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Wednesday briefing: Quarantine for arrivals from risky countries

Top story: UK got in early, AstraZeneca tells EU Hello, Warren Murray here as we bat on into day three. A hotel quarantine system targeted at arrivals from high-risk countries is to be announced today by the home secretary, Priti Patel. It comes after Boris Johnson said that as prime minister he was “deeply sorry” for the 100,000 Covid-19 deaths in Britain, while rejecting the idea of blanket hotel quarantine for everyone coming to the UK....

2021-01-27T06:55:39Z

Fall by John Preston review – the truth about Robert Maxwell

Soon after he took over the New York Daily News – his last and most foolish purchase – Robert Maxwell asked the tabloid’s publisher, Jim Hoge, if he could do him a favour: “Would you mind,” Maxwell asked, “if I stood here with the door open and shouted at you for a while?” Hoge had known worse requests; the paper had recently emerged from a long and bitter struggle with the print unions, and its circulation was under the thumb of the Mafia. “I...

2021-01-27T07:45:48Z

Tasmania remains top economic performer

Commonwealth Securities' quarterly State of the States analysis has found Tasmania leading the pack for a fourth quarter in a row.

2021-01-26T13:06:16Z

Amazon stops alcohol sales in Northern Ireland due to Brexit rules: ITV

Amazon stops alcohol sales in Northern Ireland due to Brexit rules: ITV

2021-01-27T08:37:55Z

Covid lies cost lives – we have a duty to clamp down on them

Why do we value lies more than lives? We know that certain falsehoods kill people. Some of those who believe such claims as “coronavirus doesn’t exist”, “it’s not the virus that makes people ill but 5G”, or “vaccines are used to inject us with microchips” fail to take precautions or refuse to be vaccinated, then contract and spread the virus. Yet we allow these lies to proliferate. We have a right to speak freely. We also have a right to life....

2021-01-27T06:01:47Z

LVMH shares rise after fashion group reports solid fourth-quarter results

LVMH shares rise after fashion group reports solid fourth-quarter results

2021-01-27T08:22:56Z

Elaine Stead awarded $280k for defamation by Australian Financial Review columnist Joe Aston

Journalist Joe Aston engaged in a campaign of "offensive mockery" against businesswoman Elaine Stead while writing for the Nine Entertainment Co newspaper, a judge found, leaving Ms Stead feeling "humiliated".

2021-01-27T04:52:33Z

UK mobile networks Vodafone, O2 and Three tackle rural coverage

UK mobile networks Vodafone, O2 and Three tackle rural coverage

2021-01-27T08:20:11Z

Walgreens taps Starbucks exec Roz Brewer as its new CEO

Walgreens said Tuesday it has tapped Starbucks executive Roz Brewer as its new CEO, which will make her the only Black woman leading a Fortune 500 company.

2021-01-27T03:51:22Z

Rating agency S&P warns 13 oil and gas companies they risk downgrades as renewables pick up steam

Rating agency S&P has warned 13 oil and gas companies, including the some of the world’s biggest that it may downgrade them within weeks because of increasing competition from renewable energy. On notice of a possible downgrade are Australia’s Woodside Petroleum as well as multinationals Chevron, Exxon Mobil, Imperial Oil, Royal Dutch Shell, Shell Energy North America, Canadian Natural Resources, ConocoPhillips and French group Total. S&P said...

2021-01-27T02:08:39Z

FTSE 100 drops as lockdowns weigh on mining shares; Fresnillo dips

FTSE 100 drops as lockdowns weigh on mining shares; Fresnillo dips

2021-01-27T08:30:03Z

Asian markets swing as traders mull virus, vaccines and stimulus

Equity investors trod warily Wednesday as they weighed hopes for a long-term recovery against immediate worries over surging virus infections and mutations -- and slow vaccine rollouts. He said worries about the virus mutations "will continue to linger over markets like a dark cloud until vaccine distributions get ironed out and a definitive drop in contagion levels can thoroughly support the vaccine efficacy results".

2021-01-27T08:32:43Z

Bill Gates sees 6-8 month lag for poor countries to get COVID-19 shots

Bill Gates sees 6-8 month lag for poor countries to get COVID-19 shots

2021-01-27T08:19:52Z

Inflation remains well below RBA's target

The consumer price index rose 0.9 per cent in the December quarter, with the annual rate also at 0.9 per cent and well below the Reserve Bank's target.

2021-01-27T01:07:57Z

Consumer prices rose in 2020, despite the recession, as childcare fees returned

Consumer prices rose in Australia last year, bouncing back from record deflation in the June quarter despite the nation's first recession in nearly three decades.

2021-01-27T00:52:25Z

Little change expected as Fed ends first meeting of Biden era

The Federal Reserve will on Wednesday conclude its first meeting since US President Joe Biden took office, and while the central bank is certain to comment on the health of the country's economy amid the Covid-19 pandemic, analysts say it's unlikely to change its main policies. Powell has repeatedly highlighted the need for government spending to take over the role of supporting the economy from the central bank.

2021-01-26T19:54:19Z

Apple set for $100bn sales record after strong demand for new devices

Analysts predict the US tech giant raked in a record $103.4bn (£75.2bn) during the final three months of 2020, the equivalent of more than half a million pounds per minute.

2021-01-26T23:57:10Z

European stocks head lower, LVMH shines after earnings

European stocks head lower, LVMH shines after earnings

2021-01-27T08:29:46Z

Aust shares close down 0.65pc, miners drop

Investors had their steepest losses on the ASX in more than a week, but inflation figures showed plenty of reasons to stay in the market.

2021-01-27T01:53:14Z

London's financial powerhouse says: we'll thrive without EU access but can't be rule takers

London's financial powerhouse says: we'll thrive without EU access but can't be rule takers

2021-01-27T07:39:44Z

Asian markets little changed after ho-hum day on Wall Street

Markets have meandered since last week as investors weighed solid corporate earnings results against renewed worries that troubles with COVID-19 vaccine rollouts and the spread of new variants of coronavirus might delay a recovery from the pandemic.

2021-01-27T05:21:25Z

ROSS CLARK: What are we to make of Brussels' hypocritical stunt?

ROSS CLARK: When Britain opted out to pursue its own vaccination course, siren voices warned. But oh how the EU has failed to live up to its lofty ideals.

2021-01-26T23:30:35Z

Pepsi, Beyond Meat cook up snack partnership

Food industry colossus PepsiCo and faux-burger makers Beyond Meat announced an alliance Tuesday to cook up plant-based snacks that tempt the palate while being easy on the planet. PepsiCo brings marketing and global distribution prowess to the alliance, while Beyond Meat has been creating plant-based alternatives to meat since it was founded in 2009.

2021-01-26T17:54:04Z

Rio Tinto and BHP battle Apache tribes to build North America's biggest copper mine at sacred Oak Flat site

Rio Tinto promised "never again" after the destruction of ancient Aboriginal rock shelters at Juukan Gorge, but now it wants to mine sacred Apache land in the US and investors are concerned little has changed within the company since it appointed an insider as its new boss.

2021-01-26T17:51:39Z

'Crazy and evil': Bill Gates surprised by pandemic conspiracies

'Crazy and evil': Bill Gates surprised by pandemic conspiracies

2021-01-27T08:17:58Z

From ancient Egypt to Cardi B: a cultural history of the manicure

“How to Take a Nail Selfie!” “Fruity Manicure Inspo!” “Kylie Jenner Slammed by Fans for Nearly Poking Out Stormi’s Eyes With Ridiculous Claw Nails.” The glut of hyperbolic nail-related headlines online points to our obsession with the endless possibilities open to the plate at the top of our fingers. In the internet age, the manicure, in all its incarnations, is a traffic winner. It peppers a plethora of Pinterest boards; the hashtag #nails has...

2021-01-27T06:17:46Z

Biden poised to halt fossil fuel leasing on federal land

US President Joe Biden was planning to announce new bans on oil and gas drilling on federal lands Wednesday as part of a raft of actions that take aim at climate change, according to reports and a White House memo.

2021-01-27T06:40:16Z

Australia's billionaires struck gold during the pandemic. Now it's time to combat rising inequality, analysts say.

Australia's 31 billionaires accumulated $85 billion more between them during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the latest Oxfam report. The experience contrasts sharply with the those of the average Australian, who has faced rising unemployment and imminent cuts to government support.

2021-01-27T01:39:21Z

Andrew and Nicola Forrest flag RM Williams factory expansion, push for 100pc Australian-made products

The owners of iconic bootmaker RM Williams, Andrew and Nicola Forrest, say they are looking at expanding the company's factory in Adelaide's northern suburbs and are aiming to have all products 100 per cent made in Australia.

2021-01-27T08:08:15Z

Mastercard joins net-zero climate club with ambitious pledge to bring most of its customers on board

Mastercard Inc. pledges to hit the equivalent of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, an increasingly familiar refrain across major companies and government bodies as a Joe Biden-led U.S. looks to rejoin global counterparts in trying to slow man-made climate change.

2021-01-27T05:21:19Z

IMF lifts growth forecast on vaccine hopes

The International Monetary Fund has raised its forecast for global growth, but warns there is still exceptional uncertainty in the outlook.

2021-01-26T13:06:15Z

My father inherited money from his parents — he now tells people he earned it due to his (nonexistent) investment prowess

‘I would like my dad back, but I am afraid he is too far gone’

2021-01-27T05:06:20Z

My 'Brexit bonus' proved to be a customs duty bill from DHL

My daughter purchased some prints and frames online from Sweden on 30 December. The cost (including VAT) was £71.74 with “free delivery”, which she paid. She has now been told by DHL there is an “import duty” due of £25.34 – more than a third of the original price. Is this what the government means by a “Brexit bonus”? GW, Edinburgh I bought some trainers from a company in Italy which cost in total €490. I ordered two pairs of different sizes...

2021-01-27T07:10:27Z

Coles slashes the prices of items including pasta, cheese, and snacks

Coles has slashed the prices of popular grocery items including pasta, sliced cheese and snacks in a bid to help lower the cost of living for all Australians.

2021-01-27T05:45:34Z

Shaquille O'Neal sells his massive Florida mansion for $16.5 million

The 48-year-old former NBA star originally put his 31,000 square foot mega-mansion on the market in 2018 for $28 million, but it finally sold after he reduced the price to $16.5 million.

2021-01-27T03:16:14Z

Apple overtakes Amazon to become world’s most valuable brand, while Tesla is the fastest-growing

Apple has overtaken Amazon to become the world’s most valuable brand for the first time in five years, according to a global report.

2021-01-27T05:21:22Z

Costello sees danger in low interest rates

Future Fund chair Peter Costello said he was unsure whether keeping interest rates low was helping inflate stock markets to possibly unsustainable levels.

2021-01-27T00:07:49Z

CPI ticks up on child care, tobacco costs

A rise in child care and tobacco costs were key drivers in a rise in inflation in the December quarter, but the annual rate was still a benign 0.9 per cent.

2021-01-26T16:36:46Z

Courteney Cox practices self care as she visits a spa in Malibu

Courteney Cox, 56, practices some midweek self care as she hits up a luxury spa in Malibu before emerging fresh faced

2021-01-27T04:29:07Z

Textile waste presents 'untapped' potential for entrepreneurs as Bathurst runs recycling trial

Participants in a NSW textile recycling trial have donated more than 1,600kg of unwanted fabrics in the space of a month and organisers say they're overwhelmed by the response.

2021-01-26T21:37:01Z

Walmart adding dozens of automated local fulfillment centers to speed delivery and pickup orders

The automated facilities feature robots that help Walmart associates pick and pack orders for delivery or in-store pickup.

2021-01-27T05:06:25Z

Back-to-school confusion in South Australia over lunchbox fruit bans, coronavirus restrictions

Students across South Australia return to school amid confusion over bans on parents in classrooms and fruit in lunchboxes.

2021-01-27T05:53:01Z

This swimming pool might be the coolest one in Australia

The house in Main Ridge, 93 kilometres south of Melbourne, has four bedrooms, five bathrooms and one very special swimming pool.

2021-01-26T23:46:29Z

Cash machine use fell 38% in 2020 due to Covid contact fears

A sharp fall in cash machine usage last year has prompted a warning that more ATMs could end up being closed or imposing fees. Link, the UK’s largest cash machine network, said its latest data showed there was a 38% decline in ATM transactions in 2020, caused in large part by the coronavirus crisis. John Howells, Link’s chief executive, said this sharp decline in ATM usage “brings significant problems” and “places enormous strain on the cash...

2021-01-27T06:25:42Z

Companies are powering ahead with big battery projects, but a 'lack of certainty' by governments could deter good investment

New projects are being announced all the time in the grid-scale battery arms race but concerns are being raised over a patchwork approach which has seen some states go at it alone in their pursuit of more aggressive emissions targets.

2021-01-27T03:07:32Z

Britain's jobless rate soars to five-year high

The number of jobless people rose 418,000 to 1.7m in the year to November, the biggest annual jump since the financial crisis. It means unemployment is now 5 per cent.

2021-01-27T00:27:15Z

$10 mn pay-cut for Goldman Sachs CEO over 1MDB scandal

Goldman Sachs cut its CEO David Solomon's 2020 salary by $10 million to $17.5 million because of the bank's role in the 1MDB Malaysian bribery scandal, according to documents filed Tuesday. "The amounts of remuneration reflect the decision announced by the board of directors," said a securities filing that also detailed pay-cuts for COO John Waldron and CFO Stephen Scherr. Although the three were not "aware of the firm's participation in any...

2021-01-27T03:40:53Z

Asia sales help LVMH limit Covid damage

LVMH, the world's biggest luxury company, said Tuesday that a strong pickup in Asian sales and robust online business helped contain the damage from Covid-19 in its 2020 results. The outlook remained uncertain because of the global health crisis, but LVMH said it still entered 2021 with "cautious confidence" that it will be able to build on a strong fourth-quarter rebound. Headline sales came in at 44.6 billion euros ($54.2 billion), a drop of...

2021-01-26T18:01:30Z

Biden to announce freeze on new oil, gas leases on federal land

President Joe Biden is set to announce a wide-ranging moratorium on new oil and gas leasing on U.S. lands and waters, as his administration moves quickly to reverse Trump administration policies on energy and the environment and address climate change.

2021-01-27T04:21:40Z

Barbs fly over satellite projects from Musk, Bezos

A spat erupted Tuesday between Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk as the tech titans' space firms exchanged barbs over their rival satellite internet projects being evaluated by regulators. Amazon, founded and led by Bezos, put out a statement claiming Musk's rival SpaceX project Starlink was seeking design changes that could "create a more dangerous environment for collisions in space" and also increase radio interference. "Despite what SpaceX posts on...

2021-01-26T20:26:45Z

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