Sir Angus Houston, co-lead of Australia's new Defence Strategic Review and former Chief of Australia's Defence Forces, will discuss the country's current challenges and review the DSR's key recommendations in a conversation with CSIS Senior Adviser Charles Edel. The DSR was established by the Australian Labor Government to review the country's defence strategy in response to a challenging strategic environment.
Mark Stewart, the singer, songwriter and activist who founded the Pop Group and became an influential figure in the post-punk scene, has died aged 62. The band initiated sub genres including avant-funk and trip-hop, and inspired Nick Cave and the Birthday Party to move from Australia to Britain. As well as working with the New Age Steppers and forming Mark Stewart and the Maffia, Stewart was a campaigner for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and was recognised as a leading voice in bringing politics into music. The Pop Group reformed in 2010, releasing two albums.
Australian gold miner Newcrest backs Newmont’s $17.8 billion offer
CNN
23-05-17 05:56
Newmont, the US's largest gold and copper producer by market capitalisation, is set to acquire Australian gold miner Newcrest Mining for AUD26.2bn ($17.8bn). Newmont's gold output will double that of its closest rival, Barrick Gold, and will push it past Freeport McMoRan to become the largest US gold and copper producer. Following the approval of shareholders of both companies and regulatory hurdles, Newcrest shareholders will receive 0.400 Newmont share for each share held. The deal is set to finalise in Q4 2023.
The transaction is the third-largest deal globally to involve an Australian company this year, and the third largest involving an Australian company ever, according to data from Refinitiv and Reuters calculations. Newmont will have an annual gold production of over 8 million ounces, with 5 million ounces from ten long-life, low-cost mines. The deal requires the approval of Australia’s Foreign Investment Review Board, as well as regulatory support from both Newmont and Newcrest shareholders.
Newmont aims to conduct itself in an eco-friendly manner by recycling, and not wasting rainforest water. Since 2008, it doubled its production of recycled water for mining and tailings, adding up to a consumption of nearly 810 million gallons of recycled rain and greywater yearly. Furthermore, the company aims to have a zero-carbon footprint by developing a roadmap to low emissions using electric-powered vehicles in mining operations. Newmont CEO Tom Palmer said the company will also take cost-cutting measures in processing more copper at its existing gold mines.
Tabcorp enters the race for Melbourne Cup broadcasting rights
The Sydney Morning Herald
23-05-17 05:20
Australian betting firm Tabcorp may put in an offer worth over AUD100m ($75m) to secure the broadcast rights for the Melbourne Cup, insiders have reported. The five-year deal includes both national and international rights to the championship horse race, which turned 160 years old this year, with the former held by Australian network Ten for AUD100m since 2018. Tabcorp already secured the overseas rights to the 2022 and 2023 competitions, and could sublicense its free-to-air coverage to local broadcasters Nine, Seven or Ten if its domestic bid is successful.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said it is open to an India-Pakistan match in Australia if there is enough interest. The two sides most often meet outside major competitions, such as the World Cup, due to political tensions between the two states. Pakistan's last series against India played in any format was in 2013, and the countries' last Test meeting was in December 2007. The prospect of a Pakistan-India match in Australia comes amid fears of a World Cup boycott owing to a scheduling disagreement between the two countries.
Biden’s no-show a snub to a friend and a gift to a foe
The Sydney Morning Herald
23-05-17 06:22
US President Joe Biden's decision to cancel his visit to Australia for the Quad meeting due to disagreements over a US debt ceiling, has called into question the US as a reliable partner in the region and could further damage US/Asia-Pacific relations as it battles to restrict China's influence. Despite visiting Japan for a three-day G7 summit, the personal and public slap-in-the-face for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is viewed as a gift to China from the US, which has prompted Australia's media to question the US's ongoing commitment to the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue when it is really needed.
On Thursday night Australian rugby will relive the tumult and distress of the Israel Folau saga when the ABC airs the Folau documentary. Rugby Australia, the country’s diverse playing group and the five Super Rugby clubs are again wrestling with the game’s intersection with these matters. Despite only one RA director, Pip Marlow, remaining on the board from that time and none of the senior executive remain, it is hard not to view the sport’s go-slow approach to politics as a reaction to Folau.
Sir Angus Houston, co-lead of Australia's new Defence Strategic Review and former Chief of Australia's Defence Forces, will discuss the country's current challenges and review the DSR's key recommendations in a conversation with CSIS Senior Adviser Charles Edel. The DSR was established by the Australian Labor Government to review the country's defence strategy in response to a challenging strategic environment.
Ben Stokes is reportedly keen for a quick bowler and fast and flat pitches in England's first XI. However, with flat wickets being hard to come by on home territory, they may have to rely on the skill of James Anderson and Stuart Broad amongst others, with the expectation of relying on a lot of runs. The bowling attack is one with questionable injury records, says Nasser Hussain, who warns England not to be distracted by Ashes pressure. He said England's strategy should be to keep playing with their high-energy expansive gameplan even if it means going down 1-0 to Australia.
