Town Hall News

By Wayne Cole SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s Labor government is set to reveal a vast improvement in the budget bottom line next week as its coffers bulge with tax windfalls, yet the outlook will be a sober one as fiscal challenges loom large. Treasurer Jim Chalmers has spent weeks using “restraint” and “responsible” to describe his second budget since coming to power in May last year. There will be some […]

By Ian Ransom MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Australia coach Eddie Jones is yet to finalise his staff or settle on his best squad but is convinced the Wallabies have more than enough time to transform themselves into World Cup winners by the time the tournament kicks off in France. The Wallabies slumped to seventh in the rankings under former coach Dave Rennie but Jones said they could emulate South Africa, who […]

By Katya Golubkova TOKYO (Reuters) -Oil prices fell on Monday as jitters over the prospect of the U.S. Federal Reserve raising interest rates, which could slow growth and hit fuel demand, and worries about weaker Chinese manufacturing data combined to erase earlier gains. Brent futures for July delivery were down 61 cents, or 0.8%, at $79.72 a barrel at 0313 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude lost 63 […]

(Reuters) – Juergen Klopp accused referee Paul Tierney of having something “against” Liverpool after their thrilling 4-3 Premier League win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. Liverpool led 3-0 after 15 minutes but were pegged back to 3-3 when Richarlison headed past Alisson in stoppage time, with Klopp protesting a free-kick awarded to Tottenham in the build-up to the equaliser. Diogo Jota then scored Liverpool’s winner a minute later and Klopp […]

By Stella Qiu SYDNEY (Reuters) -Currencies were in limbo on Monday as holidays in most of Asia made for thin trading, while traders braced for a packed week of central bank meetings that would offer the latest guidance on future rate hikes across continents. Activity in the foreign exchange markets was subdued due to the Labour Day holidays in Singapore, Hong Kong and mainland China. Japan, Australia, and New Zealand […]

By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday, in a possible preview of a 2024 presidential campaign theme, attacked news outlets he said used “lies told for profit and power” to stir up hatred in the United States, as he coupled his remarks with pointed jokes about Fox News. Speaking at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, Biden referred to “truth buried by lies,” in […]

By Lucinda Elliott and Daniela Desantis ASUNCION (Reuters) -Paraguayan conservative economist Santiago Pena, 44, won the country’s presidential election on Sunday, tightening the ruling Colorado Party’s political grip in the country and defusing fears about the end of diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Pena, who has pledged to maintain Paraguay’s long-standing Taiwan relations, had 42.7% of the vote with 99.9% of ballots counted, a more than 15-point lead over center-left rival […]

TOKYO (Reuters) – Alibaba Group founder Jack Ma has been invited to be a visiting professor at Tokyo College, a new organization run by the University of Tokyo, the university said on Monday. The appointment term for China’s best-known entrepreneur finishes at the end of October, but the contract is renewable on an annual basis, the university said. At the college, Ma will be engaged in areas including advising on […]

(Reuters) – Air defence systems were repelling missile attacks in the early hours on Monday in the Kyiv region, local authorities said, after air raid alerts were issued throughout all of Ukraine by emergency services. “Air defences are at work!” Kyiv’s regional administration wrote on the Telegram messaging app, after reports of explosions heard in the region. “Keep calm! Stay in shelters until the air alarm goes off!” Ukrainian media […]