Jonathan Reynolds in Delhi to relaunch trade talks
Jonathan Reynolds in Delhi to relaunch trade talks
India and the *** will restart free trade talks on Monday, nearly a year after negotiations were paused ahead of general elections in both countries.
Jonathan Reynolds, the ***’s business and trade secretary, is in Delhi, where he will meet his Indian counterpart Piyush Goyal to kick off the two-day discussions.
Ahead of the meeting, Reynolds said it was a “no-brainer” to seek a trade deal with India, which was forecast to become the world’s third-largest economy in a few years.
The countries have held more than a dozen rounds of negotiations since 2022, but an agreement has remained out of reach.
Sticking points include high tariffs in India on Scotch ******** and demands to relax fees and visa rules for Indian students and professionals going to the ***.
Talks are being held for the first time after the Labour Party came to power in the *** and Reynolds says securing a deal is a “top priority” for his government.
“Growth will be the guiding principle in our trade negotiations with India and I’m excited about the opportunities on offer in this vibrant market,” he said in a statement.
For Delhi, the trade talks have assumed renewed significance on the back of US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose reciprocal or ****-for-tat tariffs on imported goods from countries, including India.
The *** is also a high-priority trading partner for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, which has an ambitious target to grow exports by $1 trillion by FY30.
The *** had announced in November last year – soon after Sir Keir Starmer met PM Modi at the G20 summit in Brazil – that talks would restart in the new year.
The two countries share a trade relationship worth £41bn ($52bn) currently, according to a *** government statement, and a trade deal could unlock new opportunities for both countries.
London has identified sectors that could benefit, which include advanced manufacturing, clean energy and professional and trade services. An agreement could also potentially unlock a valuable market for British cars, scotch ******** and financial services worth billions of dollars.
India is seeking greater mobility for its working professionals and students to the ***, while pushing for faster visa processing times.
It may also seek concessions for its residents working temporarily in the *** on business visas, who are required to pay national insurance but are still ineligible for social benefits.
During Reynolds’ visit, he and Goyal will also visit the BT office in the northern Indian city of Gurugram.
*** Investment Minister Poppy Gustafsson is also in India and will be participating in events in India’s two big business hubs – Mumbai and Bengaluru.
After years of scepticism over free trade deals, India has been signing agreements or is in talks with several countries or blocs. Last year, it signed a $100bn free trade agreement with the European Free Trade Association – a group of four European countries that are not members of the European Union – after almost 16 years of negotiations.
It is also set to resume negotiations with the European Union this year.
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Ford Mustang could spawn a Triple Eight special edition
Ford Mustang could spawn a Triple Eight special edition
The Blue Oval’s iconic pony car could get the Supercars treatment as part of a Ford-T8 road car program.
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Leaks Suggest Fortnite’s Reboot System Is Getting a Massive Facelift Which Might Be Its Biggest Upgrade Yet
Leaks Suggest Fortnite’s Reboot System Is Getting a Massive Facelift Which Might Be Its Biggest Upgrade Yet
Fortnite remains to be one of the biggest games in the world, and it’s only getting *******. According to reliable leaker Loolo, Epic Games is planning to introduce a new feature that will allow players to buy reboot cards with gold. So this means you may not have to take the gamble of getting ambushed by enemies to save your team.
This is the biggest change to the revive system. | Image Credit: Epic Games
The reboot system has been a big part of the game’s squad modes since it came out and this is the biggest change it’s ever seen. The cost hasn’t been revealed yet but it would have to be decently high but not so expensive that players don’t even consider it as an option. Since we are speculating on leaks, take all this information with a grain of salt.
Fortnite is making it easier to bring your team back
It will have to be well balanced. | Image Credit: @LazarBeam/YouTube
According to reputable Fortnite leaker Loolo, you’ll soon be able to buy reboot cards to revive your teammates. This new feature will allow players to purchase the reboot cards of their fallen teammates using in-game gold. The leak doesn’t include the exact cost of buying them, but this is a big change for the game.
BUYING REBOOT CARDS IS COMING SOON!
This feature will allow you to buy the reboot cards of the death members of your squad for gold (TBD amount), instead of needing to pick up their cards.
(Showcase via @fn_greenfox) #Fortnite pic.twitter.com/TkDvtEOfK6
— Loolo | Fortnite Leaks (@Loolo_WRLD) February 23, 2025
they should charge 1k for an instant reboot
— The Soup (@VaporSoup7) February 23, 2025
I actually hate this. It takes away some of the fun and randomness of the game.
— Marino4k (@MarinoFourK) February 23, 2025
The reboot system in Fortnite lets players revive teammates by collecting and delivering their reboot cards to the Reboot Van. But players would have to go where their teammates died to collect the cards, which is a hard task because the enemy team often waits for you to do just that. But this new system could change the way players strategize for revives because now you just need to have enough gold.
The early responses from players are about how much this new mechanic should cost. The general consensus seems to be that buying reboot cards should cost around 800 to 1000 gold. There are also some fans who think this takes away some of the skill-based aspects of the game and makes it easier. Epic Games hasn’t confirmed the exact implementation of this so for now, we take it with a grain of salt.
