Chalmers calls Coalition’s economic plan an ‘ambush’ as Taylor plugs spending cuts in treasurers’ debate

Posted on by

Opposition and Labor offer opposing pitches for economy in treasurers’ debate hosted by Sky News

Jim Chalmers has laid into “Peter Dutton’s coalition of cuts and chaos” in a heated televised debate with Angus Taylor, who took aim at a Labor party he claimed had overseen the “biggest collapse in our living standards in history”.

The treasurer and his counterpart went head-to-head in a debate hosted by Sky News on Wednesday night, answering questions on US tariffs, the cost-of-living crisis, energy and housing.

Continue reading...

They fled Putin’s Russia for the US. After Ice detention, they’re choosing to leave again

Posted on by

Sergei and Marina were building a new life in California after protesting the Ukraine war. But Sergei was arrested during a routine check-in – and everything has changed

Sergei and Marina escaped Russia three years ago under threat of arrest after protesting against the Ukraine war, seeking asylum in the US. Now their best chance of remaining together, as a family, is to flee again.

In a whirlwind three weeks, the couple’s plans to rebuild their lives in the US were abruptly upended.

Continue reading...

Mackerel stocks near breaking point because of overfishing, say experts

Posted on by

North-east Atlantic mackerel in decline and Good Fish Guide says shoppers should look for other options

Mackerel stocks are nearing a “breaking point”, experts have said as the fish is downgraded as a sustainable option.

People should be eating herring instead, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) said, because mackerel continues to be overfished by countries including Norway and the UK.

Continue reading...

Germany’s centrist parties agree coalition deal – CNN

Posted on by
  1. Germany’s centrist parties agree coalition deal  CNN
  2. Germany is back, says Merz, after sealing government deal  BBC
  3. Germany’s incoming Chancellor Merz unveils coalition as Trump tariffs spark recession fears  CNN
  4. Conservative CDU/CSU and SPD form coalition government in Germany  The Guardian
  5. Coalition Deal in Germany Clears Way for Friedrich Merz to Become Chancellor  The New York Times
Posted in Uncategorized

EU drug companies warn of exodus to US as Trump threatens import tariffs

Posted on by

Von der Leyen urged to take ‘rapid and radical action’ as president says tariffs on pharmaceuticals coming ‘shortly’

Pharmaceutical companies in the EU have warned of a “risk of exodus” to the US as stocks in the sector slid around the world on the back of Donald Trump’s renewed threat to impose tariffs on US drugs imports.

Drugmakers’ shares across Europe and India, another foreign drugs hub, slipped on Wednesday after Trump indicated further carnage was on the way in addition to the 20% “reciprocal tariffs” on imports that kicked in overnight.

Continue reading...

Trump tells countries to ax talks on shipping carbon tax, or else – politico.eu

Posted on by
  1. Trump tells countries to ax talks on shipping carbon tax, or else  politico.eu
  2. U.S. Threatens to Retaliate Against Plan to Make Ships Pay for Carbon Emissions  WSJ
  3. US against plan for levy on carbon emissions from ships, leak suggests  The Guardian
  4. World's first-ever global emissions tax is on the table at crunch shipping talks  CNBC
  5. US exits carbon talks on shipping, urges others to follow, document says  Reuters
Posted in Uncategorized

Russia Launched Offensive in Sumy and Kharkiv Regions, Ukraine’s Top Commander Confirms – The Moscow Times

Posted on by
  1. Russia Launched Offensive in Sumy and Kharkiv Regions, Ukraine’s Top Commander Confirms  The Moscow Times
  2. Russia steps up offensive across the front line in Ukraine, in apparent defiance of Trump. What does it mean for the war?  CNN
  3. Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 9, 2025  Institute for the Study of War
  4. Ukraine's military chief says new Russian offensive has begun  Reuters
  5. Russia ‘readies for attack on Sumy with 67,000 troops at border’  The Times
Posted in Uncategorized

Court battle by survivor of Catholic church abuse will help others challenge past settlements, lawyers say

Posted on by

Man praised for ‘towering courage’ in paving way for survivors to challenge past settlements that effectively protected church institutions

Lawyers for an abuse survivor say a high court ruling on Wednesday will pave the way for more survivors to challenge past settlements that “served only to protect the church institutions” from paying out genuine compensation.

The survivor, known as DZY, was confronted with insurmountable legal barriers to his planned civil action against the Christian Brothers in 2012 over abuse at the hands of two Catholic brothers, brothers Robert Best and Gerald Fitzgerald, in the 1960s.

Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter

Continue reading...