The efforts to free WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will be shown in a UK TV broadcast for the first time as part of documentary Ithaka. A campaign led by Assange’s wife Stella and his father John Shipton to prevent his extradition to the US, over fears of a life sentence for espionage, are the key focus of the film. Assange has been held at Belmarsh Prison in London for over four years. Ithaka has been shown across the world, and on TV in places like Australia. The UK airing is a “hugely significant” moment, according to Assange’s wife.
US President Joe Biden cancelled his planned visit to Australia, following a decision to reduce the length of his Asia trip in order to focus on negotiations with the Republican party over raising the federal debt ceiling. His decision forced the cancellation of the Quad leaders summit, scheduled for 20 October in Sydney. The meeting would have brought together presidents Biden and Fumio Kishida of Japan, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss regional security and other issues.
Biden to leave Wednesday for shortened overseas trip to Japan
CNN
23-05-17 09:07
US President Joe Biden’s trip to Asia has been cut short due to the impasse over raising the US debt ceiling, which has the potential to cause an unprecedented first-ever default if it is not resolved by November. The debt issue contrasts with Biden’s plan to strengthen American alliances, tackle China’s influence, and show his stamina for another term in office. Biden is heading to Japan, but will miss out on the pre-planned second half of his trip, which included visiting Australia and Papua New Guinea. Meanwhile, a summit of the Quad leaders scheduled to take place in Sydney has been cancelled as Biden will not be attending. There remain concerns of a global economic meltdown if the borrowing limit stalemate is not resolved. Additionally, it could go against the functional democracy kind of image that Biden has sought to present to the world in his attempt to counter the rise of authoritarian regimes.
A rugby player from Perth Bayswater Rugby Club has been handed a 96-match ban, the longest such suspension ever awarded in Australia, after he shoulder-charged referee Ian Sunderland during a match in the Western Australia top club competition. The Rugby Western Australia Championship player, who was not named, was found guilty of assaulting the referee in April. The five-year ban, which was the toughest available under World Rugby laws and amounts to a de facto lifetime ban, came after witness statements and video evidence was produced that showed the strike was intentional and not accidental.
The family of a British grandmother, Susan Hart, who disappeared in Greece in April have appealed for help. Susan Hart, 75, vanished on the island of Kalymnos while on holiday with her husband and a group of friends. Although search efforts continue, her three daughters say hope of finding her alive is diminishing and claim that while local police have failed to organise search dogs and private divers, her husband has paid for them. The family has contacted the consulates of the UK, Switzerland and Australia, where one of her daughters lives.
Global temperatures are projected to cross the 1.5C rise limit above pre-Industrial levels within the next five years, according to the World Meteorological Organisation. The WMO also stated that there is a 98% chance that they will break the record for the hottest year by 2027. As previously reported, a rise of 1.5C will trigger increased negative impacts on the natural world and humans. Petteri Taalas, WMO Secretary-General warned that global impacts will likely "have far-reaching repercussions for health, food-security, water management and the environment" and urged experts to prepare for them.
The Chinese embassy in London has warned that Britain risks "serious consequences" after former PM Liz Truss's high-profile visit to Taiwan. Truss is the first former British leader to visit the island since Margaret Thatcher in 1996. Truss urged the UK to use “hard power” to deter China and to "get real" about military cooperation with Taiwan. Beijing called it a “dangerous political show”. Britain amended its foreign and defence policy in March to describe China as a “epoch-defining challenge”.
Captain Cook's diary and the logbook of the Endeavour, among other historical papers, have been purchased on behalf of the Commonwealth and received in Australia. The papers will be placed on exhibition at federal Parliament House. However, tragedy struck when the steamer Burringbar collided with the vehicular ferry Benelon, causing the ferry to sink in minutes. Two motor vehicles and three horse vehicles went down with the ferry, and it was impossible to save the horses. No lives were lost, but it was fortunate that it was not the more crowded vehicle ferry.
The police force in London has denied allegations that political pressure was behind any arrests made during the Coronation on 6 May, which commemorated the anniversary of the crownings of George VI in 1937 and Elizabeth II in 1953. A total of 64 people were arrested, including six members of the Republic campaign group, a campaigner against the monarchy, three women from a council safety network, and a royalist.
The next five years are likely to be the hottest in history, according to the United Nations' World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The forecast is attributed to the combination of human-caused climate change and the emergence of an El Nino weather pattern. The resulting rise in temperature will lead to risks for health, water management, food supplies and ecosystems. North America, central Asia and Europe are predicted to experience more frequent heatwaves, wildfires and drought. The Arctic region will warm by more than three times the global average in the coming years. Last year was the third hottest globally in history.
Jonny Bairstow has marked 11 years since his Test cricket debut, commenting on a roller coaster of highs and lows throughout his career. Last year was a new peak, with Bairstow beginning England’s new era with a powerful run of form before a freak golfing accident resulted in a broken leg and fractured ankle causing him to miss the entire winter. Bairstow has now been recalled to the team for the first time since the 2019 Ashes, a much-needed win for him after eight months of mental rehabilitation. His family’s cricket legacy has seen many happy returns to the field, though Bairstow recently deleted his Twitter account under the weight of controversy over his selection. In the meantime, his focus is to prepare for the first test after a series of warmup games in the Vitality Blast and against Ireland.