Fortnite is consistently growing and evolving
The game has been a success like no other. | Image Credit: Epic Games
Fortnite first added the Reboot System back in Chapter 1, Season 8. At the time it was inspired by Apex Legends‘ Respawn Beacon, which is essentially the same thing. Since then, Reboot Vans and cards have become a big part of squad gameplay. The system has had tweaks and changes over the years for balancing, but this new change is easily going to be the biggest we’ve seen.
Despite being nearly eight years old, Fortnite is still one of the biggest, if not the biggest game in the world. The game just kicked off Chapter 6 Season 2 With a Battle Pass featuring characters like Sub-Zero from Mortal Kombat and Outlaw Midas. We’re seeing more and more content, collabs and so much more.
As of now, Epic Games has not provided an official release date for the purchasable reboot cards. There are reports of it already being in Competitive but Loolo confirms that this is a mistake and that the feature isn’t fully out yet. But if the feature is already nearing completion then we’ll probably see it soon.
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Man rescued after reports of overturned boat on Arkansas River
Man rescued after reports of overturned boat on Arkansas River
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Officials with the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office said that a man has been rescued after his boat overturned on the Arkansas River Sunday evening.
According to a post on social media, deputies were dispatched to the end of Damsite Road near Frazier Pike around 7:20 p.m. Deputies said they received a report of an overturned boat with possible occupants when a man was heard calling for help by nearby fishermen.
PCSO officials said that multiple agencies including water patrol were deployed to the scene where they rescued the man. He told officials that he got too close to the dam and his boat overturned.
Officials said the man was transported to a local hospital where his condition is stable.
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Mercedes-Benz won’t get rid of V8 or V12 engines anytime soon
Mercedes-Benz won’t get rid of V8 or V12 engines anytime soon
The future of combustion-powered performance at Mercedes-Benz is looking brighter than it was a few years ago.
The company has confirmed it has a “full range of future-proof [Euro 7 emissions standards] ready engines and transmissions ranging from four to eight cylinders”.
Eight cylinders not enough? Well, Mercedes-Benz says that in “selected” markets it’ll continue to offer 12-cylinder engines, though it hasn’t said which markets these will be.
It currently offers just one 12-cylinder vehicle here, the Mercedes-Maybach S680. This flagship luxury sedan doesn’t have direct competition from BMW or Audi, with production of the V12-powered M760Li xDrive ending in 2022 and Audi phasing out the W12 option from its A8 in 2018.
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Camera IconMercedes-Maybach S680 Credit: CarExpert
Mercedes-Benz won’t just put high-output engines in luxurious cruisers, either.
Performance division Mercedes-AMG will have a “heavily refreshed” model lineup from 2026 onwards, which will include a “next-generation, high-tech electrified V8 and dedicated high-performance electric models based on AMG.EA”.
This suggests AMG.EA is still planned to exclusively underpin both high-performance EVs, unlike the upcoming VAN.EA commercial vehicle architecture which was recently confirmed to be getting a VAN.CA variant for combustion-powered models.
Camera IconMercedes-AMG GT63 S E Performance Credit: CarExpert
Confirmation of a new “high-tech electrified V8” means we could expect to see more plug-in hybrid V8s within the Mercedes-AMG lineup. It recently launched PHEV V8 versions of its GT and GT 4-Door Coupe.
However, it dropped the V8 from its C63 and GLC63 lines with their latest generations, moving to a four-cylinder plug-in hybrid, with the next-generation E63 rumoured to be moving to a six-cylinder powertrain.
Mercedes-Benz isn’t the only ******* brand rolling out PHEV V8s, with BMW also offering such a powertrain in its M5 and XM.
The three-pointed star brand softened its electric vehicle (EV) goals early in 2024, announcing it would delay its target for EVs to account for 50 per cent of its global vehicle sales from 2025 to 2030.
Camera IconUpcoming AMG.EA-based performance SUV Credit: CarExpert
However, there is yet another caveat, with the carmaker now including sales of plug-in hybrids – which can drive limited distances on solely electric power – in its 2030 target.
Mercedes-Benz will continue to launch and produce both petrol and diesel-powered vehicles alongside EVs for the foreseeable future, reportedly delaying plans made in 2021 to only roll out zero tailpipe emissions models from 2025. It’s unclear when this cutoff will move to.
The Stuttgart-based brand had also previously announced in 2021 its intention to go fully electric by 2030, but only in markets which supported the move, without announcing specific regions where it planned to phase out petrol and diesel cars.
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America’s foremost DEI shareholder activist warns that anti-diversity groups are forcing companies to underperform
America’s foremost DEI shareholder activist warns that anti-diversity groups are forcing companies to underperform
The great corporate DEI rollback is well underway, as a slew of companies—including Citigroup and Pepsi—have made changes to their diversity and inclusion programs.
But Andrew Behar, CEO of the shareholder activist group As You Sow, believes the rhetoric around DEI retreats we’ve seen so far obscures a larger truth: “Companies are actually holding strong.”
In a recent interview with Fortune, Behar explained that his group has spent months meeting with the heads of businesses caught in the crosshairs of DEI critics determined to blame everything from wildfires to plane crashes on diversity efforts. As You Sow has also proposed pro-DEI resolutions at companies like John Deere, Berkshire Hathaway, and Ford.
Based on his conversations with CEOs, Behar says he isn’t particularly worried about conservative activists winning over the executives of multinational companies.
“Anyone who’s looking at the data, which the companies are, comes to the conclusion that greater diversity leads to financial outperformance,” he said.
For the past three decades, As You Sow has been using shareholder resolutions and direct engagement with companies to push for climate policies, and, more recently, social justice initiatives. But As You Sow is not alone in this pursuit, Behar is quick to point out. One of his group’s allies, Nia Impact Capital, recently compelled Tesla to audit the company’s method for recruiting and retaining talent in light of accusations of racial discrimination, despite Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s much-publicized stance against DEI.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Have you been taken by surprise by recent anti-DEI fervor?
I’ve been surprised by the relentlessness of this administration to force companies to underperform.
How did we get here?
Let me give you a little background. Around 2018, a group of shareholders came together and said, “We’re finding that companies with greater diversity in their management teams are outperforming financially.” We started taking a look at that, and we ended up writing a letter with 3,000 companies, representing $4 trillion of assets, signing on to say, “We think that disclosure of your diversity, equity, and inclusion information is material. We need it to make buy-sell decisions, and to know how to weight our portfolios.” That was the start of this.
We met with hundreds of companies and they pretty much all agreed. We’re talking about companies like [Northrop] Grumman. I remember meeting a 30-year ex-Navy guy who is working at Grumman and saying, “Yeah, we’ve got to have greater diversity. It’s why we perform so well.”
Story Continues
In any case, some of the companies were more resistant, so we filed some shareholder resolutions.
Then there was this whole anti-ESG crusade, which grew out of the backlash to the 1619 Project and critical race theory. It’s a desperate attempt to hold the patriarchy in power. Along came these third-rate bloggers giving a ****** look at a company and going, “You’re too woke,” and the companies reacting.
What do you think of Robby Starbuck, the Tennessee-based online conservative influencer who has claimed credit for forcing companies to drop DEI? He is not a shareholder activist, but his online campaigns have boosted the anti-DEI movement.
He has no business threatening companies when their shareholders, the people who the board reports to, have spent years working with the company to get them on track for financial outperformance.
For example, Lowe’s had a 58% shareholder vote in favor of gender pay equality just a few years ago. Probably about $80 billion worth of shares voted for that. Then some blogger in Tennessee says, “I don’t like this.” And suddenly the company goes, “Oh, we’re going to ignore the people we report to and go with this guy.” So shareholders are troubled. We would like to understand the metrics by which the board came to that decision.
To see them reverse it, without any consultation, without any methodology, without any frankly, data, that’s troubling to us. We have to ask who’s really in charge, and whether we’ve got the right board of directors there.
What’s your plan for pushing back against the anti-DEI groups?
We are sitting down with the companies. For the most part, we find their basic tenet is: We need to do things that are going to be good for all stakeholders, especially for financial outperformance. But they made some adjustments to keep anti-DEI activists at bay.
We had three conversations with Ford last week, just because they’re trying to figure it out. They want to sell their pickup trucks, but they also want to continue to have a diverse employee base, because they know that it leads to financial outperformance, so it’s tough for them.
But we believe that management teams should be able to hire and promote people based on merit. We are really into meritocracy. What we find is that there are obstructions to people, to women and to people of color, that we’re trying to remove. So I just want to be clear about that. It’s not just a blanket, “Andy loves DEI.”
What sorts of responses do you expect to see from large companies on these issues?
I think Costco is a really important moment, where 98% of shareholders agreed with management and voted against an anti-DEI resolution.
But these anti-DEI resolutions have never gotten more than 2%, because they’re bad for business. The other side is trying to use big government to manipulate market forces, which is never going to work. The anti-DEI groups are trying to inject politics where it doesn’t belong. This is about business and about the U.S. being competitive in the global markets.
I understand they’re isolationists, and they’re going to try to pull us out of all the global markets, but multinationals have a lot of power, and I don’t think they’re going to stand for it.
Why do these groups keep proposing anti-DEI resolutions? They want press coverage?
They want the press coverage. They also want to throw sand in the gears of capitalism. This is an anti-capitalist, anti-freedom, anti-democracy crusade that is being waged to try to suppress information and suppress shareholders from having the disclosure and the information they need to make good fiduciary decisions.
Ford and Lowe’s did not respond to a request for comment. Robby Starbuck told Fortune, “I’m in touch with the actual people businesses need to walk into their stores. Conservative consumers trust me and listen when I call out a brand for bad behavior.”
This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
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FBI Director Kash Patel to also take over as acting ATF director – The Washington Post
FBI Director Kash Patel to also take over as acting ATF director – The Washington Post
FBI Director Kash Patel to also take over as acting ATF director The Washington PostTrump to name FBI chief Patel as acting ATF director, source says ReutersNew FBI Director Kash Patel plans to move up to 1,500 workers out of Washington, AP source says The Associated PressNew FBI leader Kash Patel tapped to run ATF as acting director Fox News
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'Pure cruelty': men face trial over body in concrete
'Pure cruelty': men face trial over body in concrete
A jury has been shown a picture of a plastic wrapped body found in concrete at a transport depot on the opening day of a ******* trial in Brisbane Supreme Court.
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Jane Fonda gives politically-charged speech at SAG Awards: ‘Woke just means you give a damn about other people’ – CNN
Jane Fonda gives politically-charged speech at SAG Awards: ‘Woke just means you give a damn about other people’ – CNN
Jane Fonda gives politically-charged speech at SAG Awards: ‘Woke just means you give a damn about other people’ CNNJane Fonda Says ‘Woke Just Means You Give a Damn About Other People,’ Calls on Hollywood to Fight With Empathy in SAG Awards Speech VarietyJane Fonda honored with 2025 SAG Life Achievement Award Reuters
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Two Raiders involved in Las Vegas altercation
Two Raiders involved in Las Vegas altercation
The NRL has been dealt its first off-field behavioural issue in Las Vegas, with Canberra forwards Morgan Smithies and Hudson Young reportedly clashing.
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart confirmed to multiple media outlets in Las Vegas that the club were looking into a matter between two players on the opening night of their camp.
According to reports, the two players became involved in an altercation with each other after a night out, when a hotel mix up left one of them without a room.
Hotel security were called and briefly removed the duo.
While reports also suggested there had initially been concerns about the involvement of a weapon, the item was later confirmed to have been an inflatable baseball bat.
Police did not become involved, and the pair were allowed to return to the hotel.
Neither of the duo are expected to be sent home, with both set to be named to face the Warriors in the NRL season opener at Allegiant Stadium this weekend.
“It was irresponsible behaviour, I’ve dealt with this and want to now go about preparing the team for Saturday,” Stuart told Nine Newspapers.
The clash is the first off-field behavioural problem to beset the NRL in Las Vegas, after a largely incident free first visit to the city last year.
On that trip, the main issue was a verbal altercation between the Sydney Roosters’ Spencer Leniu and Brisbane players in a hotel corridor, following Leniu’s racial slur against Bronco Ezra Mam.
That incident did not become physical, and hotel security were not called.
Clubs have largely given players free rein to enjoy Sin City, trusting them to behave and believing locking them in hotels is not the best preparation for games.
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Strange Fast Radio Bursts Emerge from an Ancient Dead Galaxy, Baffling Scientists
Strange Fast Radio Bursts Emerge from an Ancient Dead Galaxy, Baffling Scientists
A distant galaxy that ceased star formation billions of years ago has been found emitting unusual radio signals, a phenomenon that has left astronomers searching for answers. Observations have revealed fast radio bursts (FRBs) originating from the outskirts of this long-dead galaxy, challenging current understanding of how these cosmic events occur. Typically associated with young, star-forming galaxies, FRBs are believed to result from supernovae or other stellar explosions. The presence of such bursts in an inactive galaxy defies existing theories, prompting new investigations into their origins.
Findings from the Study
According to two research published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters on January 21, astronomers detected 22 FRBs between February and November 2024 using the ********* Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) telescope in British Columbia. The bursts were traced back to an 11 billion-year-old galaxy that no longer forms stars, making it an unlikely host for such signals. The discovery suggests that alternative mechanisms beyond conventional stellar activity may be responsible for FRBs.
Expert Analysis on the Unusual Signals
Speaking to Live Science, Tarraneh Eftekhari, astronomer at Northwestern University and co-author of the study, stated that only about a hundred FRBs have been accurately linked to their host galaxies, with most originating from regions of active star formation. The new findings challenge previous assumptions, indicating that other, yet unknown, processes could be generating these bursts.
Vishwangi Shah, an astronomer at McGill University and a study co-author, highlighted the rarity of the event, noting that FRBs are typically detected near the centers of galaxies. The location of this burst in the galaxy’s outskirts makes it a unique anomaly in FRB research.
Possible Explanations and Future Research
While the exact cause of the radio bursts remains uncertain, scientists have proposed several possibilities. One hypothesis suggests that a collision between two aged stars could have triggered the bursts. Another theory points to a white dwarf collapsing under its own gravity. Further research and additional observations will be necessary to determine the precise cause of these signals.
With CHIME set to expand its capabilities in the coming months, researchers hope to identify more FRBs and their sources, potentially uncovering new insights into these mysterious cosmic phenomena.
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Google’s Phone App for Android Reportedly Rolls Out Filters for Sorting Call History
Boult Mustang Q Headphones With Up to 70-Hour Battery Life Launched in India Alongside Mustang Torq, Dyno TWS Earbuds
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Local advocates react to IVF access executive order
Local advocates react to IVF access executive order
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — The Trump administration is working to expand access to In Vitro Fertilization across the country.
