknowledged that the original announcement of the brewery’s closure came as a devastating shock to the 42 employees working at the facility and their families. “Following advocacy that directly reflected community and worker concerns during our meeting in Japan, Kirin has agreed to seriously review additional requests for enhanced worker support packages,” the Premier said. Next week, he will meet directly with Lion CEO Anubha Sahasrabuddhe to advance negotiations around workforce transition support ahead of the planned November shutdown. “Workers have been our top priority from the day this announcement was made, and we will keep fighting to secure the best possible outcome for them,” Rockliff added. He also noted that Kirin has reaffirmed its commitment to exploring small-batch collaborative brewing opportunities with independent craft brewers across Tasmania.

    In its original July 1 statement announcing the closure, Sahasrabuddhe framed the decision as a response to long-term structural shifts in Australia’s beer market. “The James Boag brewery has been operating below capacity for a long time, reflecting a long-term decline in the segment of the national beer market it serves,” she said. “After reviewing all feedback gathered during public consultation, we concluded the structural challenges facing the brewery cannot be overcome, so we made the difficult decision to move forward with closure. It remains not our intention to sell the James Boag’s brand — we remain fully committed to both Tasmania and growing the James Boag’s brand moving forward.”

    The deal puts a spotlight on the concentration of Australia’s beer market: data shows Japanese brewing giants Kirin and Asahi together control roughly 92% of the national beer market. Asahi, alongside its own product lines, also owns Carlton and United Breweries. The remaining 8% of the market is split almost entirely between small independent craft brewers, many of which are based in Tasmania, including well-known operations like Hobart’s Moo Brewery, owned by Museum of Old and New Art founder David Walsh.

    Rockliff said the state government will keep all stakeholders — including Kirin, brewery employees, industry unions, local council leaders, and the broader Tasmanian community — updated as negotiations progress in the coming weeks.

  • Adelaide Crows star Josh Worrell to face court over crash with pedestrian

    Adelaide Crows star Josh Worrell to face court over crash with pedestrian

    A prominent Adelaide Crows AFL defender is scheduled to appear in court following a collision with a pedestrian that occurred on his commute to team training earlier this month.

    25-year-old Josh Worrell was traveling along Port Road in Woodville, on the outer boundary of Adelaide, when his vehicle struck a 29-year-old male pedestrian early Friday morning, leaving the pedestrian with physical injuries from the crash.

    In the immediate aftermath of the incident, Worrell offered to transport the injured man to a local hospital for treatment. While both parties later attended a police station to file an official report of the collision that same afternoon, their report fell outside the mandatory reporting window required by South Australian law, leaving Worrell facing formal criminal charges.

    In an official statement released following the completion of initial investigations, South Australia Police confirmed that the AFL player has been cited for two offenses: aggravated driving without due care, and failure to present to a police station within the legally required 90-minute window after a collision that resulted in injury. Authorities added that Worrell will receive a summons ordering him to appear at a local court for arraignment at a future date.

    In a surprising turn of events just one day after the crash, Worrell suited up for the Adelaide Crows and played the full 90-minute match against the Gold Coast Suns at Adelaide Oval, where the Crows secured a dominant 128-49 victory.

    Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Crows head coach Matthew Nicks confirmed that the club is prioritizing support for the young defender as he navigates the legal aftermath of the incident. “It’s been a pretty challenging few days for Josh, he’s working through after his accident,” Nicks told journalists. “But we’re just doing whatever we can to support him through that.”

    Media outlets have approached Adelaide Football Club for additional comment on the incident and the club’s internal review process, with further updates expected as the legal case progresses.

  • Coles’ major shot at supermarket rival as reward point schemes heat up

    Coles’ major shot at supermarket rival as reward point schemes heat up

    Australia’s major grocery chain Coles has launched a direct competitive challenge to its long-time market rival Woolworths, unveiling a sweeping overhaul of its popular Flybuys loyalty program that unlocks far greater instant savings for regular shoppers. From Wednesday, the national rollout of the new “pay with points” feature will go into effect, giving customers a faster, far more flexible pathway to put accumulated Flybuys points toward immediate discounts on in-store grocery purchases.

    Under the updated reward framework, members can redeem their points in tiered increments that were not available previously. For every 2000 points held, customers can opt to claim $10 off, with options for $20, $30, $50, $70 and $100 discounts, adjusted to match a member’s total points balance and their total checkout spend. The program caps redemptions at 20,000 points per transaction, translating to a maximum potential saving of $100 on a single shop of weekly household essentials. For context, the previous iteration of Flybuys only allowed a maximum $10 discount per transaction at Coles supermarkets.

