Sana Khan

Albanese is using soft drinks as a symbolic protest against American trade policies, urging Australians to back local businesses by opting for flavors like ginger beer, sarsaparilla, lemon-lime and bitters, guava, and Burgundee creaming soda.

The Disaster Recovery Allowance is a temporary income support payment for people who can show they lost income because of a disaster. It is available for up to 13 weeks for employees, small business owners, and farmers who have lost their main source of income.

Pensioners will see the biggest boost, with those on the maximum single-rate Age Pension receiving an extra AU$4.60 per fortnight, raising their total payment to AU$1,149.

The decision has caused outrage among the Finance Sector Union, which represents nearly 22,000 workers. The union is questioning why the bank is making these cuts just weeks after reporting a massive half-year profit of AU$5.13 billion.

Cyclones are unpredictable, and a delayed arrival can impact their strength, as they gain energy from warm ocean waters, meaning the longer they stay over water, the more powerful they can become.

The company is still managed by a nonprofit parent organization but has faced challenges in its efforts to become a for-profit business, partly due to opposition from Elon Musk, who has become a major rival of Sam Altman.

According to Facebook users, the hashtag #cyclonealfred led to a blank page, which read: "Posts with cyclonealfred are temporarily hidden here. Some content in those posts goes against our Community Standards."

The move aligns with Trump's broader push to boost investments in American manufacturing. It will support the development of three new advanced chip plants, expanding beyond TSMC's existing facility and two ongoing projects in Arizona. The expansion is expected to generate tens of thousands of jobs.

Prime Minister Albanese emphasized that while the U.S. was an important ally, Australia made its own foreign policy decisions. He reaffirmed that supporting Ukraine aligned with Australia's national interest, and his government remained committed to that stance.

The survey found that 76% of Democrats believe all children born in the U.S. should automatically become citizens. This view was shared by 54% of Independents and 26% of Republicans.

As the tropical cyclone headed toward a heavily populated part of Australia's coast for the first time in 50 years, the Queensland government has warned the residents to get ready for impact.

Reports say that Kash Patel aims to strengthen the FBI through collaboration with the UFC, whose CEO, Dana White, is a wealthy businessman known for supporting President Donald Trump's re-election.

The Federal Court of Australia on Friday ordered the company to close due to financial difficulties. The process began in November 2024 when Ginninderra Properties, a commercial property group, filed for the action, as stated in a public notice by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

Qantas' half-year profit is an 11% increase from the previous year, driven by strong domestic performance, especially from its budget airline, Jetstar.

The job ad mentioned that applicants should have previous experience in local or state government or an understanding of council services.

Although there is no immediate threat, the State Emergency Service (SES) is advising residents to stay updated and be prepared in case the cyclone moves toward the coast.

American banking giant JPMorgan Chase's CEO Jamie Dimon called out the Gen Z employees for being distracted during virtual meetings, such as texting and checking emails while on Zoom calls.

AustralianSuper manages over 3.5 million members and is responsible for 14.6% of all superannuation accounts in the country.

The increase in the unemployment rate was also influenced by workers who had secured jobs, but were yet to start their new roles after the summer.

In a TikTok video, Bec Hardgrave explained that she came across a trick suggesting that dipping pizza in water before reheating it in an air fryer or microwave could make it taste as fresh as when it was first bought.

Macquarie was also a founding member of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), which previously brought together financial sector groups working towards net zero.

Many people are diluting their toiletries, with 30.8% adding water to shampoo and soap bottles to make them last longer. 30.2% of Aussies have become savvy shoppers, visiting stores late in the day to grab free items and discounted products.

The government is facing a AU$60 million cost due to a demand from the RTBU for a AU$4,500 bonus payment.

New research has shown that scrapping these laws could negatively affect employees' well-being and work-life balance.

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said that people in regional and remote Australia should have access to dependable, affordable, and convenient air travel.

The official X handle of the video game console stated Sunday, "Network services have fully recovered from an operational issue. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank the community for their patience."

In total, credit and debit card spending for December exceeded AU$80 billion, marking an increase of AU$882.5 million compared to November

However, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland does not see Starlink as a major competitor to the government-owned NBN, but several others are concerned about its growing influence.

In November, the Australian Parliament passed the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024, prohibiting individuals under 16 from accessing social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat.