Western Australia is seeking to capitalise on Coldplay's "Music of the Spheres" tour, announcing it as the biggest event in Perth's recent history. The government is looking to lure rock band fans to the state to spend on services such as transportation, accommodation, food and drink, holidays and tourism. The first concert sold out so quickly, a second was added, and over 10% of the tickets were purchased from fans outside of Western Australia. While smaller events have failed to deliver on expectations, the government is investing millions to pull in people from other states and locals alike, to deliver a unique concert experience. Tourism Council WA chief executive Evan Hall said the government's "focus is now on bigger events, which can happen because we now have the Perth Arena and Optus Stadium. And this is absolutely the correct strategy. The government, through Tourism WA, also invests in smaller events, but they just don’t have the punch." Tourism is already a A$14bn ($10bn) a year business, and the government wants to double that in the next 10 years.
Greece's conservative party, New Democracy, has gained a comfortable lead in the latest election, according to partial official results. The party, led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, currently holds 40.8% of the votes with 90% of ballots counted, while left-wing Syriza is at 20.1%. New Democracy fell short of securing an outright majority, meaning it will have to seek coalition partners. If the party cannot form a government, another election may be held in June or July. Greece has been under the supervision of international lenders supporting bailout funds for a decade.
Dr Anthony Pun dedicated his life to bridging communities and preventing racism in Australia, where everyday incidents of racism are still too common. Even though Pun was better known for his work as chief research scientist at St Vincent’s Hospital, his advocacy and passion of striving for better made him a national figure in Australia. Pun's work focused on supporting ethnic harmony and the Chinese diaspora, calling on prime ministers to intervene during the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. Pun passed away last month aged 77 years old.
Jeremy Hunt's recent article condemning the "insidious declinism" of former optimists has been met with criticism from some readers. They argue that the government itself is responsible for the shift in national pessimism, pointing to issues such as housing, immigration, energy, and taxes. Hunt's statement that Conservative governments always make the "tough decisions necessary to put the economy back on track" is challenged by some, who feel that the current socialist government in power has failed in this regard. Readers also suggest that Hunt's own involvement in the NHS during the Covid-19 pandemic and his role in the Treasury have contributed to declining optimism, with high taxation and regulatory red tape stifling economic growth. Similarly, Rishi Sunak's comments that people no longer judge others by their bank account to some ring hollow; one reader argues this emphasises how little he understands about poverty in the country. Meanwhile, a group of current students at the University of Oxford declared their support of the invitation to Professor Kathleen Stock, a gender-critical feminist philosopher, to a university event, arguing that free speech is key to the institution's heritage.
The Australian government will introduce laws to regulate buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) services as credit products in a bid to offer protection to consumers. The services typically offer short-term loans with interest-free on-the-spot payments and minimal credit checks, so the move is being made to manage some of the risks involved. The services will be required to have a credit licence and meet minimum standards for conduct, which could subject them to the same laws as credit card providers. Around 7 million active accounts resulted in AUD16bn ($10.9bn) of transactions in 2021-22, up 37%, data showed.
College heads from more than 100 universities in England have warned the government over its plans to replace 160 vocational courses, including BTecs, and leave school leavers without access to further education when they reach age 16, because it lacks a plan. T-level qualifications, in subjects such as construction, health, science and business will have tougher requirements than preexisting vocational courses. The reforms are part of a bid to build skills in the economy and include new grade entry standards. Representatives from the universities have sent a letter to Education Secretary Gillian Keegan.
A protest has been organised by trade unions against the UK government's proposed legislation on minimum service levels during strikes. The unions argue that the law risks legitimate strikers being dismissed. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has warned that the rights of one in five workers are under threat. Legislators have received little detail about how the measures will operate. The Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill has faced strong opposition, including from industry groups and could exacerbate disputes and worsen industrial relations.
China's Cyberspace Administration has banned US semiconductor company Micron in its technology battle with the United States. The state cyber agency claimed that Micron's components posed significant security risks to China's critical information infrastructure supply chain, thereby affecting national security. The US Commerce Department responded by saying that there was no basis in fact for Beijing's claim and that it would continue to try to limit industry disruptions with its allies. Micron has yet to identify the products that have been barred. China has previously blacklisted US technology companies, cut off the flow of processors and barred Americans from helping the Chinese chip industry.
Plummeting demand from buy-to-let landlords for off-plan properties could lead to a housing shortfall in the future, warn experts. This comes as the UK government announced a raft of private rental sector regulations last week, amid a continued clampdown on tax relief for rental investors in recent years. Property experts Hamptons suggest that having typically used off-plan sales to fund developments, slowing demand could cause a funding crunch for developers. Of homes that buyers purchased while under-construction, 34% were sold in England and Wales last year, compared to a peak of 46% in 2018, according to Hamptons estate agents.
The Socceroos will play a rematch against world champions Argentina next month in Beijing, thanks to Australia's 'competitive advantage' over other sporting codes globally. The fixture will be the first time a senior Australian national sporting team has played in China since early 2020 and includes an element of diplomacy, dovetailing with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s ambitions to stabilise diplomatic ties with China. The match, scheduled for June 15, has the support of the Australian government.
Greece’s ruling conservatives win elections but fail to secure outright majority
CNN
23-05-22 04:37
Greece’s ruling New Democracy party won the recent parliamentary elections, but failed to secure an overall majority. The party of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis garnered more than 40% of the vote, while the incumbent centre-left Syriza party secured just over 20%. The vote took place under a new proportional representation system that requires a threshold of about 45%. Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou will now give the top three parties three days to form a coalition. If this fails, a caretaker government will be sworn in leading to a second vote expected in late June or early July.
Funds to upgrade hundreds of the UK's school buildings, totaling £456m ($623m), have come under fire from a group that represents education leaders, claiming that the sum is the bare minimum necessary to improve the conditions of schools. The Department for Education is funding 1,000 or so improvement projects, intended to ensure classrooms are warm, safe and energy efficient. However, Geoff Barton from the Association of School and College Leaders said funding was "nowhere near enough" to achieve necessary remedial works whilst Baroness Diana Barran called the move "hugely important".
A Pakistani court has ordered the release of Shireen Mazari, an associate of ousted former Prime Minister Imran Khan, from detention on charges of inciting people to violence. Mazari's daughter had petitioned the high court, arguing that her mother's arrest was unlawful. Mazari was a vocal critic of Pakistan's military and Sharif's government, and there are several legal cases pending against her. Mazari's release comes as Sharif's government prosecutes thousands of Khan's followers implicated in anti-government violence.
The Canadian government will receive an initial report from special rapporteur David Johnson on whether to call for a public inquiry into claims of foreign interference. Chinese meddling allegations in the last two federal elections brought attention to the threat, with calls for an inquiry allowing for transparent conversation about the threat faced by Canada and allowing the government to illustrate what action it is taking. An inquiry would bring the conversation back to the details of the foreign interference threat and how the country can combat it, experts say. The signs of foreign interference were already visible before the controversy, however, the government has promised funding to combat foreign interference.
Chinese currency renminbi (RMB) is considered a contender to challenge the US dollar as the world's sole reserve currency given the size of the Chinese economy and its role in global trade. However, the currency is not suited for this purpose, and China would need to undertake several key actions to enable it to meet the international standards for a global reserve currency. Karthik Sankaran, a veteran in foreign exchange, said that a more multi-polar foreign exchange landscape could benefit world financial stability if it happens.
The Turkish opposition failed to make an impact in the first round of voting in the country's presidential election, leaving their supporters demoralized.
CRA demands payment on scammed federal benefits — from the victim whose account was hacked
CBC
23-05-22 08:00
Thousands of Canadians experienced the financial and personal trauma of identity theft after hackers accessed their information on the Canada Revenue Agency website in 2020. Among them was Justice Mounsey, who has been receiving false applications for credit cards, loans, and more using his identity since the breach. The attackers changed the banking information on 12,700 accounts and fraudulently requested CERB benefits. Mounsey is seeking legal redress for the “operational failures” that allowed the hacking. Since discovering the volume of false activities, he has implemented fraud alert services, repeatedly dealt with government authorities and faced demands that he pay abnormal tax charges related to fraudulent activity that was not his fault. Security expert Ritesh Kotak said this case shows how hard it is to recover from a data breach.
Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has called for fresh elections on June 25, after his centre-right New Democracy party narrowly missed securing a parliamentary majority in recent elections. The new electoral system, due to come into effect in June, is expected to reward the first party, in this case Mitsotakis's New Democracy, with up to 50 bonus seats if it secures around 160 seats. The Athens stock exchange rose to its highest level in almost a decade following the announcement.
Eight political parties, led by Thailand's Move Forward Party, signed a 23-point agreement on Monday outlining a joint platform to form a coalition government in July. Move Forward captured 152 seats in last week's elections on the promise of change after nine years of conservative rule. However, it sidestepped a contentious issue, amending a law banning criticism of the monarchy, to preserve its agreement. The monarchy enjoys significant national identity support and conservatives oppose any changes to associated laws that can result in 15 years imprisonment. Monday's agreement will require fine-tuning by the eight-party coalition that holds a 313-seat strong majority.
The Chinese government has banned firms that handle critical information from buying microchips made by US-based Micron Technology, on the grounds that its chips pose "relatively serious cybersecurity problems". The move was described as a response to the Biden administration's harsh steps to block Chinese chip makers' access to tools needed to make advanced chips and run powerful artificial intelligence algorithms. Analysts warned the US company could now be cut from future business from Chinese companies.