Last week, the president signed an executive order that aims to lower the cost of IVF treatment.
CBS 42 spoke with the founder of an organization dedicated to keeping IVF accessible in Alabama. She says the executive order is a major step in the right direction and is hopeful for the future.
“Fertilization is very important. I have been saying, what are going to do, what we have to do, and the women and families and husbands are very appreciative of it,” President Trump stated.
What President Trump is doing is finding ways to lower the cost of IVF treatment, which is something that Corrine O’Brien, founder of Fight for Alabama Families, says is desperately needed.
“The cost of IVF is incredibly expensive, anywhere from $12,000 upwards of $25,000, potentially out of pocket, so the fact that they’re, you know, they’re looking into how much we reduce cost, we get more insurance companies to cover this, is incredibly meaningful for our family,” O’Brien said.
Pickens County Schools announce updated safety protocols
Not everyone in the state feels the same way as O’Brien. Alabama Eagle Forum, a conservative advocacy group, released a statement citing the 2024 Alabama Supreme Court ruling that stated embryos are considered children.
“Eagle Forum believes that life begins at conception, thus the creation of embryos produces a human life,” the statement read. “The vast majority of embryos created through the IVF process are destroyed through intentional or negligent actions.”
According to the White House, the recommendations will focus on how to ensure reliable access to IVF. Priority will also be placed on addressing any current policies, including those that require legislation, that raise the cost of IVF treatments.
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Trump appointees appear to contradict Musk for first time in pushback to OPM email – CNN
Trump appointees appear to contradict Musk for first time in pushback to OPM email – CNN
Trump appointees appear to contradict Musk for first time in pushback to OPM email CNN‘Potential to increase actual dollars’: Elon Musk amid row over ‘work log’ order Hindustan TimesDOD tells civilian workforce to ignore Elon Musk’s request to report productivity Fox NewsFederal agencies push back on Elon Musk’s ‘What did you do last week?’ Email MintSome Agencies Urge Staff Not to Comply With Elon Musk’s Performance Email The New York Times
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Federal election 2025: Saddle up for the spendathon kids – you’ll be paying for it
Federal election 2025: Saddle up for the spendathon kids – you’ll be paying for it
Buckle up young voters, the great election spendathon is on and you will be the ones picking up the tab.
Fresh from committing $1.8 million per worker to save 1100 jobs in Whyalla, the Government is using your credit card to shore up seats on the city fringes.
If you hadn’t noticed, dear millennial, this election is on a knife edge, and with Labor sitting on just 31 per cent of the primary vote compared to the Coalition’s 41 per cent, according to the latest Freshwater poll. On a two-party preferred basis, the Coalition leads 52 per cent to 48 per cent.
This election will come down to a handful of seats and very likely a negotiation with the independent crossbenchers over who will form a ********* government.
With 70 per cent of voters citing cost of living as their main concern, Labor will be throwing borrowed money at any policy that takes the sting out of prices.
They know that every government that was in power during the post-pandemic inflation spike has been turfed out of power and have made this $8.5 billion Medicare handout the “beating heart of our campaign.” It takes up the full $5.4b set aside in the mid-year Budget update but expect this beating heart to grow arms and legs that will also cost taxpayers as the election rolls on. They didn’t mention how to pay for it.
The Coalition immediately matched the program, backflipping on the fiscal restraint that shadow spokesperson for economics Angus Taylor had earlier promised to The Nightly. Mr Taylor said the full details of where the savings will come from will be announced when the election is.
So far in this campaign that’s not yet a campaign, Labor has committed $7.2b for the Bruce Highway in Queensland, $3b for the NBN, $2b for the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, $1.9b for saving the Whyalla steelworks, $1.7b for state funding for hospitals and $2b for green aluminium production credits.
There’s also extra cash to get apprentices into the construction industry and more money for closing the gap for Indigenous Australians and for women’s health.
All that is on top of extra spending that was revealed in the mid-year review including cost-of-living top-ups such as energy and childcare rebates that will add $20b over the next four years, “unavoidable and automatic” payments for aged care, health care, and pensions, that will require an additional $22b, and the $5b plus debt relief under the HECS/HELP scheme that isn’t even means tested.
While some of the spending, such as the Medicare handout, is earmarked for after the election, the trajectory is clear. Despite promising “responsible fiscal management”, Labor is forecast to deliver a $26.9b deficit in this year’s budget. If it wasn’t for a low *********** dollar offsetting the fall in the US dollar denominated iron ore price, things would likely look much worse.
More importantly, dear Millennial, the country’s debt is set to surpass $1 trillion next year with no sign of real spending restraint and an ageing population that will increasingly require more health services and indexing for the aged care pension.
The interest payments on that debt are projected to grow by 11 per cent annually over the next decade.
Speaking on ABC radio this morning, finance minister Katy Gallagher talked the Government’s record of banking revenue upgrades in the previous two budgets but said little about where the money would come from for this latest expenditure, saying they’d “put in some small revenue measures.”