    The update positions Coles to directly compete with Woolworths’ established Everyday Rewards program, the main rival loyalty offering on the Australian grocery market. Currently, Woolworths’ base scheme allows members to redeem 2000 points for $10 off per shop, or hold points through the year to redeem all at once at Christmas. For an extra monthly fee of $7, or $70 annually, Woolworths also offers members 10% off one shop per month.

    Beyond changes to supermarket redemptions, Coles will expand the new pay-with-points function to participating Liquorland locations starting August 19.

    Michael Courtney, Coles’ chief customer experience officer, emphasized that the program update responds directly to shifting consumer demand amid ongoing cost-of-living pressures. “Our customers are looking for practical ways to save, and pay with points makes it easier to use the points they have already earned for money off their in-store shop instantly at the checkout,” he said. “For customers with points sitting in their Flybuys account, this is a simple way to unlock more value, and those points can now help pay for more of the weekly shop.”

    Program data shows the update responds to proven consumer behavior: more than half of all Flybuys members who shopped at Coles over the past 12 months have redeemed the $10 discount at least once. Anna Lee, chief executive officer of Flybuys, added that the revamp gives members greater autonomy over how they leverage their earned rewards. “Millions of members who shop in store at Coles already have enough points to redeem,” she said. “Pay with points gives members more choice in how they redeem their points across our great range of partners.”

  • AFL 2026: Hawthorn star Jack Ginnivan takes aim at rule he believes is ‘worst’ in the game

    AFL 2026: Hawthorn star Jack Ginnivan takes aim at rule he believes is ‘worst’ in the game

    A growing wave of criticism against the Australian Football League’s polarizing stand rule has gained a high-profile new critic, with Hawthorn Hawks star playmaker Jack Ginnivan becoming the latest prominent voice to call out the regulation, arguing it undermines the quality of play and creates unnecessary confusion for athletes and officials alike.

    Introduced back in 2021, the stand rule was designed with a clear on-field goal: to prevent players positioned on the mark from moving laterally before a set shot, in turn opening up attacking space and creating more dynamic play across the ground. But from its launch, the regulation has split opinions across the league, drawing consistent pushback from players, coaches, and fans who argue it creates more problems than it solves.

    Ginnivan, who knows the rule’s inconsistent impacts firsthand after benefiting from a controversial 50-meter penalty under the regulation during Hawthorn’s rain-soaked clash against Carlton at the Melbourne Cricket Ground last Saturday, doubled down on those criticisms in a recent appearance on the Ball Magnets podcast. The forward, known for his straightforward, unfiltered comments to media, did not mince words when assessing the rule.

    “I think it’s the worst rule the AFL has, like easily,” Ginnivan said. “It’s just so confusing for players and umpires to adjudicate. It just doesn’t need to exist, it creates unnecessary 50-meter penalties that can directly lead to a goal out of nowhere, and it sort of just ruins the game.”

    The controversial incident from Saturday’s match perfectly illustrates the confusion Ginnivan highlighted. As the Hawks prepared for a difficult set shot in heavy, slippery rain, Carlton’s Adam Cerra stepped off the mark just as the umpire appeared to call play-on. Despite the call, officials awarded Ginnivan a 50-meter penalty, moving his shot from a tough angle to an unmissable position directly in front of goal. Ginnivan went on to convert the kick, but he stressed that the chaos of the moment was not the fault of the officiating team—it was the fault of a poorly written rule.

    Ginnivan sympathized with veteran umpire Matt Stevic, who was forced to make the split-second call in the chaotic moment. “It’s just so hard for Matt Stevic to umpire it because the rule is so bad,” he explained.

    Offering his own perspective on how set shots should work, Ginnivan argued the old system allowed for more flexibility and strategic play without unnecessary confusion. “I felt like if I was to run straight, if Dimma (Blake Hardwick) was there, I could feign the handball if I wanted to. But if I wanted to run straight, I am OK. I don’t think I stepped off my line, I am pretty sure I was still running straight. But then the confusion of, ‘Oh (he) called play-on’, it’s just so hard for everyone involved.”

    Ginnivan’s public criticism adds to a growing body of discontent with the stand rule, reigniting calls for the AFL to revisit the regulation and consider adjustments ahead of the next season to restore clarity and consistency to on-field officiating.

  • ‘Curveball’: Today star Sarah Abo announces early maternity leave exit

    ‘Curveball’: Today star Sarah Abo announces early maternity leave exit

    Australia’s embattled morning program the Today Show has been hit by another unexpected disruption, after popular co-host Sarah Abo announced an early, unplanned departure for maternity leave triggered by a sudden high blood pressure diagnosis that has forced her into medical monitoring. The heavily pregnant first-time host, who already endured a years-long, challenging fertility journey including two prior miscarriages to reach her current pregnancy, shared the sudden shift in plans via her personal Instagram account early Wednesday.

    In a candid message shared to her Instagram Stories, Abo opened up about the unexpected turn of events, acknowledging her recent absence from social media and on-air duties. “Sorry I’ve been a bit MIA – copped a bit of a curveball on Wednesday afternoon with high blood pressure and have been in and out of hospital since,” she wrote. Abo, who was originally scheduled to begin maternity leave in the coming weeks, confirmed the unexpected diagnosis meant she would not be able to return to the studio to say a formal goodbye to viewers before stepping away.

    “Thankfully I am in the safe hands of magnificent health professionals taking incredibly good care of bub and me. They have ordered me rest as they monitor me though! Which means I won’t make it back to the Today Show to say goodbye to you wonderful people before so abruptly heading on maternity leave,” she added. The host closed her message with a gentle public health reminder for all followers, regardless of pregnancy status: “A reminder to make sure you look after yourself – pregnant or not! Xx.” Abo paired the update with photos of her in hospital, and thanked viewers for the outpouring of support she has already received, saying she regularly feels grateful for the kindness of her audience.

    Shortly after Abo shared her personal update, her fill-in co-hosts Sylvia Jeffreys and Charles Croucher delivered the news to live Today Show viewers Wednesday morning. “We have a little news to share with you at home this morning, because, of course, many of our wonderful Today show viewers have been wondering where the beautiful Sarah is,” Jeffreys told the audience, confirming that while Abo’s baby has not yet arrived, the sudden high blood pressure diagnosis required an immediate exit.

    Fellow on-air contributor Jayne Azzopardi shared warm words for her colleague, saying the entire team had hoped to give Abo a proper on-air send-off and baby celebration ahead of her leave. “I wish we could have done a proper maternity leave, baby shower send-off for Sarah. She hasn’t had the easiest pregnancy and I wish it had been different for her because she deserves that,” Azzopardi said. Dozens of Abo’s colleagues, former coworkers, and industry peers immediately flooded her social media post with messages of support and well-wishes.

    Sports presenter Danika Mason, who announced her own pregnancy just two weeks prior, was among the first to comment, writing: “Rest up we can’t wait to meet the little man.” Azzopardi added her own public note: “we miss you already, but you have more important things to do right now. Hopefully tough pregnancy means dream baby. you deserve it! Little CJ is already a very lucky boy.” Weekend news reader Lizzie Pearl, 60 Minutes executive producer Kirsty Thomson (Abo’s former boss at the program), reporter Christine Ahern, reporter Mia Glover, and former Today co-host Deborah Knight all shared similar messages of encouragement, urging Abo to prioritize her health and her baby’s well-being.

    Abo first shared her pregnancy news in an emotional on-air segment back in March, opening up about the difficult path that led to this point, including IVF treatment and two devastating prior miscarriages during her 13-year marriage to husband Cyrus Moran. “It hasn’t been the easiest journey to get here, which a lot of people I know have gone through and will go through. I know that a lot of our viewers will be going through this too, and it’s not as easy as a lot of people think that it will be. It has been a bit of a bumpy ride but here we are … we’re almost halfway now, and things are going well, it’s good,” she said at the time. Abo added that she felt a deep sense of cautious joy after her years of struggle: “Obviously I’m so thrilled to be sharing with you all, but I’m still terrified. I’m still finding it hard to believe that it’s happening and I will lean in and enjoy it, but a lot of people understand what it’s like to have this cautious optimism.”

    Abo’s sudden early exit comes just weeks after the Today Show was thrown into chaos by the controversial departure of long-time lead host Karl Stefanovic from parent network the Nine Network. Stefanovic’s exit followed widespread backlash over an interview he conducted with British far-right figure Tommy Robinson on his independent podcast, which triggered crisis talks between the host and Nine management. After decades working with the network, Stefanovic confirmed his departure, which was originally set to take effect by the end of 2024, was moved to an immediate exit. A range of temporary hosts have stepped into Stefanovic’s seat in the weeks since his departure, including Tom Steinfort, Charles Croucher, and Joel Dry.

    Now, Abo’s unplanned exit has added a new scheduling challenge for Nine management, who have not yet formally announced a permanent replacement for Abo during her maternity leave. Media rumors have already named former Today news reader Sylvia Jeffreys – who stepped in to co-host Wednesday’s broadcast – and former Sunrise host Samantha Armytage as top contenders to fill Abo’s role for the duration of her leave.