That is what worries Saul Eslake, former chief economist of ANZ, who had also worked with Jeff Kennett in cutting Victoria’s debt surplus.
“Chalmers and Gallagher have banked most of (the revenue gains). But what they haven’t done is make any serious attempt to cut spending, and nor have they made any serious attempt to raise longer term revenues,” he said.
“The commodity windfalls that have helped deliver the two budget surpluses we’ve had are going away, and so we’re going back into deficit.”
The youth tax
This is the first election where Gen X and Millennial voters will outnumber Boomers, but you wouldn’t know it based on how they are being targeted.
This cohort will be footing the bill for decades to come, and without spending restraint, or a complete overhaul of the tax system, the only way that it will be paid for is via bracket creep.
Australia’s revenue collection system is one of the most reliant on personal income taxes in the OECD, which means young wage earners will be responsible for increasingly large share of the tax take, subsidising generous tax concessions to the most well off, most likely older voter.
The mid-year economic and fiscal outlook showed there were $50 billion of tax concessions over the forward estimates for capital gains tax discounts that primarily benefited the richest in the country and superannuation tax concessions that primarily benefited those in the top income tiers.
Last week former Treasury Secretary Ken Henry declared that future generations were being “mugged” by successive governments that have breached “the principles of sound fiscal management.”
The former Rudd adviser and an architect of sweeping review of Australia’s tax system believes the lack of restraint of government spending is a “looming intergenerational tragedy” that will rely on bracket creep to pay the bills.
“If you wanted a tax system to punish the young, this is what you’d do.”
Plenty of those youth will also be paying for profligate spending by state governments too with ratings agency S&P Global warning gross debt across the states is expected to hit $785 billion by 2027, driven unsustainable spending on cost-of-living subsidies, infrastructure budget blowouts, and public service outlays.
Mr Eslake, a Tasmanian, said that had been the case in his state.
“It would seem that the two major parties are lining up to do what to the Federal Budget what the Liberals in Tasmania have done over 10 years to the Tasmanian budget, which is at every election promise to spend lots of money on things that are popular without saying a word as to how it would be paid for,” he said.
“The result of that has been that Tasmania now has a worse financial situation than Victoria, which everybody seems to know is a basket case.”
While the Federal Budget is different from the States, the lesson is apt. The Reserve Bank last warned that China, our most important source of income to pay for all that spending is slowing. The once in a century ***** that was China’s industrialisation is over, and the demographic drag will only accelerate.
Which puts you even more on the hook, dear Millennial. I know that tax is boring, and I’m sure you’d like a free trip to the doctor – even if you are the least likely to use it – but check with your elected representative about who is ultimately signing the bill.
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Texas Lottery commissioner resigns as agency faces legislative scrutiny
Texas Lottery commissioner resigns as agency faces legislative scrutiny
Texas Lottery Commissioner Clark Smith has resigned, according to a spokesperson with the commission, as scrutiny for the department from lawmakers grows.
Smith’s resignation was effective on Friday, the spokesperson confirmed, but did not provide further information. Smith’s resignation comes just over a week after he and several other Texas Lottery Commission officials were grilled at a state Senate Finance Committee hearing over couriers, which lawmakers worry might be allowing people to game the lottery system — potentially illegally. At one point during the meeting, Smith apologized to a state senator after saying he was “generally familiar” with provisions of the state law governing the Texas Lottery.
Without Smith, the board has four members, including its chair, Robert Rivera.
Couriers, third-party services allowing players to buy tickets over the internet or through apps, have come under fire by lawmakers after a $95 million jackpot was won by several companies — one of which a courier service — by printing nearly every possible ticket. Senators at the Finance Committee also expressed concern the couriers could be used by out-of-state residents or minors to buy tickets illegally.
TLC said during the meeting it lacked the legal precedent to regulate couriers but had corrected other issues allowing the companies to print the over 25 million tickets necessary to win the 2023 jackpot. The latest jackpot, won in February for $83.5 million, was also won through the use of a courier, prompting Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to cast his own doubts on the practice in a video on X.
Smith’s resignation is the second retirement of a major TLC official in under a year, as former Executive Director Gary Grief resigned in 2024. Since then, Grief has faced repeated allegations of fraud and recklessness for allowing couriers to operate in a grey area, and some senators have suggested he should face criminal charges for any potential involvement in the 2023 jackpot. A lawsuit against Grief was also filed in February alleging he intentionally helped the courier companies.
A bill aimed at banning courier use is scheduled to be heard in a Senate Committee on State Affairs meeting Monday, and the commission itself is set to be discussed tomorrow during a Texas House Appropriations Committee meeting. Smith was appointed to the commission in late 2023 by Gov. Greg Abbott and was set to serve until 2029.
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Asia stocks track Wall St losses; tech skittish ahead of Nvidia earnings – Investing.com
Asia stocks track Wall St losses; tech skittish ahead of Nvidia earnings – Investing.com
Asia stocks track Wall St losses; tech skittish ahead of Nvidia earnings Investing.comAsian Stocks, Dollar Dip After Wall Street Selloff: Markets Wrap BloombergAsian Stocks Fluctuate, Dollar Dips After US Data: Markets Wrap Yahoo FinanceAsia-Pacific markets mostly fall as U.S. data stokes fears of sticky inflation and slower growth CNBCAsian shares are mixed after US stocks tumble on worries over tariffs The Hill
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Venus Williams turns down Indian Wells wildcard offer
Venus Williams turns down Indian Wells wildcard offer
Former world number one Venus Williams has turned down a wildcard for next month’s Indian Wells tournament.
Organisers said last week the 44-year-old had been invited but the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion has not taken it up.
“Our team has been informed that Venus is not accepting the wildcard this year,” the event posted on X in a statement attributed to tournament director Tommy Haas.
“We wish Venus all the best and hope to see her back in Indian Wells in the future.”
Williams has dropped to 974th in the world and has not played a WTA Tour-level match since losing in the first round of the Miami Open last March.
She earlier told the TennisWeekly podcast she would not be making her return at the Indian Wells tournament, which runs from 2-16 March.
“I’m not playing – I’m going to be overseas. I’m not going to be here,” she said.
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Pirate Yakuza’ Turns Him Into an Ultimate Heel
Pirate Yakuza’ Turns Him Into an Ultimate Heel
Samoa Joe’s redemption arc as a menacing villain is slowly taking shape. His failure to become one of the top contenders in WWE under Triple H’s leadership enabled him to explore other routes, which included playing the antagonist in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza is the right place to be for Joe. Image Credit: *****
In Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza, Joe’s presence seems quite dominating as he manages to create a menacing screen presence with his bodily demeanor and voice modulations. Given the history of Like a Dragon’s franchise with writing good antagonists, Joe might be able to find what he was meant to do.
Samoa Joe’s role in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza paints him in a menacing light
Joe’s presence dominated the game. Image Credit: *****
Joe is getting a lot of praise for his performance as the final boss in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza. WWE was partial against Joe during his wrestling career, even after becoming the first three-time NXT Champion which booked him as a menacing force and Triple H’s hand over him. He could never reach at the same level as Brock Lesner or Roman Reigns.
WWE failed to paint him as the same menacing force as his wrestling career. His injuries were also a big problem and on top of that WWE’s inconsistent bookings did not help either. He could never become a true main even a villain like Lesner or Reigns.
However, he seems to have found his calling now, as an actor, playing the main antagonist in the recently released Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza. He finally got a chance to tap into what he was meant to be. If he could not become the villain he aimed to be in wrestling, he chose video games to do the same.
Samoa Joe as the Final Boss in the new Yakuza game.
GOD, HE’S SO COOL. pic.twitter.com/7DrTnJg9Ny
— Drainmaker (@DrainBamager) February 22, 2025
Joe is the goat
— SOLOJONES (@VybzGemini) February 22, 2025
This is dopeee
— Ayo__Productions (@FrequencyAyo) February 22, 2025
He had a great presence in the ring, but WWE would often make him lose matches, especially against its main villains like Brock Lesner and Roman Reigns. Joe has now proved that he can be a really strong intimidating force and this might reignite a spark in his career. Joe has always been a fan of gaming.
The Like a Dragon franchise excels in making complex villains
The Like a Dragon franchise has had a long history of creating good villains. Image Credit: *****
Joe’s desire to be the top villain and the Like a Dragon franchise’s expertise in writing complex and detailed characters seems like a match made in heaven. The skills of both the parties involved complement one another. The franchise has also set its eyes on collaborating with Fortnite.
Joe always wanted to be the top villain and Triple H believed in him, however, WWE never let that happen. Now he is on the verge of asserting dominance in the world of video games.
Gaming might be the right place to be for Joe at the moment, especially after the positive response his character has been getting in Like a Dragon Pirate Yakuza. What do you think about it? Let us know in the comments below.
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Wildcats dismiss ugly NBL record against United
Wildcats dismiss ugly NBL record against United
Winless against Melbourne this season, Perth’s Kristian Doolittle says the WIldcats don’t need to reinvent themselves to take down United in the NBL Finals.
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Clues and answer for Monday, February 24
Clues and answer for Monday, February 24
Hey, there! Welcome to the start of a new week. We hope you’re well rested and raring to go. If you’re here, it’s a safe bet that your Monday routine involves playing Wordle. In case you need a little help, here’s our daily Wordle guide with some hints and the answer for Monday’s puzzle (#1,346).
It may be that you’re a Wordle newcomer and you’re not completely sure how to play the game. We’re here to help with that too.
What is Wordle?
Wordle is a deceptively simple daily word game that first emerged in 2021. The gist is that there is one five-letter word to deduce every day by process of elimination. The daily word is the same for everyone.
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Wordle blew up in popularity in late 2021 after creator Josh Wardle made it easy for players to share an emoji-based grid with their friends and followers that detailed how they fared each day. The game’s success spurred dozens of clones across a swathe of categories and formats.
The New York Times purchased Wordle in early 2022 for an undisclosed sum. The publication said that players collectively played Wordle 5.3 billion times in 2024. So, it’s little surprise that Wordle is one of the best online games and puzzles you can play daily.
How to play Wordle
To start playing Wordle, you simply need to enter one five-letter word. The game will tell you how close you are to that day’s secret word by highlighting letters that are in the correct position in green. Letters that appear in the word but aren’t in the right spot will be highlighted in yellow. If you guess any letters that are not in the secret word, the game will gray those out on the virtual keyboard.
You’ll only have six guesses to find each day’s word, though you still can use grayed-out letters to help narrow things down. It’s also worth remembering that letters can appear in the secret word more than once.
Wordle is free to play on the NYT’s website and apps, as well as on Meta Quest headsets. The game refreshes at midnight local time. If you log into a New York Times account, you can track your stats, including the all-important win streak.
How to play Wordle more than once a day
If you have a NYT subscription that includes full access to the publication’s games, you don’t have to stop after a single round of Wordle. You’ll have access to an archive of more than 1,300 previous Wordle games. So if you’re a relative newcomer, you’ll be able to go back and catch up on previous editions.
In addition, paid NYT Games members have access to a tool called the Wordle Bot. This can tell you how well you performed at each day’s game.
Previous Wordle answers
Before today’s Wordle hints, here are the answers to recent puzzles that you may have missed:
Yesterday’s Wordle answer for Sunday, February 23 — OTTER
Saturday, February 22 — CREAM
Friday, February 21 — CLOVE
Thursday, February 20 — ******
Wednesday, February 19 — MADLY
Today’s Wordle hints explained
Every day, we’ll try to make Wordle a little easier for you. First, we’ll offer a hint that describes the meaning of the word or how it might be used in a phrase or sentence. We’ll also tell you if there are any double (or even triple) letters in the word.
In case you still haven’t quite figured it out by that point, we’ll then provide the first letter of the word. Those who are still stumped after that can continue on to find out the answer for today’s Wordle.
This should go without saying, but make sure to scroll slowly. Spoilers are ahead.
Today’s Wordle help
Here is a hint for today’s Wordle answer:
An organ that produces chemicals or necessary substances, such as hormones or sweat.
Are there any double letters in today’s Wordle?
There are no repeated letters in today’s Wordle answer.
What’s the first letter of today’s Wordle?
The first letter of today’s Wordle answer is G.
The Wordle answer today
This is your final warning before we reveal today’s Wordle answer. No take-backs.
Don’t blame us if you happen to scroll too far and accidentally spoil the game for yourself.
What is today’s Wordle? Today’s Wordle answer is…
Today’s Wordle answer for Monday, February 24 – ******
******
Not to worry if you didn’t figure out today’s Wordle word. If you made it this far down the page, hopefully you at least kept your streak going. And, hey: there’s always another game tomorrow.
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Tech investor Prosus to buy Just Eat Takeaway.com for $4.3 billion – CNBC
Tech investor Prosus to buy Just Eat Takeaway.com for $4.3 billion – CNBC
Tech investor Prosus to buy Just Eat Takeaway.com for $4.3 billion CNBCView Full Coverage on Google News
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#Tech #investor #Prosus #buy #Eat #Takeaway.com #billion #CNBC
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Six Nations 2025: Five talking points from round three as England, Ireland and France win
Six Nations 2025: Five talking points from round three as England, Ireland and France win
In January, it was announced that this year’s Six Nations will use 20-minute red cards for the first time.
Lawmakers say the 20-minute red card trial is designed to “punish the player and not the team”, with sides able to replace a dismissed player after 20 minutes instead of playing the rest of the game with 14.
Ireland centre Garry Ringrose got his timing wrong on a big first-half hit on Wales’ Ben Thomas and his high tackle was later upgraded to red.
With Ireland down to 14, Wales had their best ******* of the match and scored a superb try in the corner through Tom Rogers.
Once the 20 minutes passed, Bundee Aki replaced Ringrose and played a key role in seeing the game home for Ireland.
“Ringrose is an exceptional player and defends so physically but in my opinion those collisions need to be out of the game,” Barclay said.
“That is a player who has made a decision to fly in. In my view, and a lot of other people, that should be a straight red card.”
Warburton says players’ behaviours have not changed enough since he retired in 2018.
“There needs to be a much firmer punishment on individuals off the field,” he said. “If Ringrose gets a one or two-week ban then he is going to do that again.
“A four-week ban and he probably doesn’t do that tackle again. We need to punish the player individually much more harshly off the field.”
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#Nations #talking #points #England #Ireland #France #win
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Nationals WA housing policy to build 230 new GROH homes in the Kimberley
Nationals WA housing policy to build 230 new GROH homes in the Kimberley
The Nationals WA have committed to building 245 new Government Regional Officer Homes properties in the Kimberley if elected in March, in an effort to tackle the local housing crisis.
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#Nationals #housing #policy #build #GROH #homes #Kimberley
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