Sydney,
Australia to Wall Street, New York, and beyond the
Blackstump and Internet Matrix Of Things!
Pop
Culture themes
"Mercy,
Mercy, Mercy" (Cannonball Adderley)
"Gold" (Spandau Ballet)
"The Wall Street Hustle" (10cc)
"Bulls on Parade" (Rage Against the Machine)
"White Rabbit" (Jefferson Airplane)
"I've Got Friday On My Mind" (The Easybeats)
Markets
AUD
-0.03% to US69.08¢
BTC $66,899.15 -1.79%
Dow -0.1%
S&P +0.1%
NAS +0.2%
VIX -0.67 to 23.87
Gold -1.7%: $US4676.76 an oz
Silver 73.002 -2.081
Brent oil +7.8% to $US109.13 a b
Iron ore -0.1% to $US106.25 a ton
10-year yield: US 4.30% Aust 5.03%
News
The
Lead Up (Approx 12 Hours Ago)
ASX
futures down 65 points/0.8%: 8487
USD flat: US68.84¢
BTC $66,233.27 -0.73%
Dow -1.7%
S&P -1.7%
NAS -2.2%
Gold +2.7% to $US4494.09 an oz
Silver 68.646 -0.869
Brent oil +4.2% at $US112.57 a barrel
Iron ore -0.1% at $US107.25 a ton
Iron
ore giants BHP (down 2.5 per cent), Fortescue (down
4 per cent) and Rio Tinto (down 2.3 per cent) all
declined, while gold miners Northern Star Resources
(down 0.9 per cent) and Evolution Mining (down 4.6
per cent) also fell.
Tech
stocks slumped after their surge on Wednesday, with
software makers WiseTech, Xero and Technology One
down 4.3 per cent, 3.8 per cent and 3.6 per cent,
respectively, and data centre operator NextDC losing
3.8 per cent.
Oil
prices rose back over the $US100-mark per barrel following
Trump’s speech, with Brent Crude, the international
benchmark, climbing 4.4 per cent to $US105.64 amid
waning hopes for a swift resolution to the conflict.
Energy stocks were mixed, with Woodside falling 0.6
and while Santos gained 1.4 per cent.
Surf
and outdoor apparel retailer KMD’s shares tanked
54.8 per cent as it emerged from its trading halt
after the owner of the struggling Rip Curl brand said
it completed a $58.5 million emergency capital raising
from institutional investors to shore up its balance
sheet.
It
was a mixed day of trading for the big four banks,
with Commonwealth Bank rising 0.6 per cent and ANZ
Bank adding 0.7 per cent, while Westpac lost 0.5 per
cent and National Australia Bank shed 0.3 per cent.
News
Oil
News
Oil
is in no hurry to reverse course
March
was a record-breaking month for Brent
Rumours of peace are easing tensions but have not
yet reversed the trend. The oil market was swept up
in euphoria following Donald Trump's comments that
the conflict in the Middle East would end within 2–3
weeks. After a record 63% rally in March, Brent took
a step back. Investors are ready to use TACO and sell
what they bought earlier. However, complacency is
the main risk for black gold. Firstly, the US continues
to deploy troops to the region, and the past year
has taught investors to watch the actions, rather
than the rhetoric, of top American politicians following
the dashed hopes surrounding the Iran–US negotiations.
But even if this is true, the Americans' withdrawal
from the Middle East does not mean the end of the
conflict. The US President is calling on countries
in the region to learn to defend themselves and on
importers to come and take the oil they need by force.
As a result, the UAE is prepared to get drawn into
the conflict. According to estimates by FGE NexantECA,
a closure of the Strait of Hormuz would result in
losses of 100 million barrels per week and 400 million
barrels per month. If it lasts another 6–8 weeks,
Brent could reach the $150–200 range. This forecast
is in line with Sociénéété
Generale's estimate of $150 per barrel and Macquarie
Group's estimate of $200. The Iranians are also warning
the world of a rise to the upper end of this range,
while the US presidential administration calls $100
the 'base' price and does not rule out $200. Even
if the Strait of Hormuz is reopened, it will take
considerable time to restore pre-war infrastructure.
The flow of tankers will not return immediately; supply
issues will ease but will not disappear. It is unlikely
that Brent will return to levels near $60 by the end
of the year, as seen at the end of last year. Unlike
in 2022, US drillers are in no hurry to come to consumers'
aid, producing an average of 13.2 million bpd in January,
down from 13.9 million bpd in October. The decline
in production over the last three months is one of
the largest in the last ten years. The US oil industry
prefers paying dividends to shareholders rather than
developing new fields and increasing production, despite
Donald Trump's "drill, baby, drill" call.
Consequently, without an end to the conflict in the
Middle East and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz,
it is premature to expect prices to return to February
levels. (FxPro)
News
(Aust)
The
Lead Up (48 Hours Ago)
Shares
Alphabet
Inc Class A
$295.77 -0.54%
(-1.62) Today
Lead Up
$274.34 -6.63 -2.36%
TKO
Group Holdings Inc
$203.76 +2.69 Today 1.34%
Lead Up
$189.20 -3.44 -1.79%
Netflix
Inc
$98.66 +3.11 +3.25%
Lead Up
$93.43 +0.11 _0.12%
Wynn
Resorts Ltd
$102.03 -0.57 0.56%
Lead Up
$96.59 -2.88 -2.90%
Caterpillar
Inc
$717.22 -13.10 1.79%
Lead Up
$695.40 -7.79 -1.11%
News
24
Hours Ago
The
crypto market has lost 3% but has not broken through
support
Market
Overview
The crypto market has lost approximately 3% of its
market capitalisation, falling back to $2.29T and
returning to the lower boundary of the trading range
seen over the last seven days. Trump’s latest
comments on the war with Iran triggered a sharp sell-off
amid a lack of de-escalation signs. TRON (-0.2%),
Toncoin (-0.9%) and Neo (-1.3%) appear relatively
stable. Dash (-8.6%), Uniswap (-8.0%) and Solana (-5.9%)
have been hit hardest.
The Fear and Greed Index rose by 4 points today to
12, partially recovering from yesterday’s drop
to 8 — the lowest level in recent weeks. Nevertheless,
the index remains deep in the extreme fear zone, where
it has been virtually uninterrupted for the past month.
Bitcoin
lost 2.8% over the day, returning to levels near $66.2K.
Once again, the 50-day moving average acted as resistance,
preventing the price from consolidating above it.
The leading cryptocurrency quickly swung to the other
extreme and is now testing the support of the uptrend.
Key support ($66K) and resistance ($69K) levels are
converging, bringing the moment of a definitive trend
decision closer.
Ethereum
looks slightly more confident, remaining above the
$2K round figure, above the 50-day MA and the support
line of the multi-year trend. Should pressure on the
crypto market intensify, it will be worth monitoring
whether the second-largest cryptocurrency can hold
above $1.8K. A break below this level would be a significant
bearish signal, potentially triggering sell-offs across
a wider range of coins and bringing an end to the
crypto market’s recent resilience to external
threats.
News
Pop
Culture
Danhausen
Launches Official WWE Mask for WrestleMania Fans
The
eccentric wrestler, who joined WWE from AEW in late
February, released a $14.99 plastic mask on April
1 that lets fans channel his 'very nice, very evil'
cursed persona. Timed for WrestleMania 42 on April
18-19 in Las Vegas, the merch follows hot-selling
T-shirts and sold-out meet-and-greets since his surprise
debut from a mystery crate at Elimination Chamber.
Fans shared memes comparing it to 3 Ninjas while dreaming
of masked takeovers, though some noted the plastic
feels basic compared to custom versions. Media Man
Peg On: WWE Unmasked vs KISS Unmasked!
News
WrestleMania
X-Seven Marks 25 Years as Attitude Era Peak
The
April 1, 2001, event grossed $3.5 million and featured
classics like TLC II where the Dudley Boyz won the
Tag Team Titles, The Undertaker's 9-0 streak over
Triple H, and Kurt Angle submitting Chris Benoit.
The main event saw Stone Cold Steve Austin shock everyone
by aligning with Vince McMahon to beat The Rock for
the WWF Championship in a bloody No DQ brawl. Attendees
still recall the massive crowd pops and glass-shattering
entrances, with fans today sharing iconic hype videos
that capture the raw intensity of wrestling's golden
peak. Media Man Peg-On: Is WWE currently approaching
another "Golden Era"?!
News
Lead Up/Flashback
March
27
Crypto
has pulled back, but appears stronger than stocks
Market
Overview
The
crypto market’s capitalisation fell by 3.4% over
the past 24 hours to $2.36 trillion, remaining close
to the uptrend line. The downward momentum was once
again driven by stock indices, which returned to their
lows at the start of the week. However, whilst the
Nasdaq 100 has shown a steady downward trend on weekly
charts since late January, cryptocurrencies have been
forming a sequence of higher local lows since early
February, when the market touched the 200-week moving
average – a key long-term trend line.
Bitcoin
has fallen below $69K, testing the strength of the
50-day MA and the support of the upward trend of the
last two months. The nervous mood in the financial
markets makes cryptocurrencies, and Bitcoin in particular,
vulnerable in the event of a large-scale sell-off.
For BTC, the 200-week MA has historically been the
most important long-term support level. It currently
sits near $60K. However, it is worth remembering that
in 2022–2023, the price fell more than 30% below
this line before finding structural support for many
weeks.
News
Background
Bitcoin
miner MARA has sold 15,133 BTC for $1.1 billion since
the start of the month. The company intends to use
the proceeds to buy back its own bonds. The miner’s
remaining reserves are estimated at 38,689 BTC.
The
cost of Bitcoin mining for public companies has reached
$80K and, for some miners, exceeded $100K, according
to CoinShares. The fourth quarter of 2025 has been
the most challenging for Bitcoin miners since the
last halving. The US (38%), Russia (17%), and China
(12%) continue to dominate global Bitcoin mining,
collectively accounting for around 68% of the world’s
hash rate.
Adam
Livingston, an analyst and author of the book ‘The
Great Harvest: AI, Labor, and the Bitcoin Lifeline’,
believes the risk of a Bitcoin crash, as seen in 2022,
is minimal due to the market’s more mature structure.
According to his calculations, BTC volatility has
been steadily declining over the past 11 years.
US
investment firm Franklin Templeton, in partnership
with Ondo Finance, will launch tokenised versions
of its ETFs, accessible directly via crypto wallets.
(FxPro)
News
Media
(Aust)
Top
media bosses unite to fight AI giants over copyright
law changes
Australian
media industry executives have urged the federal government
against watering down the nation's copright laws to
accommodate AI platforms. News Corp Australasia's
executive chairman Michael Miller contends that the
existing copright system is not broken, and says it
is instead a 'blueprint' for negotiations with AI
platforms. Nine Entertainment CEO Matt Stanton says
AI is a transformative technology that local companies
are embracing, but he warns that relaxing copright
laws would "rip off" Australian creatives.
Guardian Australia MD Rebecca Costello in turn says
the government's priority should be to ensure that
the existing righs-based system functions effectively
for AI use. (RMS)
News
Oil
faces falling volatility, but unlikely prices
The
US is offering Iran negotiations.
Without
dialogue, we must be prepared for an escalation. The
oil market is nearing a mutually agreed conclusion,
but the lack of mutual trust between the parties is
significantly complicating the situation. The US has
provided Iran with a list of 15 points, the completion
of which would resolve the conflict in the Middle
East. Previously, there were reports that Iran had
presented its own conditions.
These
have not been officially confirmed, but we have heard
on numerous occasions of demands for non-aggression
guarantees and reparations for damage already inflicted.
At stake is the reopening of traffic through the Strait
of Hormuz, through which around 15 million barrels
of crude oil and 5 million barrels of refined fuel
previously passed.
According
to JP Morgan estimates, the current shortfall is approximately
16 million barrels per day. This figure will decrease
as barrels from the strategic reserves of IEA member
countries are released into the market and as Gulf
states explore alternative routes, such as the Red
Sea. Nonetheless, the global economy faces the threat
of a long-term deficit of 10 million barrels per day,
which increases the risk of stagflation and recession.
According to estimates by Oxford Economics, without
a deal between Washington and Tehran, the Strait of
Hormuz will only regain 50% of its pre-war capacity
by May. Iran is gradually softening its stance, permitting
tankers from countries not involved in the conflict
to pass through while charging them a $2 million fee.
According
to Israeli television reports, the US is seeking a
one-month ceasefire to discuss a plan that includes
dismantling Iran’s nuclear programme, ending
support for terrorist groups, and reopening the Strait
of Hormuz. Even in the most optimistic scenario, it
will take months for Gulf countries to restore pre-war
production levels. Coupled with difficulties in replenishing
onshore stocks, this casts doubt on a quick fall in
Brent prices.
Most
likely, North Sea crude will remain above $65–70
per barrel by the end of 2026. The absence of constructive
dialogue between the US and Iran could lead to further
escalation, including other regional countries joining
the US-Israeli coalition and possibly a ground operation
by Washington. In such a scenario, Brent may rise
to $160 a barrel. This is the price that some countries
are already paying for oil from the Middle East that
bypasses the Strait of Hormuz. (FxPro)
News
AI
News (Aust)
Copyright
holders ready to do AI deals under existing laws
Attorney-General
Michelle Rowland has told an event hosted by the media
and creative sectors at Parliament House that Australia's
existing copyright regime has served it well for many
years. She said the federal government had said for
some time that it has no plans to weaken copyright
protections when it comes to artificial intelligence,
while Australia's creative and media sector have made
it clear that they are prepared to do licence deals
with AI firms, and that existing copyright laws enable
them to do just that. (RMS)
News
The
miners to own in diesel crisis
Bell
Potter's survey of Australian-listed mining companies
concluded that diesel fuel accounted for up to 15
per cent of their operating costs prior to the start
of the Iran war. Stuart Howe from Bell Potter says
the war and the surge in crude oil prices will result
in higher costs for much of the mining sector, while
production could be impacted by the availability of
diesel. Bell Potter recommends that investors rotate
into mining stocks that are less exposed to diesel
prices. Analysts note that miners with large-scale
open-cut operations are most at risk of a supply crisis
due to their heavy reliance on diesel-powered truck
fleets. (RMS)
News
Batteries,
coal push out east coast LNG shortage to 2029
The
Australian Energy Market Operator now expects any
gas supply shortage in the south-eastern states to
occur in 2029, compared with its previous forecast
of 2028. AEMO says gas shortfalls in 2029 are now
regarded as a risk only during "extreme peak
day demand conditions". It has cited a number
of factors for its revised forecast, including expectations
of lower demand for gas for power generation, an extension
of the Eraring coal-fired power station's operating
life and the estimated 30 gigawatts of battery storage
projects that are currently being developed. Energy
Minister Chris Bowen says the improved outlook shows
that the federal government's "balanced"
energy plan is working. (RMS)
News
News
Lead Up
Streaming
News Watercooler
Netflix
CEO allegedly won’t speak to Meghan Markle on
phone without lawyer
Meghan
Markle is caught in a fresh Netflix storm with rumors
claiming CEO Ted Sarandos is refusing to take her
calls without a lawyer. Netflix denies everything
but whispers of canceled deals and rising tension
have fans questioning the truth!
News
A.I
News
Watchdog
warns against 'dangerously' positive AI advice amid
crypto trading spike
The
Australian Securities and Investments Commission has
expressed concern about the growing tendency for young
Australians to use artificial intelligence platforms
like ChatGPT for financial advice. Its figures show
young people are following 'dangerously' positive
AI recommendations about investing in risky investments
such as crypto, with their faith in what has been
referred to as 'unverified, risk-averse digital advice'
occurring as many Australians are struggling with
major cost of living pressures; ASIC's figures also
show that 23 per cent of Gen Z now hold crypto assets;
up from just 9 per cent in 2023. (RMS)
News
Resources
Drill,
baby, drill: Boom for mineral, petroleum explorers
Advisory
firm BDO has calculated that ASX-listed mineral and
petroleum explorers raised a record $5.63 billion
in the final quarter of last year. It broke the previous
record for fund raising of $3.75 billion that was
set in the same period in 2021, with the $5.63 billion
in fund raising leaving mineral and petroleum explorers
with record cash reserves of $12 billion. It comes
as the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that
spending on mineral exploration hit a two-year high
in the final quarter of 2025, while spending on petroleum
exploration was at a decade high. (RMS)
News
A.I
News
Global
giants join Australia in fight to make AI companies
pay for content
Both
the US and the UK appear to be backing the stance
of the federal government of wanting AI companies
pay for their use of content that has been produced
by artists, musicians and journalists. In a document
released on Friday that was titled 'Respecting Intellectual
Property Rights and Supporting Creators', the White
House stated that US copyright laws - under which
content theft for the training of AI models, or any
other use, is illegal - will remain. For its part,
the UK government stated last week that it no longer
had a "preferred option" on copyright reform,
which comes after it last year endorsed a proposal
that would have allowed tech companies to use copyrighted
work without permission unless rights holders 'opted
out' of the process. Its change of stance follows
a longrunning campaign – led by artists
including Elton John and Thom Yorke from Radiohead
– which warned that the unlicensed use of
copyrighted material for training AI models was threatening
the livelihoods of people working in the creative
industries. (RMS)
News
Betting
on Americas and keeping BHP whole
BHP
has ended long-running speculation about succession
planning after announcing that Brandon Craig will
succeed CEO Mike Henry. The BHP veteran has ruled
out demerging assets such as the resources group's
copper mines during his tenure, which will start on
1 July. Craig says he believes that a diversified
model is still superior, especially in the mining
sector. He argues that BHP's ability to use its flagship
iron ore division to fund projects such as copper
and potash mines differentiates it from rivals. Craig
says BHP may be open to mergers and acquisitions,
although he says any such opportunities would need
to be compelling to compete with its internal growth
options. He has also indicated that BHP's focus will
shift to the Americas, where many of its growth projects
are located. (RMS)
News
X
Newsfeed
WWE
Cody
Rhodes and Matt Cardona Dish on Indie-to-WWE Return
WWE
Champion Cody Rhodes hosted Matt Cardona on 'What
Do You Wanna Talk About?', where Cardona detailed
his path back to WWE after six years as the 'Indy
God.' It started with his wife Chelsea Green nudging
President Nick Khan during a TNA spot on NXT, leading
to Cardona's direct text and a January 2026 SmackDown
deal. They fantasy-booked a fun ladder match in WWE
2K26, and Cardona shouted out indie standouts Big
Trouble Ben Bishop and Richard Holliday as future
WWE stars, sparking excitement online about their
friendship and the indie-WWE bridge. Media Man Peg-On:
Cardona'a indi matches and feud with Killer Kross
was excellent. Our Cardona indy highlight. Vs Holliday
was great too, as was Kross vs Holliday.
News
Gold
News
Gold
is back in focus as markets react to geopolitics
The
market is fixated on the threat of accelerating inflation
driven by high energy prices. As a result, central
banks are expected to adopt a tighter monetary policy,
keeping rates at high levels or even raising them.
This has a positive impact on fiat currencies and
strips gold of its key feature as a store of value
amid currency debasement. It is no surprise that the
precious metal, which had got off to a strong start,
has been losing out to Bitcoin and the US dollar since
the start of the armed conflict in the Middle East.
Although gold is generally regarded as a safe-haven
asset, in the early stages of financial market turmoil,
investors often choose to flee to liquidity. They
favour fiat currencies and are far more willing to
buy US dollar-nominated short-term treasuries.
Gold
prices usually recover only if market shocks worsen,
fears of recession or stagflation rise, and central
banks start adding liquidity. Bank of America believes
that the markets are still underestimating the scale
of the potential consequences of geopolitical tension.
They are fixated on the threat of accelerating inflation
and are not considering a global economic downturn.
Therefore, the longer the conflict between the US,
Israel and Iran lasts, the better it is for the precious
metal.
UBS
Global Wealth Management notes that gold serves as
a hedge against currency devaluation, rising budget
deficits and recession. All of these could result
from a geopolitical shock. The firm therefore maintains
its bullish outlook on gold. In its view, the precious
metal could rise to the $5,900-$6,200 range before
the end of this year. However, gold must first weather
the storm of numerous central bank meetings. The RBA
has already raised its cash rate to 4.15%. Investors
now expect ‘hawkish’ rhetoric from the rest.
The ECB and the Bank of Japan are ready to tackle
inflation, and the futures market expects them to
tighten monetary policy. The Fed and the Bank of England
are most likely to talk about prolonged pauses in
their cycles.
Thus,
gold appears to be a win-win option. It will gain
if the conflict in the Middle East drags on, and will
not lose if it ends. Investors just need to be patient
for a little while. (FxPro)
News
Roy
Morgan wins Media Man 'Media Series Company Of The
Month' award
The
Australian Financial Review wins Media Man 'Newspaper
Of The Month' award; Runner-up: The Australian
Google
wins Media Man 'Search Engine Of The Month' award
Netflix
wins Media Man 'Streaming Service Of The Month' award
WWE
wins Media Man 'Wrestling Promotion Of The Month'
award
UFC
wins 'Combat Sports Brand Of The Month' award; Runner-ups:
Most Valuable Promotions, Everlast, BKFC
Mack
Trucks wins Media Man 'Truck Brand Of The Month' award
CAT
wins Media Man 'Heavy Industry Brand Of The Month'
award
Dynasty:
The Murdochs wins 'Streaming Show Of The Month' award
(Netflix)
Lynas
shares rally after refinery licence deal signed with
Malaysia
Matthew
Hope from Ord Minnett says the extension of Lynas
Rare Earths' licence to operate its Malaysian refinery
will provide investment certainty. Lynas's current
three-year licence was due to expire on Monday, but
Lynas advised that the Malaysian government has agreed
to extend it for another 10 years. Lynas's share price
rose five per cent to $19.98 in reponse to the announcement.
Lynas has benefited from the rally in the price of
neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr) since the Trump
administration agreed to a floor price of $US110 per
kilogram in a deal with MP Materials in 2025. JP Morgan
expects the price of NdPr to average $US123/kilogram
in 2026. (RMS)
News
Mystery
donor bails out EDO
Australian
Energy Producers CEO Samantha McCulloch says the Environmental
Defenders Office should be required to disclose the
identity of all donors. The EDO's audited financial
statements show that an unnamed donor has agreed to
waive a $6.5m loan to the activist organisation. The
EDO has posted a loss of $8.5m following the Federal
Court's ruling in 2024 that it must pay more than
$9m in legal costs arising from its failed challenge
to Santos's Barossa LNG project. McCulloch says the
debt waiver raises serious questions about who is
funding activist lawfare in Australia. She adds that
it is hypocritical for the EDO to demand transparency
from Australian companies while citing 'commercial-in-confidence'
to shield anonymous donors. (RMS)
News
Fortescue
recalibrates, cuts back wind farm
The
environmental approval application for Fortescue's
proposed Bonney Downs wind farm in the Pilbara shows
that it is now slated to have 100 turbines, compared
with initial plans for 200. Fortescue contends that
scaling back the size of the wind farm will significantly
reduce its environmental impact; amongst other things,
Fortscue estimates that it will now have to clear
just 944 hectares of vegetation for the project, instead
of more than 2,000 hectares. Fortescue has also indicated
that it considered several alternatives to the Bonney
Downs project, including a solar farm and converting
the Solomon gas-powered power station to run on 'green'
ammonia and hydrogen; the latter was deemed to be
unviable due to the high cost of the green fuel. (RMS)
Shares
March
3
BHP
Group Ltd
$57.70 -1.55 -2.62% (ASX)
Mineral
Resources Ltd
$56.04 -3.66 6.13% (ASX)
Lynas
Rare Earths Ltd
$19.04 -0.9 - 64.80% (ASX)
Media
Watercooler
News
Flashbacks (For historical, reference, data and educational
purposes)
February
2026
Feb
14
BHP
exports crash in China stand-off
Shipping
data provider Kpler estimates that BHP exported just
1.18 million tonnes of Jimblebar Fines iron ore from
the Pilbara during January, compared with 5.82 million
tonnes for the same period in 2025. Kpler analyst
Alexis Ellender says the firm believes that iron ore
stockpiles at Chinese ports are now close to capacity,
while Goldman Sachs estimates that Jimblebar Fines
accounts for up to 10 per cent of this stockpile.
The downturn in Jimblebar Fines shipments has coincided
with China's growing pressure on BHP to switch to
using iron ore price reporting agency Fastmarkets
rather than S&P Global Platts. Fortescue and Rio
Tinto have switched a portion of their iron ore sales
to Fastmarkets. (RMS)
News
Feb
16
Lawyers
hit gold from BHP disaster
Britain's
High Court is scheduled to begin hearing a compensation
claim against BHP in April, over the collapse of the
Fundao iron ore tailings dam in Brazil in November
2015. The High Court had ruled in late 2025 that BHP
is liable for the disaster at the Samarco iron ore
mine, which it jointly owns with Vale. The class action
launched by law firm Pogust Goodhead has already generated
more than $600m in legal costs; Pogust Goodhead estimates
that it has spent nearly Stg190m on the long-running
case, while BHP says it has spent more than Stg125m
on legal fees to date. Pogust Goodhead is seeking
up to Stg36bn ($70bn) in compensation for victims
of the disaster. (RMS)
News
Glencore
legend hedged against deal
Glencore
'founding founder' Tor Peterson advised the London
Stock Exchange on 14 January that he still controlled
about 2.4 per cent of the Swiss mining company. It
was his first such disclosure in almost eight years,
but he went to update the LSE on his holdings 11 times
over the next 22 days, at a time when Glencore and
Rio Tinto were discussing a merger. His disclosures
indicate Peterson would maximise his profits if Glencore's
share price fell below the Stg5.31 the stock was fetching
when speculation of a merger deal speculation peaked
in early February; Rio abandoned the merger talks
on 6 February when the two firms could not agree on
a price.. It has been suggested that by betting on
Glencore's shares falling that Peterson was seeking
a compensation prize should bets he had made on on
higher coal prices fail. (RMS)
News
WA
outgunned on lithium costs
US-based
Albemarle has invested about $4bn in its lithium hydroxide
refinery at Kemerton in Western Australia since 2018.
CEO Kent Masters says the cost of processing spodumene
concentrate in WA is about $US5 per kg higher than
in China, where Albemarle operates similar lithium
refineries. Masters notes that labour, energy and
waste disposal costs are much higher in Australia,
which contributed to Albemarle's decision to shut
down the Kemerton plant. The company is now expected
to ship its share of spodumene from the Greenbushes
mine to China for processing; it has not ruled out
resuming production at Kemerton if market conditions
become more favourable. (RMS)
News
Gold
rush pulls in dirt pirates and backpackers
The
price of gold has risen by 70 per cent in the last
year, prompting a new wave of prospectors at historic
goldfields such as Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.
The state accounts for more than 70 per cent of Australia's
gold production, primarily from the Kalgoorlie Goldfields.
The gold boom has attracted a range pf people to the
region, including amateur prospectors and families
that travel there on caravan holidays. It has also
resulted in extra work for Australia's gold stealing
detection unit, with a sharp rise in the theft of
ore from gold mine sites by criminals who process
it in backyards by using a cement mixer and chemicals
to extract the gold. (RMS)
News
Mining
election message to Minns
The
NSW Minerals Council contends that the mining industry
injected $22 billion into the state's economy last
financial year, while the council estimated its members
supported 35,100 full time equivalent jobs. With a
state election due in March next year, NSW Minerals
Council CEO Stephen Galilee contends that the thousands
of workers in the mining sector will be looking to
see which politicians are willing to grant approvals
for new projects; there are currently 37 operating
coalmines across NSW, with 17 approval or extension
proposals awaiting a decision, but the Net Zero Commission
has informed the Minns government that any additional
extensions, expansions or approvals for coal projects
would push NSW off track from its emissions targets
and the Paris Agreement. (Roy Morgan Summary)
Media
Man Int
News
Flashbacks
Victims'
misery a goldmine for chequebook TV - 7th May 2006
https://mediamanint.com/articles/victims.html
Human
Statue Bodyart does bodypaint, bodyart and makeup
for Diamond VIP event at The Star, Sydney
https://mediamanint.com/articles/human_statue17.html
Biofuel
flight 'another Branson stunt' - 26th February 2008
https://mediaman.com.au/articles/biofuel_flight.html
GenerationOne
ideas forum - 12th August 2010
https://mediamanint.com/articles/generationone_ideas.html
Markets,
Cryptos (in progress)
https://mediamanint.com/articles/markets_cryptos.html
All
The Glitters (in progress)
https://mediamanint.com/articles/all_that.html
Australian
Mining (in progress)
https://mediamanint.com/articles/australian_mining.html
Mack
Trucks wins Media Man 'Truck Manufacturer Of The Month'
award
Caterpillar
wins Media Man 'Heavy Equipment Manufacturer Of The
Month' award
Bingo
Industries wins Media Man 'Construction Brand Of The
Month' award
Elders
wins Media Man 'Agribusiness Of The Month' award
Landman
wins Media Man 'Streaming Series Of The Month' award
(Oil/mining industry based story via Paramount Plus)
News
Gold
Movie
Gold
is a 2016 American epic crime drama film directed
by Stephen Gaghan and written by Patrick Massett and
John Zinman. The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Édgar
Ramírez, Bryce Dallas Howard, Corey Stoll,
Toby Kebbell, Craig T. Nelson, Stacy Keach and Bruce
Greenwood. The film is loosely based on the true story
of the 1997 Bre-X mining scandal, when a massive gold
deposit was supposedly discovered in the jungles of
Indonesia; however, for legal reasons and to enhance
the appeal of the film, character names and story
details were changed.
Trailer
Gold
(YouTube Movies and TV)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=yc0S96OZhi0
Gold
is the epic tale of one man's pursuit of the American
dream, to discover gold. Starring Oscar® winner
Matthew McConaughey (Interstellar, Dallas Buyers Club,
The Wolf Of Wall Street) as Kenny Wells, a modern
day prospector desperate for a lucky break, he teams
up with a similarly eager geologist and sets off on
an amazing journey to find gold in the uncharted jungle
of Indonesia. Getting the gold was hard, but keeping
it would be even harder, sparking an adventure through
the most powerful boardrooms of Wall Street. The film
is inspired by a true story.
News/Profile
Hancock
Prospecting Pty Ltd
Hancock
Prospecting Pty Ltd (HPPL) is a privately owned Australian
mineral exploration and agriculture company headquartered
in Perth, Western Australia. As of 2026, it is recognized
as one of the most successful private companies in
Australian history.
Leadership
and Ownership
Executive
Chairwoman: Gina Rinehart AO, who has led the company
since 1992.
CEO:
Garry Korte.
Ownership:
The company is owned by Gina Rinehart (76.6%) and
the Hope Margaret Hancock Trust (23.4%).
Major
Mining Operations
The
company has transitioned from a prospecting firm into
a major global miner, with primary interests in the
Pilbara region:
Roy
Hill: A flagship mega-project and Australia’s
largest single iron ore mine, producing 60–70
million tonnes annually.
Hope
Downs: A 50/50 joint venture with Rio Tinto, comprising
four open-pit mines with a capacity of approximately
47Mtpa.
Atlas
Iron: Acquired in 2018, it operates the Mount Webber,
Sanjiv Ridge, and Miralga Creek mines.
Hancock
Iron Ore: A new entity formed in July 2025 to consolidate
Roy Hill and Atlas Iron operations.
Diversification
and Strategic Investments
Under
Rinehart’s leadership, the company has expanded
significantly into other sectors:
Agriculture:
Hancock is Australia's second-largest beef producer,
owning over 25 properties including the iconic S.
Kidman & Co. It also owns 50% of Bannister Downs
Dairy.
Critical
Minerals: Major stakes in lithium (Liontown Resources,
Azure Minerals, Vulcan Energy) and rare earths (Arafura
Rare Earths, MP Materials, Lynas Rare Earths).
Energy:
Significant interests in oil and gas through Warrego
Energy and Senex Energy.
International
Ventures: In January 2026, the company signed a gold
exploration license agreement with Saudi Arabia's
state-owned miner, Ma’aden.
Current
Events (January 2026)
Australia
Day Sponsorship: The company is the principal partner
for the 2026 Hancock Prospecting Australia Day celebrations
in Perth.
Helipad
Proposal: In December 2025, the City of Perth refused
the company's proposal to build a helipad at its West
Perth headquarters.
Financial
Performance: For the 2025 fiscal year, the company
reported a profit of AU$3.08 billion.
History
The
company was founded on November 25, 1955, by Lang
Hancock, who is credited with discovering the world's
largest iron ore deposit in 1952. When Gina Rinehart
took over following his death in 1992, the company
was in a precarious financial state with significant
debt.
News
Gold
(1974)
Gold
is a 1974 British action-thriller directed by Peter
R. Hunt, starring Roger Moore and Susannah York. Based
on the 1970 novel Gold Mine by Wilbur Smith, the film
is set in the South African goldfields and follows
a conspiracy by a global syndicate to manipulate the
price of gold by sabotaging a rich mine.
Plot:
Rod Slater (Moore), a newly appointed general manager,
is manipulated by his boss, Manfred Steyner (Bradford
Dillman), into drilling through a protective barrier
into a subterranean lake. This is intended to flood
the mine, causing a global gold shortage and driving
up prices for a greedy cabal.
Production
Controversy: The film was controversially shot on
location in South Africa during the apartheid era.
This led to a "black ban" by British film
unions, though some crew members defied it to work
on the production.
James
Bond Connection: Many crew members were veterans of
the James Bond franchise, including director Peter
Hunt (On Her Majesty's Secret Service), editor John
Glen, and title designer Maurice Binder.
Accolades:
The film received an Academy Award nomination for
Best Original Song for "Wherever Love Takes Me,"
composed by Elmer Bernstein and sung by Maureen McGovern.
Cast
& Crew
Rod
Slater: Roger Moore
Terry Steyner: Susannah York
Hurry Hirschfeld: Ray Milland
Manfred Steyner: Bradford Dillman
Farrell: John Gielgud
Director:
Peter R. Hunt
Music:
Elmer Bernstein
Availability
in 2026
As
of 2026, the film is available through several formats
and platforms:
Streaming:
Accessible on Prime Video, Tubi, and Roku devices.
Physical
Media: High-definition restorations are available
on Blu-ray and DVD from Kino Lorber and 88 Films
News
Pop
Culture
"Gold"
(Spandau Ballet)
"Gold"
is a signature 1983 hit by the British New Romantic
band Spandau Ballet, written by Gary Kemp.
Lyrics
Thank
you for coming home
I'm sorry that the chairs are all worn
I left them here, I could have sworn
These are my salad days
Slowly being eaten away Just another play for today
Oh, but I'm proud of you, but I'm proud of you
Nothing
left to make me feel small Luck has left me standing
so tall
Thank
you for coming home I'm sorry that the chairs are
all worn I left them here I could have sworn
These
are my salad days
Slowly being eaten away Just another play for today
Oh but I'm proud of you but I'm proud of you
Nothing
left to make me feel small Luck has left me standing
so tall
Gold
(gold)
Always
believe in your soul You've got the power to know
You're indestructible Always believe in
'Cause you are
Gold
(gold)
Glad
that you're bound to return There's something I could
have learned You're indestructible Always believin'
Oh
after the rush has gone I hope you find a little more
time Remember we were partners in crime It's only
two years ago
The
man with the suit and the face You knew that he was
there on the case Now he's in love with you he's in
love with you
My
love is like a high prison wall But you could leave
me standing so tall
Gold
(gold)
Always
believe in your soul You've got the power to know
You're indestructible Always believe in 'Cause you
are
Gold
(gold)
Glad
that you're bound to return There's something I could
have learned You're indestructible Always believin'
My
love is like a high prison wall And you could leave
me standing so tall
Gold
(gold)
Oh
always believe in your soul You've got the power to
know You're indestructible Always believe in 'Cause
you are
Gold (gold)
Glad
that you're bound to return Something I could have
learned You're indestructible Always believin'
Songwriter: Gary James Kemp
Official
video of Spandau Ballet performing 'Gold' from their
1983 third album 'True'.
Gary
Kemp wrote both the music and lyrics; the song was
produced by the partnership of Steve Jolley and Tony
Swain. The music video was filmed on location in Carmona,
Spain and directed by Brian Duffy. The video featured
Sadie Frost as a gold-painted nymph, in one of her
earlier roles. Some parts of the music video were
also filmed in Leighton House, which was also used
in the video for "Golden Brown" by The Stranglers.
Spandau
Ballet are one of Britain’s great iconic bands
having sold over 25 million records, scored numerous
multi-platinum albums and amassed 23 hit singles across
the globe since their humble beginnings as a group
of friends with dreams of stardom in the late 1970s.
It wasn’t long before they became fully-fledged
members of the iconic Blitz Club scene and established
themselves as one of the super-groups of the 80s.
The
band's classic line-up features brothers Gary and
Martin Kemp on guitars, vocalist Tony Hadley, saxophonist
Steve Norman and drummer John Keeble.
Spandau
Ballet’s hits include Gold, True, To Cut A Long
Story Short, Through The Barricades and many more.
News
The
Australian Financial Review wins Media Man 'Newspaper
Of The Month' award
Roy
Morgan wins Media Man 'News Services Business Of The
Month' award
Sky
News Australia wins Media Man 'Australian Media Outlet
Of The Month' award
News
Best
Quotes
Gold
Quotes
“Gold
is the money of kings.”
“He
who has the gold makes the rules.”
“Gold
is a living god and rules in scorn, all earthly things
but virtue.” – Percy Bysshe Shelley
“Gold
is a deep and liquid subject.”
“Gold
is forever.”
Best
Quotes Of The Day
The
best and biggest gold mine is in between your ears."
"You
are a gold mine of potential power. You have to dig
to find it and make it real."
"Your
mind is like a gold mine, if you dig deep you will
find something golden."
"Don't
die without mining the gold in your mind."
"We're
like goldfields. Until we dig deep to find what's
inside us, our true potentials may be hidden forever."
"If
you want to find gold, you've got to love the process
of digging."
"Even
if you're sitting on a gold mine, you still have to
dig."
"Develop
men the same way gold is mined"
"Don't
go into the mine looking for dirt; instead, go in
looking for the gold."
"A
prospector's job is to remove dirt as quickly as possible"
"A
prospector who analyses every speck of dirt won't
find much gold"
"The
world is sitting on a gold mine but knows it not."
"Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are
silver, these are gold."
"All
that is gold does not glitter."
"Gold
is forever. It is beautiful, useful, and never wears
out"
"Gold
is the money of kings"
"Mining
is the art of exploiting mineral deposits at a profit.
An unprofitable mine is fit only for the sepulcher
of a dead mule."
"Anyone
can find the dirt in someone. Be the one that finds
the gold."
"True
gold fears no fire."
"The
desire of gold is not for gold. It is for the means
of freedom and benefit."
"Make
new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these
are gold."
"When
taken for granted, gold in one's hand is sometimes
considered like cheap copper – so are people."
Movie
Box Office (North America)
March
1, 2026
1.
Scream 7 - $64.1m
2.
GOAT - $12m
3.
Wuthering Heights - $7m
4.
Twenty One Pilots: More Than We Imagined - $4.3m
5.
EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert - $3.5m
6.
Crime 101 - $3.4m
7.
I Can Only Imagine 2 - $3.1m
8.
Send Help - $2.8m
9.
How to Make a Killing - $1.6m
10.
Zootopia 2 - $1.4m
others
...
Solo
Mio
Avatar: Fire and Ash
News
The
Lead Up (For reference, historical and educational
purposes)
February
22, 2026
1.
GOAT - $17m
2.
Wuthering Heights - $14.2m
3.
I Can Only Imagine 2 - $8m
4.
Crime 101 - $5.8m
5.
Send Help - $4.5m
6.
How to Make a Killing - $3.6m
7.
Elvis Presley in Concert - $3.3m
8.
Solo Mio - $2.6m
9.
Zootopia 2 - $2.3m
10.
Avatar: Fire and Ash - $1.8m
others
...
Good
Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die
Iron Lung
Dracula
News
The
Lead Up (for historical, reference and educational
purposes)
February
15, 2026
1.
Wuthering Heights - $34.8m
2.
GOAT - $26m
3.
Crime 101 - $15.1m
4.
Send Help - $9m
5.
Solo Mio - $6.8m
6.
Zootopia 2 - $3.8m
7.
Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die - $3.6m
8.
Avatar: Fire and Ash - $3.33m
9.
Iron Lung - $3.3m
10.
Dracula - $3
others
...
The
Strangers: Chapter 3
Shelter
Melania
Mercy
*correct
at time of publication to best of knowledge
News
The
Lead Up (For historical, educational and reference
purposes)
Movie
Box Office (North America)
February
8, 2026
1.
Send Help - $10m
2.
Solo Mio - $7.2m
3.
Stray Kids: The dominATE Experience - $5.6m
4.
Dracula - $4.5m
5.
Zootopia 2 - $4m
6.
Avatar: Fire and Ash - $3.5m
7.
The Strangers: Chapter 3 - $3.5m
8.
Shelter - $2.4m
9.
Melania - $2.38m
10.
Mercy - $2m
others
...
Iron
Lung
The Housemaid
Marty Supreme
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
News
The
Lead Up (for historical, reference and educational
purposes)
February
1, 2026
1.
Send Help - $20m
2.
Iron Lung - $18m
3.Melania
$8m approx
(MGM)
4.
Zootopia 2 - $5.8m
5.
Shelter - $5.5m
6.
Avatar: Fire & Ash - $5.5m
7.
Mercy - $4.7m
8.
The Housemaid - $3.5m
9.
Marty Supreme - $2.9m
10.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple - $1.6m
Media
Man: *more numbers and details within 24 hours. Not
100 percent accurate at time of publication. Confirming
stats with bean counters and those in the know! Let's
go Melania and Let's go Sydney Sweeney! Beats critics
to punch! Well done ladies.
News
Flashback
January
2026
(In
Case You Missed It)
(For
historical, data and reference purposes)
Jan
25
1.
Mercy - $11.1m
2.
Avatar: Fire and Ash: $7m
20th Century Studios/Lightstorm Entertainment
3.
Zootopia 2 - $5.7m
4.
The Housemaid -$4.2m
Lionsgate
5.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple - $3.6m
Sony Pictures
6.
Marty Supreme - $3.5m
7.
Return to Silent Hill - $3.3m
8.
Hamnet - $2m
9.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings
- $2m
10.
Primate - $1.6m
others
Greenland
2
Anaconda
The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants
News
The
Lead Up
Last
Week
Jan
18
1.
Avatar: Fire and Ash: $13.3m
20th Century Studios/Lightstorm Entertainment
2.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple - $13m
Sony Pictures
3.
Zootopia 2 - $8.8m
4.
The Housemaid - $8.5m
Lionstate
5.
Marty Supreme - $5.5m
6.
Primate - $5m
7.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
- $3.5m
8.
Greenland 2 - $3.4m
9.
Anaconda - $3.2m
10.
The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants - $2.3m
Media
Man: *We have been getting a range of numbers from
various (unnamed sources) for the past 12 hours. As
far as we know the above numbers are correct (but
we haven't seen the real books)!!!
News
The
Week Before
Movie
Box Office (North America)
January
2026
Jan
11
1.
Avatar: Fire and Ash - $21.3m
2.
Primate - $11.3m
3.
The Housemaid - $11.2m
4.
Zootopia 2 - $10.1m
5.
Greenland 2 - 8.5m
6.
Marty Supreme - $7.6m
7.
Anaconda - $5.1m
8.
The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants - $3.8m
9.
David - $3.1m
10.
Song Sung Blue - $3m
others
...
Wicked:
For Good
Five
Nights at Freddy's 2
Mining,
Energy, Resources, Markets. Biz, Heavy Industry, Blue
Collar, Culture, News
Australia
and World
January
2026
Heavy
Industry Awards
Mack
Trucks wins Media Man 'Truck Manufacturer Of The Month'
award
Caterpillar
wins Media Man 'Heavy Equipment Manufacturer Of The
Month' award
Bingo
Industries wins Media Man 'Construction Brand Of The
Month' award
Elders
wins Media Man 'Agribusiness Of The Month' award
Landman
wins Media Man 'Streaming Series Of The Month' award
(Oil/mining industry based story via Paramount Plus)
Jim's
Mowing wins Media Man 'Australian Business Of The
Month' award
The
Association of Mining & Exploration Companies'
CEO Warren Pearce says the federal government's critical
minerals strategic reserve could potentially be generating
revenue for the nation by 2030. He adds that its success
will depend on securing offtake agreements quickly.
Resources Minister Madeleine King has conceded that
it will take some time for the strategic reserve to
begin producing revenue, but she believes that the
need for a more diversified critical minerals supply
chain will eventually result in "upside"
for the nation. King adds that Australia has some
key advantages over resources-rich Greenland in the
development of mineral deposits. (Roy Morgan Summary)
News
Japan
chases critical minerals deal
Justin
Hayhurst is about to finish his time as Australia's
ambassador to Japan, with Hayhurst to be replaced
by Andrew Shearer, a former national security adviser
to prime ministers Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison.
Hayhurst says that he never left his embassy residence
in the last weeks of his appointment without a list
of critical minerals on him, with Japanese officials
keen to struck a similar deal with Australia to the
one that Australia signed with the US last year, with
that deal seeing $4.6 billion earmarked to develop
new critical minerals projects. (RMS)
News
Allan
denies firefighting funding cuts
Victoria's
Opposition claims that the state government has cut
funding to the Country Fire Authority, with the CFA's
most recent annual report being cited as evidence.
It shows that government grant funding fell from $351.6m
to $339.5m over the four years to 2023-24, with the
CFA's 2024-25 annual report not yet released. With
Premier Jacinta Allan rejecting the opposition's claims,
the row over funding comes as CFA volunteers fighting
the state's current bushfires have claimed that they
are being expected to do so in ageing trucks with
no air-conditioning in temperatures of up to 40C.
About 27 fires were still burning across Victoria
on Monday. (RMS)
News
Telcos
face renewed pressure after fire outages leave people
stranded and desperate
Independent
federal MP Helen Haines says telecommunications need
to be secured during natural disasters such as the
bushfires in Victoria; her electorate includes the
fire-ravaged town of Longwood. Haines also contends
that mobile phone base towers should have back-up
power to ensure that there is network coverage during
emergencies. The Strathbogie shire area, which includes
Longwood, experienced a telecommunications outage
during the bushfires, as did Towong and Natimuk. Temporary
disaster roaming is already available for Triple Zero
calls, but Telstra told a parliamentary inquiry in
late 2025 that there a number of challenges in deploying
it more broadly. (RMS)
News
Pauline
Hanson and Barnaby Joyce use Gina Rinehart's private
jet to visit flooded parts of Queensland
One
Nation MP Barnaby Joyce has defended the use of a
private jet to visit flooded regions of Queensland.
Joyce and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson recently
travelled to Mt Isa on a Gulfstream jet that is owned
by mining magnate Gina Rinehart, where they subsequently
visited flood-affected towns such as Julia Creek.
Joyce contends that they were saving taxpayers' money
by using the jet; he adds that the trip was an important
sign of support for towns that have been affected
by heavy rain and flooding from ex-Tropical Cyclone
Koji in recent weeks. Hanson also travelled to the
US on Rinehart's jet in October, along with her chief-of-staff
James Ashby. (RMS)
News
'I'll
cut off Cuba's oil, put Rubio in charge': Trump
Mexican
president Claudia Sheinbaum says her country will
continue to supply Cuba with crude oil, referring
to the shipments as humanitarian aid. Sheinbaum's
comments come after US President Donald Trump cut
off Cuba's entire supply of heavily subsidised oil
from Venezuela, while he also re-posted an account
on his Truth Social site which stated that "Marco
Rubio will be president of Cuba", accompanied
by a laughing face emoji. Trump's secretary of state,
Rubio is Cuban-American and a long-time opponent of
the Cuban government. (RMS)
News
Wheatbelt
family in wind farm court fight
Western
Australia's Wheatbelt region has been labelled as
the next frontier for renewables in WA, with $20bn
worth of renewables projects in the region at various
stages of approval or proposed. However, renewable
energy companies have told the state government that
a tactic being used by some farmers in the region
is creating "operational risk" and investor
uncertainty. It involves farmers who are against wind
farms on neighbouring properties building a house
on or close to their boundary to ensure no wind turbines
can be built within 1.5km, a standard adopted to reduce
the impact of turbine noise on neighbours. (RMS)
News
ASX
gains on miners; Light & Wonder soars
The
Australian sharemarket posted a solid gain on Monday,
with the S&P/ASX 200 adding 0.5 per cent to close
at 8,759.4 points. The rising gold price boosted producers
of the precious metal, with Ramelius Resources advancing
6.3 per cent to $4.39 and Newmont Corporation up 5.8
per cent at $166.59. Light & Wonder rose 18 per
cent to $182.50 and PWR Holdings ended the session
10 per cent higher at $9.60; however, BHP was down
2.5 per cent at $46.51 and Super Retail Group fell
5.3 per cent to $14.90. (RMS)
News
BHP
closes in on CBA's crown as ASX king
Shares
in BHP have risen by 30 per cent in the last six months,
lifting its market capitalisation to $236bn. The resources
giant is now just 8.5 per cent shy of the Commonwealth
Bank of Australia's market cap of $258bn, and a continued
strong run could see it reclaim the title of the ASX's
biggest company. CBA's shares peaked at $192 in mid-2025;
Peter Gardner from Plato Investment Management believes
that CBA is still a bit overvalued at its current
price of about $154 per share. Meanwhile, BHP has
been buoyed by strong commodity prices, which has
prompted investors to rebalance their portfolios in
favour of mining companies rather than banks. (RMS)
News
Woolworths
strikes Google deal allowing AI to fill shopping baskets
Woolworths
CEO Amanda Bardwell says its new partnership with
Google will alter how its customers interact with
it online. The deal with Google will see the supermarket
chain use Google's Gemini artificial intelligence
platform in Olive, which is Woolworths' chatbot. It
will mean that Olive will be able to help Woolworths'
customers plan their meals, and, with their permission,
add items to their online shopping baskets. (RMS)
News
The
true value of BlueScope
AustralianSuper
has effectively told the Stokes family and US firm
Steel Dynamics that the traditional practice of linking
a takeover bid to the pre-bid market price does not
apply to BlueScope Steel. This would seem to be the
only interpretation that can be put on the fact that
AustralianSuper started buying BlueScope shares at
around $30, which is the price that the Stokes/Steel
Dynamics alliance is offering for BlueScope, with
AustralianSuper's strategy having essentially 'killed
off' the bid. (RMS)
News
Wind,
solar to get big federal boost
Clean
Energy Finance Corporation CEO Ian Learmonth says
it plans to back a number of big wind projects this
year, including the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy
Zone in western NSW. Wind power is seen as vital to
the federal government's goal of 82 per cent renewable
energy in the grid by the end of the decade, while
Learmonth says that large-scale wind, solar and battery
projects will continue to be the CEFC's focus as far
as projects that it will invest in. (RMS)
News
Upgrades
at airports to transform travel experience
Airports
have introduced advanced screening technology in response
to legislative changes, with the technology eliminating
the need for airline passengers to remove laptops,
aerosols and drink bottles from carry-on baggage.
This is expected to double the rate of passenger screening
when compared to existing systems, while other changes
expected to improve the travel experience at Australian
airports this year include fixing Melbourne Airport's
problem-plagued baggage system and improving travel
access at Perth Airport. (RMS)
News
Directors
vote to close Sendle after ill-fated US merger
Founded
in 2014 and promoted as an alternative to Australia
Post, parcel delivery company Sendle was recently
merged with two US-based start-ups to form a new company
called Fast Group. However, the directors of Fast
Group have voted to close that company down, due to
problems with gaining new funding; Sendle advised
its customers on Sunday evening that it had ceased
operations and had cancelled all scheduled parcel
deliveries. (RMS)
News
Battle
of the poker machine giants settled for $190m after
two years
Light
& Wonder has settled a dispute with fellow poker
poker machine manufacturer Aristocrat Leisure that
began two years ago. The spat started when Aristocrat
Leisure alleged that Light & Wonder had 'ripped
off' the programming behind its Dragon Link gaming
machine, and had used it to create its own games:
Dragon Train and Jewel of the Dragon. Light &
Wonder advised on Monday that it has agreed to pay
US127.5 million ($190 million), while it will cease
commercialisation of the Dragon Train and Jewel of
the Dragon games. (RMS)
News
'It's
embarrassing': riders say time is up for fossil fuel
sponsorship of heat-affected Tour Down Under
Oil
and gas company Santos is the sponsor of cycling's
Tour Down Under, which begins on 16 January. With
cyclists facing increasingly extreme heat in events
as a result of climate change, there are calls for
the Tour Down Under to end its association with the
fossil fuel producer. Former national champion Cyrus
Monk says it is "embarrassing" that Santos
sponsors the biggest cycling race in Australia, while
former Tour De France commentator Matt Rendell claims
fossil fuel companies like to associate themselves
with cycling events because "cycling is cheap
and the bicycle has impeccable environmental credentials".
(RMS)
News
Labor
warms to mining merger
The
proposed merger between Rio Tinto and Glencore would
require regulatory approval in a number of countries,
including Australia. Resources Minister Madeleine
King does not believe that a merger would be negative
for Australia, noting that both companies have a significant
presence in the nation's resourcs industry; she adds
that Rio Tinto will always be an important part of
the domestic economy. Meanwhile, Barrenjoey analysts
suggest that Glencore's coal assets could be spun-off
to existing shareholders if the proposed merger proceeds,
given that Rio Tinto has exited coal mining. (RMS)
News
BHP
considering its options amid mega-merger talks
BHP
has declined to comment on speculation about its possible
response to the renewed merger between Rio Tinto and
Glencore. Romano Sala Tenna from Katana Asset Management
says it could make more sense for BHP to merge with
Glencore, given that both companies have significant
coal assets and Rio Tinto has completely exited that
sector. He adds that growing global sovereign risk
means that achieving scale in the mining sector also
makes sense. MKI Global Partners' CEO Mark Kelly in
turn notes that BHP is seeking to reduce its reliance
on iron ore for export earnings. (RMS)
News
Gold
to crack $US5K amid Iran protests and Fed pressure
The
price of gold rose by 65 per cent during calendar
2025, and it has risen above $US4,600 per ounce for
the first time in early 2026. Sebastian Mullins from
Schroders notes that the traditional 'safe haven'
investment is benefiting from factors such as geopolitical
uncertainty in Venezuela and Iran, as well as the
Trump administration's latest attack on the independence
of the US Federal Reserve. Justin Lin from Global
X says the firm regards gold as one of the most attractive
investments of 2026, and he is among the market watchers
who believe that the gold price could rise above $US5,000
an ounce this year. (RMS)
News
Hedge
funds 'toasted' as lithium spike hits shorts
The
price of lithium carbonate in China has risen by 20
per cent so far in 2026, while spodumene - the type
of lithium that is mined in Australia - has gained
22 per cent. This has in turn boosted ASX-listed lithium
producers, which were among the bourse's top-performing
stocks in 2025; Liontown Resources has gained 34 per
cent since the start of this year, while Core Lithium
is up 15 per cent. Meanwhile, there has been a sharp
fall in the short-selling of Australian-listed lithium
stocks, and the rising price of the battery metal
has forced hedge funds to buy more shares in order
to cover their short positions. (RMS)
News
Roy
Morgan wins Media Man 'News Services Company Of The
Month' award
News
Mining,
Energy, Resources, Markets, Biz, Heavy Industry, Blue
Collar, Energy, Culture, News
Heavy
Industry Awards
Mack
Trucks wins Media Man 'Truck Manufacturer Of The Month'
award
Caterpillar
wins Media Man 'Heavy Equipment Manufacturer Of The
Month' award
Bingo
Industries wins Media Man 'Construction Brand Of The
Month' award
Elders
wins Media Man 'Agribusiness Of The Month' award
Landman
wins Media Man 'Streaming Series Of The Month' award
(Oil/mining industry based story via Paramount Plus)
Jim's
Mowing wins Media Man 'Australian Business Of The
Month' award
News
Pop
Culture News
Landman
(Paramount Plus)
(In
Case You Missed It)
Plot
Set
against the backdrop of the booming West Texas oilfields,
Landman follows Tommy Norris (Billy Bob Thornton),
a crisis manager and landman for an independent oil
company. Tommy navigates cutthroat deals, family tensions,
and moral dilemmas while trying to keep his business
afloat. The story kicks off with an investigation
into a fatal accident involving an out-of-town lawyer,
weaving in elements of drug cartels.
Landman
is an American drama television series created by
Taylor Sheridan and Christian Wallace, inspired by
Wallace's podcast Boomtown. It explores the high-stakes
world of the oil industry in West Texas, blending
themes of fortune-seeking, corporate intrigue, and
personal drama amid roughnecks, billionaires, and
geopolitical shifts.
The
series premiered on Paramount+ on November 17, 2024,
and has been renewed for a second season.
Landman:
Season 2. Trailer (Paramount Plus)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=mhzQawESdqg
"You
think you understand how this business works, but
you don't." Things are heating up in the final
Landman trailer. Season 2 premieres November 16, 2025,
only on Paramount+.
"Death
and a Sunset"
November 16, 2025
"Sins
of the Father"
November 23, 2025
"Almost
a Home"
November 30, 2025
"Dancing
Rainbows"
December 7, 2025
"The
Pirate Dinner"
December 14, 2025
"Dark
Night of the Soul"
December 21, 2025
"Forever
Is an Instant"
December 28, 2025
"Handsome
Touched Me"
January 4, 2026
"Plans,
Tears and Sirens"
January 11, 2026
"Tragedy
and Flies"
January 18, 2026
News
Gold
Movie
Gold
is a 2016 American epic crime drama film directed
by Stephen Gaghan and written by Patrick Massett and
John Zinman. The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Édgar
Ramírez, Bryce Dallas Howard, Corey Stoll,
Toby Kebbell, Craig T. Nelson, Stacy Keach and Bruce
Greenwood. The film is loosely based on the true story
of the 1997 Bre-X mining scandal, when a massive gold
deposit was supposedly discovered in the jungles of
Indonesia; however, for legal reasons and to enhance
the appeal of the film, character names and story
details were changed.
Trailer
Gold
(YouTube Movies and TV)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=yc0S96OZhi0
Gold
is the epic tale of one man's pursuit of the American
dream, to discover gold. Starring Oscar® winner
Matthew McConaughey (Interstellar, Dallas Buyers Club,
The Wolf Of Wall Street) as Kenny Wells, a modern
day prospector desperate for a lucky break, he teams
up with a similarly eager geologist and sets off on
an amazing journey to find gold in the uncharted jungle
of Indonesia. Getting the gold was hard, but keeping
it would be even harder, sparking an adventure through
the most powerful boardrooms of Wall Street. The film
is inspired by a true story.
News
Best
Quotes
The
best and biggest gold mine is in between your ears."
"You
are a gold mine of potential power. You have to dig
to find it and make it real."
"Your
mind is like a gold mine, if you dig deep you will
find something golden."
"Don't
die without mining the gold in your mind."
"We're
like goldfields. Until we dig deep to find what's
inside us, our true potentials may be hidden forever."
"If
you want to find gold, you've got to love the process
of digging."
"Even
if you're sitting on a gold mine, you still have to
dig."
"Develop
men the same way gold is mined"
"Don't
go into the mine looking for dirt; instead, go in
looking for the gold."
"A
prospector's job is to remove dirt as quickly as possible"
"A
prospector who analyses every speck of dirt won't
find much gold"
"The
world is sitting on a gold mine but knows it not."
"Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are
silver, these are gold."
"All
that is gold does not glitter."
"Gold
is forever. It is beautiful, useful, and never wears
out"
"Gold
is the money of kings"
"Mining
is the art of exploiting mineral deposits at a profit.
An unprofitable mine is fit only for the sepulcher
of a dead mule."
"Anyone
can find the dirt in someone. Be the one that finds
the gold."
"True
gold fears no fire."
"The
desire of gold is not for gold. It is for the means
of freedom and benefit."
"Make
new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these
are gold."
"When
taken for granted, gold in one's hand is sometimes
considered like cheap copper – so are people."
Media
Man
Roy
Morgan wins Media Man 'News Services Provider Of The
Month' award; Runner-ups: X, Google News, Yahoo! Finance
News
Jan
6
BHP
iron ore carrier docks in China after a month in limbo
A
BHP spokesman has indicated that it is continuing
to negotiate with China Mineral Resources Group regarding
a long-running dispute over iron ore shipments. However,
one of two bulk carriers was allowed to enter a Chinese
port on 31 December, having been moored off the coast
of China since late November; the second vessel carrying
BHP's Pilbara iron ore has yet to dock at the port
of Qingdao, having arrived in Chinese waters in early
December. Meanwhile, BHP has declined to comment on
whether CMRG is exerting pressure to change the index
it uses to price iron ore shipments to China; recent
media reports suggest that both Rio Tinto and Fortescue
have agreed to do so. (Roy Morgan Summary)
News
AI
digs out more profits at mining giant BHP
BHP's
chief technical officer Johan van Jaarsveld says the
resources group aims to generate annual savings and
revenue gains of about $250m via the use of artificial
intelligence technology. BHP is deploying AI across
its operations, but it has had particular success
at the Escondida copper mine in Chile. Machine learning
technology has been used to help design the blast
patterns that are used to break up orebodies at the
mine; van Jaarsveld says mill throughout rose by five
per cent on the day BHP started using the technology.
(RMS)
News
Geologists
uncover Earth's largest iron ore deposit ever recorded,
worth $5.7 trillion
It
was previously thought that the Pilbara Craton's iron
ore bodies were formed at least two billion years
ago. However, new dating techniques applied at key
sites in the Hamersley Basin have concluded that these
ore bodies were formed between 1.4 and 1.1 billion
years ago; the new age range has been confirmed across
multiple ore bodies in the region. The research has
also found that the Pilbara Craton may contain about
55 billion metric tonnes of ore; this would be worth
more than $5.7trn based on the current price of iron
ore.(RMS)
News
Northern
Star cops a crusher blow to forecast
Morgans
Financial has downgraded its recommendation on Northern
Star Resources' stock from 'accumulate' to 'hold'
in response to the gold miner's reduced production
guidance. Northern Star recently advised that it now
expects to produce between 1.6 million and 1.7 million
ounces of gold in 2025-26, compared with previous
guidance of 1.7 million to 1.85 million ounces. The
lower production outlook has been attributed to a
series of equipment failures during the December quarter,
including the breakdown of the primary crusher at
the company's Kalgoorlie operations. (RMS)
News
Coronado
halts Queensland production after death
Production
at Coronado Global Resources' Mammoth coal mine in
Queensland has been put on hold in the wake of a fatal
accident. One worker died and another was injured
on Friday when a roof collapsed at the underground
mine, which is part of Coronado's Curragh mining complex.
Resources Safety & Health Queensland will investigate
the incident, which is the third fatality at Coronado's
Queensland coal operations in recent years. A worker
at its Lower War Eagle mine in the US also died in
mid-December. (RMS)
News
Australia
Northern
Star loses lustre as gold giant cuts production forecasts
Northern
Star Resources has blamed a catalogue of equipment
failures for slashing the amount of bullion it expects
to produce this year, prompting investors to punish
its stock.
Australia’s
biggest listed gold miner took almost a month to alert
the market that the primary crusher at its famed Super
Pit mine in Western Australia had broken down in December.
Investors
sold down Northern Star stock after the miner said
it would produce up to 13 per cent less gold this
year than previously forecast. Shares slumped 10 per
cent on Friday, when the new estimate was first disclosed,
and rose slightly to close at $24.95 on Monday after
a call with analysts.
Northern
Star, led by managing director Stuart Tonkin, had
told investors that it now expected to produce as
few as 1.6 million ounces in the year, down from earlier
guidance of up to 1.85 million ounces.
“The
full-year reduction has been necessary due to a number
of isolated operational events late in the December
quarter, which have largely now been rectified,”
Tonkin told analysts on Monday.
“I’d
like to reinforce our confidence in the underlying
asset portfolio... Our long-term value creation strategy
is sound,” he added.
The
miner said the crusher problems at the Super Pit were
expected to be resolved by the end of January, but
that they were just the tip of the iceberg.
Other
technical problems included a slip in the open-cut
wall at its South Kalgoorlie mine in October, and
a failure at its crushing circuit at Jundee that is
twice as bad as previously anticipated, resulting
in 20,000 fewer ounces than forecast. Simon Jessop,
Northern Star’s chief operating officer, blamed
October’s wall slip on heavy rainfall around
Kalgoorlie. (AFR) *Full article and coverage via subscription
to The Australian Financial Review
News
Australian
Mining News
Tragic
Incident at Queensland Coal Mine
A
worker was found dead following a roof collapse at
the Curragh coal mine in central Queensland. The incident
occurred on January 2, with the miner trapped underground;
search teams recovered the body on January 3-4. This
has prompted investigations into safety protocols
at the site, operated by Coronado Global Resources.
Acquisitions
and Deals
IPD
Group (ASX:IPG) acquired Platinum Cables, a key supplier
of cables for the mining and resources sector, for
$37.5 million. The deal aims to bolster electrification
efforts in Australian mining operations.
Ongoing
asset sales and agreements, such as Horizon Minerals
divesting the Lake Johnston Project to Forrestania
Resources for $35 million.
Capricorn
Metals is advancing acquisition of the Yalgoo gold
project in Western Australia from Tempest Minerals.
Critical
Minerals and Future Outlook
Several
ASX-listed companies are positioning for growth in
critical minerals, with projects expected to ramp
up supply in 2026. This includes advancements in rare
earths processing (e.g., a new facility in Sydney
set for completion) and antimony-gold developments.
Government
support continues for domestic processing to reduce
reliance on overseas supply chains.Industry Trends
and ForecastsGold production remains strong, with
high prices driving earnings forecasts to around $60
billion for 2025-26 and 2026-27.
Preparations
for 2026 include industry-government alignments in
Western Australia for decarbonisation, digital transformation,
and critical minerals demand.
Workforce
projections indicate over 22,000 new jobs from 96
mining and energy projects by 2030, though challenges
like skills shortages persist.
Upcoming
events: Future of Mining Australia 2026 conference
and potential shareholder votes on major takeovers
(e.g., Fortescue's interest in copper projects).
News
Pop
Culture News
Landman
(Paramount Plus)
(In
Case You Missed It)
Plot
Set
against the backdrop of the booming West Texas oilfields,
Landman follows Tommy Norris (Billy Bob Thornton),
a crisis manager and landman for an independent oil
company. Tommy navigates cutthroat deals, family tensions,
and moral dilemmas while trying to keep his business
afloat. The story kicks off with an investigation
into a fatal accident involving an out-of-town lawyer,
weaving in elements of drug cartels.
Landman
is an American drama television series created by
Taylor Sheridan and Christian Wallace, inspired by
Wallace's podcast Boomtown. It explores the high-stakes
world of the oil industry in West Texas, blending
themes of fortune-seeking, corporate intrigue, and
personal drama amid roughnecks, billionaires, and
geopolitical shifts.
The
series premiered on Paramount+ on November 17, 2024,
and has been renewed for a second season.
"You
think you understand how this business works, but
you don't." Things are heating up in the final
Landman trailer. Season 2 premieres November 16, 2025,
only on Paramount+.
"Death
and a Sunset"
November 16, 2025
"Sins
of the Father"
November 23, 2025
"Almost
a Home"
November 30, 2025
"Dancing
Rainbows"
December 7, 2025
"The
Pirate Dinner"
December 14, 2025
"Dark
Night of the Soul"
December 21, 2025
"Forever
Is an Instant"
December 28, 2025
"Handsome
Touched Me"
January 4, 2026
"Plans,
Tears and Sirens"
January 11, 2026
"Tragedy
and Flies"
January 18, 2026
News
Gold
Movie
Gold
is a 2016 American epic crime drama film directed
by Stephen Gaghan and written by Patrick Massett and
John Zinman. The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Édgar
Ramírez, Bryce Dallas Howard, Corey Stoll,
Toby Kebbell, Craig T. Nelson, Stacy Keach and Bruce
Greenwood. The film is loosely based on the true story
of the 1997 Bre-X mining scandal, when a massive gold
deposit was supposedly discovered in the jungles of
Indonesia; however, for legal reasons and to enhance
the appeal of the film, character names and story
details were changed.
Gold
is the epic tale of one man's pursuit of the American
dream, to discover gold. Starring Oscar® winner
Matthew McConaughey (Interstellar, Dallas Buyers Club,
The Wolf Of Wall Street) as Kenny Wells, a modern
day prospector desperate for a lucky break, he teams
up with a similarly eager geologist and sets off on
an amazing journey to find gold in the uncharted jungle
of Indonesia. Getting the gold was hard, but keeping
it would be even harder, sparking an adventure through
the most powerful boardrooms of Wall Street. The film
is inspired by a true story.
News
Best
Quotes
The
best and biggest gold mine is in between your ears."
"You
are a gold mine of potential power. You have to dig
to find it and make it real."
"Your
mind is like a gold mine, if you dig deep you will
find something golden."
"Don't
die without mining the gold in your mind."
"We're
like goldfields. Until we dig deep to find what's
inside us, our true potentials may be hidden forever."
"If
you want to find gold, you've got to love the process
of digging."
"Even
if you're sitting on a gold mine, you still have to
dig."
"Develop
men the same way gold is mined"
"Don't
go into the mine looking for dirt; instead, go in
looking for the gold."
"A
prospector's job is to remove dirt as quickly as possible"
"A
prospector who analyses every speck of dirt won't
find much gold"
"The
world is sitting on a gold mine but knows it not."
"Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are
silver, these are gold."
"All
that is gold does not glitter."
"Gold
is forever. It is beautiful, useful, and never wears
out"
"Gold
is the money of kings"
"Mining
is the art of exploiting mineral deposits at a profit.
An unprofitable mine is fit only for the sepulcher
of a dead mule."
"Anyone
can find the dirt in someone. Be the one that finds
the gold."
"True
gold fears no fire."
"The
desire of gold is not for gold. It is for the means
of freedom and benefit."
"Make
new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these
are gold."
"When
taken for granted, gold in one's hand is sometimes
considered like cheap copper – so are people."
Media
Man
Roy
Morgan wins Media Man 'News Services Provider Of The
Month' award; Runner-ups: X, Google News, Yahoo! Finance
Markets,
News, Biz, Mining, Energy, Politics: Australia and
World
November
2025
Nov
27
Heavy
Industry News
Mack
Trucks wins Media Man 'Truck Manufacturer Of The Month'
award
Caterpillar
wins Media Man 'Heavy Equipment Manufacturer Of The
Month' award
Bingo
Industries wins Media Man 'Construction Brand Of The
Month' award
Elders
wins Media Man 'Agribusiness Of The Month' award
Landman
wins Media Man 'Streaming Series Of The Month' award
(Oil/mining industry based story via Paramount Plus)
Jim's
Mowing wins Media Man 'Franchise Of The Month' award
Glencore
and Nyrstar are among the companies that have received
financial assistance from federal and state governments
to keep their ageing Australian smelters operating.
China's dominance of the critical minerals sector
has underlined the importance of continuing to produce
metals such as copper and zinc in Australia. Nyrstar's
lead smelter at Port Pirie and its zinc smelter in
Hobart can potentially be upgraded to produce critical
minerals such as antimony, bismuth, tellurium, germanium
and indium; these metals are crucial to Australia's
economic and security equation, particularly in the
wake of the recent critical minerals agreement with
the US. (RMS)
News
Crisafulli
denies favouritism amid mine deals
Harmony
Gold's Eva Copper Mine has received an undislosed
financial incentive from the Queensland government's
Northwest Energy Fund. However, two coal projects
in the state have received no financial assistance
from the government. Premier David Crisafulli has
rejected suggestions that the government is favouring
critical minerals over coal, arguing that it is providing
the coal industry with certainty with regard to regulation
and taxation; the government has previously been criticised
for retaining its Labor predecessor's controversial
coal royalty regime. Crisafulli adds that the Eva
Copper Mine will help ensure that Glencore's Mount
Isa smelter remains viable. (Roy Morgan Summary)
News
ASX
rally tempers on CPI shock; miners rise
The
Australian sharemarket posted a sold gain on Wednesday,
despite a pullback in response to data showing that
inflation rose to a higher-than-expected 3.8 per cent
in the year to October. The S&P/ASX 200 added
0.8 per cent to close at 8,606.5 points, having risen
by about 1.2 per cent before the monthly CPI data
was released. BHP was up two per cent at $41.80, Pilbara
Minerals rose 7.2 per cent to $4.04 and Ramsay Health
Care advanced 3.8 per cent to $37.32. However, Temple
& Webster shed 32.3 per cent to end the session
at $13.83. (RMS)
News
Fortescue,
former execs settle with each side to pay costs
The
terms of a settlement between Fortescue and three
former executives will remain confidential, after
all parties to the legal dispute agreed to take no
further action. Michael Masterman, Bart Kolodziejczyk
and Bjorn Winther-Jensen had been accused of using
Fortescue's proprietary information when they left
to establish a rival 'green' iron company called Element
Zero in 2022. Fortescue commenced legal action in
April 2024, and attracted criticism for hiring private
detectives to undertake surveillance on the three
former employees and their families. Element Zero's
green iron plant in Perth will be formally opened
by Premier Roger Cook today. (RMS)
News
The
rare earths race is on
China
has spent unlimited money to develop the world's best
technology to produce heavy rare earths, while the
French have developed rival technology that is not
as good and is far more expensive. Meanwhile, Sinosteel's
$100m pilot plant in Western Australia to process
ore from Northern Minerals' Browns Range rare earth
project is likely to remain idle, as Northern Minerals
intends to build a new plant at Browns Range with
financial support from the US Export-Import Bank.
Haoma Mining's Bamboo Creek heavy rare earths deposit
is also a threat to China's dominance of the sector;
its Elazac process is now being used to extract gold
and platinum from the Bamboo Creek material, and it
could become a rival to the Chinese and French technology
for extracting heavy rare earths such as terbium.
(RMS)
Nov
26
News
Haoma
Mining: Chairman's Presentation to shareholders
Haoma
Mining NL Announcements
Haoma
Mining held its Annual General Meeting at Tonic House
in Melbourne on 26 November. Chairman Gary Morgan
updated shareholders on Haoma's major activities in
the Pilbara region of Western Australia, including
the use of the Elazac process to produce gold bullion
at the Bamboo Creek Pilot Plant, as well as its Pilbara
Heavy Rare Earth discovery. Shareholders were also
updated on progress at the Pirra Lithium exploration
joint venture between Haoma and SQM Australia, as
well as activities at Haoma's Top Camp Roadhouse and
Caravan Park at Ravenswood in Queensland. (Roy Morgan
Summary)
News
Nov
26
News
Lead Up
Nov
25
Big
super's $110m stake in 'blood oil'
Australian
Federation of Ukrainian Organisations chair Kateryna
Argyrou says Australia's superannuation funds should
divest their stakes in companies such as India's Reliance
Industries. Argyrou's comments follow the revelation
that Reliance has profited from refining sanctioned
Russian crude oil and exporting the resulting fuels
into markets such as Australia. The nation's four
largest super funds have invested nearly $110 million
in Reliance; they include AustralianSuper and the
Australian Retirement Trust. (RMS)
Nyrstar
Australia's CEO Matt Howell says the federal government
should consider implementing a domestic minerals reservation
scheme. It would work in much the same way as the
proposed domestic gas reservation scheme, and require
mining companies to sell a portion of their mineral
ore to Australian refinery operators. The future of
facilities such as Nyrstar's Port Pirie lead smelter
and its Hobart zinc smelter have been under scrutiny,
prompting federal and state government assistance.
However, Howell's proposal has been dismissed by Minerals
Council of Australia CEO Tania Constable, who has
cautioned against government intervention in the minerals
market. (RMS)
News
'Our
gas, our prices': Ed Husic breaks ranks with Labor
to demand an end to 'profiteering' by exporters
Former
Labor industry minister Ed Husic has backed a motion
by independent MP Nicolette Boele regarding east coast
gas prices. The motion calls on the federal government
to "only allow uncontracted gas to be exported
after it has been offered to the domestic market at
a reasonable price", with Boele saying Australia
does not have a gas supply problem, but rather a gas
export problem. Calling for stronger action against
what he labels 'profiteering' gas exporters, Husic
contends that "our gas, our prices: that should
be the bedrock of our thinking. (Roy Morgan Summary)
News
ASX
to rally in 2026 on mining bounce: UBS
The
benchmark S&P/ASX 200 has retreated from the record
high of 9,904 points in recent weeks, having closed
at 8,525.1 yesterday. However, Richard Schellbach
from UBS is upbeat about the outlook for the local
bourse, forecasting that the ASX 200 will top 8,900
points again by the end of 2026. Schellbach says there
are expectations that earning growth will exceed 10
per cent in 2026; he adds that although this will
be driven by the resources sector, there will be earnings
growth across the broader sharemarket. (RMS/AFR)
News
BHP
drops second tilt at rival Anglo
BHP
has advised that it has held preliminary discussions
with Anglo American's board regarding a potential
merger, but says it is no longer considering a bid
for its London-based rival. BHP abandoned a previous
takeover bid for Anglo American in 2024, and the company
says it is still of the view that a merger would have
"strong strategic merits" and create significant
value for all stakeholders. BHP has indicated that
it will instead focus on its organic growth strategy.
Meanwhile, the latest aborted bid for Anglo has prompted
speculation that Rio Tinto could pursue growth via
acquisitions. (RMS)
News
Rinehart
puts blowtorch on Rio Tinto, BHP over net zero spending
Hancock
Prospecting's executive chair Gina Rinehart has criticised
major resources groups for spending billions of dollars
on reducing carbon emissions. Rinehart singled out
BHP and Rio Tinto in her speech to mark National Mining
Day; BHP is expected to spend up to $500m on reducing
emissions over the next five years, while Rio Tinto
has committed to halving its emissions by 2030 at
a cost of $US5bn over 10 years. Rinehart contended
that the dividends of BHP and Rio Tinto shareholders
are being "sacrificed on the green altar".
The speech was written by Rinehart but delivered by
Hancock Iron Ore's CEO Gerhard Veldsman via a video
message. (RMS)
News
Lithium
prices slide on Chinese mine restart
The
price of lithium fell sharply on Friday, in response
to media reports that China-based Contemporary Amperex
Technology could potentially resume production at
its Jianxiawo mine in early December. Data from S&P
Global Platts shows that the price of spodumene -
the type of lithium that is mined in Australia - fell
by 8.3 per cent to $US1,135 a tonne; the price of
lithium carbonate in turn fell by nine per cent to
91,020 yuan on the Guangzhou Futures Exchange. The
downturn prompted a fall in the share prices of Australian
lithium producers on Monday. (Roy Morgan Summary)
News
Santos
hit by delay on Narrabri gas ruling
Santos
has received another setback in its long-running bid
to proceed with the Narrabri gas project in NSW. A
two-day hearing on the Gomeroi people's appeal against
a Native Title Tribunal ruling on the project had
been scheduled to begin in the Federal Court this
week; however, Justice Natalie Charlesworth recused
herself from the case because an associate had worked
for Santos on secondment on two separate occasions.
Another judge is not available to hear the case, so
the traditional owners' appeal has been pushed back
to March 2026. (RMS)
News
Nov
24
UK
launches critical minerals strategy to reduce dependency
on China
British
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a critical
minerals and rare earths strategy, with the strategy
aimed at reducing the UK's dependency on China. It
includes a Stg50 million fund to boost production
at tungsten and lithium mines in Cornwall. Europe's
largest deposits of lithium are in Cornwall, while
the EU has previously singled out the county's tungsten
mine for potential financial support. The strategy
follows a six-week standoff between China and the
EU over the supply of chips used in the car sector,
while it seeks to ensure no more than 60% of any one
critical mineral comes from a single partner country
by 2035; the British government also wants to produce
at least 50,000 tonnes of lithium in the UK by the
same year. (Roy Morgan Summary)
News
Pop
Culture
Gold
Movie
Gold
is a 2016 American epic crime drama film directed
by Stephen Gaghan and written by Patrick Massett and
John Zinman. The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Édgar
Ramírez, Bryce Dallas Howard, Corey Stoll,
Toby Kebbell, Craig T. Nelson, Stacy Keach and Bruce
Greenwood. The film is loosely based on the true story
of the 1997 Bre-X mining scandal, when a massive gold
deposit was supposedly discovered in the jungles of
Indonesia; however, for legal reasons and to enhance
the appeal of the film, character names and story
details were changed.
Trailer
Gold
(YouTube Movies and TV)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=yc0S96OZhi0
Gold
is the epic tale of one man's pursuit of the American
dream, to discover gold. Starring Oscar® winner
Matthew McConaughey (Interstellar, Dallas Buyers Club,
The Wolf Of Wall Street) as Kenny Wells, a modern
day prospector desperate for a lucky break, he teams
up with a similarly eager geologist and sets off on
an amazing journey to find gold in the uncharted jungle
of Indonesia. Getting the gold was hard, but keeping
it would be even harder, sparking an adventure through
the most powerful boardrooms of Wall Street. The film
is inspired by a true story.
News
Best
Quotes
The
best and biggest gold mine is in between your ears."
"You
are a gold mine of potential power. You have to dig
to find it and make it real."
"Your
mind is like a gold mine, if you dig deep you will
find something golden."
"Don't
die without mining the gold in your mind."
"We're
like goldfields. Until we dig deep to find what's
inside us, our true potentials may be hidden forever."
"If
you want to find gold, you've got to love the process
of digging."
"Even
if you're sitting on a gold mine, you still have to
dig."
"Develop
men the same way gold is mined"
"Don't
go into the mine looking for dirt; instead, go in
looking for the gold."
"A
prospector's job is to remove dirt as quickly as possible"
"A
prospector who analyses every speck of dirt won't
find much gold"
"The
world is sitting on a gold mine but knows it not."
"Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are
silver, these are gold."
"All
that is gold does not glitter."
"Gold
is forever. It is beautiful, useful, and never wears
out"
"Gold
is the money of kings"
"Mining
is the art of exploiting mineral deposits at a profit.
An unprofitable mine is fit only for the sepulcher
of a dead mule."
"Anyone
can find the dirt in someone. Be the one that finds
the gold."
"True
gold fears no fire."
"The
desire of gold is not for gold. It is for the means
of freedom and benefit."
"Make
new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these
are gold."
"When
taken for granted, gold in one's hand is sometimes
considered like cheap copper – so are people."
Media
Man
Roy
Morgan wins Media Man 'News Services Provider Of The
Month' award; Runner-ups: X, Google News, Yahoo! Finance
Mining/Energy/Rare
Earths/Biz/Culture/Politics: Australia, U.S and World
Mack
Trucks wins Media Man 'Truck Manufacturer Of The Month'
award
Caterpillar
wins Media Man 'Heavy Equipment Manufacturer Of The
Month' award
Bingo
Industries wins Media Man 'Construction Brand Of The
Month' award
Elders
wins Media Man 'Agribusiness Of The Month' award
Landman
wins Media Man 'Streaming Series Of The Month' award
(Oil/mining industry based story via Paramount Plus)
News
Wyloo
bets on nickel future as part of critical minerals
boom
Wyloo's
financial accounts show that it booked a $377.6m profit
in 2024-25, after a massive impairment charge on its
nickel assets resulted in a $352.8m loss for the previous
financial year. The private company of Andrew and
Nicola Forrest is continuing to explore for nickel
near its mothballed mines in Western Australia, while
it is also considering the construction of a nickel
concentrator near Kambalda. Wyloo's CEO Luca Giacovazzi
stated in its latest annual report that its future
growth is likely to be on mining and selling nickel,
while this focus is expected to be expanded to include
rare earths. (RMS)
Nov
15
Make
coal great again or China gets your data: Hanson
One
Nation leader Pauline Hanson will release details
of the party's energy policy during the last parliamentary
sitting week for 2025. However, Hanson contends that
amongst other things Australia must withdraw from
the Paris climate agreement and extend the operating
lives of the nation's existing fleet of coal-fired
power stations. Hansen has emphasised the importance
of coal-fired power generation to data centres in
Australia, warning that they will not be able to compete
with China. Hanson adds that it "frightens the
hell out of me" that China will dominate global
data storage due to its lower electricity prices,
which will be at least partly due to coal imported
from Australia. (RMS)
News
Former
Rio boss called to Mongolian probe
A
Mongolian parliamentary inquiry into cost blowouts
at the Oyu Tolgoi copper mine was announced in September,
with public hearings due to be held between December
8 and 12. Slated to be one of the world's top-five
producers of copper by the end of the decade, the
Oyu Tolgoi mine cost almost $US1.7 billion more than
planned and took almost two years longer than expected
to build. Former Rio Tinto CEO Jean-Sebastien Jacques
is one of close to 300 witnesses called to appear
before the inquiry, with Jacques having been CEO of
Rio from 2016 to 2020. (Roy Morgan Summary)
Nov
14
BHP
to learn class action fate for $72b Brazil dam disaster
The
UK's High Court will shortly issue a ruling on whether
BHP is legally for an iron ore tailings dam disaster
in Brazil which killed 19 people and caused massive
environmental damage in November 2015. The tailing
dam was owned by the Samarco joint venture between
BHP and iron ore rival Vale. Should BHP be found to
be legally liable, individual claimants' eligibility
for compensation and the size of any payouts will
be determined in the next stage of the long-running
case. BHP and Vale have already paid billions in compensation
to people who were affected by the disaster. (RMS)
News
Fresh
probe launched into MinRes, Ellison
It
has been revealed that the Australian Taxation Office
has launched a new investigation into Mineral Resources
and its billionaire founder Chris Ellison. News of
the investigation was revealed in a request sent by
the ATO to the Federal Court in October for access
to previously sealed documents that had been filed
in the unfair dismissal case brought by MinRes' former
procurement manager Steve Pigozzo in 2022. The new
investigation will focus on how MinRes and Ellison
calculated income and fringe benefit taxes, with the
revelation regarding the new probe coming as MinRes
prepares to hold its AGM next week, at which shareholders
will be asked to approve a lucrative share options
package for new chairman Malcolm Bundey. (Roy Morgan
Summary)
News
Rio
ends two-decade Serbia lithium mining dream as cost
cuts bite
Rio
Tinto has advised that its Jadar lithium project in
Serbia has put in 'care and maintenance' mode. The
company will cease undertaking environmental, heritage
and geological surveys at the site in the Jadar Valley,
four years after revealing plans to invest $US2.4bn
($3.7bn) on developing what it claimed would be the
biggest lithium mine in Europe. There is growing competition
for capital within Rio Tinto's lithium division, and
its $10bn deal to acquire Arcadium Lithium earlier
in 2025 added several mines that are already in production
to its lithium portfolio. (RMS)
News
American
activist claims IperionX more dud than minerals gem
Trading
in the shares of Australian-listed IperionX were halted
on Thursday, following the release of a report into
the company by New York hedge fund Spruce Point Capital
Management, which specialises in short-selling. With
the US-based IperionX seeking to develop titanium
extraction technology and having been backed by the
Trump administration as part of its bid to secure
domestic production of critical minerals, Spruce Point's
report sought to raise doubt about IperionX's prospects.
(RMS)
News
Biotech
gets $20m in critical minerals push
US-based
biotechnology firm Endolith has raised $US13.5m ($20.6m)
via its initial round of venture funding, while it
aims to raise an additional $3m in a second tranche.
The start-up is developing technology that can be
used to extract critical minerals such as copper from
low-grade ore and waste rock that would be unprofitable
to process using traditional methods. Endolith's technology
uses microbes and artifical intelligence, and the
company aims to commence real-world trials at a mine
site within 6-12 months. (RMS)
News
Oversupply
of oil could create glut of 4m barrels a day, says
energy watchdog
The
International Energy Agency has stated in its latest
monthly report that the world is producing more oil
than it needs, and that there could be a glut of 4m
excess barrels a day entering the market by 2026.
The IEA's warning has come in the same week that it
issued its latest energy outlook report, which included
a controversial scenario in which global oil demand
would continue to grow until 2050. It had dropped
the scenario in 2020 after it was accused of repeatedly
criticised for underestimating the growth of renewable
energy in its annual report, but returned the scenario
to its outlook this year after calls from the White
House to present a more optimistic view for the future
of oil. (RMS)
The
cryptocurrency market is stagnating, lagging its competitors
Market
Overview
The cryptocurrency market capitalisation has changed
little over the past day, fluctuating around $3.5
trillion. The cryptocurrency fear index has fallen
to 15, its lowest level since 4 March. Notably, the
cryptocurrency market has been left out of the recent
rally in precious metals and stock indices. If this
is not an attempt by whales to lock in profits from
the rally since April or even from the growth of the
last two years, then it is an alarming signal of deep-seated
risk aversion that is about to manifest itself in
larger markets.
Bitcoin
continues to struggle to remain within the bull market
on weekly timeframes, trying to stay above the 50-week
moving average. Last week's close was on the edge
and attempts to develop an offensive this week are
running into sell-offs, despite the favourable external
backdrop. The previous such transition occurred at
the end of 2021, and so far, everything aligns with
the 4-year halving cycles that many were quick to
dismiss.
News
Background
Over
the past three months, a clear break has occurred
in the correlation between Bitcoin and the stock market.
The S&P 500 stock index has risen 7% during this
time, while BTC has lost 15%. Judging by four years
of close correlation, it can be argued that Bitcoin
is currently undervalued, according to Santiment.
Jan3
founder Samson Mow attributes Bitcoin's decline to
a massive sell-off by investors who bought it over
the past 12 to 18 months. They are rushing to lock
in profits amid rumours of an imminent bearish trend
in the crypto market.
The
crypto market's growth phase is nearing its end, so
it is time for investors to consider locking in profits
and reducing the share of crypto assets in their portfolios,
according to Morgan Stanley, which cites a four-year
cycle that the cryptocurrency market has consistently
followed since 2009.
The
bitcoin mining industry is facing a difficult period
due to growing competition and declining profitability,
said MARA CEO Fred Thiel. According to him, only those
miners who have access to cheap energy or new business
models will survive.
According
to SoSoValue, spot Solana ETFs in the US have attracted
more than $350 million in 11 trading sessions. The
steady inflow of funds into new SOL ETFs came as a
surprise to the market. The results significantly
exceeded initial conservative forecasts, according
to LVRG Research.
Visa
has unveiled a pilot project called Visa Direct, which
allows US customers to make direct cross-border payments
in USDC stablecoin to recipients' wallets. The initiative
is aimed at content creators and freelancers.
The
crypto industry is entering a new phase of capital
raising. The launch of Coinbase's ICO platform is
expected to be a key event in this trend, according
to Bitwise. The exchange will select and launch one
verified project per month. (FxPro)
News
The
dollar emerging from the data fog
•
The US government shutdown is over. • Central
bank policy convergence helps EURUSD. • Political
scandal causes the pound to fall. • Japan's currency
interventions are ineffective The House of Representatives
voted 222 to 209 to resume government operations.
The president immediately signed the document. The
record-long shutdown is over. This fact promises that
the Fed and investors will soon begin to exit their
positions. The president immediately signed the document.
The record-breaking shutdown is over. This fact suggests
that the Fed and investors will quickly start to emerge
from the fog once statistics are published again,
allowing them to make data-driven decisions. But will
they like what they see when the picture becomes clearer?
Alternative sources show a slowdown in the US GDP.
The IMF forecasts a decline in its growth rate from
2.8% to 2% in 2025. The eurozone, on the other hand,
is expected to accelerate from 0.9% to 1.2%. At the
same time, the Bank of France plans to raise its estimates
for the country, despite the ongoing political turmoil.
The narrowing divergence in economic growth argues
in favour of maintaining the upward trend for EURUSD.
The same can be said about monetary policy. The ECB
has most likely ended its easing cycle, barring any
major shocks. The federal funds rate is likely to
continue falling amid a cooling US labour market and
economy. The euro has advantages over the dollar.
However, in the short term, mixed data could lead
to mixed movements in EURUSD.
The conflict on Downing Street has allowed GBPUSD
bears to launch a new attack. When Labour came to
power in Britain in 2024, the pound gained preference
thanks to hopes for political stability after constant
ministerial changes under the Conservatives. However,
since then, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's ratings
have been falling. Rumours of a plot to replace the
leader have made investors nervous and prompted them
to sell sterling. Doubts about the effectiveness of
potential currency interventions continue to push
the USDJPY pair higher. The current conditions differ
from those of last year. Back then, Tokyo intervened
in the FOREX market before raising the overnight rate.
Now, Sanae Takaichi is sticking to a policy of fiscal
and monetary stimulus. Any purchase of the yen will
only have short-term success. In addition, it will
require the expenditure of foreign exchange reserves.
These are needed to make the investments in the US
economy promised to Donald Trump. (FxPro)
News
Heavy
Industry Awards
Mack
Trucks wins Media Man 'Truck Manufacturer Of The Month'
award
Caterpillar
wins Media Man 'Heavy Equipment Manufacturer Of The
Month' award
Bingo
Industries wins Media Man 'Construction Brand Of The
Month' award
Elders
wins Media Man 'Agribusiness Of The Month' award
Landman
wins Media Man 'Streaming Series Of The Month' award
(Oil/mining industry based story via Paramount Plus)
News
Media
Google
Finance wins Media Man 'Business News Website Of The
Month' award; Runner-up: Yahoo! Finance
Netflix
wins Media Man 'Streaming Service Of The Month' award;
YouTube and Paramount Plus are runner-ups! Strong
mention: Tubi
News
News
Pop
Culture News
Landman
(Paramount Plus)
Plot
Set
against the backdrop of the booming West Texas oilfields,
Landman follows Tommy Norris (Billy Bob Thornton),
a crisis manager and landman for an independent oil
company. Tommy navigates cutthroat deals, family tensions,
and moral dilemmas while trying to keep his business
afloat. The story kicks off with an investigation
into a fatal accident involving an out-of-town lawyer,
weaving in elements of drug cartels.
Landman
is an American drama television series created by
Taylor Sheridan and Christian Wallace, inspired by
Wallace's podcast Boomtown. It explores the high-stakes
world of the oil industry in West Texas, blending
themes of fortune-seeking, corporate intrigue, and
personal drama amid roughnecks, billionaires, and
geopolitical shifts.
The
series premiered on Paramount+ on November 17, 2024,
and has been renewed for a second season.
Landman:
Season 2. Trailer (Paramount Plus)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=mhzQawESdqg
"You
think you understand how this business works, but
you don't." Things are heating up in the final
Landman trailer. Season 2 premieres November 16, 2025,
only on Paramount+.
"Death
and a Sunset"
November 16, 2025
"Sins
of the Father"
November 23, 2025
"Almost
a Home"
November 30, 2025
"Dancing
Rainbows"
December 7, 2025
"The
Pirate Dinner"
December 14, 2025
"Dark
Night of the Soul"
December 21, 2025
"Forever
Is an Instant"
December 28, 2025
"Handsome
Touched Me"
January 4, 2026
"Plans,
Tears and Sirens"
January 11, 2026
"Tragedy
and Flies"
January 18, 2026
News
Gold
Movie
Gold
is a 2016 American epic crime drama film directed
by Stephen Gaghan and written by Patrick Massett and
John Zinman. The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Édgar
Ramírez, Bryce Dallas Howard, Corey Stoll,
Toby Kebbell, Craig T. Nelson, Stacy Keach and Bruce
Greenwood. The film is loosely based on the true story
of the 1997 Bre-X mining scandal, when a massive gold
deposit was supposedly discovered in the jungles of
Indonesia; however, for legal reasons and to enhance
the appeal of the film, character names and story
details were changed.
Trailer
Gold
(YouTube Movies and TV)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=yc0S96OZhi0
Gold
is the epic tale of one man's pursuit of the American
dream, to discover gold. Starring Oscar® winner
Matthew McConaughey (Interstellar, Dallas Buyers Club,
The Wolf Of Wall Street) as Kenny Wells, a modern
day prospector desperate for a lucky break, he teams
up with a similarly eager geologist and sets off on
an amazing journey to find gold in the uncharted jungle
of Indonesia. Getting the gold was hard, but keeping
it would be even harder, sparking an adventure through
the most powerful boardrooms of Wall Street. The film
is inspired by a true story.
News
Best
Quotes
The
best and biggest gold mine is in between your ears."
"You
are a gold mine of potential power. You have to dig
to find it and make it real."
"Your
mind is like a gold mine, if you dig deep you will
find something golden."
"Don't
die without mining the gold in your mind."
"We're
like goldfields. Until we dig deep to find what's
inside us, our true potentials may be hidden forever."
"If
you want to find gold, you've got to love the process
of digging."
"Even
if you're sitting on a gold mine, you still have to
dig."
"Develop
men the same way gold is mined"
"Don't
go into the mine looking for dirt; instead, go in
looking for the gold."
"A
prospector's job is to remove dirt as quickly as possible"
"A
prospector who analyses every speck of dirt won't
find much gold"
"The
world is sitting on a gold mine but knows it not."
"Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are
silver, these are gold."
"All
that is gold does not glitter."
"Gold
is forever. It is beautiful, useful, and never wears
out"
"Gold
is the money of kings"
"Mining
is the art of exploiting mineral deposits at a profit.
An unprofitable mine is fit only for the sepulcher
of a dead mule."
"Anyone
can find the dirt in someone. Be the one that finds
the gold."
"True
gold fears no fire."
"The
desire of gold is not for gold. It is for the means
of freedom and benefit."
"Make
new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these
are gold."
"When
taken for granted, gold in one's hand is sometimes
considered like cheap copper – so are people."
Media
Man
Roy
Morgan wins Media Man 'News Services Provider Of The
Month' award; Runner-ups: X, Google News, Yahoo! Finance
Mining/Energy/Resources:
Australia and World
October
2025
October
21, 2025
Monday
Money: All That Glitters ...
(New
York, Wall St)
Mining
Stocks: (Near Live)
BHP
Group Ltd $43.63 -0.50 -1.13%
Fortescue Ltd $20.31 -0.56%
Rio Tinto $130.11 -1.78 -1.35%
Northern Star $23.46 -2.38 -9.21%
Evolution Mining Ltd $10.58 -1.01 -8.71%
Lynas Rare Earths Ltd $18.11 -0.86 -4.51%
Mineral Resources Ltd $41.38 -0.79 -1.87%
Gold
Price Today: 4,122.58 -219.77 -5.06%
News
Oct
22
Australia
Trump
and Albanese Seal $8.5 Billion Critical Minerals Pact
Amid Rudd Rebuke
President
Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony
Albanese signed a framework agreement on October 20,
2025, at the White House, valued at up to $8.5 billion,
to enhance supply chains for critical minerals and
rare earths, including over $3 billion in investments
for mining and processing 30 essential metals for
defense, technology, and clean energy. The deal aims
to reduce reliance on China's dominance in these resources
while reinforcing the U.S.-Australia alliance, including
AUKUS submarine efforts. During the meeting, Trump
publicly confronted Australian Ambassador Kevin Rudd
over his prior criticisms, stating 'I don't like you
either,' prompting varied reactions from Australian
officials and widespread social media attention.
News
Albanese
hits critical mass
The
$US8.5bn ($13bn) critical minerals framework agreement
between Australia and the US will result in each country
contributing at least US$1bn to critical minerals
and rare earths projects over the next six months.
They include a gallium project in Western Australia
and the Nolans rare earths project in the Northern
Territory. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump says
the AUKUS alliance will be a "deterrence"
to Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific region.
Trump contends that AUKUS will not be needed to defend
Taiwan, because he does not think China will invade
the self-governed territory. Trump has also ruled
out reviewing the current tariffs on Australian imports,
stating that the nation "pays among the lowest
tariffs"; this includes a baseline tariff of
10 per cent and a 50 per cent levy on steel and aluminium
products. (RMS)
News
The
Victorian towns poised to benefit from critical minerals
deal
Edith
Cowan University's Amir Razmjou says Western Australia,
Queensland and South Australia will benefit the most
from the landmark critical minerals deal with the
US, followed by Victoria. Meanwhile, the Victorian
government notes that the state has "globally
significant" quantities of titanium, zirconium
and rare-earth elements, as well as Australia's only
operating antimony mine. It adds that growth in critical
minerals could "inject billions of dollars of
benefits" into regional Victoria; the Gippsland,
Wimmera and Mallee regions account for the bulk of
the state's critical minerals. However, farmers have
warned that developing these deposits must not jeopardise
the state's food bowl.
News
Flashback
News
Lead Up
PM
to meet White House mining gurus to help solve crisis
Prime
Minister Anthony Albanese will attend an event in
Washington on Tuesday to mark the 140th anniversary
of mining company BHP. US Interior Secretary Doug
Burgum and National Security Council adviser David
Copley will be present at the event, with both men
heavily involved in trying to solve the US's critical
minerals crisis. A former executive of US gold, copper
and zinc miner Newmont, Copley is viewed as the White
House's unofficial mining guru, while Burgum has taken
a keen interest in the efforts of BHP and fellow Australian
mining firm Rio Tinto to establish a large copper
mine in Arizona. (RMS)
News
NuCoal
to blight pitch on minerals
There
are claims that the cancellation of a coal mining
licence by the NSW government in 2014 represents a
breach of the Australian-US free trade act. The licence
was held by NuCoal, with US investors in NuCoal seeking
as much as $500 million in compensation for the cancellation.
Nick Farr-Jones, director of Taurus Funds Management,
which represents US shareholders in NuCoal, says Prime
Minister Anthony Albanese should use his trip to Washington
and his meeting with US President Donald Trump as
an opportunity to compensate the US investors. Farr-Jones
says Australia needs to "right this wrong"
if the federal government is to have any credibility
when it comes to mineral rights. (RMS)
News
Gold
Bulls have no choice but to push
Gold's
rally to record highs above $4,300 per ounce resulted
from a debasement trade. Governments cannot cope with
budget deficits, are accumulating debt and demanding
that central banks cut interest rates, as in the US,
or keep them low, as in Japan. As a result, investors
are losing confidence in government bonds and currencies.
They are looking for alternatives and turning their
attention to precious metals. As a result, gold has
been gaining for the last nine weeks, the fifth time
in the history of free currency conversion since the
1970s. However, there has never been a 10-week consecutive
growth period. The gap from the 200-week moving average
also shows the excessiveness of the rally. The spot
price at its peak exceeded this line by 90%. There
has only been one larger gap once before, in 1980.
At the very least, the market needs a technical respite.
But historically, its beginning could be the start
of a significant multi-year reversal. Now, we are
on the side of the bears, but at the same time, we
understand that the bulls simply have no choice but
to push the price further up, as stopping would ruin
the whole game. Each time, gold finds a new driver
of growth. In the summer, there were expectations
of a resumption of the Fed's easing cycle. To be cont...
(FxPro)
News
Rinehart's
rare earths shares top $3.5b as Trump needles China
Hancock
Prospecting has increased its exposure to the rare
earths sector after participating in St George Mining's
$72.5m capital raising. The latter had initially sought
to raise $40m, but increased this to $50m in response
to strong demand from institutional investors. St
George subsequently also agreed to issue Hancock with
$22.5m worth of shares, lifting the Gina Rinehart-controlled
company's stake to around six per cent. St George
will use the proceeds of the capital raising to expand
its Araxa project in Brazil. Hancock's other investments
in the sector include Lynas Rare Earths, Arafura Rare
Earths and US-based MP Materials. (RMS)
News
Flashback
PM
has his work cut out striking rare earths deal with
Trump
Prime
Minister Anthony Albanese is hoping to secure a deal
with US President Donald Trump regarding the US getting
access to Australia's rare earths, but it may not
be as easy as Albanese might hope. The Trump administration
is seen as being divided into two camps on the issue,
namely the resource nationalists and the economic
rationalists, and the first one is currently holding
sway. They believe the US should create an end-to-end
critical mineral supply chain, and it was probably
behind the recent US government investments and equity
stakes in US critical minerals mining firms Lithium
Americas and MP Materials. The economic rationalists
camp believes the US needs the help of its allies
to meet its critical mineral needs, at least in the
short term, with it being noted it can take more than
20 years to open a new mine in the US. (RMS)
News
Minerals/Politics
Stockpile
of critical metals urgent: miners
The
federal government aims to establish its $1.2bn critical
minerals strategic reserve by late 2026. However,
the mining industry has warned the government that
it must act more quickly to build the minerals stockpile,
contending that another mining nation could potentially
trump Australia and become a supplier of choice to
defence partners such as the US and Japan. Meanwhile,
the industry is believed to have been told that the
government may use contracts for difference to set
a 'floor price' for critical minerals. The strategic
reserve is expected to a priority when Prime Minister
Anthony Albanese meets US President Donald Trump at
the White House next week. (RMS)
News
Australian/Asia
Pacific News
Rio
set to shutter Tomago smelter
The
Tomago aluminium smelter's coal-fired power supply
contract with AGL Energy is set to expire in 2028,
and it faces the prospect of a massive increase in
power costs under any new supply agreement. This makes
it highly likely that Rio Tinto and its partners in
Tomago will permanently shut down the NSW smelter
in 2028, unless investment in renewable energy in
the state is ramped up significantly in the next few
years. The cost of electricity is also a major threat
to the future of Rio Tinto's Bell Bay aluminium smelter
in Tasmania, with its current supply deal to expire
at the end of this year. The Tomago smelter employs
more than 1,000 people. (RMS)
News
Ellison
loses key ally in MinRes board exodus
Iron
ore and lithium producer Mineral Resources has appointed
Colin Moorhead and Susan Ferrier as non-executive
directors. Their recruitment follows the departure
of six members of Mineral Resources' board in recent
months; this includes Zimi Meka, whose resignation
was announced on Friday. The recent departures mean
that only three of the nine MinRes directors who attended
its 2024 AGM will front shareholders at this year's
meeting; they include embattled MD Chris Ellison,
who has previously committed to stepping down by mid-2026.
(RMS)
News
Rare
earths market splits into light and medium-heavy segments
There
are increasing signs that the rare earths market is
splitting into two distinct segments, namely light
elements such as as neodymium and praseodymium, and
medium-heavy elements such as dysprosium and terbium.
The Shanghai Metal Market suggests that while demand
for light elements remains stable, demand for medium-heavy
elements is weak, and procurement teams need to differentiate
between these segments when negotiating contracts.
US buyers need to cultivate relationships with non-Chinese
suppliers, as well as keeping an eye on government
equity moves, as Washington's willingness to take
direct stakes in projects like Tanbreez suggests future
deals are likely.
News
Rio,
Japanese in Pilbara mine deal
Rio
Tinto has secured state and federal government approvals
to develop new iron ore deposits at the West Angelas
hub in the Pilbara. Rio Tinto and its Robe River joint
venture partners, Mitsui and Nippon Steel, will invest
$US733m ($1.1bn) to expand the West Angelas mine,
with Rio Tinto to contribute $US389m. The expansion
of West Angelas will maintain its annual production
capacity of 35 million tonnes. Rio Tinto launched
its Western Range iron ore joint venture with China-based
Baowu in June, as part of its ongoing commitment to
the Pilbara. (RMS)
News
Loophole
use in $2.4b gold deal leads to reform calls
Shares
in gold miner Predictive Discovery have rallied in
the wake of a proposed merger with Toronto-listed
Robex. Predictive's shareholders will control 51 per
cent of the merged group, although they will not be
given a vote on the deal. In contrast, the merger
will need to be approved by at least two-thirds of
Robex shareholders. The proposed merger has prompted
renewed scrutiny of the ASX's listing rules, which
allow companies to waive the requirement for a shareholder
vote under certain circumstances. Simon Mawhinney
from Allan Gray Australia has likened the Predictive
deal to James Hardie's merger with Azek earlier this
year. (RMS)
News
GoldMining
Inc. launches 2025 exploration at São Jorge,
Brazil
Comprehensive
program targets copper-gold zones; recent drilling
hit 2.79 g/t AuEq over 79m, including antimony mineralization.
Company also expands land package and updates mineral
resource estimates.
News
Nevada
Gold Mines deploys autonomous haul trucks
Fleet
of 300- and 230-tonne trucks automated using Komatsu's
FrontRunner system across U.S. surface operations
for efficiency gains.
News
Calls
for uranium listing as US goes all out on nuclear
power
Shadow
energy minister Dan Tehan says White House officials
emphasised during his recent visit to the US thart
a secure supply of uranium is a priority for the Trump
administration. Tehan contends that the federal government
should therefore add uranium to its critical minerals
list, and include it in any deal with the US for an
exemption from its reciprocal tariffs regime. Australia
accounts for about one-third of the world's known
reserves, although the nation's exports of unenriched
uranium comprises just 10 per cent of global supply
at present. Tehan recently reiterated that nuclear
power will remain part of the Coalition's energy policy.
(RMS)
News
BHP
salutes Japan 'trust'
BHP's
president of its Australian operations, Geraldine
Slattery, addressed an Australia-Japan business conference
on Monday. She declined to comment on unconfirmed
reports that China has banned the resources group's
Pilbara iron ore shipments. Instead, she emphasised
BHP's "deep" relationship with Japan and
the free-trade relations between the two nations.
Slattery highlighted the level of trust and transparency
in the relationship between Australia and Japan. (RMS)
News
MinRes
appoints company secretary
Iron
ore and lithium producer Mineral Resources has appointed
Sarah Standish as its joint company secretary. Standish
will replace CFO Mark Wilson in the role, which she
will share with Derek Oelofse. Mineral Resources has
released a statement in which it notes that Standish
has 20 years of experience in legal, governance, risk
and compliance functions at both ASX-listed and international
companies in the mining and energy sectors. Her appointment
has coincided with the Australian Securities &
Investments Commission investigation into corporate
governance issues at Mineral Resources. (RMS)
News
Upstart
glisters among surging gold miners
The
gold price has risen by almost 50 per cent in US dollar
terms so far in 2025. This has in turn boosted the
share prices of Australian gold producers; Northern
Star Resources' market capitalisation has increased
by 60 per cent so far in 2025, reaching a record high
of $35bn last week. Meanwhile, Westgold Resources'
share price rose by 24 per cent last week, lifting
its market capitalisation from $4bn to $5.1bn; this
followed its announcement of plans to lift gold production
by 45 per cent to 470,000 ounces over the next three
years. (RMS)
News
Lynas
revisited: Can it reclaim its crown in rare earths?
Lynas
Rare Earths is one of the few players in the sector
outside China with genuine scale, but it is now at
a critical juncture. A vertically integrated business
model allows Lynas to produce a range of refined products,
particularly neodymium and praseodymium. However,
its product mix has leaned heavily toward light rare
earths, leaving it exposed to pricing volatility.
The most notable development in 2025 has been Lynas's
breakthrough into heavy rare earths; the company announced
its first production of dysprosium oxide in May, followed
by terbium oxide at its Malaysian plant in June. This
milestone currently makes Lynas the only commercial-scale
producer of separated heavy rare earths outside China.
Potential risks for Lynas include cost inflation,
the ongoing threat of competition from China and uncertainty
regarding the future of its licence in Malaysia. (RMS)
News
MinRes
scores legal win on port levies
The
Supreme Court of Western Australia has ruled that
Mineral Resources and its lawyers should be allowed
to see details of a controversial agreement between
the state government and Chevron. The state-owned
Pilbara Ports Authority had sought to block access
to the agreement, which requires MinRes to pay a levy
for using a cargo wharf and part of a shipping channel
that had been dredged by Chevron for its Wheatstone
LNG project. Chevron also built the Port of Ashburton,
which MinRes now uses to export iron ore from its
Onslow Iron project. (RMS)
News
Rare
earth magnets have become the new battleground for
global power
The
unique properties of rare earth magnets have resulted
in them becoming strategic assets, and supply chain
control is increasingly being viewed as a matter of
national security. China dominates the global production
and supply of rare earth magnets, and this dependence
on China was underlined earlier this year when the
nation imposed export controls. Four rare earth magnet
factories are currently under construction in the
US, but China has been investing in rare earths processing
for decades; it also manufactures most of the world's
refining equipment and employs most of the specialised
technicians, so ending China's dominance is likely
to take years. (RMS)
News
BHP
Faces Chinese Iron Ore Ban Amid Pricing Dispute:
Reports
emerged that China's state-run iron ore buyers have
instructed steelmakers to halt purchases of dollar-denominated
cargoes from BHP, causing the company's shares to
drop 1.8%. This escalates a broader pricing row, with
BHP's stock closing at A$41.91 (down 0.73%). Analysts
warn of potential supply chain disruptions for Australia's
largest exporter.
Rio
Tinto Eyes Early Closure of Queensland's Largest Coal
Power Station:
The
mining giant notified the Australian Energy Market
Operator of a potential shutdown of its 1,000 MW coal-fired
plant at the Tarong site as early as March 2029—six
years ahead of schedule. This aligns with Rio's decarbonization
push but raises concerns over energy reliability in
coal-dependent Queensland.
The
U.S.-based firm confirmed the shutdown of its Western
Australian facility after 60 years, citing high energy
costs and global oversupply. This impacts 400 jobs
and underscores aluminium sector struggles, with WA's
government exploring support for affected workers.
Coal
Royalty Pressures Lead to Job Cuts:
BHP's
closure of the Saraji South mine in Queensland's Bowen
Basin will eliminate 750 jobs, blamed on royalties
eight times higher than 2024 profits.
Anglo
American announced further redundancies at its Grosvenor
mine and Brisbane office (potentially 1,000+ roles).
Queensland's government offers fee relief but resists
royalty cuts.
News
Flashback
Events
The
sector gears up for major gatherings focusing on innovation
and investment:
WA
Mining Conference & Exhibition: October 8–9,
Perth Convention Centre—spotlighting future tech,
sustainability, and critical minerals. Expected to
draw thousands for networking and demos.
International
Mining & Resources Conference (IMARC): October
21–23, Sydney—featuring leaders from 120+
countries, including Federal Resources Minister Madeleine
King. Themes include global investment and decarbonization.
Asia-Pacific
International Mining Exhibition (AIMEX):
September
23–25, Adelaide (ongoing as of early October)—showcasing
automation and safety, with the Australian Mining
Prospect Awards at Adelaide Oval.
News
Flashback
Trump
seeks equity stakes in critical mineral producers
The
US Department of Defense bought $US400m ($607m) worth
of shares in rare earths producer MP Materials earlier
in 2025. The Trump administration is said to be looking
at buying equity-like stakes in other producers of
critical minerals, according to executives of Australian
mining companies who recently held talks with officials
from various US government agencies. Amongst other
things, the government is said to be interested in
buying stock warrants, which would grant it the right
to buy shares in a mining company. The US aims to
reduce its reliance on China for minerals that are
crucial for defence technology and the energy transition.
(RMS)
News
Argonaut
tips gold to hit $US4500, lithium revival as supply
tightens
The
gold price has risen by 45 per cent so far in 2025,
and it is currently trading above $US3,800 per ounce.
Perth-based stockbroker Argonaut is bullish about
the outlook for bullion, lifting its peak price forecast
to US$4,500. Argonaut's executive chairman and co-founder
Eddie Rigg also anticipates further consolidation
in the gold sector. Meanwhile, Rigg expects the lithium
price to rebound, arguing that proposed new projects
in South America and Africa are unlikely to proceed
in the near-term; he notes that they will be capital-intensive,
while many are in volatile jurisdictions. (RMS)
News
News
Flashback
Profile
Hancock
Prospecting
Hancock
Prospecting Pty Ltd is an Australian-owned mining
and agricultural business run by Executive Chairwoman
Gina Rinehart and CEO Garry Korte. At various stages
of its trading history, the company has been known
as Hancock Prospecting Ltd, Hancock Resources Ltd,
Hanwright Pty Ltd, Hancock & Wright Ltd, and Hancock
Prospecting Pty Ltd.
Hancock
Prospecting Pty Ltd is owned by Rinehart (76.6%) and
the Hope Margaret Hancock Trust (23.4%).
The
company was founded in 1955 by Rinehart's father,
the late Lang Hancock. Hancock Prospecting holds the
mineral rights to some of the largest Crown land leases
in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
Gina
Rinehart has disputed accusations that she is an heiress.
Through Rinehart's spokesperson and chief financial
officer at Hancock Prospecting, Jay Newby, Rinehart
has claimed that upon assuming the role of the Executive
Chairwoman, she took over a company that was in a
perilous financial position with significant debt
and major assets mortgages and under threat of seizure.
Projects:
Balfour
Downs Station Manganese Operation, northeast of Newman,
a joint venture with Mineral Resources
Hope
Downs mine, northwest of Newman, a joint venture with
Rio Tinto
Roy
Hill project, south of Port Hedland, a joint venture
between Hancock Prospecting (70%), Marubeni (15%),
POSCO (12.5%), and China Steel Corporation (2.5%)
Alpha
Coal project, Galilee Basin in Central Queensland
Kevin's
Corner coal project, Galilee Basin in Central Queensland
Nicholas
Downs mine, northwest of Newman, a joint venture with
Mineral Resources
(Developing
profile/news). To be cont ...
News
Best
Quotes
The
best and biggest gold mine is in between your ears."
"You
are a gold mine of potential power. You have to dig
to find it and make it real."
"Your
mind is like a gold mine, if you dig deep you will
find something golden."
"Don't
die without mining the gold in your mind."
"We're
like goldfields. Until we dig deep to find what's
inside us, our true potentials may be hidden forever."
"If
you want to find gold, you've got to love the process
of digging."
"Even
if you're sitting on a gold mine, you still have to
dig."
"Develop
men the same way gold is mined"
"Don't
go into the mine looking for dirt; instead, go in
looking for the gold."
"A
prospector's job is to remove dirt as quickly as possible"
"A
prospector who analyses every speck of dirt won't
find much gold"
"The
world is sitting on a gold mine but knows it not."
"Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are
silver, these are gold."
"All
that is gold does not glitter."
"Gold
is forever. It is beautiful, useful, and never wears
out"
"Gold
is the money of kings"
"Mining
is the art of exploiting mineral deposits at a profit.
An unprofitable mine is fit only for the sepulcher
of a dead mule."
"Anyone
can find the dirt in someone. Be the one that finds
the gold."
"True
gold fears no fire."
"The
desire of gold is not for gold. It is for the means
of freedom and benefit."
"Make
new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these
are gold."
"When
taken for granted, gold in one's hand is sometimes
considered like cheap copper – so are people."
Media
Man
Roy
Morgan wins Media Man 'News Services Provider Of The
Month' award; Runner-ups: X, Google News, Yahoo! Finance
Markets,
Crypto and Culture
Running
Of The Bulls To Normal; Cryptos Hurting; All That
Glitters ...
10-year
yield:
US 4.03%
Australia 4.21%
Germany 2.57%
News
Update: (Near Live)
Bitcoin:
New
York/Wall St
Cryptos
Today: (Near Live) Mood: Corrective! Salt Into The
Wound In Checkers?! Or Salt Of The Earth In Metals
Right Chess Move?! All That Glitters Not Digital Gold?!
Market
corrective. Mood: Somber-like for many! Suspicious!
Regaining smiles! Hardcores keep the dream!
Media
Man Favs:
October
15, 2025 (Near Live)
Wall St, New York
TKO
Group Holdings Inc $191.21 +1.18 +0.62%
NVIDIA Corp $179.83 -0.18 -0.099%
Formula One Group Series C $103.57 -0.15 -0.14%
Alphabet Inc Class A $251.03 +5.58 +2.27%
News Corp Class A $26.57 -0.070 -0.26%
Netflix Inc $1,203.29 -12.06 -0.99%
Caterpillar Inc $534.05 +6.58 +1.25%
Trump Media & Technology Group Corp $16.27
-0.010 -0.061%
Tesla Inc $435.15 +5.91 +1.38%
Walt Disney Co $111.71 +0.54 +0.49%
Wynn Resorts Ltd $118.07 +1.96 +1.69%
Meta Platforms Inc $717.55 +8.90 +1.26%
BHP Group Ltd $43.54
Mercedes Benz Group ADR $15.15 +0.040 +0.26%
Elders Ltd $7.50
Rio Tinto Ltd $129.69
News
The
dollar prefers to stay within the range for now
The
US dollar turned downward at the end of the day on
Tuesday and continues to move downward in the first
half of Wednesday. The dollar is being weighed down
by the recovery of positive momentum in the stock
markets. Pressure on the dollar can also be linked
to Powell's latest comments yesterday evening. The
Fed chairman confirmed the path to further rate cuts
and said asset sales from the balance sheet could
be halted soon, ending the quantitative tightening
phase. To be cont ..
(FxPro)
News
The
US stock market rebound may falter
US
stock index futures are rising after a disastrous
Friday, when Trump's aggressive response to China's
tariffs shook the markets. The US president's announcements
were carefully timed, with the most aggressive measures
(additional 100% tariffs on Chinese goods) announced
after the market closed.
Over
the weekend, US and Chinese leaders appeared to reach
out to each other, offering opportunities for further
discussion and a deal. Market sentiment was close
to extreme fear, with the Fear and Greed Index falling
to 29 on Friday and recovering to 30 on Monday. These
are the lowest values since the end of April, when
the market was recovering from the “liberation
day” effect on Trump's tariffs. In the last couple
of years, this index has entered the extreme fear
zone before we saw a reversal in the indices. This
means that bears may exert another round of pressure
on the markets. It is easy to link this to further
toughening of mutual rhetoric between China and the
US, albeit with the possibility of dialogue remaining
open. In other words, in this case, it is worth talking
about a decrease in the intensity of mutual recriminations,
but not about a reversal in relations. From this,
we can conclude that the risks that caused the markets
to collapse on Friday remain. We also note that the
S&P 500 is trading at a significant distance from
its 200-week moving average, near which the market
has ended its declines over the past 14 years since
2011, touching it or turning around within 2-5% of
it. This contrasts sharply with the current situation,
where the S&P 500 is almost 25% above this line.
If we talk about a correction within a bull market,
then the target for bears seems to be the 6100–6150
range, where the 50-week moving average and last winter's
highs are concentrated. Movement in this direction
looks like a viable strategy for the final quarter
of the year, unless there is a real reversal in the
rapprochement between China and the US, which we highly
doubt. In addition, seasonal factors are also temporarily
on the side of the bears, given the more than 40%
growth from the lows of the year in early April, the
suppressed volatility of the last month and a half,
and the tendency to look for new patterns in the markets
in the final months of the year. If that's not enough,
add to this the fact that the economy is beginning
to feel the effects of tariff wars and a deteriorating
labour market, and AI is no longer a novelty. In these
conditions, it will be increasingly difficult for
traders to find reasons for local purchases. (FxPro)
News
Crypto
market recovers from tariff shock
Market
Overview
The
crypto market capitalisation stood at $3.9 trillion
on Monday, up 4.4% from the previous day but down
6% from pre-Friday crash levels. On Friday, the US
stock market saw its biggest drop since April but
recovered some of its losses on Monday. Since Sunday,
the crypto market has been attempting to rebound after
a sell-off that began as an emotional reaction to
tariff initiatives by China and the US but escalated
into massive margin calls and stop orders being triggered.
The
sentiment index stood at 38 (fear) on Monday morning,
down from 24 (extreme fear) the day before. The level
of sentiment we saw over the weekend was last seen
in April under similar circumstances — when tough
trade tariffs were announced.
Bitcoin
approached $115K on Monday, while Ethereum exceeded
$4,200. Cryptocurrencies are recovering after Friday's
sharp decline. The movement on Friday and in the early
hours of Saturday swept the ‘weak hands’
out of the market, taking the price of BTC below the
50—and 200-day moving averages and below the
August and September lows.
Such
sweeping liquidations often set the bottom of the
market, but it may take time for the wounds to heal.
In 2020, 2021 and 2024, it took a couple of weeks
for the rally to start, although the market did not
rewrite the lows. But in 2022, the turnaround to growth
after the crash began after about six months. Relying
on these statistics is encouraging for bargain hunters
in crypto. Still, it would be too hasty to say that
the recovery will be just as quick and will begin
immediately.
News
Background
Wall
Street crashed on Friday after US President Donald
Trump escalated the trade conflict with China following
Beijing's tightening of restrictions on trade in rare
earth metals, Reuters reports. Cryptocurrencies and
stock indices fell sharply on Friday. Some softening
of tone from Trump and Xi has led to the probability
of 100% tariffs against China by 1 November being
estimated at 8% on Polymarket, down from 26% at the
end of Friday. Santiment notes that bitcoin remains
extremely sensitive to risk appetite and behaves more
like a risky asset than a safe haven.
The
Kobeissi Letter notes that the collapse of cryptocurrencies
on 11 October will not have long-term fundamental
consequences and was caused by a combination of technical
factors. The market crash triggered a record cascade
of liquidations worth $19.3 billion. Analyst Frank
Fetter, citing technical indicators, said the cryptocurrency
market is still far from overbought, which means there
is still potential for the rally to continue.
News
Flashback
Oil
Holds Strong Despite Bearish Fundamentals
Weekly
data from the EIA noted that the US returned to record
oil production rates last week, supplying an average
of 13.6 million barrels per day to the market, according
to the latest EIA data. The trend towards increased
supply began in August, but producers have only now
returned to the peak levels recorded at the end of
last year. Despite a 5.5-million-barrel increase in
US commercial inventories over the past two weeks,
inventories stay at the lower end of the range seen
over the past decade, leaving considerable room for
growth. The same can be said for the strategic reserve,
which holds nearly 40% less oil than it did five years
ago, before the start of the active sell-off. It is
an interesting game in which, on the one hand, the
US (the largest oil producer) is increasing supplies,
while OPEC+ is increasing quotas on a monthly basis.
This extremely bearish combination of factors did
not cause oil prices to collapse; it was only because
of global trade in currency depreciation that caused
precious metals, stock indices, and cryptocurrencies
to rise. Oil prices have not peaked in recent weeks
.. To be cont .. (FxPro)
News
Gold
hits new highs due to political turmoil
Gold
is outside the realm of politics.
While
currencies and securities depend on the actions of
presidents and governments, precious metals do not.
Therefore, political turmoil forces investors to use
them as safe-haven assets.
The
impressive 52% rally in gold started in April with
the introduction of tariffs on America's Liberation
Day. It continued due to the US government shutdown,
the political crisis in France, and the change of
leadership in Japan. he rise of gold above 4,000 dollars
per ounce is not only the result of the weakness of
fiat currencies. There are tectonic shifts in the
structure of investment portfolios and fears of financial
crises due to government recklessness.
The
share of precious metals is growing both in speculators'
assets and in the gold and foreign exchange reserves
of central banks. The indicator has already exceeded
the share of the euro. According to Eurizon Capital,
if it equals the share of the US dollar, the price
per ounce will soar to 8,500 dollars. The Supreme
Court's abolition of tariffs will inflate the US budget
deficit. France does not intend to reduce it, and
Japan plans to increase bond issuance. All this creates
a tailwind for commodity assets. (FxPro)
News
Politics
remains the main driver of FX
The
US government shutdown did not have a noticeable impact
on the dollar's performance last week. However, it
did help the stock market to grow slightly by strengthening
expectations of monetary policy easing. However, these
events pale in comparison to the change in Japan's
ruling elite and the resignation of the French prime
minister less than a day after the formation of the
government in terms of their impact on the currency
market. In Japan, Sanae Takaichi was chosen head of
the Liberal Democratic Party over the weekend and
is on track to become the country's first female prime
minister. This event caused the yen to fall 2% to
150.49 from Friday's level before correcting to 149.80
at the time of writing. Takaichi is considered a supporter
of aggressive government spending, structural reforms,
and soft monetary policy, echoing the basic principles
of Shinzo Abe. Overall, she has a more right-wing
approach to national policy and is also a supporter
of revising Japan's pacifist constitution. The market
reaction clearly shows that they are considering Takaichi
to be the new prime minister. If she does not change
her political views (and she has softened them recently
to win the party elections), we should be prepared
for a further weakening of the yen, which reached
its highest level since 1991 in the EURJPY pair, exceeding
176. However, the single currency is also facing uncertainty
today due to a new political crisis in France. Prime
Minister Lecornu, who had been trying to form a government
for a month, resigned the day after he finally presented
his new cabinet. His appointments drew criticism from
both left-wing and right-wing allies. The EURUSD fell
to 1.1650 at its lowest point on Monday, losing a
full cent against Friday's levels. Unlike Japan, where
a 2% drop in the JPY was accompanied by a 5% jump
in the Nikkei225 index, France's CAC40 lost more than
2% intraday, paring its losses to 1.2% towards the
end of the trading day in Europe. The EURUSD stopped
its climb in July and has been hovering around 1.1700
all this time, not least because of the political
crisis in France. Without it, the single currency
would have had a much better chance of exploiting
political divisions in the US to its advantage. It
would be an exaggeration to call the situation in
Japan and France a drama. Still, these events once
again emphasise that as soon as the dollar's throne
begin.
News
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Sid Justice vs Mr Blood Diamond
Mr Bluey Chipper vs Street Fighter - King Of The Streets
Mr Dotcom vs Mr Wiki
Mr Gold vs Mr Green - Money In The Bank Ladder Match
Khan vs Khan - Winner Take All Match
Mr Wolff vs The Cleaner
Mr News vs Mr Vice - U.S Market Footprint Stipulation
Mr Paramount vs Mr Netflix
Mr ESPN vs Mr Fox
Mr Kross vs Mr H
Cesaro vs Rollins
Dirty Dom vs Mr AAA
Punks vs Egos
Kross vs H
Murdoch Title vs Title
Mr Black Coffee vs Mr Claudio's Cafe Blend
Mr Warner vs Mr Netflix: Broadway draw thus far! Re-match!
Winner take all?!
TMZ vs Riddle UFC vs PFL
The Oracle vs Cincinnati, Ohio
Mr X vs Hollyweird
Succession vs Billions
Mouse House vs Art House
NFL vs UFL
ABC vs Mainstream Aussies
Reigns vs Blanka
Cody Rhodes vs Joe
E. Honda vs NJPW
Capcom vs Warner
Cena vs ACME
Combat Sports Players vs Father Time
NXT vs TNA Wrestling (Showdown, not Invasion)!
Alpha vs Meta
TED X vs The Others
WWE's Solo vs Western Australia
UFC Predator vs MMA Predator
Bulls vs Bears
News
Cryptocurrency
Movies
Documentaries
The
Rise and Rise of Bitcoin (2014)
Follows early Bitcoin adopter Daniel Mross, exploring
Bitcoin’s origins, its volatile rise, and the
community behind it. Great for understanding Bitcoin’s
early days and its potential to disrupt finance.
Banking
on Bitcoin (2016)
Examines Bitcoin’s history, ideological roots,
and impact on global financial systems through interviews
with pioneers and experts. A solid primer for newcomers.
Cryptopia:
Bitcoin, Blockchains, and the Future of the Internet
(2020)
Directed by Torsten Hoffmann, this documentary dives
into blockchain’s broader applications beyond
cryptocurrency, addressing scalability and regulatory
challenges. Ideal for those interested in blockchain’s
transformative potential.
Trust
Machine: The Story of Blockchain (2018) Narrated by
Rosario Dawson, it explores blockchain’s societal
impact, from financial inclusion to voting systems.
A comprehensive look at real-world applications.
Bitcoin:
The End of Money as We Know It (2015)
Traces the history of money and introduces Bitcoin
as a decentralized alternative, critiquing centralized
financial systems. Features interviews with crypto
experts.
Deep
Web (2015) Narrated by Keanu Reeves, this documentary
focuses on the Silk Road marketplace and its creator,
Ross Ulbricht, highlighting Bitcoin’s role in
dark web transactions.
Bitconned
(2024) Explores the Centra Tech crypto scam, detailing
how three individuals defrauded investors during the
2010s crypto boom. A cautionary tale about unregulated
markets.
Feature
Films
Crypto
(2019)
A crime thriller starring Beau Knapp, Luke Hemsworth,
and Kurt Russell. It follows a young anti-money laundering
agent investigating corruption and cryptocurrency
in his hometown. Critics note its exaggerated portrayal
but praise its entertainment value.
Silk
Road (2021)
A dramatization of Ross Ulbricht’s creation of
the Silk Road, a dark web marketplace using Bitcoin.
It explores his rise and fall, blending crime and
drama.
Dope
(2015) A coming-of-age comedy-drama featuring Bitcoin
as a plot device. High schooler Malcolm uses Bitcoin
for a dark web transaction, reflecting its early association
with illicit activities.
Bonus
Mentions
Life
on Bitcoin (2014): Follows a couple attempting to
live solely on Bitcoin for 100 days, showcasing early
adoption challenges.
Bitcoin
Heist (2016): A Vietnamese action-comedy about hackers
chasing a crypto criminal, blending humor and thrills.
Notes
Documentaries are generally more educational, focusing
on Bitcoin’s history, blockchain technology,
and real-world implications. They’re great for
beginners and enthusiasts alike.
Feature
films often dramatize crypto’s association with
crime or scams, sometimes oversimplifying or exaggerating
for effect. They prioritize entertainment over accuracy.
For a deeper dive, check streaming platforms like
Prime Video, Fandango at Home, or YouTube, where many
of these are available.
News
Wall
Street (Movie)
Wall Street (1987), directed by Oliver Stone, is a
drama about ambition and greed in the 1980s financial
world. It follows Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen), a young
stockbroker desperate to succeed, who gets entangled
with Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas), a ruthless corporate
raider. Gekko’s mantra, “Greed is good,”
drives the story as Bud is lured into insider trading
and unethical deals, compromising his morals for wealth
and power.
The
film explores themes of capitalism, loyalty, and betrayal,
with Bud navigating pressures from Gekko, his father
(Martin Sheen), and his own conscience.
Key
Details: Cast: Michael Douglas (Gordon Gekko), Charlie
Sheen (Bud Fox), Daryl Hannah (Darien Taylor), Martin
Sheen (Carl Fox).
Runtime: 2h 6m.
Genre: Drama/Crime.
Rating: R. Box Office: ~$44 million (US).
Awards:
Michael Douglas won the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Notable
Aspects:
Gekko’s
“Greed is good” speech is iconic, reflecting
1980s excess. Inspired by real-life figures like Ivan
Boesky and Michael Milken.
A
sequel, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010), continued
the story.
Where
to Watch (as of 2025):
Streaming: Available on platforms like Peacock or
rentable on Amazon, YouTube, or Apple TV (check current
availability).
Physical: DVD/Blu-ray via retailers like Amazon.
News
Flashback
Gold,
copper, & silver:
How
metals are moving this year
Metal
futures have made some pretty dramatic moves lately
from safe haven gold to tariff sensitive copper. So
let's take a look at the longer term trends. I'm Jared
Blikre, host of Stocks in Translation. And I'm going
to start by charting some of the moves in Dr. Copper
because this is where we have the most zig and zags
over the last 25 years. So this goes back to the beginning
of the century and we can see right now, we're at
$5.51 per pound. That is a record high. But if we
go back to the beginning of the century, guess what?
Uh we had a little bit of a slump in the wake of the
dot com boom and then bust, but starting in 2003,
we saw a big rise there. And that was as China actually
joined the World Trade Organization or the WTO. That
lasted into the global financial crisis. Then we had
a pretty big bust in in Dr. Copper, and then we had
another rise. And that rise was due to unprecedented
stimulus, not only from the Chinese government, but
also from the United States government, QE was in
force, and then we saw kind of a strong dollar play.
That weighed on this metal all the way into the beginning
of 2016. The entire world, most of the world indices
went through a bear market in 2015, and then 2016,
we found the footing. And that was actually the year
that Trump won, began his first presidency. And from
there, we saw some zig and zags, and then we saw a
shock into the pandemic. A couple of, a couple of
years of deflation or a semi-deflation, disinflation,
that caught up with it in 2022, but then it was off
to the races again. And especially with the Trump
tariffs now on copper, threatening to be threatening
to be 50% on August 1st, we're seeing a lot of front
running in this trade. Now, I also want to show you
gold futures and I'm going to show you silver as well.
And they follow a very similar pattern. We're not
seeing the dramatic zig and zags that we did in copper,
but we did see the same pattern of China joining the
WTO, contributing to that huge rise in price to 1800,
almost $2,000 an ounce by the beginning of the global
financial crisis. So a little bit of a meltdown there.
But in 2016 into 2018, we saw a bit of a rise into
the pandemic, a little bit of a whipsaw there, and
consolidation over a few years. Again, that 2022 bare
market in US stocks that contributed to some deflation
and disinflation globally, supply chain chain shocks
came into force again, and then we saw this huge rise
beginning in late 2023, and we are now at 3353. We've
seen a high of as much as $3,500 per ounce. And gold
is kind of unique among the precious metals and also
the industrial metals, and this is because central
banks have been a huge determining force in their
buying of it. This is a bar chart that shows central
bank buying in tons going back all the way to 2010.
And what you notice here is the last three years,
2022, 2023, 2024, all of those had gold being bought
by central banks of in the amount of over 1,000 tons.
And so that's a pretty big dramatic increase from
the prior years. And this has to do with the ongoing
dedollarization in China, as well as Russia, but also
a host of other countries, even some in western and
eastern Europe. So this is a trend that we want to
follow. Uh, I want to close out here with silver,
and I'm going to just chart the price action. Again,
very similar chart to gold and copper in terms of
the big movements here. We saw a big price spike into
almost $50 per ounce, and that was just as the global
financial crisis was getting underway. And then the
QE area in 2011, that's when we saw that high. Then
we saw a dramatic, dramatic crash into 2016, kind
of found its footing, saw a big squeeze in the early
pandemic, 2020 was a great year for silver, but then
we saw a little bit of a fallout. And again, silver
is on the rise here at $38. It's still off of that
$50 record high, but it is increasing very quickly.
To round out the conversation, I want to just put
on a table here. I have all three medals and just
kind of grouping them together. I want to display
how they are moving with their specific patterns with
a trigger, and then to tell you which one of these
is featured in these specific criteria. So here, under
the pattern, we have acceleration. So that would be
an economic acceleration. The trigger would be liquidity.
And when that happens, we see all metals benefiting
from that. And then when there's a safe haven scare,
and that trigger would be a crisis of some sorts,
you're going to see gold and silver outperforming
the most, kind of leaving Dr. Copper behind. And then
here's a bearish one, industrial drags, that affects
copper disproportionately here, and the trigger there
is typically a stronger US dollar because the US dollar
surges when global global industrials tend to drag,
and that's because the US is the least dirty shirt
in the laundry basket of the world. And then finally
here, we have a policy shock. This will affect all
three medals, but especially copper and gold here.
Um, arguably, the biggest reason is tariffs and debt,
and we've seen both of those contribute to silver
rising. So we could put all three in that basket as
well. But when you put it all together, we have the
perfect explosive mix for all three of these metals,
including palladium and also platinum, which we didn't
get to have time for, but all of these are experiencing
huge thrust in 2025. And we'll have to see how these
tariffs play out, especially on Dr. Copper with respect
to that August 1st deadline. Remember, 50% there.
So tune into Stocks in Translation for more jargon
busting deep dives, new episodes on Tuesdays and Thursdays
on Yahoo Finances website, or wherever you find your
podcast. (Transcript from Yahoo! Finance podcast)
News
Best
Quotes
An
investment in knowledge pays the best interest."
— Benjamin Franklin
"Bottoms
in the investment world don't end with four-year lows;
they end with 10- or 15-year lows." — Jim
Rogers
Be
fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when
others are fearful." — Warren Buffett
Media
Man "Bullish is a mindset"
Mining/Energy/Resources:
Australia and World
September
2025
News
September
30, 2025
Mining
Stocks: (Near Live)
BHP
Group Ltd $41.91 -0.31 -0.73%
Fortescue Ltd $18.73 -0.40 -2.09%
Rio Tinto $121.25 -1.95 -1.58%
News
Australian
Mining News
Australia's
mining sector continues to navigate a mix of challenges
and opportunities in September 2025, with coal operations
facing job cuts and royalty pressures, while critical
minerals and gold projects show promise amid rising
global demand.
Iron
ore and lithium markets remain volatile, influenced
by Chinese demand and energy transition goals.
BHP
announced the closure of its Saraji South coal mine
in the Bowen Basin, putting 750 jobs at risk. The
decision stems from falling coal prices and what BHP
calls an unsustainable tax and royalty burden—eight
times higher than profits in 2024.
CEO
Mike Henry criticized Queensland's regime as a "crisis
point" for the industry, prompting urgent talks
with Premier David Crisafulli.
Anglo
American followed with undisclosed job cuts at its
Brisbane office and Grosvenor mine, potentially adding
over 1,000 redundancies in the region. Treasurer David
Janetzki ruled out royalty changes but hinted at relief
via faster approvals and fee reductions.
Fortescue
Acquires Spanish Wind Tech Firm: Mining billionaire
Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest's Fortescue completed
its purchase of Nabrawind, a self-lifting wind tower
engineering company, to bolster its green energy pivot.
This aligns with Fortescue's decarbonization goals,
though a new Climate Change Authority report questions
the feasibility of fully electric haulage trucks by
2030, estimating diesel still dominates emissions
(14% of sector total) until 2035.
Gold
Miners Rally on Bullish Forecasts: ASX gold stocks
surged after UBS and Citi raised 2026 price targets
to US$3,825–$3,800/oz (around A$6,000/oz). Genesis
Minerals jumped 13%, Northern Star 8%, and Evolution
Mining 6%. Westgold Resources reported a 24% resource
increase to 16.3 million ounces in Western Australia.
Critical
Minerals Deals and Funding:
Liontown
Resources achieved break-even cash flow in its first
lithium production year despite low prices. Mineral
Resources (MinRes) signed a binding deal to acquire
assets from Resource Development Group and is negotiating
a US$700 million debt refinance to extend maturities
into the next decade.
Impact
Minerals farmed out a gold-silver-copper project in
NSW to Kuniko Limited, while Cloudbreak Discovery
optioned the Paterson gold-copper-molybdenum project
near Greatland Gold's Telfer mine.
Northern
Minerals' Browns Range rare earths feasibility study
projects an 11-year mine life at A$592 million capex,
targeting premiums over Chinese supply (up to US$138/kg
for key elements like neodymium).
Santos
Takeover Collapses: A US$36.4 billion bid for Santos
by an ADNOC-led consortium fell through just before
the deadline, citing due diligence issues and a tough
letter from Santos demanding FIRB approval upfront.
Analysts speculate this could pressure Santos toward
a demerger or merger with peers like Woodside.
Other
Notable Updates:
Auric
Mining wrapped up its Jeffreys Find gold project,
netting A$14.5 million in profits.
Brightstar Resources gained approvals for its Lord
Byron open-pit gold mine near Laverton, WA, with development
slated for 2026.
Ghana's Lands Minister pitched investment opportunities
at an Australian mining conference, highlighting global
ties.
Unions pushed BHP for a new enterprise agreement covering
400+ Port Hedland workers, amid broader retrenchments.
News
Two
top Fortescue executives in quest for $7.5m pay
A
resolution to issue 342,254 performance rights shares
to each of Fortescue's joint CEOs will be put to investors
at its AGM in October. Dino Otranto heads the group's
mining arm, while Agustin Pichot is in charge of its
growth and energy assets. Their fixed remuneration
packages will be $2.08m in 2025-26, but the performance
rights could potentially boost their earnings for
the financial year to around $7.5m apiece. The number
of shares they will ultimately receive will be based
on performance targets that are set by Fortescue's
board. (RMS)
News
MinRes
completes $230 million upgrade of trouble-plagued
Pilbara iron ore haul road
Mineral
Resources' Onslow Iron project shipped 3.2 million
tonnes of iron ore in August, and the company says
it remains on track to reach annual nameplate capacity
of 35 million tonnes. MD Chris Ellison says Onslow
Iron is a "cash generative, low-cost asset"
that continued to perform strongly during a now-completed
upgrade of the 150-kilometre private road that is
used to transport ore from the Ken's Bore mine to
the port at Ashburton. There have been seven road
train accidents on the private road since it opened
in October 2024, prompting a $230m repair program
and a Worksafe investigation. (RMS)
News
Canberra
to shake up gas export rules
Sources
have indicated that the federal government may require
LNG producers to supply a certain amount of gas to
the domestic market before they receive approval to
supply overseas buyers. The proposed model is said
to be one of the preferred options by the government,
and industry insiders have indicated that they expect
Labor to make a formal announcement on it before the
end of 2025. The scheme would benefit the Australia
Pacific LNG and Queensland Curtis LNG ventures, which
both produce more gas than their ship overseas. In
contrast, the Santos-backed Gladstone LNG project
currently purchases gas from third parties to fulfill
its export contracts. (RMS)
Hancock
Prospecting Pty Ltd is an Australian-owned mining
and agricultural business run by Executive Chairwoman
Gina Rinehart and CEO Garry Korte. At various stages
of its trading history, the company has been known
as Hancock Prospecting Ltd, Hancock Resources Ltd,
Hanwright Pty Ltd, Hancock & Wright Ltd, and Hancock
Prospecting Pty Ltd.
Hancock
Prospecting Pty Ltd is owned by Rinehart (76.6%) and
the Hope Margaret Hancock Trust (23.4%).
The
company was founded in 1955 by Rinehart's father,
the late Lang Hancock. Hancock Prospecting holds the
mineral rights to some of the largest Crown land leases
in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
Gina
Rinehart has disputed accusations that she is an heiress.
Through Rinehart's spokesperson and chief financial
officer at Hancock Prospecting, Jay Newby, Rinehart
has claimed that upon assuming the role of the Executive
Chairwoman, she took over a company that was in a
perilous financial position with significant debt
and major assets mortgages and under threat of seizure.
Projects:
Balfour
Downs Station Manganese Operation, northeast of Newman,
a joint venture with Mineral Resources
Hope
Downs mine, northwest of Newman, a joint venture with
Rio Tinto
Roy
Hill project, south of Port Hedland, a joint venture
between Hancock Prospecting (70%), Marubeni (15%),
POSCO (12.5%), and China Steel Corporation (2.5%)
Alpha
Coal project, Galilee Basin in Central Queensland
Kevin's
Corner coal project, Galilee Basin in Central Queensland
Nicholas
Downs mine, northwest of Newman, a joint venture with
Mineral Resources
(Developing
profile/news). To be cont ...
News
Best
Quotes Of The Day
The
best and biggest gold mine is in between your ears."
"You
are a gold mine of potential power. You have to dig
to find it and make it real."
"Your
mind is like a gold mine, if you dig deep you will
find something golden."
"Don't
die without mining the gold in your mind."
"We're
like goldfields. Until we dig deep to find what's
inside us, our true potentials may be hidden forever."
"If
you want to find gold, you've got to love the process
of digging."
"Even
if you're sitting on a gold mine, you still have to
dig."
"Develop
men the same way gold is mined"
"Don't
go into the mine looking for dirt; instead, go in
looking for the gold."
"A
prospector's job is to remove dirt as quickly as possible"
"A
prospector who analyses every speck of dirt won't
find much gold"
"The
world is sitting on a gold mine but knows it not."
"Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are
silver, these are gold."
"All
that is gold does not glitter."
"Gold
is forever. It is beautiful, useful, and never wears
out"
"Gold
is the money of kings"
"Mining
is the art of exploiting mineral deposits at a profit.
An unprofitable mine is fit only for the sepulcher
of a dead mule."
"Anyone
can find the dirt in someone. Be the one that finds
the gold."
"True
gold fears no fire."
"The
desire of gold is not for gold. It is for the means
of freedom and benefit."
"Make
new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these
are gold."
"When
taken for granted, gold in one's hand is sometimes
considered like cheap copper – so are people."
Mining/Energy/Resources/Markets:
Australia and World
September
2025
Sept
23
BHP
Group $40.61 +0.58 +1.45%
Rio Tinto Ltd $119.66 +2.74 +2.34%
Fortescue Ltd $19.39 +0.080 +0.41%
News
MinRes'
US debt deal a critical confidence test
Mineral
Resources is looking to replace $US700 million ($1062
million) in high-yield bonds that are due to mature
in early 2027, and is hoping to do so by the end of
this week. It is aiming to replace them with bonds
that will take MinRes into the next decade, while
it is expected its new bonds will be slightly cheaper
than its current ones. The debt replacement deal is
seen as a test of confidence in new chairman Malcolm
Bundey, while MinRes' long-term challenge revolves
around improving its balance sheet. (RMS)
News
Gold
miners surge amid gaming-changing forecast
Shares
in Australian gold miners surged on Monday after Wall
Street banks Citi and UBS released their latest predictions
for the precious metal. With UBS upgrading its 2026
gold price forecast to $US3,825 per ounce or around
$A6,000 per ounce, and Citi announcing a near-term
target of $US3,800 per ounce, Genesis Minerals rose
by 13 percent, while Northern Star was up eight per
cent. Evolution Mining climbed by six per cent, while
Newmont was up five per cent. (RMS)
News
'Stiffed'
mine investors try to put heat on Albanese
Investors
in NuCoal Resources hope to draw their plight to the
attention of President Donald Trump with a mobile
billboard campaign in New York and Washington DC.
The campaign has been timed to coincide with Prime
Minister Anthony Albanese's official visit to the
US. The former NSW government had cancelled NuCoal's
licence for the Doyles Creek coal mine in 2014, following
a ruling that corruption had been involved in the
awarding of the licence to the mine's previous owner.
NuCoal chairman Gordon Galt says the federal government
should force NSW to compensate the company's investors
as part of negotiations with the US for an exemption
from the Trump administration's tariffs regime. (RMS)
News
Coal
royalties out as state tries to aid miners
Queensland's
Treasurer David Janetzki has ruled out any changes
to the state's controversial coal royalty regime,
He says the state government is providing certainty
for the coal industry with faster decisions, streamlined
approvals and a stable royalty regime, in line with
its pre-election commitment. However, the government
is widely tipped to provide the state's coal mining
sector with some form of financial relief amid an
ongoing downturn in coal prices. BHP, Anglo American
and QCoal recently announced job cuts at their Queensland
coal mines. (RMS)
Sept
22
Mining
Stocks
BHP
Group $40.11 +0.47 +1.19%
Rio Tinto Ltd $116.79 +2.79 +2.45%
Fortescue Ltd $19.32 +0.60 +3.21%
Jobs
in the balance as PM snubs Glencore amid copper crisis
Glencore
recently advised that its copper smelter and refinery
in Queensland are expected to post a cumulative loss
of $2.2bn over the next seven years. Sources have
claimed that Glencore is seeking taxpayer assistance
of about $600m over three years as part of ongoing
negotiations with the federal and state governments
to keep the copper facilities open. The federal government
is said to have urged its state counterpart to increase
its contribution to the joint rescue package. Glencore
has previously delayed a decision on the future of
the copper operations until mid-September. (RMS)
BHP
exec dusts Crisafulli vision
BHP's
president of its Australian operations, Geraldine
Slattery, has criticised the Queensland government's
controversial coal royalty regime. Slattery argues
that the resources sector has helped underwrite Australia's
prosperity. However, she has warned that Queensland's
coal industry is reaching a crisis point, which is
a risk to the nation's future prosperity. She has
called for "courage and vision" to encourage
investment in Queensland, particularly the Bowen Basin.
Media reports in the UK have suggested that Slattery
is now the leading contender to eventually succeed
CEO Mike Henry. (RMS)
News
China
orders steel mills to stop using some BHP iron ore
China
Mineral Resources Group has told Chinese steel mills
to suspend purchases of BHP's Jimblebar blend fines,
with CMRG being China's state-run iron ore trader.
It is understood that CRMG's actions were in response
to a breakdown in talks in regard to long-term action,
with its actions having the support of the China Iron
and Steel Association. Jimblebar is one of BHP's main
mines in Western Australia, and it supplies ores with
around 60 per cent iron content that are extensively
used in Chinese sintering blends, while a BHP spokesperson
said it would not comment on commercial arrangements.
(RMS)
News
Sept
20
Rio
Tinto expected to join corporate culling season
Rio
Tinto has declined to comment on speculation that
it plans to make further job cuts at management level.
The resources group has already sacked Sinead Kaufman
and Kellie Parker as part of a restructuring under
new CEO Simon Trott, which reduced its commodity group
from four to three. Rio Tinto is now tipped to slash
the number of managing directors at the level below
its nine-person executive committee, amid suggestions
that about one-third of these roles could be abolished.
BHP, Anglo American and QCoal have recently announced
job cuts. (RMS)
News
Emissions
report pokes holes in Forrest's green mine truck dream
Fortescue
aims to fully decarbonise its fleet of iron ore haulage
trucks by 2030; BHP and Rio Tinto in turn have backed
down on their initial targets for transitioning their
haulage fleets to 'green' fuel sources. Meanwhile,
a report from the Climate Change Authority has concluded
that iron ore and coal miners are only likely to begin
replacing diesel trucks with battery electric or hydrogen
alternatives between 2030 and 2035. The Climate Change
Authority estimates that diesel trucks account for
14 per cent of the resources sector's emissions. (RMS)
News
Billionaire
family feud takes a new twist in litigation
The
lengthy dispute between the children of Peter Wright,
who helped unlock the iron ore wealth of Western Australia's
Pilbara region with business partner Lang Hancock,
is again back in court. Julian Wright had claimed
his older siblings Angela and Michael, who along with
him were heirs to their father's billion-dollar iron
ore fortune, had cheated him out of his stake in the
family company Wright Prospecting. The WA Supreme
Court would decide in 2020 that Julian Wright had
proven his case in regard to his allegations against
his siblings, but lawyers for his sister Angela are
now trying to find out who funded Julian Wright's
case against she and her brother Michael. (RMS)
News
A
100-fold return marks end of line for $3.7bn miner
Gold
Road Resources' shareholders are expected to approve
South Africa-baed Gold Fields's $3.7 billion takeover
bid today. The deal values Gold Road's shares at about
$3.40 apiece, compared with just $0.03 in mid-2013,
which is the year in which it discovered a gold deposit
in Western Australia that became the Gruyere mine.
Gold Fields paid $350m for a 50 per cent stake in
the then-undeveloped project in 2019. Meanwhile, Gold
Road held a 17.3 per cent stake in De Grey Mining
prior to the latter's acquisition by Northern Star
Resources earlier this year, and Paul Hissey from
Moelis Australia says this deal may have prompted
Gold Fields to make a move on its joint venture partner.
Top
Mitsui
says 2035 climate target bolsters case for gas expansions
Takashi
Yamamura, the new head of Australia for Japan-based
Mitsui says his nation's demand for gas will rise
in the medium-term. Yamamura says gas can play a role
in the energy transition, both in terms of bolstering
electricity supply during periods when wind and solar
generation wane, as well as helping to facilitate
the shutdown of coal-fired power stations. He says
he understands the need for Australian gas producers
to supply domestic markets, but that supplying offshore
markets is also important. (RMS)
News
Flashback
Sept
19
WA
court keeps lid on explosive MinRes papers
The
Federal Court has rejected Nine Publishing's application
to lift suppression orders that have prevented the
release of key documents in a legal dispute at Mineral
Resources. The documents in question relate to the
falling-out between MinRes founder Chris Ellison and
the miner's former head of procurement, Steven Pigozzo;
they had filed claims and counter-claims against each
other before settling the dispute last year. However,
the court has also ruled that more than a dozen MinRes
documents should be redacted and released. (RMS)
News
Santos
runs out of friends
Santos
chairman Keith Spence is upbeat about the oil and
gas group's outlook, despite the XRG consortium's
decision to abandon a takeover bid just days before
it was required to make a binding offer. Spence has
noted amongst other things that Santos's unit production
costs are set to fall over time, while the Barossa
LNG project and the first phase of the Pikka oil project
in Alaska will boost output. Santos has also held
merger talks with Woodside Energy and Harbour Energy
in the past decade; some analysts believe that the
latest failed deal may put pressure on its board to
a restructuring, which could potentially include a
demerger. (RMS)
News
Santos
and XRG: The letter that killed the deal
XRG
indicated that a "combination of factors"
contributed to the decision to withdraw its takeover
bid for Santos. Sources have indicated that a letter
from Santos that XRG received two days before pulling
out of the deal had been a key factor. Santos made
a number of demands in the letter, including the requirement
that the XRG consortium must make a binding offer
by the agreed dealine of 19 September, with the due
diligence period having already been extended several
times. Santos also wanted XRG to secure the Foreign
Investment Review Board's approval for the deal before
putting it to shareholders, while a tax liability
in Papua New Guinea was another major sticking point.
(Roy Morgan Summary)
BHP
Group $39.58 -0.39 -0.98%
Rio Tinto Ltd $114.10 -1.44 - 1.25%
Fortescue Ltd $18.65 -0.10 -0.53%
Sept
18
News
BHP
called 'un-Australian' over job cuts
BHP
has advised that it will close down its Saraji South
coal mine in Queensland's Bowen Basin, with the loss
of 750 jobs. BHP has attributed the move to factors
such as falling coal prices and the impact of the
state's coal royalty regime. CEO Mike Henry had recently
warned that the coal royalty burden could result in
job losses and mine closures. BHP's coal asset president
Adam Lancey has stated that the group's Queensland
coal division paid eight times more in taxes and royalties
in 2024 than it made in profits; he adds that this
is not sustainable, and some "difficult but necessary
decisions" had to be made. BHP has also indicated
that it may close the FutureFit skills and training
academy. (RMS)
News
Unions
drag BHP to the negotiating table at Port Hedland
BHP
has agreed to hold negotiations for a new enterprise
agreement that may cover more than 400 workers at
its iron ore port in Western Australia. The Australian
Workers Union says that 74 per cent of its members
at BHP's Port Hedland export facility have signed
a petition to bargain for a new enterprise agreement.
The Electrical Trades Union and the Australian Manufacturing
Workers' Union are also pursuing a workplace agreement
for BHP's maintenance and electrical workers at Port
Hedland. BHP may seek to consolidate the separate
union bargaining actions into one enterprise agreement
covering its maintenance and production workers at
Port Hedland. (RMS)
News
Coal
miner Anglo American confirms job cuts in Brisbane,
Bowen Basin
The
Isaac Regional Council's mayor Kelly Vea Vea claims
that more than 1,000 jobs will be lost in the latest
round of redundancies in Queensland's coal mining
sector. Anglo American has advised that it will shed
an undisclosed number of jobs at its Brisbane office
and the Grosvenor coking coal mine, which has yet
to resume production in the wake of an underground
fire in mid-2024. Ben Mansour from Anglo American
Australia says the job cuts are necessary to ensure
the long-term sustainability of the company's coal
operations in the state. BHP has also revealed plans
to retrench 750 workers at its Saraji South coal mine.
(Roy Morgan Summary)
News
Massive
$36.4b Santos takeover deal collapses as ADNOC walks
away
The
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company-led consortium has
withdrawn its takeover bid for Santos just days before
the deadline for submitting a binding offer. ADNOC
subidiary XRG has advised that while the consortium
retains a positive view of the Santos business, a
combination of factor have impacted the assessment
of its indicative offer of $US5.76 per share; the
consortium had increased its offer several times since
making its first offer at $US5.04 per share in March.
Saul Kavonic from MST Marquee says the market is now
likely to raise questions about Santos's valuation.
(RMS)
Aussie
Mining Stocks: Losing modest shine leading into Friday;
Play The Long Game! (Media Man Group)
BHP
Group $39.97 -0.34 -0.84%
Rio Tinto Ltd $115.54 -0.79 -0.68%
Fortescue Ltd $18.75 -0.13 -0.69%
News
Flashback
September
17
Miners
boost ASX; Super Retail, CSL drop
The
Australian sharemarket posted a solid gain on Tuesday,
with the S&P/ASX 200 adding 0.3 per cent to close
at 8,877.7 points. Rio Tinto was up 1.9 per cent at
$117.49, Bellevue Gold rose 6.3 per cent to $1.01
and New Hope Corporation finished 5.1 per cent higher
at $4.58. However, Super Retail Group was down 4.3
per cent at $16.52 and CSL shed 1.3 per cent to end
the session at $201.91. (RMS)
News
ASX
stocks to fire as Fed kicks off cuts
Bond
traders have fully priced in a 25 basis point interest
rate cut at the US Federal Reserve's monetary policy
meeting this week. They are expect at least another
four rate cuts over the next year, although David
Bassanese from BetaShares and Sebastian Mullins from
Schroders contend that the central bank will be less
aggressive in reducing monetary policy. Meanwhile,
Australian stocks are widely tipped to rally if the
Federal Reserve does reduce the cast rate; Jun Bei
Liu from Ten Cap says James Hardie Industries stands
to benefit the most, given its exposure to the US
housing market. (RMS)
News
Multi-year
rally tipped for energy sector
Mark
Taylor from Morningstar is bullish about the long-term
outlook for the crude oil price, forecasting that
it will trade within a range of $US60 to around $US75
a barrel until 2035. He expects demand for oil to
then fall by 15 per cent over the following 15 years,
although this will be offset by a 20 per cent decline
in supply. Taylor is also upbeat about Australian-listed
oil and gas producers, increasing his fair-value estimates
for Santos, Woodside Energy, Beach Energy and Karoon
Energy. Tom Allen from UBS in turn has a 'buy' rating
on Santos, and a 'neutral' rating on Woodside and
Beach (RMS)
News
Northern
Minerals bets on non-China premium
Northern
Minerals has released the definitive feasibility study
for its Browns Range rare earths project in Western
Australia. It estimates that the project will cost
about $592 million and have a mine life of 11 years.
Browns Range will produce rare earths such as dysprosium,
terbium, neodymium and praseodymium. The latter two
are currently fetching about $US70 per kilogram, but
Northern Minerals says it hopes to receive about $US107/kg
for the rare earths it produces at Browns Range; it
adds that prices could potentially rise to around
$US138/kg if the world moves to aggressively decouple
from Chinese supply chains. (RMS)
News
China
has a 'chokehold' on the rare earth supply chain.
Could Australia offer an alternative?
Magnetic
rare earth elements such as neodymium, praseodymium,
dysprosium and terbium are critical for the energy
transition, defence industries and electric vehicles.
Extracting and refining rare earths can be costly,
complex and environmentally challenging, and China
controls around 90 per cent of global processing capacity.
However, federal Resources Minister Madeleine King
says Australia could become the world's alternative
supplier of refined rare earths. Iluka Resources is
currently building a rare earths refinery at Eneabba
in Western Australia; the project is being supported
via a $1.65 billion loan from the federal government,
which also plans to establish a Critical Minerals
Strategic Reserve. (RMS)
Mining/Energy/Resources/Culture/Digital
Gold: Australia and World
September
2025
Newsfeed
Sept
9
Gold
rallies to new record as US rate cut bets surge
The
gold price has risen to a new record high of more
than $US3,604 an ounce. The latest spike in the price
of the precious metal has been driven by factors such
as the latest US payrolls and unemployment data, which
have heightened expectations of further interest rate
cutsin 2025. The price of gold has more than doubled
over the last three years, and Goldman Sachs recently
forecast that it could reach $US5,000 an ounce if
the Trump administration's move to sack Federal Reserve
governor Lisa Cook is upheld by a court. (RMS)
News
Sept
8
Guinea
pressures Rio to build ore refinery
Guinea's
minister of planning and international co-operation,
Ismael Nabe, says his nation wants companies that
are mining its resources to build refineries to process
those resources in his country. These companies include
Rio Tinto, which is behind the $US23.2 billion ($35.5
billion) Simandou iron ore project; it includes a
650-kilometre rail network and port infrastructure
to service two new mines. Nabe's comments come just
two months before Rio and its Simandou partners ship
their first ore from the mine in November. (Roy Morgan
Summary)
News
Sept
5
MinRes
drivers 'asked to fill out false timesheets'
A
former employee of Mineral Resources has told Western
Australia's WorkSafe that the iron ore miner is not
complying with safety rules on its 148km private haulage
road. The ex-employee contends that truck drivers
are being asked to work 12-hour shifts in order to
meet Mineral Resources' targets for transporting iron
ore from the Ken's Bore mine in the Pilbara to its
export facility. It has also been alleged that drivers
have been "coerced" into falsifying their
timesheets. The company has spent more than $200m
on repairing the road, while there have been a number
of truck crashes and rollovers since the road opened.
(RMS)
News
Shell
plots exit from North West Shelf
Sources
have indicated that energy giant Shell is considering
the sale of its 16.67 per cent stake in the North
West Shelf LNG project. Shell previously decided to
withdraw from the $US30bn ($46bn) Browse LNG project,
which is likely to supply gas to the processing plant
at Karratha in Western Australia to replace the declining
NWS gas fields. Woodside Energy has a 50 per cent
stake in the NWS project, and Shell's potential exit
would allow it to either increase its own stake or
bring new partners into the venture. (RMS)
News
LNG
export blow as US, Qatar to flood market
Investment
bank Goldman Sachs has forecast that the LNG price
willl fall $US7.35 per million British thermal units
in calendar 2027. This is 42 per cent lower than in
the current quarter. Goldman Sachs notes that global
LNG supply is expected to rise by 50 per cent to a
record 200 million tonnes by the end of this decade,
amid increased production in the US and Qatar. Australia
currently exports about 81 million tonnes of LNG a
year, but the US appears to be on track to ship about
110 million tonnes in 2025; Qatar is aiming to ramp
its LNG output to a similar level. (Roy Morgan Summary)
News
Bass
Strait partners Mitsui, Woodside, ExxonMobil in $300m
feud
The
Federal Court is to hear a dispute involving Mitsui,
Woodside Energy and ExxonMobil. It involves Mitsui
being asked for a payment of $156.3 million from ExxonMobil
and $141.6 million from Woodside. The latter two companies
are of the view that Mitsui should make a greater
contribution to the petroleum resource rent tax payable
to the federal government for gas extracted from the
Kipper gas field in Bass Strait. The dispute is linked
to a demand from the Australian Taxation Office for
greater payments of the tax for the period between
2013 and 2017. Mitsui, which acquired Santos's 35
per cent stake in the Kipper field in 2016, does not
believe it should be liable for those debts. (RMS)
News
Sept
3
High-grade
threat to Australian iron ore
Australia
exported about $120 billion worth of iron ore from
the Pilbara during 2024-25. However, Vale executive
Rogerio Nogueira contends that Brazil has a key advantage
over Australia because its iron ore is better suited
to beneficiation; this process removes contaminants
such as silicon or alumina to produce the higher-grade
ore that will be needed to make steel using natural
gas or hyrogen instead of coal. Australia's iron ore
miners are already facing the problem of decline ore
grades in the Pilbara. (RMS)
South32
chief in blast over green tape
Diversified
miner South32 battled the bureaucracy for more than
seven years to secure approval to continue operating
its Worley bauxite and alumina business in Western
Australia. Meanwhile, difficulty in gaining approval
for an extension to the Dendrobium coal mine in the
Illawarra region of NSW prompted South32 to sell the
asset in 2024. South32 CEO Graham Kerr says the Trump
administration has made it much easier to gain environmental
approval for US mining projects compared with Australia.
The company is on track to gain all approvals for
its Hermosa critical minerals project in less than
four years; it was the first project to be added to
the FAST-41 list. (RMS)
News
Flashback
September
3, 2025
Medals/Rare
Earths News
Gold
may be targeting $4,500, silver $50 Precious metals
have returned to active growth, pushing the spot price
of gold to $3,490—just $10 below its historic
high of 22 April. Meanwhile, silver has decisively
moved above $40, its highest level in 14 years.
The
news agenda continues to favour metals, with reports
that India is now actively selling US government bonds,
building up its gold reserves. China did the same
before, and Russia even earlier. However, this may
turn out to be nothing more than a glimpse into the
past, cleverly picked up by the global media. It should
also be remembered that years of net sales of gold
reserves did not initially prevent gold from rallying.
This could also work in the opposite direction: the
actions of finance ministers and central banks may
not have a very noticeable long-term effect.
The
lack of progress on a peaceful settlement between
Russia and Ukraine also helps gold. After months of
virtually empty promises, hopes are gradually fading.
A
more visible but at the same time short-term factor
is the growing expectation of a Fed key rate cut in
September from 75% on 21 August (before Powell's speech)
to 87% now. This leaves room for the rate to rise
by another 10-13 percentage points, which is negative
for the dollar and positive for commodities.
However,
we recommend paying more attention to the technical
picture now. The gold market has been in a prolonged
sideways trend since reaching highs in April. At the
same time, the bullish scenario is supported by sluggish
resistance from bears in recent days and a series
of higher local lows.
Silver
has been under less pressure from local profit-taking,
gaining in each of the last four months. Platinum
and palladium seem to be ending their corrective decline,
having risen sharply in early September. This behaviour
of precious metals indicates that traders are serious
about this direction, sharply increasing the chances
of new historical highs soon.
Nevertheless,
we urge caution when joining the gold rally in the
coming days. First, reaching historic highs could
trigger widespread selling in gold, as we saw in April
and as is happening with Bitcoin.
If
the breakout above $3,500 does not trigger a sell-off,
as was the case earlier this year, the potential target
is $4,500, close to which the 161.8% Fibonacci extension
level is located.
In
silver, it appears that the bulls are targeting the
area of historical highs near $50.
Platinum
also looks rested and ready to renew its multi-year
highs after a corrective pullback. Its technical growth
potential suggests a rise above $1,800, to the highs
of 2011. However, such ambitious growth will only
become the main scenario if the recent highs are exceeded
and the price rises above $1,500. (FxPro)
News
Gold
News
August
29, 2025
Gold
approached the upper limit of the 4-month trading
range Gold is trading above $3,400 again at the end
of the week. The upper limit of the trading range,
within which the price has been fluctuating since
April, is close to $3,430. Jerome Powell's signals
about a rate cut, unprecedented pressure from the
White House on the Fed, and the continuing high level
of geopolitical risks have brought the price back
to this level.
Washington's
introduction of 50% tariffs against India risks further
deepening the divide between the West and the East,
as well as the associated processes of de-dollarisation
and diversification of gold and foreign exchange reserves
by central banks in favour of precious metals.
For
the first time since 1996, central banks hold more
gold (about 25%) than US government bonds (about 20%)
in their gold and foreign exchange reserves. For comparison,
between 2008 and 2015, this ratio fluctuated between
10% and 30%, respectively.
Gold bulls are drawing strength from the dynamics
of the US yield curve. Yields on 2- and 10-year Treasuries
are falling. The market is painting a stagflationary
backdrop, which is the best food for gold bugs.
Gold's
ability to break through the resistance zone above
$3,430 will be an important signal of the market's
readiness to return to a rally after four months of
tug-of-war. But it is worth being cautious with early
bullish bets at these levels. Formally, there is now
a greater chance of another pullback to the lower
end of the range at $3,300-3,315.
At
the same time, investors should remember that whichever
way the breakout occurs, the subsequent movement could
be very strong, given how long the gold market has
been gathering strength while remaining in a sideways
trend. (FxPro)
News
Australian
Mining: Overview
Economic
Impact: Mining accounts for around 13.6% of Australia's
GDP (2023) and nearly 70% of total export revenue.
It generated $356.6 billion in company tax and royalties
over the past decade. Iron ore, coal, lithium, gold,
and bauxite are among the top exports, with Australia
being the world’s largest producer of lithium,
iron ore, and bauxite, and a top-five producer of
gold, lead, zinc, and nickel.
Key
Regions and Resources:
Western
Australia (WA): The epicenter of Australian mining,
hosting major iron ore, gold, lithium, and nickel
projects. It employed 134,871 full-time-equivalent
workers in 2023-24, with iron ore (62,950 FTEs), gold
(31,884 FTEs), and lithium (11,386 FTEs) leading employment.
Queensland
(QLD): Contributes $75 billion annually to the economy
and employs over 50,000 people, with high-grade graphite
and rhenium deposits.
New South Wales (NSW): Rich in coal, gold, and copper,
with the Cowal gold mine as the largest. It provides
40,000 jobs and nearly $2 billion in royalties.
Northern
Territory (NT): Home to the world’s largest manganese
mine and one-third of Australia’s uranium reserves,
valued at over $4 billion.
Victoria
(VIC): Known for gold, antimony, and brown coal, with
a strong mining equipment and technology sector.
Tasmania
(TAS): A century-long mineral producer with diverse
geology.
Critical
Minerals and Innovation: Australia is a global leader
in critical minerals like lithium, rare earths, and
manganese, essential for renewable energy and defense.
The industry is adopting automation (e.g., driverless
trucks), AI, and blue hydrogen to improve efficiency
and reduce emissions. The government’s $1 billion
Value-Adding in Resources Fund aims to enhance domestic
processing.
Environmental
and Social Challenges: Mining faces scrutiny for environmental
impacts, including land destruction, water pollution,
and carbon emissions from fossil fuel production.
ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) concerns and
commodity price uncertainty are top risks for 2024.
The industry is criticized for low tax contributions
relative to profits (6% of federal revenue) and benefits
from subsidies like the $3.5 billion Fuel Tax Credit
Scheme.
Employment
and Ownership: The sector employs about 229,500 people
(2% of the workforce), with high median earnings ($2,649/week).
However, it’s 86% foreign-owned, with major players
like BHP (76% foreign-owned) and Rio Tinto (83% foreign-owned)
dominating.
Future
Outlook: With 80% of Australia’s mineral potential
unexplored, the industry is poised for growth, particularly
in critical minerals for electric vehicles and renewable
energy. However, regulatory changes, climate goals,
and community expectations for fairer taxation and
environmental stewardship pose challenges. (Grok)
News
Flashback
September
1, 2025
BHP
call to voters in coal tax fight
BHP's
BMA coking coal joint venture in Queensland paid an
effective tax rate of about 67 per cent in 2024-25.
BHP CEO Mike Henry has warned that some of the joint
venture's mines may need to be shut down due to the
impact of low coal prices and the state's coal royalty
regime. Meanwhile, BMA's head of operations Mariette
Bylsma says Queensland has one of the world's highest
coal royalty regimes, which is making the state less
competitive and less predictable for investment. Bylsma
adds that the "unsustainable" coal tax is
having a real impact on regional jobs and communities,
and she has urged the general public to raise the
issue with their local MP. (Roy Morgan Summary)
News
MinRes
takeover of miner run by Ellison's brother faces backlash
Resource
Development Group's administrator McGrathNicol recently
advised that it had received seven non-binding offers
to acquire the failed garnet miner. However, the firm
decided to recommend the offer from RDG's majority
shareholder, Mineral Resources, as it would result
in the highest return to shareholders. However, minority
investors in RDG claim that they are not being treated
fairly, and allege that Mineral Resources is hastening
the takeover without allowing time for other bids
to emerge. RDG's former MD Andrew Ellison is the brother
of Mineral Resources' founder and MD Chris Ellison.
(RMS)
News
Sunday
truck crash adds to MinRes woes
Mineral
Resources is under renewed scrutiny following another
incident on the private road that is used to transport
iron ore to port facilities at Onslow in Western Australia.
There has been a rear-end collision between one of
the company's road trains and a truck that was being
driven by a contractor; it is believed that nobody
was injured in yesterday's incident and both trucks
sustained only minor damage. However, there have been
a series of incidents on the 150km road since it was
opened in 2024, including a road train rollover last
week. Mineral Resources has also spent $230m on repairing
damage to the road caused by cyclones in early 2025.
(RMS)
News
Gas
industry frays over future of LNG as lobbying intensifies
Australia's
east gas market is facing a supply crisis that could
hit NSW and Victoria as early as 2029, with the nation's
$90 billion liquefied natural gas sector at odds as
to which of its participants should face the burden
of addressing the looming crisis. With the federal
government having announced a review of the LNG sector
earlier in the year, Australia Pacific LNG and Santos,
which is the operator of the Gladstone LNG project,
are both actively lobbying the federal government
as to their views as to how the two ventures believe
the sector should be reformed. (Roy Morgan Summary)
News
Bitcoin
Mining News
Industry
Challenges and Hashrate Records: Bitcoin mining difficulty
recently hit an all-time high of 126.9 trillion on
May 31, 2025, before slightly dropping to 126.4 trillion.
The network hashrate crossed 1 zetahash per second
(ZH/s) in April 2025, reflecting intense competition.
Miners face financial pressures from the April 2024
halving, which reduced block rewards, coupled with
rising operational costs. Despite this, companies
like MARA (mined 950 BTC in May 2025, holding 49,179
BTC) and CleanSpark (mined 694 BTC, holding 12,502
BTC) are expanding and retaining BTC as a treasury
asset.
Shift
to AI and Energy Competition: Bitcoin miners are increasingly
competing with AI data centers for cheap energy, prompting
some to pivot into AI infrastructure. For instance,
Bitmain plans to open a U.S.-based BTC mining hardware
facility by late 2025, and TeraWulf has secured Google
as its largest shareholder, validating its AI-integrated
strategy. This shift is driven by the need to monetize
power, with executives noting that energy, not just
hashrate, is now the critical factor.
Environmental
and Regulatory Concerns: A Harvard study revealed
that Bitcoin mining exposes 1.9 million Americans
to harmful PM2.5 air pollution, primarily from fossil
fuel-powered plants. The study highlights a "cross-state
domino effect," urging federal regulation. Meanwhile,
rural U.S. communities, like Dresden, NY, report noise
pollution from mining operations, sparking local backlash
despite support from some pro-crypto policies under
the current administration.
Centralization
Risks: Posts on X have raised alarms about mining
centralization, with two pools controlling over 51%
of the network’s hash power, potentially enabling
a 51% attack. This has sparked debate about Bitcoin’s
decentralization, though these claims remain inconclusive
without further evidence.
Innovations
and Expansions: Companies like Cipher Mining launched
a 150MW Bitcoin mining site in Texas (Black Pearl),
aiming for 300MW, and BitFuFu reported a record 34.1
EH/s hashrate, mining 400 BTC in May 2025. Block introduced
Proto Rig, a modular, repairable miner, and Proto
Fleet, an open-source software to enhance mining efficiency.
Profitability
Struggles: Mining a single Bitcoin now costs approximately
$137,000 in electricity, exceeding its market value
of around $95,000-$104,000, rendering traditional
mining unprofitable for many. Miners are adapting
by holding BTC or diversifying into other cryptocurrencies
like Ethereum.
Song
Welcome
To The Blockchain (Song lyrics)
We're
now standing on the precipice of a global revolution
Of
economics, of politics, and government
Welcome
to the blockchain
verse
Power
corrupts, money is power
The
power to control the money is one that is now
In
the hands of those who pretend we can't function without
them
So
how can we do something about it? (Huh?)
Working
hard to get a raise, lifting that wage up
Inflation
takes it like a hidden taxation
Manipulated
interest rates to give the banks
A
way to create money with the loans that they're giving
out daily (yup)
That
means our money is debt
That
we gotta pay back more than a hundred percent
No
wonder then why the middle class is going under
When
the one's above them gotta cover and come to collect
And
many have no access to banking
Making
payments, or saving, so more fees are taken
And
every day the gatekeepers are trying to stop change
We
can not wait, welcome to the blockchain
chorus
Welcome
to the blockchain
Things
are about to change
Open
up the gates
Systems
get replaced
Bitcoin
Decentralize
the trust
Security,
transparency
The
network's run by us
Bitcoin
verse
Bitcoin
is a decentralized ledger
And
the currency is its first enterprise ever
Secured
by the worldwide incentivized network
Can't
be stolen or controlled by any sized effort
You
can send it anywhere and instantly
No
one can intervene, no third party in between
There's
no counterfeiting
Algorithms
control the outer limits of how many coins can get
released
Programmable
money, no government can seize it
Payments
can be customized by sender and receiver
Contracts
can be written cementing your agreements
With
terms that can't be bent once you consent then it
completes it
Autonomous
businesses are possible
Where
profit is distributed amongst those adopting it
Paradigm
shift we must adjust to the ending
With
the blockchain, bitcoin is just the beginning
chorus
Welcome
to the blockchain
Things
are about to change
Open
up the gates
Systems
get replaced
Bitcoin
Decentralize
the trust
Security,
transparency
The
network's run by us
Bitcoin
bridge
Now
that we got control
We're
not gonna let it go
My
people all around the globe
We
gotta keep building, building, building
Now
that we got control
We're
not gonna let it go
My
people all around the globe
We
gotta keep building, building, building
chorus
Welcome
to the blockchain
Things
are about to change
Open
up the gates
Systems
get replaced
Bitcoin
Decentralize
the trust
Security,
transparency
The
network's run by us
Bitcoin
By
di DECAP, Toby / Toby Ganger
News
Working
Man: Sony Lyrics
It's
a working man l am And I've been down under ground
And I swear to God if l ever see the sun Or for any
length of time I can hold it in my mind I never again
will go down under ground
At
the age of sixteen years Oh, he quarrels with his
peers Who vowed they'd never see another one In the
dark recess of the mines Where you age before your
time And the coal dust lies heavy on your lungs
It's
a working man l am And I've been down under ground
And I swear to God if l ever see the sun Or for any
length of time I can hold it in my mind I never again
will go down under ground
At
the age of sixty four Oh, he'll greet you at the door
And he'll gently lead you by the arm
Through
the dark recess of the mines
Oh,
he'll take you back in time And he'll tell you of
the hardships that were had
It's
a working man l am And I've been down under ground
And
I swear to God if l ever see the sun Or for any length
of time I can hold it in my mind I never again will
go down under ground
It's
a working man l am And I've been down under ground
And
I swear to God if l ever see the sun Or for any length
of time I can hold it in my mind I never again will
go down under ground
It's
a working man l am And I've been down under ground
And
I swear to God if l ever see the sun
Or
for any length of time I can hold it in my mind I
never again will go down under ground
God,
I never again will go down under ground
By
Rita Macneil
News
Best
Quotes Of The Day
The
best and biggest gold mine is in between your ears."
"You
are a gold mine of potential power. You have to dig
to find it and make it real."
"Your
mind is like a gold mine, if you dig deep you will
find something golden."
"Don't
die without mining the gold in your mind."
"We're
like goldfields. Until we dig deep to find what's
inside us, our true potentials may be hidden forever."
"If
you want to find gold, you've got to love the process
of digging."
"Even
if you're sitting on a gold mine, you still have to
dig."
"Develop
men the same way gold is mined"
"Don't
go into the mine looking for dirt; instead, go in
looking for the gold."
"A
prospector's job is to remove dirt as quickly as possible"
"A
prospector who analyses every speck of dirt won't
find much gold"
"The
world is sitting on a gold mine but knows it not."
"Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are
silver, these are gold."
"All
that is gold does not glitter."
"Gold
is forever. It is beautiful, useful, and never wears
out"
"Gold
is the money of kings"
"Mining
is the art of exploiting mineral deposits at a profit.
An unprofitable mine is fit only for the sepulcher
of a dead mule."
"Anyone
can find the dirt in someone. Be the one that finds
the gold."
"True
gold fears no fire."
"The
desire of gold is not for gold. It is for the means
of freedom and benefit."
"Make
new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these
are gold."
"When
taken for granted, gold in one's hand is sometimes
considered like cheap copper – so are people."
Mining/Energy/Resources/Culture/Digital
Gold: Australia and World
September
2025
Newsfeed
Sept
5
MinRes
drivers 'asked to fill out false timesheets'
A
former employee of Mineral Resources has told Western
Australia's WorkSafe that the iron ore miner is not
complying with safety rules on its 148km private haulage
road. The ex-employee contends that truck drivers
are being asked to work 12-hour shifts in order to
meet Mineral Resources' targets for transporting iron
ore from the Ken's Bore mine in the Pilbara to its
export facility. It has also been alleged that drivers
have been "coerced" into falsifying their
timesheets. The company has spent more than $200m
on repairing the road, while there have been a number
of truck crashes and rollovers since the road opened.
(RMS)
News
Shell
plots exit from North West Shelf
Sources
have indicated that energy giant Shell is considering
the sale of its 16.67 per cent stake in the North
West Shelf LNG project. Shell previously decided to
withdraw from the $US30bn ($46bn) Browse LNG project,
which is likely to supply gas to the processing plant
at Karratha in Western Australia to replace the declining
NWS gas fields. Woodside Energy has a 50 per cent
stake in the NWS project, and Shell's potential exit
would allow it to either increase its own stake or
bring new partners into the venture. (RMS)
News
LNG
export blow as US, Qatar to flood market
Investment
bank Goldman Sachs has forecast that the LNG price
willl fall $US7.35 per million British thermal units
in calendar 2027. This is 42 per cent lower than in
the current quarter. Goldman Sachs notes that global
LNG supply is expected to rise by 50 per cent to a
record 200 million tonnes by the end of this decade,
amid increased production in the US and Qatar. Australia
currently exports about 81 million tonnes of LNG a
year, but the US appears to be on track to ship about
110 million tonnes in 2025; Qatar is aiming to ramp
its LNG output to a similar level. (Roy Morgan Summary)
News
Bass
Strait partners Mitsui, Woodside, ExxonMobil in $300m
feud
The
Federal Court is to hear a dispute involving Mitsui,
Woodside Energy and ExxonMobil. It involves Mitsui
being asked for a payment of $156.3 million from ExxonMobil
and $141.6 million from Woodside. The latter two companies
are of the view that Mitsui should make a greater
contribution to the petroleum resource rent tax payable
to the federal government for gas extracted from the
Kipper gas field in Bass Strait. The dispute is linked
to a demand from the Australian Taxation Office for
greater payments of the tax for the period between
2013 and 2017. Mitsui, which acquired Santos's 35
per cent stake in the Kipper field in 2016, does not
believe it should be liable for those debts. (RMS)
News
Sept
3
High-grade
threat to Australian iron ore
Australia
exported about $120 billion worth of iron ore from
the Pilbara during 2024-25. However, Vale executive
Rogerio Nogueira contends that Brazil has a key advantage
over Australia because its iron ore is better suited
to beneficiation; this process removes contaminants
such as silicon or alumina to produce the higher-grade
ore that will be needed to make steel using natural
gas or hyrogen instead of coal. Australia's iron ore
miners are already facing the problem of decline ore
grades in the Pilbara. (RMS)
South32
chief in blast over green tape
Diversified
miner South32 battled the bureaucracy for more than
seven years to secure approval to continue operating
its Worley bauxite and alumina business in Western
Australia. Meanwhile, difficulty in gaining approval
for an extension to the Dendrobium coal mine in the
Illawarra region of NSW prompted South32 to sell the
asset in 2024. South32 CEO Graham Kerr says the Trump
administration has made it much easier to gain environmental
approval for US mining projects compared with Australia.
The company is on track to gain all approvals for
its Hermosa critical minerals project in less than
four years; it was the first project to be added to
the FAST-41 list. (RMS)
News
Flashback
September
3, 2025
Medals/Rare
Earths News
Gold
may be targeting $4,500, silver $50 Precious metals
have returned to active growth, pushing the spot price
of gold to $3,490—just $10 below its historic
high of 22 April. Meanwhile, silver has decisively
moved above $40, its highest level in 14 years.
The
news agenda continues to favour metals, with reports
that India is now actively selling US government bonds,
building up its gold reserves. China did the same
before, and Russia even earlier. However, this may
turn out to be nothing more than a glimpse into the
past, cleverly picked up by the global media. It should
also be remembered that years of net sales of gold
reserves did not initially prevent gold from rallying.
This could also work in the opposite direction: the
actions of finance ministers and central banks may
not have a very noticeable long-term effect.
The
lack of progress on a peaceful settlement between
Russia and Ukraine also helps gold. After months of
virtually empty promises, hopes are gradually fading.
A
more visible but at the same time short-term factor
is the growing expectation of a Fed key rate cut in
September from 75% on 21 August (before Powell's speech)
to 87% now. This leaves room for the rate to rise
by another 10-13 percentage points, which is negative
for the dollar and positive for commodities.
However,
we recommend paying more attention to the technical
picture now. The gold market has been in a prolonged
sideways trend since reaching highs in April. At the
same time, the bullish scenario is supported by sluggish
resistance from bears in recent days and a series
of higher local lows.
Silver
has been under less pressure from local profit-taking,
gaining in each of the last four months. Platinum
and palladium seem to be ending their corrective decline,
having risen sharply in early September. This behaviour
of precious metals indicates that traders are serious
about this direction, sharply increasing the chances
of new historical highs soon.
Nevertheless,
we urge caution when joining the gold rally in the
coming days. First, reaching historic highs could
trigger widespread selling in gold, as we saw in April
and as is happening with Bitcoin.
If
the breakout above $3,500 does not trigger a sell-off,
as was the case earlier this year, the potential target
is $4,500, close to which the 161.8% Fibonacci extension
level is located.
In
silver, it appears that the bulls are targeting the
area of historical highs near $50.
Platinum
also looks rested and ready to renew its multi-year
highs after a corrective pullback. Its technical growth
potential suggests a rise above $1,800, to the highs
of 2011. However, such ambitious growth will only
become the main scenario if the recent highs are exceeded
and the price rises above $1,500. (FxPro)
News
Gold
News
August
29, 2025
Gold
approached the upper limit of the 4-month trading
range Gold is trading above $3,400 again at the end
of the week. The upper limit of the trading range,
within which the price has been fluctuating since
April, is close to $3,430. Jerome Powell's signals
about a rate cut, unprecedented pressure from the
White House on the Fed, and the continuing high level
of geopolitical risks have brought the price back
to this level.
Washington's
introduction of 50% tariffs against India risks further
deepening the divide between the West and the East,
as well as the associated processes of de-dollarisation
and diversification of gold and foreign exchange reserves
by central banks in favour of precious metals.
For
the first time since 1996, central banks hold more
gold (about 25%) than US government bonds (about 20%)
in their gold and foreign exchange reserves. For comparison,
between 2008 and 2015, this ratio fluctuated between
10% and 30%, respectively.
Gold bulls are drawing strength from the dynamics
of the US yield curve. Yields on 2- and 10-year Treasuries
are falling. The market is painting a stagflationary
backdrop, which is the best food for gold bugs.
Gold's
ability to break through the resistance zone above
$3,430 will be an important signal of the market's
readiness to return to a rally after four months of
tug-of-war. But it is worth being cautious with early
bullish bets at these levels. Formally, there is now
a greater chance of another pullback to the lower
end of the range at $3,300-3,315.
At
the same time, investors should remember that whichever
way the breakout occurs, the subsequent movement could
be very strong, given how long the gold market has
been gathering strength while remaining in a sideways
trend. (FxPro)
News
Australian
Mining: Overview
Economic
Impact: Mining accounts for around 13.6% of Australia's
GDP (2023) and nearly 70% of total export revenue.
It generated $356.6 billion in company tax and royalties
over the past decade. Iron ore, coal, lithium, gold,
and bauxite are among the top exports, with Australia
being the world’s largest producer of lithium,
iron ore, and bauxite, and a top-five producer of
gold, lead, zinc, and nickel.
Key
Regions and Resources:
Western
Australia (WA): The epicenter of Australian mining,
hosting major iron ore, gold, lithium, and nickel
projects. It employed 134,871 full-time-equivalent
workers in 2023-24, with iron ore (62,950 FTEs), gold
(31,884 FTEs), and lithium (11,386 FTEs) leading employment.
Queensland
(QLD): Contributes $75 billion annually to the economy
and employs over 50,000 people, with high-grade graphite
and rhenium deposits.
New South Wales (NSW): Rich in coal, gold, and copper,
with the Cowal gold mine as the largest. It provides
40,000 jobs and nearly $2 billion in royalties.
Northern
Territory (NT): Home to the world’s largest manganese
mine and one-third of Australia’s uranium reserves,
valued at over $4 billion.
Victoria
(VIC): Known for gold, antimony, and brown coal, with
a strong mining equipment and technology sector.
Tasmania
(TAS): A century-long mineral producer with diverse
geology.
Critical
Minerals and Innovation: Australia is a global leader
in critical minerals like lithium, rare earths, and
manganese, essential for renewable energy and defense.
The industry is adopting automation (e.g., driverless
trucks), AI, and blue hydrogen to improve efficiency
and reduce emissions. The government’s $1 billion
Value-Adding in Resources Fund aims to enhance domestic
processing.
Environmental
and Social Challenges: Mining faces scrutiny for environmental
impacts, including land destruction, water pollution,
and carbon emissions from fossil fuel production.
ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) concerns and
commodity price uncertainty are top risks for 2024.
The industry is criticized for low tax contributions
relative to profits (6% of federal revenue) and benefits
from subsidies like the $3.5 billion Fuel Tax Credit
Scheme.
Employment
and Ownership: The sector employs about 229,500 people
(2% of the workforce), with high median earnings ($2,649/week).
However, it’s 86% foreign-owned, with major players
like BHP (76% foreign-owned) and Rio Tinto (83% foreign-owned)
dominating.
Future
Outlook: With 80% of Australia’s mineral potential
unexplored, the industry is poised for growth, particularly
in critical minerals for electric vehicles and renewable
energy. However, regulatory changes, climate goals,
and community expectations for fairer taxation and
environmental stewardship pose challenges. (Grok)
News
Flashback
September
1, 2025
BHP
call to voters in coal tax fight
BHP's
BMA coking coal joint venture in Queensland paid an
effective tax rate of about 67 per cent in 2024-25.
BHP CEO Mike Henry has warned that some of the joint
venture's mines may need to be shut down due to the
impact of low coal prices and the state's coal royalty
regime. Meanwhile, BMA's head of operations Mariette
Bylsma says Queensland has one of the world's highest
coal royalty regimes, which is making the state less
competitive and less predictable for investment. Bylsma
adds that the "unsustainable" coal tax is
having a real impact on regional jobs and communities,
and she has urged the general public to raise the
issue with their local MP. (Roy Morgan Summary)
News
MinRes
takeover of miner run by Ellison's brother faces backlash
Resource
Development Group's administrator McGrathNicol recently
advised that it had received seven non-binding offers
to acquire the failed garnet miner. However, the firm
decided to recommend the offer from RDG's majority
shareholder, Mineral Resources, as it would result
in the highest return to shareholders. However, minority
investors in RDG claim that they are not being treated
fairly, and allege that Mineral Resources is hastening
the takeover without allowing time for other bids
to emerge. RDG's former MD Andrew Ellison is the brother
of Mineral Resources' founder and MD Chris Ellison.
(RMS)
News
Sunday
truck crash adds to MinRes woes
Mineral
Resources is under renewed scrutiny following another
incident on the private road that is used to transport
iron ore to port facilities at Onslow in Western Australia.
There has been a rear-end collision between one of
the company's road trains and a truck that was being
driven by a contractor; it is believed that nobody
was injured in yesterday's incident and both trucks
sustained only minor damage. However, there have been
a series of incidents on the 150km road since it was
opened in 2024, including a road train rollover last
week. Mineral Resources has also spent $230m on repairing
damage to the road caused by cyclones in early 2025.
(RMS)
News
Gas
industry frays over future of LNG as lobbying intensifies
Australia's
east gas market is facing a supply crisis that could
hit NSW and Victoria as early as 2029, with the nation's
$90 billion liquefied natural gas sector at odds as
to which of its participants should face the burden
of addressing the looming crisis. With the federal
government having announced a review of the LNG sector
earlier in the year, Australia Pacific LNG and Santos,
which is the operator of the Gladstone LNG project,
are both actively lobbying the federal government
as to their views as to how the two ventures believe
the sector should be reformed. (Roy Morgan Summary)
News
Bitcoin
Mining News
Industry
Challenges and Hashrate Records: Bitcoin mining difficulty
recently hit an all-time high of 126.9 trillion on
May 31, 2025, before slightly dropping to 126.4 trillion.
The network hashrate crossed 1 zetahash per second
(ZH/s) in April 2025, reflecting intense competition.
Miners face financial pressures from the April 2024
halving, which reduced block rewards, coupled with
rising operational costs. Despite this, companies
like MARA (mined 950 BTC in May 2025, holding 49,179
BTC) and CleanSpark (mined 694 BTC, holding 12,502
BTC) are expanding and retaining BTC as a treasury
asset.
Shift
to AI and Energy Competition: Bitcoin miners are increasingly
competing with AI data centers for cheap energy, prompting
some to pivot into AI infrastructure. For instance,
Bitmain plans to open a U.S.-based BTC mining hardware
facility by late 2025, and TeraWulf has secured Google
as its largest shareholder, validating its AI-integrated
strategy. This shift is driven by the need to monetize
power, with executives noting that energy, not just
hashrate, is now the critical factor.
Environmental
and Regulatory Concerns: A Harvard study revealed
that Bitcoin mining exposes 1.9 million Americans
to harmful PM2.5 air pollution, primarily from fossil
fuel-powered plants. The study highlights a "cross-state
domino effect," urging federal regulation. Meanwhile,
rural U.S. communities, like Dresden, NY, report noise
pollution from mining operations, sparking local backlash
despite support from some pro-crypto policies under
the current administration.
Centralization
Risks: Posts on X have raised alarms about mining
centralization, with two pools controlling over 51%
of the network’s hash power, potentially enabling
a 51% attack. This has sparked debate about Bitcoin’s
decentralization, though these claims remain inconclusive
without further evidence.
Innovations
and Expansions: Companies like Cipher Mining launched
a 150MW Bitcoin mining site in Texas (Black Pearl),
aiming for 300MW, and BitFuFu reported a record 34.1
EH/s hashrate, mining 400 BTC in May 2025. Block introduced
Proto Rig, a modular, repairable miner, and Proto
Fleet, an open-source software to enhance mining efficiency.
Profitability
Struggles: Mining a single Bitcoin now costs approximately
$137,000 in electricity, exceeding its market value
of around $95,000-$104,000, rendering traditional
mining unprofitable for many. Miners are adapting
by holding BTC or diversifying into other cryptocurrencies
like Ethereum.
Song
Welcome
To The Blockchain (Song lyrics)
We're
now standing on the precipice of a global revolution
Of
economics, of politics, and government
Welcome
to the blockchain
verse
Power
corrupts, money is power
The
power to control the money is one that is now
In
the hands of those who pretend we can't function without
them
So
how can we do something about it? (Huh?)
Working
hard to get a raise, lifting that wage up
Inflation
takes it like a hidden taxation
Manipulated
interest rates to give the banks
A
way to create money with the loans that they're giving
out daily (yup)
That
means our money is debt
That
we gotta pay back more than a hundred percent
No
wonder then why the middle class is going under
When
the one's above them gotta cover and come to collect
And
many have no access to banking
Making
payments, or saving, so more fees are taken
And
every day the gatekeepers are trying to stop change
We
can not wait, welcome to the blockchain
chorus
Welcome
to the blockchain
Things
are about to change
Open
up the gates
Systems
get replaced
Bitcoin
Decentralize
the trust
Security,
transparency
The
network's run by us
Bitcoin
verse
Bitcoin
is a decentralized ledger
And
the currency is its first enterprise ever
Secured
by the worldwide incentivized network
Can't
be stolen or controlled by any sized effort
You
can send it anywhere and instantly
No
one can intervene, no third party in between
There's
no counterfeiting
Algorithms
control the outer limits of how many coins can get
released
Programmable
money, no government can seize it
Payments
can be customized by sender and receiver
Contracts
can be written cementing your agreements
With
terms that can't be bent once you consent then it
completes it
Autonomous
businesses are possible
Where
profit is distributed amongst those adopting it
Paradigm
shift we must adjust to the ending
With
the blockchain, bitcoin is just the beginning
chorus
Welcome
to the blockchain
Things
are about to change
Open
up the gates
Systems
get replaced
Bitcoin
Decentralize
the trust
Security,
transparency
The
network's run by us
Bitcoin
bridge
Now
that we got control
We're
not gonna let it go
My
people all around the globe
We
gotta keep building, building, building
Now
that we got control
We're
not gonna let it go
My
people all around the globe
We
gotta keep building, building, building
chorus
Welcome
to the blockchain
Things
are about to change
Open
up the gates
Systems
get replaced
Bitcoin
Decentralize
the trust
Security,
transparency
The
network's run by us
Bitcoin
By
di DECAP, Toby / Toby Ganger
News
Working
Man: Sony Lyrics
It's
a working man l am And I've been down under ground
And I swear to God if l ever see the sun Or for any
length of time I can hold it in my mind I never again
will go down under ground
At
the age of sixteen years Oh, he quarrels with his
peers Who vowed they'd never see another one In the
dark recess of the mines Where you age before your
time And the coal dust lies heavy on your lungs
It's
a working man l am And I've been down under ground
And I swear to God if l ever see the sun Or for any
length of time I can hold it in my mind I never again
will go down under ground
At
the age of sixty four Oh, he'll greet you at the door
And he'll gently lead you by the arm
Through
the dark recess of the mines
Oh,
he'll take you back in time And he'll tell you of
the hardships that were had
It's
a working man l am And I've been down under ground
And
I swear to God if l ever see the sun Or for any length
of time I can hold it in my mind I never again will
go down under ground
It's
a working man l am And I've been down under ground
And
I swear to God if l ever see the sun Or for any length
of time I can hold it in my mind I never again will
go down under ground
It's
a working man l am And I've been down under ground
And
I swear to God if l ever see the sun
Or
for any length of time I can hold it in my mind I
never again will go down under ground
God,
I never again will go down under ground
By
Rita Macneil
News
Best
Quotes Of The Day
The
best and biggest gold mine is in between your ears."
"You
are a gold mine of potential power. You have to dig
to find it and make it real."
"Your
mind is like a gold mine, if you dig deep you will
find something golden."
"Don't
die without mining the gold in your mind."
"We're
like goldfields. Until we dig deep to find what's
inside us, our true potentials may be hidden forever."
"If
you want to find gold, you've got to love the process
of digging."
"Even
if you're sitting on a gold mine, you still have to
dig."
"Develop
men the same way gold is mined"
"Don't
go into the mine looking for dirt; instead, go in
looking for the gold."
"A
prospector's job is to remove dirt as quickly as possible"
"A
prospector who analyses every speck of dirt won't
find much gold"
"The
world is sitting on a gold mine but knows it not."
"Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are
silver, these are gold."
"All
that is gold does not glitter."
"Gold
is forever. It is beautiful, useful, and never wears
out"
"Gold
is the money of kings"
"Mining
is the art of exploiting mineral deposits at a profit.
An unprofitable mine is fit only for the sepulcher
of a dead mule."
"Anyone
can find the dirt in someone. Be the one that finds
the gold."
"True
gold fears no fire."
"The
desire of gold is not for gold. It is for the means
of freedom and benefit."
"Make
new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these
are gold."
"When
taken for granted, gold in one's hand is sometimes
considered like cheap copper – so are people."
Mining/Energy/Resources/Mining/Culture:
Australia and World
Newsfeed
August
4/5, 2025
August
4
ASX-listed
gold miners arrive at Diggers & Dealers with more
than $7.5b in cash and bullion
The
annual Diggers & Dealers Mining Forum begins in
Kalgoorlie-Boulder on Monday, with the price of gold
having risen by 38 per cent in Australian dollar terms
since last year's event. ASX-listed producers of gold
collectively held more than $7.5 billion of cash and
bullion as of 30 June, with how they intend to spend
that money certain to be a dominant topic of conversation
at the three-day event. Surbiton Associates director
Sandra Close suggests the money could be spent on
further acquisitions, while she is sure shareholders
would like it spent on higher dividends. (RMS)
News
Court
looms for Anglo, Peabody in $5.8b deal dispute
Peabody
Energy is slated to acquire four Queensland coking
coal mines from Anglo American in a $US3.78 billion
($5.87 billion) deal. However, it has become complicated
by an underground fire at the Moranbah North mine
on 31 March. Peabody and Anglo American are at odds
over whether the fire represents a "material
adverse change" event, which would allow the
terms of the deal to be renegotiated, with the companies
prepared to go to court over the issue. (Roy Morgan
Summary)
News
The
new Great Game: how China's grip on critical minerals
is redrawing the world order
China
is the chief player and reigning champion in what
has been described as the new Great Game, namely the
control of critical mineral supply chains and the
mineral resources that power modern technologies such
as EVs and mobile phones. China's dominance of critical
minerals is something that has developed over decades,
and which saw it control 97 per cent of global rare
earth element production by 2010. It has taken time
for the West to wake up to China's critical minerals
dominance, and closing this gap will not be easy;
a war-time mindset is needed. (Roy Morgan Summary)
News
AVZ
'hell-bent' on getting best deal for Congo project
AVZ
Minerals' MD Nigel Ferguson says he is determined
to get the best deal for shareholders in any sale
of its Manono lithium project in the Democratic Republic
of Congo. US-based KoBold Metals is regarded as the
leading contender to buy the project, although Ferguson
says the company will have to "step up"
its offer in order to secure a deal. KoBold's shareholders
include US billionaire Marc Andreessen, who is a backer
of Vice President JD Vance. Any breakdown in negotiations
between AVZ and KoBold could therefore potentially
jeopardise a proposed critical mineral pact between
the US and the DRC, which could be signed within weeks.
(RMS)
Newsfeed
August
5
Fortescue
safety jobs relocated to India
A
decision by Fortescue to shift safety alert monitoring
roles to India is said to be causing confusion at
its iron ore mines in Western Australia. It is understood
that calls to workers at the mines to alert them of
potential problems are displaying as overseas numbers,
prompting staff to decline the calls because they
believed they are being scammed. The safety alert
monitoring roles were moved to India a few weeks ago
as part of cost-cutting measures, while it is understood
that local workers who were performing the jobs have
been redeployed in other roles. (Roy Morgan Summary)
News
Canberra
to follow Trump's lead on rare earths to counter China
Resources
Minister Madeleine King says the federal government
is looking at national offtake agreements for the
sale of Australia's rare earths as part of its Critical
Minerals Strategic Reserve policy. King says the government
is considering creating a floor price for rare earths
as part of its policy, while she stopped short of
saying that the government would directly invest in
rare earth mining companies. The US Department of
Defense recently acquired a 15 per cent stake in MP
Materials, which is the biggest rare earth producer
in the US. (Roy Morgan Summary)
News
Santos
deal is not in national interest: Beach
The
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company-led consortium's exclusive
due diligence period regarding a proposed takeover
bid for Santos will shortly end. Beach Energy is Santos's
partner in the Cooper Basin gas venture, which supplies
gas for both exports and the domestic markets. Beach
CEO Brett Woods contends that it is not in the national
interest for the Cooper Basin assets to be sold to
foreign operators; he adds that it is not certain
that the ADNOC-led consortium would be committed to
continuing to supply the domestic market. Meanwhile,
Beach has posted a loss of $43.8m for 2024-25, due
primarily to a large impairment charge. (RMS)
News
Bitcoin
Mining
Bitcoin
mining is the process of validating transactions and
securing the Bitcoin network by solving complex mathematical
problems using specialized hardware. Miners compete
to find a hash that meets the network's difficulty
target, earning newly minted bitcoins and transaction
fees as rewards. Here's a concise overview based on
current insights:
How
It Works: Miners use powerful computers (ASICs) to
solve cryptographic puzzles, adding validated transactions
to the blockchain in blocks. The first miner to solve
the puzzle broadcasts the block, and if validated
by the network, they receive the block reward (currently
3.125 BTC, halved in April 2024) plus fees.
Hardware
& Costs: Modern mining requires Application-Specific
Integrated Circuits (ASICs) due to high computational
demands. Costs include hardware (e.g., Bitmain Antminer
S19, ~$1,500-$3,000), electricity (often $0.04-$0.10/kWh
for profitability), cooling, and facility expenses.
Profitability:
Depends on electricity costs, hardware efficiency,
Bitcoin price (~$60,000-$70,000 recently), and network
difficulty (which adjusts every ~2 weeks). Small-scale
miners often join pools to share rewards and reduce
variance.
Environmental
Impact: Mining consumes significant energy (~150 TWh
annually, comparable to small countries). Some operations
use renewable energy (e.g., hydro in Canada or geothermal
in Iceland) to mitigate impact.
Challenges:
High upfront costs, regulatory risks (e.g., bans in
China), and competition from large-scale operations.
The 2024 halving reduced rewards, squeezing margins
for inefficient miners.
Trends:
Shift toward sustainable energy, adoption of liquid
cooling, and geographic diversification (e.g., U.S.,
Kazakhstan). Some miners pivot to AI computing to
offset costs. (Grok)
News
The
sector faces a dynamic landscape of high costs, regulatory
shifts, and environmental scrutiny, with miners adapting
through strategic sales, diversification, or renewable
energy adoption
Recent
developments in Bitcoin mining highlight a mix of
technological advancements, economic challenges, and
environmental concerns:
Industry Performance: June 2025 saw mixed results
for miners. Australian-based IREN reported record
revenues but lower Bitcoin production, while CleanSpark
hit a 50 EH/s hashrate milestone, holding 12,608 BTC
despite selling 578 BTC for over $61 million.
MARA
Holdings mined 950 BTC in May 2025, a 35% increase
from April, boosting its reserves to 49,179 BTC without
selling any.
Mergers and Acquisitions: CoreWeave acquired Core
Scientific for $9 billion in an all-stock deal to
enhance AI and high-performance computing capabilities.
Meanwhile, Gryphon Digital Mining merged with American
Bitcoin Corp, backed by Eric and Donald Trump Jr.,
aiming to leverage pro-crypto policies under the Trump
administration.
Mining Difficulty and Hashrate: Bitcoin’s mining
difficulty hit a record 127.6 trillion in early August
2025, increasing operational costs after the April
2024 halving reduced block rewards. A slight 3% difficulty
drop is expected around August 9, potentially easing
pressure on less efficient miners. The network hashrate
crossed 1 zetahash per second in April 2025, reflecting
intense competition.
Environmental and Social Impact: Bitcoin mining’s
energy consumption, estimated at 2.3% of the U.S.
grid, has raised concerns. A Harvard study found that
34 major U.S. mines, primarily fossil-fuel-powered,
increased PM2.5 air pollution, affecting 1.9 million
Americans. Noise pollution from mining facilities,
like one in Dresden, New York, has sparked community
backlash, with residents reporting health issues and
disrupted peace.
Policy and Regulation: The Trump administration’s
push to make the U.S. the “crypto-mining capital”
includes plans for a national Bitcoin stockpile, boosting
mining stocks like MARA, Core Scientific, and Riot
Platforms. However, the IMF blocked Pakistan’s
plan for cheap electricity in crypto mining, citing
energy market risks. Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis
proposed addressing double taxation for miners.
Cloud Mining and Scams: Cloud mining platforms like
PAIRMiner and VN Bit Cloud gained traction, driven
by pro-crypto policies and Bitcoin’s price surge
past $94,000 in January 2025. However, warnings about
scams like Tophash and GlobaleCrypto highlight risks
of high fees and centralization.
Innovations and Shifts: Some miners, like Bit Digital,
are pivoting to Ethereum staking, while others, like
HIVE Digital Tech, scaled up to mine 6.5 BTC daily
using hydro-cooled facilities. Auradine Inc. announced
next-generation mining hardware at the Bitcoin 2025
Conference. (Grok)
News
Welcome
To The Blockchain (Song Lyrics)
We're
now standing on the precipice of a global revolution
Of economics, of politics, and government
Welcome to the blockchain
verse
Power
corrupts, money is power
The power to control the money is one that is now
In the hands of those who pretend we can't function
without them
So how can we do something about it? (Huh?)
Working hard to get a raise, lifting that wage up
Inflation takes it like a hidden taxation
Manipulated interest rates to give the banks
A way to create money with the loans that they're
giving out daily (yup)
That means our money is debt
That we gotta pay back more than a hundred percent
No wonder then why the middle class is going under
When the one's above them gotta cover and come to
collect
And many have no access to banking
Making payments, or saving, so more fees are taken
And every day the gatekeepers are trying to stop change
We can not wait, welcome to the blockchain
chorus
Welcome
to the blockchain
Things are about to change
Open up the gates
Systems get replaced
Bitcoin
Decentralize the trust
Security, transparency
The network's run by us
Bitcoin
verse
Bitcoin
is a decentralized ledger
And the currency is its first enterprise ever
Secured by the worldwide incentivized network
Can't be stolen or controlled by any sized effort
You can send it anywhere and instantly
No one can intervene, no third party in between
There's no counterfeiting
Algorithms control the outer limits of how many coins
can get released
Programmable money, no government can seize it
Payments can be customized by sender and receiver
Contracts can be written cementing your agreements
With terms that can't be bent once you consent then
it completes it
Autonomous businesses are possible
Where profit is distributed amongst those adopting
it
Paradigm shift we must adjust to the ending
With the blockchain, bitcoin is just the beginning
chorus
Welcome
to the blockchain
Things are about to change
Open up the gates
Systems get replaced
Bitcoin
Decentralize the trust
Security, transparency
The network's run by us
Bitcoin
bridge
Now
that we got control
We're not gonna let it go
My people all around the globe
We gotta keep building, building, building
Now that we got control
We're not gonna let it go
My people all around the globe
We gotta keep building, building, building
chorus
Welcome
to the blockchain
Things are about to change
Open up the gates
Systems get replaced
Bitcoin
Decentralize the trust
Security, transparency
The network's run by us
Bitcoin
By
di DECAP, Toby / Toby Ganger
News
Working
Man: Sony Lyrics
It's
a working man l am And I've been down under ground
And I swear to God if l ever see the sun Or for any
length of time I can hold it in my mind I never again
will go down under ground
At the age of sixteen years Oh, he quarrels with his
peers Who vowed they'd never see another one In the
dark recess of the mines Where you age before your
time And the coal dust lies heavy on your lungs
It's a working man l am And I've been down under ground
And I swear to God if l ever see the sun Or for any
length of time I can hold it in my mind I never again
will go down under ground
At the age of sixty four Oh, he'll greet you at the
door And he'll gently lead you by the arm Through
the dark recess of the mines Oh, he'll take you back
in time And he'll tell you of the hardships that were
had
It's a working man l am And I've been down under ground
And I swear to God if l ever see the sun Or for any
length of time I can hold it in my mind I never again
will go down under ground
It's a working man l am And I've been down under ground
And I swear to God if l ever see the sun Or for any
length of time I can hold it in my mind I never again
will go down under ground
It's a working man l am And I've been down under ground
And I swear to God if l ever see the sun Or for any
length of time I can hold it in my mind I never again
will go down under ground
God, I never again will go down under ground
The
best and biggest gold mine is in between your ears."
"You
are a gold mine of potential power. You have to dig
to find it and make it real."
"Your
mind is like a gold mine, if you dig deep you will
find something golden."
"Don't
die without mining the gold in your mind."
"We're
like goldfields. Until we dig deep to find what's
inside us, our true potentials may be hidden forever."
"If
you want to find gold, you've got to love the process
of digging."
"Even
if you're sitting on a gold mine, you still have to
dig."
"Develop
men the same way gold is mined"
"Don't
go into the mine looking for dirt; instead, go in
looking for the gold."
"A
prospector's job is to remove dirt as quickly as possible"
"A
prospector who analyses every speck of dirt won't
find much gold"
"The
world is sitting on a gold mine but knows it not."
"Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are
silver, these are gold."
"All
that is gold does not glitter."
"Gold
is forever. It is beautiful, useful, and never wears
out"
"Gold
is the money of kings"
"Mining
is the art of exploiting mineral deposits at a profit.
An unprofitable mine is fit only for the sepulcher
of a dead mule."
"Anyone
can find the dirt in someone. Be the one that finds
the gold."
"True
gold fears no fire."
"The
desire of gold is not for gold. It is for the means
of freedom and benefit."
"Make
new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these
are gold."
"When
taken for granted, gold in one's hand is sometimes
considered like cheap copper – so are people."
News
News
Bonus
Gold
by Spandau Ballet Producers: Steve Jolley & Tony
Swain
Music
Video: Gold
https://youtube.com/watch?v=VQ4qrcHyYj4
[Verse
1]
Thank
you for coming home Sorry that the chairs are all
worn I left them here I could have sworn
These
are my salad days Slowly being eaten away Just another
play for today
Oh,
but I'm proud of you, but I'm proud of you
Nothing
left to make me feel small Luck has left me standing
so tall
[Chorus]
Gold (gold)
Always
believe in your soul You've got the power to know
You're indestructible, always believing
You
are gold (gold) Glad that you're bound to return
There's
something I could have learned
You're
indestructible, always believing
[Verse
2]
After
the rush has gone I hope you find a little more time
Remember we were partners in crime
It's
only two years ago
The man with the suit and the face
You knew that he was there on the case
Now he's in love with you, he's in love with you
And
love is like a high prison wall And you could leave
me standing so tall
[Chorus]
Gold
(gold) Always believe in your soul You've got the
power to know You're indestructible, always believing
You are gold (gold) Glad that you're bound to return
Something I could have learned You're indestructible,
always believing
[Bridge]
Love
is like a high prison wall
You could leave me standing so tall
[Chorus]
Gold
(gold) Always believe in your soul
You got the power to know
You're indestructible, always believing
You are gold (gold)
Glad that you're bound to return
Something
I could have learned
You're
indestructible, always believing (You are, gold) Always
believe in your soul
You've got the power to know
You're indestructible, always believing
'Cause you are gold (gold)
I'm glad that you're bound to return
Something I could have learned
You're indestructible, always believing (gold)
[Verse
1]
Thank
you for coming home Sorry that the chairs are all
worn I left them here I could have sworn
These
are my salad days Slowly being eaten away Just another
play for today Oh, but I'm proud of you, but I'm proud
of you
Nothing
left to make me feel small Luck has left me standing
so tall
[Chorus]
Gold
(gold) Always believe in your soul
You've
got the power to know You're indestructible, always
believing
You
are gold (gold) Glad that you're bound to return
There's
something I could have learned You're indestructible,
always believing
[Verse
2]
After
the rush has gone I hope you find a little more time
Remember we were partners in crime
It's
only two years ago The man with the suit and the face
You knew that he was there on the case
Now
he's in love with you, he's in love with you And love
is like a high prison wall
The
Australian sharemarket posted a modest gain on Wednesday,
with the S&P/ASX 200 adding 0.1 per cent to close
at 8,279.6 points. Fortescue was up 2.2 per cent at
$16.97, Woodside Energy rose 3.4 per cent to $22.31
and the Commonwealth Bank firmed 0.8 per cent to end
the session at $167.50. However, Insignia Financial
shed 15.8 per cent to finish at $3.37 and Aristocrat
Leisure was down 8.9 per cent at $62.10. (Roy Morgan
Summary)
News
Media
CNN
and Fox take on their own legacies with new streaming
services
Fox
Corporation is set to launch its third streaming service
in the US. Fox One will feature content from across
the media group's operations, including news, sport
and entertainment. It will complement Fox Corp's existing
Fox Nation streaming news channel and Tubi, a free
advertising supported general entertainment streaming
platform. Meanwhile, Warner Bros Discovery-owned CNN
plans to launch a news streaming service that will
be bundled with subscriptions to http://cnn.com. Fox
Corp and CNN are both confident that their new streaming
products will not cannabilise the customer base for
their cable TV services. (RMS)
News
Rio
shows we must invest in green iron: Fortescue boss
Rio
Tinto recently advised that the iron content of its
flagship 'Pilbara Blend Fines' product will be downgraded
by nearly one percentage point, to 60.8 per cent;
BHP had previously reduced the iron content of two
iron ore products in 2024. Fortescue CEO Dino Otranto
says the trend underlines the need for Australia to
invest in more domestic refining, in order to produce
higher-grade iron ore. Otranto has indicated that
Fortescue is on track to finish construction of a
green iron plant at its Christmas Creek iron ore hub
and produce commercial quantities of green iron by
the end of 2025. (Roy Morgan Summary)
News
Beware
the rally in iron ore above $US100, it might not last
The
iron ore price has peaked at more than $US101 per
tonne in Singapore trading on Wednesday, which is
its highest level in about six weeks. Factors such
as the easing of trade tensions between the US and
China have bolstered the price of the steel input,
although market watchers say the rebound is unlikely
to be sustained. Headwinds include steel production
cutbacks in China and a looming increase in global
iron ore supply as new projects in Africa start to
commence shipments. (RMS)
News
Core
Lithium plan to revive mothballed Finniss
Perth-based
Core Lithium has advised that it may resume operations
at its Finniss mine in the Northern Territory. The
mine was placed in 'care and maintenance' mode in
2024, in response to a sharp downturn in the price
of lithium. Core hopes a plan to significantly reduce
mining and processing costs at Finniss, while also
boosting productivity, will enable the mine to reopen.
CEO Paul Brown says the quality of the Finniss deposit
and its proximity to the Port of Darwin gives it an
advantage over rival lithium mines in Western Australia.
(RMS)
News
Australian
Mining News
WA
Mining Conference and Exhibition: Scheduled for October
8–9, 2025, in Perth, this event will focus on
critical minerals, mine waste management, and innovative
technologies shaping the industry’s future. It
aims to be a key platform for networking and industry
insights.
Global
Resources Innovation Expo (GRX25): Set for May 20–22,
2025, in Brisbane, GRX25 will feature industry leaders
like Owen Hegarty, discussing transformation and sustainability
in mining.
Carbine
Resources: The company secured a 21-year mining lease
for its Muchea West silica sand project in Western
Australia, marking a significant milestone.
Federal
Government Cabinet: Following the re-election of Prime
Minister Anthony Albanese, the new cabinet has been
welcomed by mining bodies. The government is pushing
the Critical Minerals Production Tax Incentive (10%
refundable tax offset for processing 31 critical minerals)
and a Hydrogen Production Tax Incentive ($2/kg for
renewable hydrogen).
Prospect
Awards 2025: Nominations are open for the Australian
Mining Prospect Awards, recognizing excellence in
safety, occupational health, and industry leadership.
Legacy
Minerals: The company is advancing the Nico Young
nickel-cobalt project in New South Wales, leveraging
prior work by Jervois Global to reduce costs and accelerate
development.
Rio
Tinto’s Winu Project: Rio Tinto and Sumitomo
Metal Mining signed final joint venture agreements
for the Winu copper-gold project in Western Australia’s
Great Sandy Desert.
Sibanye-Stillwater:
The company reported a 92% increase in zinc production
(25,000 tonnes) at its Century zinc retreatment operation
in Queensland for the March 2025 quarter, with a feasibility
study for the Mt Lyell copper mine in Tasmania due
by late 2025.
Tivan’s
Speewah Fluorite Project: Tivan formed a joint venture
with Sumitomo Corporation, supported by a $5.3 million
investment and government funding, to develop Australia’s
first fluorite operation in Western Australia.
Hillgrove
Resources: The Kanmantoo copper mine in South Australia
produced 811 tonnes of copper in April, with annual
guidance set at 12,000–14,000 tonnes for 2025.
Critical
Minerals and Sustainability: Australia’s mining
sector is poised to lead in the global energy transition,
with growing demand for critical minerals and a focus
on innovation and sustainable practices.
Queensland
Mining Coroner: Wayne Pennell was appointed Queensland’s
first mining and resources coroner to investigate
fatalities and address a backlog of inquests, enhancing
safety accountability.
Social
Media Sentiment: Posts on X highlight ongoing exploration
(e.g., Verity Resources’ Monument Gold Project)
and acquisitions (e.g., Terra Metals’ Dante Project
expansion), reflecting active industry momentum. However,
a 119% mining rate hike by a Goldfields council has
sparked concern among local explorers. (Grok)
News
Pop
Culture/Entertainment
Media
Movies
Network
(1976) - Directed by Sidney Lumet, this satirical
drama follows a TV network exploiting a deranged anchor’s
rants for profit, highlighting media sensationalism.
Stars Faye Dunaway and Peter Finch.
Nightcrawler
(2014) - A thriller by Dan Gilroy about a drifter
(Jake Gyllenhaal) who becomes a freelance crime journalist,
blurring ethical lines for fame. It’s a sharp
critique of modern media’s vulture-like tendencies.
Zodiac
(2007) - Directed by David Fincher, this film chronicles
a cartoonist-turned-detective’s obsession with
the Zodiac Killer, exploring media’s role in
public fear and fascination.
Citizen
Kane (1941) - Orson Welles’ classic traces the
life of a newspaper magnate, loosely based on William
Randolph Hearst, examining media power and personal
ambition.
Sweet
Smell of Success (1957) - A biting satire about a
ruthless press agent and a powerful columnist, showcasing
media manipulation with sharp dialogue.
News
Gold:
Movie
Gold
(2016) is a crime drama inspired by the 1990s Bre-X
mining scandal. Matthew McConaughey stars as Kenny
Wells, a prospector who partners with geologist Michael
Acosta (Édgar Ramírez) to find gold
in Indonesia. After striking it rich, their success
unravels amid fraud and betrayal. Directed by Stephen
Gaghan, the film explores greed and ambition but received
mixed reviews for its uneven tone and pacing. It grossed
$14.8 million against a $20 million budget. Available
on platforms like Hulu or Amazon Prime (check current
listings). (Grok)
News/Profile
Gold
(1974)
Gold
(1974) is a British thriller directed by Peter R.
Hunt, based on Wilbur Smith's novel Gold Mine. Set
in South Africa, it follows Rod Slater (Roger Moore),
a mining engineer, who uncovers a conspiracy to flood
a gold mine to manipulate global gold prices. The
plot involves corporate greed, sabotage, and high-stakes
action, with Slater racing to stop the scheme.
Cast:
Roger Moore, Susannah York, Ray Milland, Bradford
Dillman.
Key
Details: 120 min, rated PG, released August 1974 (UK).
Filmed on location in Johannesburg, featuring intense
mining scenes.
Reception:
Mixed reviews; praised for action and Moore’s
charisma, criticized for pacing and dated elements.
IMDb rating: 5.7/10.
Availability:
Limited streaming; available for rent/purchase on
platforms like Amazon or on DVD.
News
Bitcoin
Movies Streaming
Money
Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery (2024, HBO)
A
documentary by Cullen Hoback exploring Bitcoin’s
origins and the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto. It’s
a thrilling investigation into Bitcoin’s rise
and its potential impact on global finance.
Streaming:
Available on HBO’s streaming platform, Max. Check
JustWatch for additional services or free options
like Apple TV+ trials.
Bitconned
(2024, Netflix) A true-crime documentary about three
individuals who scammed millions in the unregulated
crypto market to fund lavish lifestyles. Streaming:
Exclusively on Netflix.
Banking
on Bitcoin (2016)
A
popular documentary diving into Bitcoin’s impact,
its challenge to centralized banking, and its early
history. It’s a great pick for understanding
Bitcoin’s ethos. Streaming: Available on Amazon
Prime Video (free for subscribers), Fandango at Home,
and for purchase/rent on Amazon, YouTube Primetime,
or Apple TV.
The
Rise and Rise of Bitcoin (2014)
Follows
programmer Daniel Mross and early Bitcoin adopters,
offering insights into Bitcoin’s volatile early
days. Ideal for beginners.
Streaming: Available on Prime Video, Fandango at Home,
and for purchase on iTunes or Amazon.
Bitcoin:
The End of Money as We Know It (2015)
A
concise documentary tracing the history of money and
Bitcoin’s potential to disrupt fiat systems.
Features experts like Andreas Antonopoulos.
Streaming:
Available on Amazon Prime, YouTube, and Fandango at
Home. Free on YouTube in some regions (e.g., Ulterior
States).
Notes
on Streaming with Bitcoin:
Major
platforms like Netflix and HBO Max don’t directly
accept Bitcoin payments. However, you can use crypto
via gift cards purchased from platforms like Bitrefill,
Coinsbee, or eGifter, which offer cards for services
like Amazon, Fandango, or Rakuten, usable for streaming
or movie tickets.
For
example, Bitrefill sells Showtime or Rakuten gift
cards (for US, Spain, Portugal, Italy) payable with
Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Dogecoin.
Crypto
debit cards from providers like http://Crypto.com
or Coinbase can also convert Bitcoin to fiat for subscriptions
or purchases at non-crypto-accepting platforms.
Additional
Tips:
Check
platforms like JustWatch or IMDb for real-time streaming
availability, as services change frequently.
Some
older documentaries, like Ulterior States (2014),
are freely available on YouTube, offering ideological
perspectives on Bitcoin’s early days.
Be
cautious with free streaming sites; some, like Openload
or Streamango, have been linked to crypto-jacking
schemes that mine Monero using your device’s
CPU. (Grok)
The
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings
Haikyuu!!
The Dumpster Battle
In
a Violent Nature
Ezra
Sight
*
Correct at time of publication
Movie
Box Office (North America)
August
18, 2024
1.
Alien: Romulus - $41.5m
2.
Deadpool & Wolverine - $29m
3.
It Ends with Us - $24m
4.
Twisters - $9.8m
5.
Coraline - $8.4m
6.
Despicable Me 4 - $6m
7.
Trap - $3.4m
8.
Inside Out 2 - $3.2m
9.
Stree 2 - $2.6m
10.
Borderlands - $2.4m
others...
Harold
and the Purple Crayon
Cuckoo
Longlegs
The
Firing Squad
A
Quiet Place: Day One
Bad
Boys: Ride or Die
The
Fabulous Four
Fly
Me to the Moon
Raayan
Bad
Newz
MaXXXine
The
Bikeriders
Sound
of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot
Horizon:
An American Saga
The
Lion King
Kalki
2898 AD
Kinds
of Kindness
The
Garfield Movie
Kingdom
of the Planet of the Apes
Jatt
& Juliet 3
Blue
Lock Thee Movie - Episode Nagi
Daddio
Janet
Planet
The
Watchers
IF
The
Exorcism
Thelma
GHOST
Rite Here Rite Now
Furiosa:
A Mad Max Story
The
Fall Guy
The
Strangers: Chapter 1
The
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings
Haikyuu!!
The Dumpster Battle
In
a Violent Nature
Ezra
Sight
*
Correct at time of publication
Movie
Box Office (North America)
August
4, 2024
1.
Deadpool & Wolverine - $97m
2.
Twisters - $22.7m
3.
Trap - $15.6m
4.
Despicable Me 4 - $11.3
5.
Inside Out 2 - $6.7m
6.
Harold and the Purple Crayon - $6m
7.
Longlegs - $4.1m
8.
The Firing Squad - $1.6m
9.
A Quiet Place: Day One - $1.4m
10.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die - $601,000
others...
The
Fabulous Four
Fly
Me to the Moon
Raayan
Bad
Newz
MaXXXine
The
Bikeriders
Sound
of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot
Horizon:
An American Saga
The
Lion King
Kalki
2898 AD
Kinds
of Kindness
The
Garfield Movie
Kingdom
of the Planet of the Apes
Jatt
& Juliet 3
Blue
Lock Thee Movie - Episode Nagi
Daddio
Janet
Planet
The
Watchers
IF
The
Exorcism
Thelma
GHOST
Rite Here Rite Now
Furiosa:
A Mad Max Story
The
Fall Guy
The
Strangers: Chapter 1
The
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings
Haikyuu!!
The Dumpster Battle
In
a Violent Nature
Ezra
Sight
*
Correct at time of publication
News
Box
office numbers down approx 70 percent from last year
(References:
Wikipedia, Box Office Mojo, IMDb, Deadline and The
Hollywood Reporter)
Elon
Musk’s X Files Antitrust Suit Against Global
Advertising Alliance
August
6, 2024
Elon
Musk’s social media platform X has launched a
significant antitrust lawsuit against the Global Alliance
for Responsible Media (GARM) and several of its member
companies, alleging an illegal ad boycott that targeted
the platform. The lawsuit, filed in Texas, is aimed
at GARM, its parent firm World Federation of Advertisers
(WFA), and members including CVS Health, Mars, Orsted
and Unilever.
In
an open letter to advertisers, X CEO Linda Yaccarino
highlighted the reasons behind the lawsuit, stating
that it was a direct response to GARM’s actions
which allegedly cost the company billions of dollars.
“This is not a decision we took lightly, but
it is a direct consequence of their actions,”
Yaccarino wrote. “The illegal behavior of these
organizations and their executives cost X billions
of dollars” per The New York Post.
The
lawsuit is seeking trebled compensatory damages and
injunctive relief, according to a complaint viewed
by The New York Post. GARM, led by Robert Rakowitz,
is an initiative of the WFA, which represents many
of the world’s largest companies and ad organizations,
including Disney and Coca-Cola. Its members control
90% of global marketing spending, nearly $1 trillion
per year.
Yaccarino
emphasized that the issue extends beyond financial
damages. “This case is about more than damages
— we have to fix a broken ecosystem that allows
this illegal activity to occur,” she added.
According
to The New York Post, the suit argues that the boycott
undermined the marketplace of ideas by financially
harming certain viewpoints over others. (Credit: PYMNTS)
PYMNTS
is a former Media Man 'Business News Outlet Of The
Month' award winner and finalist
News
Elon
Musk takes GARM, several companies to court over alleged
advertising boycott of X outlined in bombshell report
August
7, 2024
Tech
billionaire Elon Musk has taken several companies
and an advertising alliance to court over allegations
of a "boycott" of X.
Elon
Musk has waged “war” against advertisers
as his social media platform X filed an antitrust
lawsuit against a global ad alliance and several major
companies, accusing them of illegally boycotting the
site.
X
filed a suit in a federal court in Texas against the
World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), the Global
Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) and its members
CVS Health, Mars, Orsted and Unilever.
The
suit comes after a report from the US House of Representatives
Judiciary Committee found GARM and its members “directly
organised boycotts” and employed other indirect
tactics to target disfavoured “platforms, content
creators” and news organisations to demonetise
them.
It
alleges that GARM’s boycott led advertisers to
pull money from X under the guise of “brand safety”
concerns.
X’s
CEO Linda Yaccarino argued this tactic hindered users
on the social media platform from accessing a wide
breadth of ideas by funding alternative viewpoints.
“The
consequence - perhaps the intent - of this boycott
was to seek to deprive X’s users, be they sports
fans, gamers, journalists, activists, parents or political
and corporate leaders, of the Global Town Square,”
she wrote.
“To
put it simply, people are hurt when the marketplace
of ideas is undermined and some viewpoints are not
funded over others as part of an illegal boycott.”
Mr
Musk shared his colleague’s statement to the
platform and boldly declared: “We tried peace
for 2 years, now it is war.”
He
later encouraged “any company who has been systematically
boycotted” to file a suit.
Following
his post, video sharing platform Rumble joined Mr
Musk’s lawsuit, claiming it has also been impacted
towards GARM’s alleged skew away from right wing
voices and ideologies.
The
platform announced its move on X where it accused
GARM of being “a conspiracy to perpetrate an
advertiser boycott of Rumble and others, and that's
illegal”.
Since
Musk took over the social media platform in October
2022, X has suffered a serious dive in ad dollars
with the platform taking in US$2.5 billion in 2023,
according to Bloomberg.
This
was down from the US$1bn it was bringing in every
quarter of 2022.
Musk
triggered controversy again in November 2023 when
he endorsed an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory that
Jewish communities push “hatred against whites”.
The
X owner responded: “You have said the actual
truth,” sparking an advertiser exodus that was
reported to have lost the company as much as $75m,
per The New York Times.
He
made headlines again in the same month after blasting
advertisers boycotting the social media platform,
boldly declaring: “Go f**k yourself”.
“If
somebody is going to try to blackmail me with advertising,
blackmail me with money, go f**k yourself. Go f**k
yourself. Is that clear? I hope it is,” he said.
(Sky News Australia)
Bitcoin:
$56,485.71 USD (up 3.10% in last 24 hours)
Dow
Jones: 38,997.66 at 5.02pm NY time (up 294.39 points
on yesterday's close)
(Roy
Morgan Summary)
News
Media
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Casino
Movie; Bruno Mars in Casino
Gonzo
Casino 'N Gaming Edition
Art
Imitates Life and Visa Versa
Everything
Is A Gamble
Casino
was my last good role, says iconic actress Sharon
Stone
Sharon
Stone has said she never got a good part again after
1995's Casino and described herself as "the invisible
actress".
The
Basic Instinct star, now a stunning 66, has since
appeared in films such as Catwoman, Lovelace and Basic
Instinct 2.
Stone
was passed over on snatching an Oscar for Martin Scorsese's
crime thriller Casino to Susan Sarandon in Dead Man
Walking.
Speaking
on high profile Louis Theroux Podcast, Stone disclosed
The Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola warned
her in advance that this would be the case.
She
said: "Francis put his hand on my shoulder and
he said: 'I need to talk to you.'
"He
said: 'You're not going to win the Oscar.'
'I
want you to feel like you're going to cry now. I don't
want you to cry in the room, and that's why I'm doing
this, and it feels so mean right now.
"'But
I didn't win for The Godfather and Marty didn't win
for Raging Bull, and you're not going to win for Casino."
Coppola
said none of them won because the Academy couldn't
"hear opera", she remembered.
"'This
is not the level of films they want," she remembers
him saying.
Discussing
attending the Oscars when she knew she was going to
lose, she said: "You have to pretend it's fantastic
and it's not fantastic.
"And
then I didn't get any good parts ever again for the
rest of my entire life."
When
Theroux replied: "That can't be true. I'm sure
there were other movies you did that were good,"
she replied: "No, and guess what? I hate it."
She
continued: "It's easier to say: 'She's cold',
or: 'I don't like her', or: 'She's difficult', or:
'She must be sick', or: 'She's too old', or that 'she's
hard to cast', or: 'We don't know what to do with
her.'
Stone
also touched on her experiences with disgraced and
vulgar producer Harvey Weinstein, who is in the clink
(jail) for sex offences and with whom she she crossed
paths at events for the Aids charity Amfar.
She
said: "I had a long time of dealing with Harvey
and I'm really glad that he's in prison and I think
he should stay there with the rest of the people who
are like him. Harvey's a pig. He's an octopus and
you're just always getting one of his tentacles off
you."
Asked
if she was too powerful for him to try to coerce into
sex, she said: "He would say things to me like:
'You know, you think you're such a princess, Sharon,'
as I would unwind him off me.
"And
I'd say: 'Yeah, I think I'm the queen of France. F***
off.'
"But
he was certainly comfortable with throwing me across
the room. He was physically violent to me on more
than one occasion because he was so angry at me because
I wouldn't do what he wanted me to do."
News
Work
Life Balancing Act For Mr Mars via MGM
News
Travels Fast Via Vegas Casinos, Cafe and Dance Floor
Bruno
Mars' shocking $50 million gambling debt report sparks
wild fan jokes: 'He is high on…'
Bruno
Mars owes millions to MGM casino for hefty poker debts,
risking long-term partnership
Bruno
Mars is renowned for lighting up the stage, but recent
reports alleging a staggering $50 million gambling
debt at the MGM Grand have fans buzzing for a different
reason.
In
2016, the singer-songwriter announced a 'multi-year
residency deal' with MGM Grand in Las Vegas. However,
the recent report suggests that the collaboration
between Mars and the gaming come hospitality and live
entertainment hybrid brand has gone south somewhat
due to mounting and almost unbelievable debt.
Bruno
Mars reportedly in $50 million debt to MGM Grand
On
March 16th, it was reported that Bruno Mars now owes
millions of dollars to the MGM casino after reportedly
accumulating hefty poker debts. The Talking to the
Moon singer had a multi-year residency agreement with
Park MGM in Las Vegas, where he performed on a regular
basis.
Citing
that MGM “basically owns him,” they continued,
“He earns $90 million a year from the casino
deal, but then he has to pay back his debt... after
taxes (Mars earns $1.5 million per night).”
What’s
going on between Bruno Mars and MGM Grand...
In
2016, it was announced that the hospitality industry
had entered into a long-term partnership with Mars,
which will feature his exclusive performances across
an extensive portfolio of world-class entertainment
venues. The president of MGM Grand delivered a statement
claiming, “Bruno is among the most talented performers
in the world and we are excited to start a long-term
relationship with him.” Now, the once mutual
relationship appears to have evolved into a feud due
to piled-up casino debts.
Bruno
Mars’ casino debt sparks meme frenzy
While
the 24K Magic singer has never shied away from admitting
that he supported himself by playing poker before
pursuing music, fans are shocked that news of his
casino debt has made its way onto the top of headlines.
“Bruno
Mars having $50 million gambling debt lets me know
his next album gonna be a classic, real degenerate.”
A user wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Others chimed
in too, “Bruno Mars needs a movie about his life
cause ik my mans be wylin…
50
MILLION DOLLARS in GAMBLING DEBT?”,
“Bruno
Mars walking through MGM casino undercover trying
to avoid that $50m gambling debt”, “He is
high on debt”, “Bruno mars when the dealer
gets blackjack.”
Another
famous entertainer used to sing something about "Know
when to walk away; know when to run".. Was Bruno
listening, partying away, both or neither?
Life
in the fast lane. Everything is a risk - especially
in showbiz circles in a casino no less.
Casino,
Entertainment And Internet Rumors
Casino
And Entertainment Giant MGM Denies Claims Bruno Mars
Has Debt With Casino
‘Any
Speculation Otherwise Is Completely False’
MGM
Resorts came to Bruno Mars’ defense on Monday
after rumors circulated about the Grammy winner’s
debt with the casino.
In
the last week, a report from NewsNation made claims
and the rounds that Mr. Mars had racked up over $50
million in gambling debt at MGM. They cited an anonymous
source close to the situation that said Mars allegedly
made $90 million a year through his residencies at
MGM but was using a large chunk of that profit to
pay off his gambling debt. “[He will] only make
$1.5 million per night after taxes,” the report
claimed. (“MGM) basically own him,” they
added.
A
"spokesperson" for MGM Resorts International
told entertainment news staple Variety that these
allegations are “completely false” as Mars
has “no debt with MGM.”
“We’re
proud of our relationship with Bruno Mars, one of
the world’s most thrilling and dynamic performers,”
they wrote in a statement. “From his shows at
Dolby Live at Park MGM to the new Pinky Ring lounge
at Bellagio, Bruno’s brand of entertainment attracts
visitors from around the globe. MGM and Bruno’s
partnership is longstanding and rooted in mutual respect.
Any speculation otherwise is completely false; he
has no debt with MGM. Together, we are excited to
continue creating unforgettable experiences for our
guests.”
Representatives
for Mars declined Variety‘s request for comment
and redirected the inquiry to MGM’s previous
statement.
Mars
has been performing for Las Vegas residencies since
2016 and has a multi-year partnership with MGM Resorts.
In addition, Mars and the casino recently partnered
to launch the Pinky Ring cocktail bar and entertainment
lounge inside the Bellagio Hotel and Casino. The venue
features live performances, all curated by Mars.
The
chart-topping artiste’s last solo project was
24K Magic in 2016, which included hits such as That’s
What I Like and Versace On The Floor.
The
crypto market has been enjoying an influx of buyers
since Saturday, with a visible acceleration on Monday.
Over the past 24 hours, capitalisation has risen 3.6%
to $2.33 trillion. Last week’s drop in the crypto
sentiment index to 30 (fear zone) reversed the price
twice, showing that the market is dominated by a ‘buy
the dip’ pattern.
Bitcoin
is trading near $63.3K, adding 5% since Saturday morning
and reaffirming the importance of support at 61.8%
of the Jan-March rally. From another perspective,
Bitcoin is adding and bouncing off the lower boundary
of the downward channel. Likely, the price is now
moving towards the upper boundary at $67K. However,
cautious buyers may prefer to wait for confirmation
with the price rising above $72-73K - the pivot area
of the last four months - which would be confirmation
of the start of a new impulsive wave of growth.
Bitcoin
ended June down 8.5% to $61.9K. In terms of seasonality,
July is considered quite successful for BTC, adding
eight times (22.3% on average) out of the last 13
and declining on five occasions (-7.8% on average).
News
background
In
terms of on-chain analysis, quotes have crossed the
realised price level of short-term holders at $62,000,
which historically can act as support during corrections
in bull markets.
According
to Arkham data, German authorities sent another 595
BTC worth ~$36.6 million to crypto exchanges on 26
June. Authorities began actively moving the cryptocurrency
on 19 June, when some of it first hit the Kraken and
Bitstamp exchanges.
Bitwise
forecasts net inflows into spot ETH-ETFs in the US
of $15bn in the first 18 months. Bloomberg expects
trading in the new product to start on 2 July.
Solana
Foundation has launched tools that enable it to turn
any website or app into a gateway for cryptocurrency
payments and other blockchain transactions.
On
26 June, the Blast development team completed the
first phase of an airdrop, distributing 17 billion
BLAST tokens (17% of the total issuance). Blast is
an Ethereum-based layer 2 (L2) network that was launched
in November 2023 by Blur founder under the pseudonym
Pacman. In terms of blockchain value locked (TVL),
the Blast ecosystem is ranked sixth in the DeFi Llama
ranking with a value of $1.58bn.
9.
The American Society of Magical Negroes - $1.3 million
10.
Ordinary Angels - $1 million
Cryptocurrency
News via FxPro and Media Man - arch
18, 2024
Crypto
market deepens correction
Market
picture
The
crypto market lost 6% in 24 hours to $2.42 trillion.
Solana reversed Tuesday's decline, losing 9% in 24
hours - the last of the major altcoins to fall into
a correction.
Bitcoin
is down 5% after falling to $64.4K. That's its lowest
level in two weeks and 13.5% below its high. A close
below $65.5K would signal a move to a deeper level
– the classic 61.8% retracement of the rally
with a potential target near $60K.
Solana
had been above $210, reaching highs not seen since
late 2021 before following the general corrective
mood of the markets. A classic retracement pattern
suggests a downside potential of $168. However, if
this level is approached, one needs to look at bitcoin
sentiment and global risk appetite to understand whether
this support will be strong enough.
Ethereum
is under selling pressure and has already pulled back
to $3300, erasing all gains since early March. Having
fallen below the 61.8% retracement of the rise from
the January lows, ETHUSD can only hope for support
in the form of the 50-day average ($3080) and $3000
(previous consolidation, plus the round level).
News
background
According
to CoinShares, crypto fund investments rose by a record
$2.916B last week, surpassing the previous record
set the week before ($2.685B) and continuing significant
inflows for the seventh consecutive week. Bitcoin
investments increased by $2.896B; Ethereum decreased
by $14M, and Solana decreased by $2.7M. Investments
in funds that allow shorting Bitcoin increased by
$26M.
Bitcoin
is in a bullish phase of a cycle like December 2020-January
2021. The current correction is "healthy"
and removes some of the leverage in the system, said
http://Crypto.com CEO Chris Marszalek.
Rekt
Capital warned of a "danger zone" ahead
of the upcoming halving in April. Historically, bitcoin
has fallen weeks before the event. The depth of the
correction was 20% in 2020 and 40% in 2016.
According
to new data from Bitcointreasuries, 93.6% of total
bitcoins (19,656,760 BTC) have already been mined
as of mid-March 2024. Miners have only 1.34 million
BTC left to mine, significantly limiting the future
supply of the asset.
Ethereum
issuance fell to its lowest level since August 2022
following the activation of the crucial Dencun update
on 13 March, CryptoQuant noted. According to The Block,
the ETH network has reached annual highs in the number
of active and new addresses, daily transactions, and
transaction volume.
The
buzz around meme coins has boosted the token rate
of the networks on which they are issued. The Solana
(SOL) and Avalanche (AVAX) cryptocurrencies updated
local highs. In pre-selling, users send network tokens
to a wallet address in exchange for a corresponding
number of coins when the meme token is launched. Solana
has once again become the trendiest crypto asset among
traders, with new Meme tokens appearing almost every
minute, according to ContentFi Labs.
(Source:
FxPro) with Media Man and Bitcoin News Media
News
Media
Showbiz
News from Hollywood; Screenwriters reach tentative
deal with studios to end strike
The
show must go on - eventually, anyway! With or without
a dash of AI et al.
The
Writers Guild of America, which represents thousands
of Hollywood writers, advised Sunday PM that it has
reached a tentative agreement on a new contract with
the major entertainment studios, paving the way to
end the 146-day strike that has brought television
and film production to a standstill. That's right
- 146 days! That's some kind of record.
"The
WGA and [Alliance of Motion Picture and Television
Produces] have reached a tentative agreement,"
according to an online WGA statement that discloses
that more details will follow after the contract language
has been finalized...ink had dried, you know the drum.
Though
the AMPTP trade alliance of major film and television
producers has yet to comment on the development, WGA
described the contract to members in a letter as "exceptional."
It contains "meaningful gains and protections
for writers in every sector of the membership,"
it said.
The
roughly 11,000 writers were demanding "economic
fairness," streaming-service residuals and regulation
on the use of AI (artificial intelligence) - take
that, you bots!
"What
we have won in this contract ... is due to the willingness
of this membership to exercise its power, to demonstrate
its solidarity, to walk side-by-side, to endure the
pain and uncertainty of the past 146 days. It is the
leverage generated by your strike, in concert with
the extraordinary support of our union siblings, that
finally brought the companies back to the table to
make a deal," it said.
The
language of the contract was being finalized, it said,
with guild members to vote on whether to accept it
in the coming days.
Union
members are being advised that "no one is to
return to work" unless specifically authorized
by the guild.
"We
are still on strike until then," it said, though
it was suspending picketing.
The
Hollywood writers went on strike early May after negotiations
with the studios and streaming services fell through,
following six weeks of talks, which brought a halt
to television productions.
Many
insiders as well as regular consumers of streaming
media shows and other had noticed a dive in overall
quality.
In
mid-July, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation
of Television and Radio Artists joined the movement,
shutting down any active studio productions.
The
deal announced late Sunday does not mean the resumption
of Hollywood productions, as SAG-AFTRA members remain
on the picket lines, and WAG is encouraging its members
to join in the actors' fight.
SAG-AFTRA
issued a statement congratulating WGA on the deal
it said it would review.
"We
remain on strike in our TV/Theatrical contract and
continue to urge the studio and streamer CEOs and
the AMPTP to return to the table and make the fair
deal that our members deserve and demand," it
said.
The
agreement was reached following a recent breach in
a stalemate in negotiations, which began about mid-August.
The
two sides were quiet until Sept. 14, when they said
they had agreed to return to the negotiating table,
and they have been hashing out a deal since Wednesday.
"After
a nearly five-month long strike, I am grateful that
the Writers Guild of American and the Alliance of
Motion Picture and Television Producers have reached
a fair agreement and I'm hopeful that the same can
happen soon with the Screen Actors Guild," Los
Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement.
"Now,
we must focus on getting the entertainment industry,
and all the small businesses that depend on it, back
on their feet and stronger than every before."
The
strike, which has waylaid productions for months,
has hurt the bottom line of studios, with Warner Bros.
Discovery telling the Securities and Exchange Commission
earlier this month in a filing that the strikes have
"negatively impacted" the company by a cost
of up to $500 million. Some folks in and around the
biz are pleased that that likes of a somewhat "woke
and broken" Disney had lost so much money.
Under
the watercooler Media heard, "More about fairness,
distribution of funds, and a fair days pay for a fair
days work. We showed the world and this script kind
of wrote itself"!
If
99pc of start-ups fail, how do AirTree and Blackbird
make money?
Starting
an ambitious technology company is undeniably hard,
but fresh data suggests failure rates aren’t
as high as parts of the industry say.
On
a darkened screen, a line of text lays out the stakes
for The New Hustle, a 2017 documentary series: “Over
92 per cent of start-ups fail. What separates those
who don’t?”
Six
years later, the production company behind that feature,
Founder Films, was back with a new documentary series
called Founder on the same topic. This time, the odds
seemed to be stacked even higher against start-up
founders. “Ninety-nine per cent of start-ups
fail,” the on-screen text from the documentary
reads.
Apparently,
those six years were a grim time for start-ups, whose
founders were portrayed as valorous figures surmounting
almost impossible odds. Yet between 2017 and early
2022, start-up funding soared in Australia, giving
even questionable firms war chests of cash to sustain
their dreams for years.
Statistics
requested by The Australian Financial Review from
the country’s biggest tech venture investors
suggest many more start-up companies are staying afloat
than the most heightened founder mythology suggests.
The
disparate figures reflect an industry that does not
have a uniform definition of failure even as commentators
contend that failure is discussed too harshly, or
too much, or not enough. And they show how failure
rates are deployed to either showcase investment performance
or valorise founders.
Startmate,
the long-running accelerator, has reported that 63
per cent of the more than 230 companies it has a stake
in are still active. AirTree Ventures, the large Sydney-based
fund that was founded in 2014, said its failure rate
– defined using the fairly common rule of investments
where it has got back less than it invested –
is lower than 20 per cent. Company closures in its
portfolio are even lower, at less than 3 per cent.
Blackbird
Ventures, meanwhile provided data from its first fund,
raised in 2013, where 25 per cent of the companies
have closed down, compared with the same number of
exits and 10 that are still operating. Square Peg,
the third major Australian venture fund, did not make
any data available.
Better
than regular businesses
Those
start-up failure rates compare fairly favourably to
the economy as a whole. For the past four years, failure
rates for all Australian businesses with staff have
hovered around 8 per cent, according to data from
the Bureau of Statistics.
But
unlike small-business investors who want to preserve
capital and grow slowly, venture capitalists bet on
a host of companies hoping a small percentage will
become enormously valuable in the knowledge many will
fail.
That
has led some start-up industry figures such as Finder
founder Fred Schebesta to argue some high-profile
failures should be celebrated to avoid discouraging
founders.
James
Alexander, a partner at early-stage investor Galileo
Ventures, said he did not support the idea of “celebrating”
failure, though he acknowledged that founding a business,
whether small business or start-up, was very hard.
“Do
I think failure is positive? No, I don’t,”
Mr Alexander said. “I don’t think [failures]
are positive, but I don’t think they’re
anywhere near as bad as people make them out to be.”
Mr
Alexander’s portfolio has four failures, defined
as firms shut down or sold that returned less than
invested capital, out of 18 bets. But he said that
if one of those surviving companies became a super
valuable firm akin to Google, “No one’s
going to mind if we lose money on five, 25 or 30 per
cent of the investments or even more.”
Founder
Films, owned by the founder of $2.7 billion start-up
SafetyCulture Luke Annear, declined to comment on
its figures, but a spokesman pointed to a 2012 Wall
Street Journal article reporting Harvard research
that 95 per cent of start-ups fail to hit projected
figures. The 92 per cent failure rate number is also
all over the internet, with the figure derived from
a 2011 report by an organisation called Startup Genome
that no longer appears online.
Mr
Alexander said that high failure rate figures were
a reflection of the way venture firms sought out exceptional
results.
“When
people throw out these things like ‘90per cent
of businesses fail’, I think usually they mean
90 per cent of businesses never become big,”
Mr Alexander said.
Murray
Hurps, who runs the industry survey project Startup
Muster, did not provide data on failure rates because
the varying definitions make it hard to collect. But
he said that average failure levels were not as useful
as understanding the proposition of investing or building
an individual firm.
“There
are many kinds of lower risk, technology-enabled entrepreneurial
pursuits that entrepreneurs should be considering,
and more today than there ever were before,”
Mr Hurps said.
What
Lachlan Murdoch told fundies in Sydney two weeks ago
- September 23, 2023
Lachlan
Murdoch’s been in and around Australian business
circles for most of his working life, but had little
to do with the country’s big investors. Until
a few weeks ago.
A
couple of weeks ago, Lachlan Murdoch, 52, broke cover
with Australia’s investor ranks.
Not
one to normally front Australia’s fund managers
on roadshows, Murdoch was the headline attraction
at a small and private dinner held only a few kilometres
from his home in Sydney’s inner-east.
The
small crowd were all fund managers – big name
stock pickers from the larger institutional equities
shops in Sydney – most of who had little to do
with Murdoch or his father Rupert over the years,
and some of who had never met him despite him being
in and out of Australian business circles his whole
working life.
Murdoch
spoke off the cuff. There were no notes or powerpoint
slides, no script and no minders, just an update on
the family’s two businesses News Corporation
and Fox Corporation, and where he wanted to take them.
Perhaps
playing to the small crowd, he repeatedly stressed
he was 100 per cent focused on creating shareholder
value, according to those at the dinner. It was a
friendly crowd; money is the name of the game in funds
management, and fund managers tend to bow down to
billionaires. He was valued at $3.35 billion on this
year’s AFR Rich List.
He
was clearly proud some of the investments he had overseen
– high growth and conviction bets like News Corp’s
$13 billion stake in REA Group, student loans business
Credible and streaming business Tubi Corporation for
example – and gave the impression of a hands-on
and pretty passionate senior executive.
He
travels back to US head office every second week from
his home in Sydney, where his children go to school.
When he’s in Sydney, he tends to work New York
hours. That’s the sort of stuff that top Sydney
money managers are glad they do not have to worry
about.
There
were no hints about what was to come and fund managers
left the dinner not knowing that only a few weeks
later, Murdoch would finally get the keys to his father
Rupert’s News Corporation.
He
was announced as News Corp’s executive chairman
on Thursday night, the same role he holds at sister
company Fox Corporation, while his 92-year-old father
would step off the board and become chairman emeritus
of both companies.
Changing
of the guard
Lachlan
Murdoch’s succession may end a tumultuous 12
months for the family’s two companies. This time
last year, the Murdochs were planning to reunite their
News Corp and Fox businesses, calling it the next
logical step of the strategy that led the media billionaires
to sell entertainment giant 21st Century Fox to Disney
in 2017 for $US52 billion.
It
was about bringing together live sport and news, two
things that consumers want immediately and are arguably
less discretionary than TV entertainment and movies
– but the deal was off a few months later called
“not optimal for shareholders of News Corp and
Fox at this time”.
In
reality, it also faced considerable backlash from
investors including Sydney-based Airlie Funds Management,
who didn’t want to see News Corp combined with
Fox. News Corp owns the company’s stake in REA
and Move in the United States, Foxtel in Australia,
Dow Jones and HarperCollins, among other businesses,
and trades at a significant discount to its asset
backing.
Soon
after, it also abandoned talks to sell its US digital
real estate business Move for about $US3 billion ($4.4
billion).
Murdoch’s
comments from the dinner were ringing through those
fund managers’ heads on Friday, as they tried
to work out what it meant for the future of the family’s
media empire.
It
was a timely introduction to a man who’s well
known in media circles – there are plenty of
former News Corp executives who’ll give their
two cents worth and recount fronting him when they
hadn’t made budget or wanted money for something
– but less in local markets.
Those
close to him say he’s been fronting investors
in the US for a while, just not Australia. Fox Corp
isn’t listed in Australia, while News’ ASX-listing
is small.
One
thing that stuck in the Australian fund managers’
heads were Murdoch’s remarks about M&A.
He
said large media sector deals were hard to get past
the antitrust regulator in the United States –
which is similar to deals in every concentrated sector
(banking, energy, tollroads) in Australia.
So,
investors are thinking there is unlikely to be any
giant strategic pivot in the near to medium term,
at least, although are fully aware that deals (big
and small) have been a big part of the family business
under Rupert Murdoch and Lachlan has been at the table
for plenty of them.
“Evolution
not revolution” is how his backers were putting
it on Friday, pointing out that he’s done a long
apprenticeship under his father at News Corp and has
been Fox executive chairman since 2105 (it was 21st
Century Fox before a $US50 billion sale of its film
production business to Disney) . It is still all about
news, sport and digital, and looking forwards not
backwards.
Closing
the gap in value
The
ASX-listed shares were up 1.9 per cent to $32.25 in
Friday afternoon trade.
Murdoch
junior’s most notable was paying about $10 million
for a 44 per cent stake in realestate.com.au (later
REA Group), following a direct approach from Sydney
real estate agent and company director John McGrath,
while others for the company include Credible, where
loans are up three-times since News Corp’s acquisition,
Tubi, which has tripled subscribers.
Of
course, it has not been all winners. He’s still
remembered for One.Tel, a telecommunications company
that collapsed in 2001, and Channel Ten owner Ten
Network Holdings, which went into administration in
2017. News Corp’s betting play is also in trouble.
One
of his loudest supporters in Australian markets is
Sydney stockbroker Angus Aitken, who is known for
backing family-led businesses and was quick to tell
clients that News Corp was in good hands.
“Lachlan
Murdoch has the same entrepreneurial genes as his
Dad and has zero to prove, he already has proved himself
in spades,” he said in a 1400 word note to fund
managers that hit inboxes as the sun rose over Sydney
Harbour.
“Anyone
who has heard Lachlan talk about these businesses
knows he knows these businesses inside out and knows
how to allocate capital and back people within these
firms with that capital for the long term.”
He
said Rupert Murdoch had turned a three-paper tiddler
into $US100 billion of assets, if you add the market
capitalisations of News and Fox (about $US30 billion)
and some of the big asset sales (c$US70 billion).
“It is hard to think of anyone who will replicate
that in life.”
Lachlan
Murdoch will likely struggle to create anywhere near
that much value, but he also doesn’t have to.
Investors will be happy enough if he can close the
discount between New Corp’s share price and asset
value – which funds like Melbourne’s L1
Capital have talked about for years. That discount
was so glaring that stockbroker UBS for a while was
putting out a regulator News Corp note, pointing out
the difference between the sum of its parts and share
price.
The
bigger news on Friday was the end of the Rupert Murdoch-era,
after a career stretching seven decades. Lachlan’s
ascension to the top of both companies was telegraphed
by his father in the past few years. Second son James
moved to the fringes of the family business after
the Fox/Disney deal in 2019.
'Take
it over’: Perth lands WWE’s first Aussie
event in six years - September 23
One
of the world’s biggest sporting organisations
is coming back to Australia for the first time since
taking over the MCG in 2018.
The
WWE will return to Australian shores for the first
time since 2018 in February after the Elimination
Chamber event was announced for Perth’s Optus
Stadium.
After
months of speculation, the sports entertainment behemoth
announced that the 60,000 seat stadium would host
the live event on Saturday February 24.
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The
last time the WWE came down under was in 2018 when
the Super-Show Down took over the MCG with Ronda Rousey
stunning a packed house before Triple H pinned The
Undertaker.
In
the meantime, Aussie Rhea Ripley has become one of
the sports’ biggest names and is expected to
star as the WWE comes back to Australia, while Grayson
Walker is also a near certainty to fight.
While
the schedule has not yet been released, it will culminate
in at least one six-man cage match with some of the
promotion’s biggest names set to visit just one
month out from WrestleMania 40.
Wrestlers
Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods joined WA Premier Roger
Cook for the announcement.
“These
are set to be the hottest tickets in town and fans
can pre-register and secure their spot from today,”
Cook said.
“We
expect the premium live event at Optus Stadium will
be a sellout with thousands of east coast and international
fans flocking to Perth, Western Australia to witness
this exclusive show.”
The
show is expected to reach an audience of one billion
people worldwide and Kingston, who is one of the members
of The New Day alongside Woods and Big E, said the
Elimination Chamber could “totally change the
trajectory of whatever is going on in the WWE landscape”.
“Two
combatants enter and there are four pods with the
other combatants within them,” Woods added.
“As
time passes, one of those pods will open until all
of their combatants are inside of the ring.
“And
then the match officially begins and you lose by pinfall
or submission until there is one combatant standing
and they are the winner.
“And
the reason that this is so intense is because you
are waiting for people to get into this match.”
The
wrestlers involved are expected to have community
activations and meet-and-greets with fans, and Kingston
said they “really come into a town and take it
over”.
The
WWE has recently merged with the UFC, which had a
massive show earlier this year in Perth when Alexander
Volkanovski lost a controversial bout to Islam Makhachev
for the lightweight title.
Expend4bles
A
new generation of stars join the world's top action
stars for an adrenaline-fueled adventure in Expend4bles.
Reuniting as the team of elite mercenaries, Jason
Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, and Sylvester
Stallone are joined for the first time by Curtis "50
Cent" Jackson, Megan Fox, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais,
Jacob Scipio, Levy Tran, and Andy Garcia. Armed with
every weapon they can get their hands on and the skills
to use them, The Expendables are the world's last
line of defense and the team that gets called when
all other options are off the table. But new team
members with new styles and tactics are going to give
"new blood" a whole new meaning.—Lionsgate
The
Unbreakable Bunch
An
Alien Force Came To Conquer - They Had No Idea This
Bunch Was In Town.
Producers
Ray “Glacier” Lloyd and Steve Luther Wilson,
aka “Big Sexy” Luther Biggs, trained at
the Power Plant and broke into the business about
the same time. A decade ago, the two started talking
about a movie.
“We
had this idea,” says Lloyd, “What if a bunch
of pro wrestlers had to step out of their wrestling
world and into a fantasy world where they have to
battle aliens?”
“We’re
both big fans of The Magnificent Seven, The Wild Bunch,
The Dirty Dozen, and The Professionals. They were
all ensemble casts, and most of them were somewhat
diverse. We thought, ‘What if we could make a
movie like that and celebrate the wrestling business?’”
Most
wrestling movies either focus on the dark side, or
they go for the campy humor,” says Lloyd. “They
make movies like The Wrestler, which was very good
and yes, that is how some guys turn out. Or they make
fun of wrestling and wrestling fans. We wanted to
celebrate what’s great about being a wrestling
fan and what’s fun about the business without
making fun of it. We didn’t think that anyone
else was going to make a movie like that, and even
if they did, they probably wouldn’t get it right.”
“The
story changed a lot from that first draft, but we
tried to stay true to the essence of the characters
and what they stood for,” explains Lloyd.
Ernest
“The Cat” Miller
Stan
Hansen
Tonga
Uli’uli Fifita, aka Haku, aka Meng
Larry
Zbyszko
Diamond
Dallas Page
David
“Gangrel” Heath.
“An
ensemble cast like this has never been done in a wrestling
film.” says Lloyd. “We also worked with
some great actors we cast in the non-wrestling roles.
Nicholas Logan did a tremendous job in our movie,
and he’s had some great roles before and after
The Unbreakable Bunch. I’m excited to see where
his career goes.”
“These
are men like us who have their life together,”
says Lloyd. “They have good jobs, a nice home.
You also see how these guys come together to put on
a show. It’s a team effort, whether it’s
for one night or a tour. Then they all go their separate
ways. That’s something we’ve never seen
in a movie about wrestling, and we wanted to portray
that.”
“Wrestling
is at its best when everyone can enjoy it,” says
Lloyd. “A lot of the fans I meet at shows and
convention are grown ups who were kids when I was
first on TV. Now they’re bringing their kids
because they want the next generation to enjoy wrestling
like they did. There’s definitely some action,
but we kept it to a PG or PG-13 level. We really want
families to enjoy this picture, even if they don’t
watch wrestling.”
“We
want this movie to be something that wrestlers and
wrestling fans will be proud to recommend to people,”
says Lloyd. “At the end of the day, it’s
about camaraderie, loyalty, friendship. It’s
about the noble side of professional wrestling.”
WWE
Hall of Famer Larry Zbyszko via aQ&A on AdFreeShows.com.
In addition to taking fan questions, he also talked
about the movie, “The Unbreakable Bunch”
that Ernest Miller, himself, and several other wrestlers
are in:
"Ray
Lloyd, Luther Biggs, had been working their butts
off for some years to get this movie going. They wrote
it, and then they had to get financed. At the end
of 2009, we filmed it and it really came out great.
I mean, it's a movie about wrestlers saving a town
from aliens, but it's not a wrestling movie. It's
kind of a science fiction action movie with emotion
and you'll find yourself laughing when you don't expect
to. I mean, it was really well done. It's a family
friendly movie. Nothing dirty, nothing raunchy. I
mean, if you're not a wrestling fan, you're gonna
love it too because it's not about wrestling. But
it was really well done. I've been dying to see it.
As soon as we finished it, like at the end of 2019
right before Christmas, a couple of months later this
stupid COVID hit and slowed it down a little bit with
the editing, but there was the guy alone editing in
the booth. So it's finally all done with the editing
and the sound and the music and the special effects,
and I hear it's going to come out October 13th. I
can't wait to see it."
Zbyszko
talking about two movies he should have been in:
"I
should have been in two big movies. I'll tell you
a story quickly. Alright, 1976 or something I was
wrestling in California a little bit. I was wrestling
a man and I got a message to talk to some producer
in the audience. So after the match, I went to talk
to this guy. He said, 'Hey, I'm making my first movie.
It's a low budget movie, but I'd like to have you
in it because I like the way you look and move.' So
I said, 'Okay.' So I went down to his office which
turned out to be a crap hole and got a script and
read it and I'm going, oh my God. Three weeks in the
desert shooting this movie for hardly any money for
the guy's independent little movie. It's eating babies
and stuff. I said, 'Oh God.' So I nicely told the
guy I couldn't do it. I was busy. It turned out the
guy's name was West Craven and it was his first movie,
'The Hills Have Eyes.' It became a classic and I'm
supposed to be it."
"Then
some years ago in like the mid 80s or something. I
got a message at the NWA office to call Jerry Reed.
I'm thinking Jerry Reed? The only Jerry Reed I know
is the country western singer, unless it's Jerry Reed
the IRS guide. So I call this number and it's Jerry
Reed the singer. He says, 'Son, you're my favorite
guy.' We talked and he wanted me to be in the last
Smokey and the Bandit movie they were going to make
because Jackie Gleason just died and they wanted me
to play the part of a young a**hole sheriff after
the bandit in the last movie. But right when they
were going to do the last movie, that's when Burt
Reynolds went off the deep end taking all the Halcyon
pills and getting divorced from Loni and getting wiped
out, so they never made the movie. So I was supposed
to be in the Hills Have Eyes and the last Smokey and
the Bandit never happened, but The Unbreakable Bunch,
I'm in like the whole movie and I can't wait to see
the thing."
AEW
WrestleDream - October 1, 2023
Broadcast
into Australia via FITE
Bryan
Danielson vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
Hangman
Page vs. Swerve Strickland
AEW
Tag Team Champions FTR defend against Aussie Open
ROH
Tag Team Champions Adam Cole & MJF defend against
The Righteous (Vincent & Dutch)
NJPW
Strong & ROH World Champion Eddie Kingston defends
both titles against ROH Pure Champion Katsuyori Shibata
TNT
Champion Christian Cage defends against Darby Allin
in a two out of three falls match
TBS
Champion Kris Statlander defends against Julia Hart
Will
Ospreay, Konosuke Takeshita, and Sammy Guevara vs.
Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi, and Chris Jericho
Additional
matches have been added to next Sunday's AEW WrestleDream
card.
Don
Callis on Saturday’s Collision revealed that
Will Ospreay will team with Konosuke Takeshita and
his newest family member Sammy Guevara against Kenny
Omega, Chris Jericho, and Kota Ibushi. This stems
from events that took place on Friday’s Ramapge,
where Omega made the save for Jericho after Guevara
and Takeshita jumped Jericho.
In
addition, Christian Cage will defend the TNT title
in a two out of three falls match against Darby Allin.
On Saturday’s Collision, Allin had a three-way
title match won between himself, Cage, and Luchasaurus
when Cage posted Allin, allowing himself to pin Luchasaurus.
In a backstage interview, Tony Schiavone told Cage
he would be defending the title at WrestleDream.
Eddie
Kingston in a promo revealed that he will be putting
up both the ROH and New Japan Strong titles against
Katsuyori Shibata at WrestleDream, saying that he
wanted a match that would honor Antonio Inoki.
WWE
PPVs
Saturday,
Oct. 7
WWE
Fastlane
Indianapolis
WWE
Crown Jewel 2023
November 4, 2023
Riyadh,
Saudi Arabia
Saturday,
Nov. 25
WWE
Survivor Series
Chicago
WWE
Survivor Series 2023
November 25, 2023
Rosemont,
Illinois (Chicago) - Allstate Arena
Lachlan
Murdoch inherits a daunting to-do list. Observers
are divided over how he will cope = 23rd September
2023
First
among equals is how media mogul Rupert Murdoch once
described his eldest son Lachlan, when asked about
the succession plan at his global media empire. Now
with Rupert’s retirement this week from the boards
of Fox Corporation and News Corporation, Lachlan’s
position at the top of the family-controlled empire
is cemented.
However,
52-year-old Lachlan inherits a daunting task. He takes
control of the global newspaper and television businesses
as both face major challenges. He becomes head of
one of the most influential American media companies
as the US goes into perhaps its most important presidential
election in recent history. And, his every step will
be measured against his father’s legacy.
Former
News Corporation executive John Cowley has no doubt
that Lachlan is up to the task. “He was trained
by the best. His father would have rubbed off on him,
but he’s also his own man. He will do a good
job,” Cowley said.
Lachlan’s
first real job in the Murdoch empire was working for
Cowley. It was three decades ago, when at the age
of 22, he joined Queensland Newspapers as its general
manager. Fresh from having studied philosophy at Princeton
University, the young Murdoch would walk the newsroom
floor with his shirt sleeves rolled up – exposing
a tribal tattoo on his left arm – discussing
stories with journalists, much as his father had once
done.
Over
seven decades, Rupert Murdoch, 92, built a global
media empire from a single Australian newspaper. As
his business expanded so did his influence and he
became one of the world’s most powerful, polarising
and right-wing businessmen, owning outlets such as
Fox News, the Wall Street Journal, The Times, and
The Australian.
R?upert
pitted ?Lachlan from an early age against two of his
siblings, older sister Elisabeth and younger brother
James, to take over the family empire. ?
Lachlan,
Elisabeth and James would come and go from the family
business, vying for their father’s affection
and at times falling out with him. But it would be
Lachlan who would return to the fold and stay.?
The
Murdoch family governs News Corporation and Fox Corporation
through a family trust. Rupert has six children from
three wives. The family trust owns almost 40 per cent
of the voting shares in both companies.
Each
of Murdoch’s children know how difficult it is
being the progeny of a successful parent. Put simply,
if the adult children of successful parents make good,
it’s because of what their parents left them.
If they don’t, people ask what’s wrong with
them.?
This
is what Lachlan is up against, even in his middle
age.
Billionaire
James Packer can sympathise, as he spent most of the
first half of his life being compared against his
father – the late media tycoon Kerry Packer.
James
multiplied the wealth he inherited from his father.
But then his publicly listed Crown casino business
became embroiled in a Chinese money-laundering scandal.
It was fined, and he sold it, and since then, has
focused on private investments.
“Lachlan
will do very well. He’s following in a legend’s
footsteps, one of the biggest, being Rupert, and that’s
never easy,” says Packer, who has been friends
with Lachlan for more than three decades. “But
I think Lachlan’s ready, and he’s the right
man for the job.”
Not
everyone agrees.
Rod
Tiffen is an emeritus professor at the University
of Sydney, who has published books on the news media,
including about Rupert Murdoch. He’s critical
of Lachlan’s rise to the top of News Corporation
and Fox Corporation.
“The
idea that a position like that should go by heredity
belongs more in the age of Jane Austen than of the
contemporary corporate world,” Tiffen says. “It
might be okay for the corner store to pass from father
to son, but a global corporation should be based on
some sort of merit, and not just having the same surname.”
Lachlan
becomes chair of News Corporation, which owns newspaper
and real estate assets, and also the chair and chief
executive of Fox Corporation, which owns Fox News
and Fox broadcasting.
In
2019, Fox sold its $US71.3 billion film and television
business to Walt Disney, predicting the streaming
war that is now playing out, and which has cost companies
such as Disney, Netflix and Amazon billions. It was
a clever move hailed as Rupert’s crowning achievement.
However,
it has left Fox much smaller than many of its peers,
with a focus on news and sport. The broadcast and
cable TV outlets in the US are declining, and Fox
is also competing against bigger players such as Amazon,
Netflix, Comcast, Disney and Warner Brothers in securing
sporting rights.
The
embattled news arm was also sued after broadcasting
conspiracy theories and claims of vote rigging promoted
by Donald Trump in the 2020 election. Earlier this
year, Fox settled a defamation lawsuit with Dominion
Voting systems for $US787.5 million ($1.2 billion).
It is now facing another lawsuit from a voting machine
manufacturer, Smartmatic, which is likely to be at
the top of Lachlan’s to-do list to resolve.
?Another
problem for Lachlan is that Donald Trump is shaping
up as the most likely Republican candidate for the
2024 election, if he’s able to overcome the legal
cases that he is facing.
However,
it would be hard for Fox News to back him given Rupert
has publicly criticised Trump and disowned him.? And
yet, much of the Fox News audience are Trump supporters.
Fox News will risk alienating its audience more if
Trump becomes the Republican candidate, and it doesn’t
back him.
News
Corporation has real estate assets such as REA Group
and owns newspapers such as The Times, The Australian
and the Wall Street Journal. The print assets are
declining while the digital side of those newspapers
has been growing, particularly the Dow Jones group
in the US.
Matt
Williams is head of Australian equities at Airlie
Funds Management. It owns 2 per cent of the voting
shares in News Corporation, which he argues remains
undervalued. “Over the last ten years management
have done a very good job with the Dow Jones business
in re-aligning the business from being reliant on
advertising to much more now a subscription-based
business.”
He
says Lachlan has been a good steward of News Corporation,
and expects the strategy of that group to remain unchanged.
However,
Tiffen expects there will be pressure to shut print
newspapers when Rupert dies. “Everyone rightly
goes on about what a terrific global media empire
Rupert Murdoch has built. On the other hand, if you
were writing his obituary now, you would say that
he’s lost more money on newspapers than anyone
else in history. And chances are that won’t continue
after he dies.”
Tiffen
expects that Lachlan will not make any significant
changes to either Fox Corporation or News Corporation’s
strategy while his father remains alive. “It’s
much more likely that any changes will have to be
after Rupert’s death, and then it’s quite
unpredictable.”
The
unpredictability is over whether Lachlan’s siblings
who have voting rights in the trust – Prudence,
Elisabeth and James – will be happy with his
leadership of Fox Corporation and News Corporation,
and the right-wing agendas they have pursued.
“In
the short term, while Rupert’s alive, the other
three children are going to be respectful,” says
Tiffen. “But after he dies, then Lachlan’s
relations with his other siblings will be much more
difficult to predict.”
(SMH)
Rear
Window - September 14, 1999
Kostya,
TAB go down fighting
It
had more celebrities than a Saturday night in Atlantic
City. In one corner, "Break Even" Bill Mordey;
in the other, Russian-born dynamo Kostya Tszyu and
a gaggle of heavy-hitters including Packer confidant
Theo Onisforou and Jeff Fenech.
Mordey
won round one when NSW Supreme Court Justice Russell
Bainton last year ordered Tszyu to pay $7.3 million
to Mordey's Fightvision Pty Ltd for breach of contract,
in the process describing the Russian-born boxer as
a "spoiled brat".
Yesterday,
round two ended with a TKO to Break Even, who managed
to deliver a haymaker to TAB boss Warren Wilson. Having
bought Sky Channel from Packer's Publishing &
Broadcasting and Rupert Murdoch's News Corp last year,
TAB will now have to partially foot a $7.3 million
damages bill after three appeal judges found Sky Channel
had induced Tszyu to breach his contract with Mordey.
Sky
Channel will have to pay the costs of Fightvision's
original claim against Sky Channel and its appeal
in a result Wilson said was disappointing. TAB is
considering whether it has any further legal avenues.
The
stoush began when Tsyzu appealed against last year's
decision, claiming the damages awarded against him
were excessive. That prompted Mordey's counterpunch,
appealing against the cases he lost to the other five
defendants: Fenech, Sky Channel, Onisforou, Tszyu's
new promoter, Vlad Warton, and Tszyu's company, Tszyu
Enterprises.
The
NSW Court of Appeal yesterday dismissed Tszyu's appeal.
Mordey had a victory against Sky Channel, Warton and
Tszyu Enterprises, but struck out against Onisforou
and Fenech. Warton and Tszyu Enterprises will be back
for a third round after the court ordered a new trial
in relation to Mordey's claims.
Mordey
and Fightvision had sought compensation from Tszyu
for lost promotion revenue after the fighter breached
his contract in early 1995 by agreeing to give Optus
Vision or Sky Channel exclusive rights to broadcast
his bouts.
In
his judgement, Justice Bainton found Tszyu entered
into a binding three-year contract with Mordey's Classic
Promotions in 1992 and that contract contained an
option of renewal for two years. The company wound
up in 1993 and Fightvision took over its promotions.
Justice
Bainton found that the renewal option in Tszyu's contract
had been effectively exercised in January 1995, and
that the boxer had broken that contract almost immediately.
Fightvision
was entitled to recover from Tszyu profits it would
have made from promoting his fights from January 1995
to January 1997 in total $7.3 million.
Room
with a view? Er, I'll settle for the ground floor,
thanks all the same
While
travelling always presents its challenges, Rear Window's
Tasmanian tourism operative appears to have struck
an unusual problem while cycling through the Apple
Isle.
During
a bracing journey down the Midland Highway from Launceston
to Hobart, our peleton wanabee sought refuge at a
cosy bed and breakfast in the hamlet of Campbell Town,
where the civic motto is: "Reaching out across
the land, over the sea, through the air, towards the
stars, Campbell Town is reaching out to you."
Noting
the prominent "Vacancy" sign, our operative
entered, only to be told by the landlady: "Sorry,
we have no vacancies."
But
what about the sign? "We haven't got around to
making a `No Vacancy' sign yet. Getting the floors
fixed comes a long way ahead of a `No Vacancy' sign
in our priorities."
We'd
advise getting a room on the ground floor.
Rupert
shows UK interest but his ratings keep falling
Not
content with wading into the murky world of Chinese-Tibetan
relations, Rupert Murdoch has turned his hand to matters
economic.
Murdoch
has attacked the Bank of England in the wake of last
week's surprise decision to lift British interest
rates, expressing dismay that the central bank should
be worried about the United Kingdom's 1.5 per cent
economic growth when "the US economy is charging
along at 4 per cent with no sign of inflation".
In
an interview with London's Sunday Business newspaper,
Murdoch also attacked UK Chancellor of the Exchequer
Gordon Brown, claiming Brown was "wrong"
to give the BoE the power to determine interest rate
policy one of the central tenets of central bank indepence
worldwide.
"We
elect governments to govern, not to give up power
to faceless bankers," Murdoch reportedly said,
highlighting his growing schism with the government
of Tony Blair, who only a few years ago attended News
Corp's Hayman Island executive love-fest.
Just
last week, Murdoch was kowtowing to the Chinese Government,
claiming he had heard cynics say the Dalai Lama was
"a very political old monk shuffling around in
Gucci shoes" and questioning whether Tibet a
"terrible old, autocratic society out of the
Middle Ages" had any culture before China invaded.
It
is all reminiscent of Murdoch's comments at News Corp's
1995 annual general meeting in Adelaide, where he
blasted the Australian economy as "a disgrace"
as he offered an opinion on all manner of non-media
topics.
By
1997, a chastised Murdoch said son Lachlan had told
him he was "not allowed" to talk about Australian
politics. "I'm now under very strong instructions
from my son to keep my mouth shut because I can go
back to America and he has to live with what I have
said," the elder Murdoch said.
The
Sun King might be better off worrying about the performance
of his News Corp empire, which recently suffered a
hefty drop in profitability and has kicked off the
latest United States television season in unspectacular
fashion.
Ratings
for News Corp's core Fox group are down an average
6 per cent, with not even the 10th series of its old
standby, Beverly Hills 90210, improving the situation.
Guess
who's late for dinner?
Here's
hoping the 2000 Olympics are better organised than
Rear Window, which battled the gremlins in yesterday's
paper only to have an item about tomorrow night's
glamour Australian Olympic Committee 1999 Countdown
Dinner run about two weeks too late. Times have changed
since the AOC first sought a plug for the function:
the dinner is now sold out, with 1,000 people each
paying $1,000 to raise a more than $700,000 for the
Australian team. A number of team members will be
there on the night, with dual gold medallist Kieren
Perkins one of the 100 past and present Olympians
who will each sit at the tables snapped up by companies
including Telstra, CUB and Westfield. Major Olympic
sponsor Westpac is holding its own function.
(AFR)
High
Stakes: The ‘life-or-death’ battle over
a company name
Two
stars of Australia’s new economy – the similarly
named share trading platform Stake and online cryptocurrency
casino juggernaut stake.com – are locked in a
life-or-death court battle over naming rights amid
growing concerns the gambling outfit has major plans
for its home country.
Stake
the share platform launched legal action in the Federal
Court in August seeking to enforce its trademarks
and stop stake.com, a multibillion-dollar enterprise,
from using that name for its business in Australia.
The
fast-growing Sydney-based share trading platform,
the third-largest broker in the country, alleges that
the casino group stake.com has been breaking Australian
consumer law and has misled consumers through the
use of its brand in Australia and its marketing, including
its sponsorship of the Alfa Romeo team and the sale
of apparel.
Stake
the share trading platform, which owns the URL stake.com.au,
alleges stake.com’s use of the name in Australia
has potentially led to consumers believing the two
brands are related when they are not.
The
share trading platform Stake, founded in 2017 by entrepreneurs
Dan Silver and Matt Leibowitz, alleges there is a
threat that more consumers could be misled if stake.com
is allowed to continue with its plans to grow its
business significantly in Australia under the brand
name Stake.
The
casino group, led by Melbourne-based twenty-somethings
billionaires Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani, is expected
to seek to have the matter summarily dismissed.
A
spokesperson for stake.com said: “We are aware
of a frivolous claim lodged in the Federal Court by
Stakeshop, which in part claims that our global Formula
One team sponsorship impinges on their ability to
sell trucker hats.”
“We
are proud of the global stake.com brand. As a group,
we abide by the laws of the countries in which we
operate, and do not offer our stake.com platform to
Australian customers. We believe the claim has no
legal merit and will vigorously defend our rights.”
The
court case has shed new light on stake.com’s
expansion plans for Australia, where it remains blocked
to Australian users.
Court
documents reveal the casino group has sought to buy
the stake.com.au website from the sharemarket trading
platform business. According to the court documents,
the casino group has also registered several Australian
website domains for its Australian expansion and applied
to register a slew of trademarks including Stake Australia,
Stake Bet and Stake Casino.
The
Federal Court action comes after years of simmering
tensions between the two groups over the use of stake.com’s
name in Australia.
Stake.com
was established in 2017 but flew under the radar in
Australia until late 2021, when this masthead revealed
the local origins of the business that had grown to
be one of world’s largest online casinos, processing
hundreds of billions of bets on sports, virtual table
games and online slot machines.
In
early 2022, stake.com signed hip-hop megastar Drake
as its lead ambassador. Later in 2022 it signed a
multi-year deal to become lead jersey sponsor for
English Premier League team Everton FC as well as
its sponsorship of Alfa Romeo’s F1 team.
The
significant increase in stake.com’s marketing
and media presence was noticed at the share trading
platform group that built its user base during the
COVID-inspired boom in Gen Y and Gen Z investors,
thanks in part to its ultra-low cost brokerage fee
model, savvy marketing and the broadening into other
financial services including a superannuation product.
A
spokesman for Stake the share trading platform said
that since the group was founded in Australia it had
built a client base of more than 500,000 and more
than $2.5 billion in assets under management.
“Over
the past six years, we have established a trusted
and culturally relevant Australian brand that reflects
our dedication to meeting customer needs. It permeates
all parts of our business, spanning products, content,
internal culture, customer interactions and much more,
making it our most valuable asset. We are committed
to protecting the Stake brand and the high level of
consumer trust associated with it,” the spokesman
said.
“We
are concerned by the threatened use of the Stake brand
in Australia by stake.com in relation to gambling,
casino and sports betting services, due to the potential
for customer confusion and damage to our brand and
reputation.”
Stake.com
is not available in Australia but according to court
documents, the group is already making arrangements
for a major expansion in this country and is seeking
a sports betting licence.
In
October 2022, stake.com casino executive Brais Pena
Sanchez contacted Stake share trading founder Silver
on LinkedIn and arranged a video conference meeting
where the pair discussed Stake the share platform
selling its Australian URL, stake.com.au, to the Curacao-registered,
Australian-operated casino group.
During
those discussions, Sanchez – the casino group’s
chief strategy officer – informed Silver that
stake.com planned to launch in Australia under the
name Stakebet, or similar, according to court documents.
A deal never ensued and the website remains owned
by the share trading platform.
Tensions
flared again in early 2023 after stake.com the casino
was announced as the new team sponsor for Formula
1 team Alfa Romeo, sparking a flurry of legal letters
between the two groups ahead of the Melbourne race.
According
to the court documents, the casino group’s lawyers
assured the share trading Stake that it would not
use its logo in conjunction with the Melbourne Grand
Prix and did not intend to display the name on any
vehicles or uniforms or as part of the Alfa Romeo
team name.
However,
the share trading Stake alleges that during the four
days of the Grand Prix, Stake casino logos appeared
on banners for official team merchandise, the team
display and on signs at the event and in the race
program.
In
May, Stake.com was applying to register a large number
of new trademarks for goods and services. This included
Stake Australia, Stake Bookie, Stake Betting, Stake
Gaming, Stake Esports, Stake Casino, Stake Sportsbook,
Stake Bet, Stake Punt, Stake Sports, Stake Pokes and
Stake Slots.
The
casino group has also registered a series of Australian
website names under the “.au” domain including
stakebet.au; stakecasino.au, stakesports.au and playstake.au.
The
case continues.
Crown
to launch digital self-exclusion scheme for casinos
- July 2023
People
with gambling problems will be able to ban themselves
from Crown casinos over the internet instead of having
to do so in person, as part of a wider overhaul of
the group’s approach to harm minimisation.
Crown
Resorts’ new safer gambling program also includes
the establishment of a dedicated gambling policy team,
which will monitor customer playing behaviour and
create interventions to better prevent gambling harm
from occurring.
Crown
boss Ciaran Carruthers joined the business last year
following an overhaul of Crown’s management,
after a series of bruising inquiries into the company.
Carruthers, who has led other global casino groups
including Wynn Macau, said the new leadership of Crown
was committed to making gambling safer, even if it
meant less turnover in its casinos.
“I
have been in this business for 34 years and I can
tell you – no one does this,” Carruthers
said.
“It
is critically important to me that when I look at
the long-term viability of this business that people
see our resorts as entertainment to enjoy safely.”
Under
the changes, customers will be able to block themselves
from entering a Crown casino through a new digital
self-exclusion portal. Those who wanted to ban themselves
from Crown venues were previously required to visit,
in person, a designated responsible gambling centre
run by the group.
The
group has also moved to cashless gaming at Crown Melbourne
and Crown Sydney – a condition of its temporary
gaming licences in NSW and Victoria– as well
as introducing $10 maximum bet limits on poker machines
at Crown Perth. The technological overhaul required
to facilitate the changes has so far cost the business
$13 million.
Carruthers
pointed to changes Crown has already made which go
beyond government regulation, such as encouraging
customers to take breaks every three hours, as an
indicator of its commitment to shifting problem gambling
patterns.
The
group said it wanted to establish advisory panels
to work with state regulators and community groups
to improve gambling harm education and share its research.
Carruthers
conceded some aspects of its new approach to harm
minimisation, called Crown PlaySafe, would not be
welcomed by heavy gamblers. But he argued the changes
would make the casinos more appealing to the general
public.
Crown’s
new head of gambling policy research, Dr Jamie Wiebe,
said the most critical shift in the groups gambling
policy was a move away from harm minimisation to prevention.
“We
want to prevent a problem from ever happening,”
she said.
The
new program was unveiled just weeks after the Federal
Court determined Crown will pay one of the biggest
penalties in Australian corporate history to the financial
crimes watchdog, after past anti-money laundering
and counter-terrorism failings in its Perth and Melbourne
casinos.
The
$450 million fine is about five per cent of Crown’s
last listed market capitalisation before it was taken
private by Blackstone Capital for $8.9 billion in
May last year.
In
2019, an investigation by this masthead and 60 Minutes
revealed Crown had been infiltrated by international
criminal syndicates and money launderers.
Crown
was forced to overhaul its board, management and procedures
to satisfy the regulators, who approved a conditional
licence for Crown to operate its Barangaroo casino
in June 2022. The conditional licence is valid until
the end of this year.
Carruthers
said the integrated hospitality offerings at Crown
meant the casino could afford to embrace the shift.
“I
want people to enjoy the experience of our casinos
whether they’re coming for dining, casino or
retail. I’m fairly agnostic across which one
of those experience or how many of those experiences
you want to enjoy,” he said.
Reclusive Sydney gambling mogul emerges as kingmaker
in South Africa -
September 2023
Reclusive
online gambling mogul Martin Moshal is playing an
increasingly influential role in a push to oust the
South African government.
Mr
Moshal, who lives on the exclusive Sydney Harbour
row of Camp Cove alongside shopping centre billionaire
Steven Lowy, is not on many rich lists but has made
a fortune from online casino technology.
Herman
Mashaba is the leader of ActionSA, one of a handful
of opposition parties Mr Moshal has backed in the
lead up to the 2024 South African national election.
Mr Mashaba, known for taking a tough line on immigration
and endorsing hard labour for prisoners, is hoping
the gambling tycoon will continue his support.
“I
wish he won’t give up on us and help us democratically
remove the [incumbent African National Congress] and
bring about a peaceful transition... please help ActionSA,”
Mr Mashaba said in an interview with The Australian
Financial Review.
“I
have been lucky to have known Martin long before I
went into politics,” he added. “I approached
him and he was willing to back me up because he knows
me as a capitalist... Martin was one of the first
to come to the party.”
President
Cyril Ramaphosa’s social democratic African National
Congress party is set to come under pressure next
year amid South Africa’s dire economic troubles.
A senior party official has warned the country could
become a failed state.
Mr
Moshal is the largest individual political donor in
South Africa in the last two years. He has given 46.5
million rand ($3.8 million), according to electoral
records analysed by My Vote Counts, a non-profit advocating
for more transparency in politics.
“Given
the amounts donated it has become clear to us he now
has a large stake in our politics,” said Robyn
Pasensie, a researcher at the organisation.
The
size of Mr Moshal’s wealth is unknown. He is
extremely private and only admitted to his ownership
of online gambling giant Betway after UK journalists
traced his ownership back to offshore trusts. Mr Moshal
did not respond to a request for comment.
Aside
from ActionSA, Mr Moshal has donated to the Democratic
Alliance (DA), Build One South Africa and said he
also intends to support the Inkatha Freedom Party.
Mr Moshal is ActionSA’s biggest backer. The Australian
Financial Review is not suggesting Mr Moshal supports
the party’s policies.
“I’m
not saying these parties are all perfect, but we shouldn’t
let perfect be the enemy of good... They are all far
better than the government we have today,” Mr
Moshal told The Jewish Report earlier this year.
“Pirkei
Avot was my late dad – John Moshal’s –
favourite part of the Talmud within which Rabbi Tarfon
is quoted as saying, ‘It’s not up to you
to finish the task, but you aren’t free to avoid
it’.”
Mr
Moshal said he believed South Africa needed a new
government and was on its way to becoming a failed
state.
“[This
is a] government that’s corrupt, cannot provide
basic security and opportunity to its citizens...
we need the change of government and leadership that
these parties can provide.”
ActionSA
is known for advocating for life sentences and hard
labour for serious offenders and also wants to repeal
the ANC’s Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment
(B-BBEE) policy, a form of affirmative action introduced
post-apartheid.
“Martin
knows my views on racial policies and how dangerous
they are,” said Mr Mashaba, who started off in
business and was the founder of African hair care
brand, Black Like Me.
ActionSA
has also been vocal on immigration, views labelled
as “xenophobic” by some critics and politicians.
“We
recognise that South Africa was built... on the back
of migrants,” said Mr Mashaba. “But they
must come here legally... you break our laws, we will
send you back to your country, the country where you
came from.”
One
of South Africa’s main economic problems is mismanagement
and corruption inside the country’s electricity
utility Eskom. The utility has been forced to implement
rolling blackouts, which have further stymied economic
growth.
“If
Eskom cannot run on a commercial basis then it must
die a natural death,” Mr Mashaba said, adding
changes were needed to give other companies the opportunity
to compete.
Mr
Moshal’s Entrée Capital is one of Israel’s
most active funds in the Israeli VC space. He is the
beneficiary of a trust which is the largest individual
shareholder in Super Group, which became the parent
of Betway and online casino brand Spin after a 2022
listing. The group reported net gaming revenue of
€1.3 billion ($2.1 billion) in 2022.
“Moshal
is one of the least visible betting entrepreneurs
in the world,” Guardian reporter Rob Davis wrote
in his book Jackpot: How Gambling Conquered Britain.
“Moshal
made much of his fortune from his home in Durban where
he patented a series of technological solutions for
the online gambling world and developed them via his
company Microgaming. The company has since become
one of the industry’s leading software players”
A
philanthropist, he sits on the capital management
advisory committee of Sydney’s Moriah College,
alongside Steven Lowy and former Babcock & Brown
chief executive Phil Green. He is also a life trustee
of the Moriah Foundation and previously donated to
Israel’s SpaceIL project attempting to land spacecraft
on the moon.
SkyCity
puts aside $45m for potential AUSTRAC penalty - August
2023
SkyCity
Entertainment set aside $45 million for a penalty
if it is convicted of breaches of anti-money laundering
and counterterrorism laws.
The
financial crimes watchdog, AUSTRAC, lodged proceedings
against SkyCity in December over alleged serious and
systemic non-compliance with the laws at its Adelaide
casino.
SkyCity
said on Monday it was difficult to determine the size
and timing of the penalty, given the proceedings are
in the early stages. But it decided to lodge a $45
million provision on the basis that each breach attracts
a maximum civil penalty of between $18 million and
$22.2 million.
“Estimating
the potential exposure to penalties with any degree
of accuracy at this stage of that ongoing process
remains challenging, particularly given the outcome
is highly dependent on a range of factors which are
not yet known,” a statement said.
AUSTRAC
has alleged “serious noncompliance” with
anti-money laundering laws against SkyCity, claiming
the company allowed 59 suspicious patrons to churn
more than $4 billion in dirty cash through its Adelaide
casino. The independent review is on hold because
of the Federal Court action.
The
company cut full-year earnings expectations at an
investor day in May, with a slowdown in revenue from
the international business and rising legal and compliance
costs related to a crackdown on money laundering weighing
on its bottom line. Analysts have provisioned about
$50 million for the AUSTRAC fine, but there is no
guarantee that will be enough.
In
late May, SkyCity announced it would hire an independent
expert to review its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism
programs. It is still waiting for South Australia’s
investigation into whether it should hold a casino
licence to recommence.
“Judgements
in civil penalty proceedings bought by AUSTRAC to
date demonstrate that the Court’s determination
of the appropriate penalty ... is very specific to
the fact in each case and that the Court will have
regard to a broad range of factors,” SkyCity
said.
SkyCity’s
provision announcement coincided with a $45.6 million
write-down of the Adelaide casino licence, which was
attributed to the value and timing of future discounted
cash flows.
The
company said the impairment and provision were non-cash
and would not affect earnings for fiscal year 2023.
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation
remain in line with guidance of $NZ300 million ($276.6
million) to $NZ310 million.
SkyCity’s
provision comes a month after the federal court agreed
on rival casino operator Crown’s $450 million
fine for breaches of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism
laws. The fine is being paid over a two-year period
without interest.
Shares
closed on Friday at $2.09.
Hotel
room rates plummet for F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend
- September 2023
Hotel
room rates for Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend have fallen
by nearly 60 percent in some cases since they were
first posted last fall. But an industry expert says
that does not necessarily mean interest in the event
is failing to meet expectation.
When
select Las Vegas resorts in November 2022 opened their
booking schedules for race weekend, listed prices
were as high as they have been seen in the city’s
history. While still at higher than normal rates,
a major decrease has occurred.
When
a drop in booking pace occurs, it automatically triggers
revenue management systems to suggest the lowering
of room rates, according to Dr. Mehmet Erdem, professor
of hotel operations and technology at UNLV’s
William F. Harrah College of Hospitality.
Pennsylvania
online casinos cross $5 billion in lifetime revenue
- September 2023
Business
is booming in Pennsylvania. The Keystone State is
the clear market leader when it comes to online casino
revenue within the US. After August’s total of
$171.9 million, Pennsylvania surpassed the $5 billion
threshold for lifetime revenue.
Pennsylvania
online casinos are constantly upgrading and adding
new content, and customers are responding. It doesn’t
appear the market will be slowing down anytime soon,
either.
Pennsylvania
has set the US online casino revenue record four times
over the last 11 months, and almost did so again.
August’s revenue total of $171.9 million came
second to March’s figure of $181.5 million. It
was the second-best month of all time for any state
with legal online casinos.
Atlantic
City: Five-year turnaround of Ocean Casino Resort
among city’s greatest successes - September 2023
In
the winter of 2019, if any New Jersey sportsbook had
tried to offer odds on the Atlantic City casino hotel
then known as Ocean Resort Casino making it through
another summer, no gambler in their right mind would
have taken the bet.
Fast
forward to the end of summer 2023, and the property
now called Ocean Casino Resort is one of the city’s
best performers. In fact, an argument can be made
that Ocean’s rise to the upper echelon of the
Atlantic City casino market is the most remarkable
turnaround of any gambling parlor in history.
From
its failed origins as Revel Casino Hotel to its seemingly
doomed trajectory in February 2019, the $2.4 billion
casino at the north end of the AC Boardwalk felt almost
cursed (if you believe in that kind of stuff). But,
apparently, the gambling gods decided Ocean was deserving
of a better fate.
Once
shunned by casino operators, responsible gaming campaign
turns 25
At
a time when problem gambling matters were rarely mentioned
in gaming company boardrooms, Harrah’s Entertainment
decided the issue needed to be raised on casino floors.
But
it wasn’t just rival corporate executives that
looked askance at the idea of employees learning how
to spot signs that a customer might have a gambling
problem.
“Our
own lawyers tried to block it,” recalled Jan
Jones Blackhurst, who was then a Harrah’s senior
vice president. With the support of company CEO Phil
Satre, she led Harrah’s launch of the casino
industry’s first responsible gaming initiative
in the mid-1990s.
“We
had employees that wanted to be educated on the subject.
They wanted to be able to help,” said Jones Blackhurst,
who completed two terms as Las Vegas mayor before
joining Harrah’s. “Maybe because I came
out of politics. You have a responsibility to your
communities, your customers and your employees. We
believed it was the right thing to do.”
Sportsbooks
ratchet up targeted advertising at start of NFL season
Shortly
after the NFL forged authorized gaming partnerships
with a host of leading sportsbooks in the 2021 offseason,
operators began flooding the airwaves with a series
of humorous spots that featured celebrities hawking
their products.
Caesars
Sportsbook spent lavishly on an ad package starring
the Manning Brothers and actor J.B. Smoove as the
eponymous emperor. During Super Bowl LVII last February,
Kevin Hart expressed his displeasure for “taking
the under” in a DraftKings spot while standing
mere feet from WWE wrestler The Undertaker. Another
commercial from FanDuel featured a live field goal
attempt by former New England Patriots tight end Rob
Gronkowski, one that drifted wide left of the upright
at the last second.
Former
lieutenant governor calls for Nevada Gaming Commission
cyber briefing after MGM and Caesars hacks - September
2023
In
light of cyberattacks on MGM Resorts International
and Caesars Entertainment, former Nevada Lt. Gov.
Brian Krolicki, now a Nevada Gaming Commission member,
called for a briefing on the hacking incident to shed
more light on what happened and how it can be prevented
in the future.
The
suggestion comes the same day the Massachusetts Gaming
Commission met in executive session “to consider
information related to an MGM cybersecurity issue.”
It held a similar closed meeting on Monday.
After
it returned to the public session on Thursday, the
Commission entered into an executive session regarding
security at MGM Springfield, according to the Commission
agenda.
Krolicki
made his comments at the end of Thursday’s five-hour
meeting of the Nevada Gaming Commission. Since it
was made during the public comment session, the commission
could not take up the matter, but it’s likely
the issue will return to the Commission and the Nevada
Gaming Control Board at some point.
In
the latest cyberattack that started being felt Sept.
10 and went into this week, hackers knocked slot machines
out of commission and created havoc with ATMs and
computer systems. MGM, which is reported by a Wall
Street analyst to have lost between $4.2 million and
$8.4 million a day with the hack, said its systems
were operating normally across their properties nationwide
as of Wednesday. Caesars reported it was hacked in
late August and had customer information stolen but
paid a $15 million ransom that avoided any shutdowns.
In
December, the Commission approved cybersecurity regulations
for the state’s gaming industry to protect operators’
information systems from attacks that could shutter
casinos and compromise customer data. The rules went
into effect Jan. 1. That approval came right after
BetMGM reported that its customers’ personal
information – including Social Security numbers
– was obtained in an unauthorized manner and
included information on their transactions.
In
the regulations, casinos were required to do a risk
assessment of their systems by the end of 2023 and
take any necessary steps on an ongoing basis to ward
off an attack. If any breach was successful that compromised
player data, credit card information and other records,
including that of employees, properties would be required
to report it to gaming regulators within 72 hours.
“It
would be important and enlightening given the recent
events of the past week regarding cyber security and
ransomware in particular at MGM and our friends at
Caesars and look at how it impacts our world and regulatory
responsibilities,” Krolicki said, later adding,
“I think at some point in time when there’s
the energy and understanding of what just happened
if we could get some kind of briefing of what transpired
that’s appropriate for public record and perhaps
policies going forward of how do we avoid these things
and if they do happen whether the reporting schemes
on whether it was immediately reported to the Gaming
Control Board. There are a lot of questions and a
lot of publicity. It’s a global story, and I
just think it would behoove all of us to get a good
handle on what just happened.”
The
Nevada Gaming Control Board released a statement on
Sept. 13 saying Gov. Joe Lombardo and the board “are
monitoring the cybersecurity incident with MGM Resorts
and are in communication with company executives.
Additionally, the Nevada Gaming Control Board remains
in communication with other law enforcement agencies.”
Casino
consultant Brendan Bussmann, managing partner of B
Global, which tracks gaming boards and commissions,
said the Massachusetts hearing won’t be the last
and expects states across the country to hold similar
sessions wanting to hear from MGM executives.
“Nevada
is the second regulator that I know has raised their
hand on this after Massachusetts,” Bussmann said.
“It should be about what happened and how it
happened, which should be considered confidential
information. This is going to be a question that every
regulator for both commercial gaming and tribal gaming
is going to be concerned about. Since we’re still
trying to figure out what happened, then we can see
what tools we need as an industry to beef up our efforts
on cyber-related events.”
While
everyone is focused today on MGM and Caesars, this
is not the first cyber attack, Bussmann said.
“This
can go back to the Las Vegas Sands attacks in 2014
from the Iranians and any other data breaches that
happened between then and now,” Bussmann said.
“I would expect every state at a minimum has
MGM and Caesars in it to at least say what happened
and what can we do regulatory to help this and what
can we do with testing and what can we do IT and host
of things.”
Bussmann
said the regulators can’t be reactionary but
instead should get evidence on how it happened and
use the best resources outside of the casino industry,
such as security firms, to do it right.
“There’s
no one better suited to regulate Nevada on this issue
than the Gaming Control Board in working with law
enforcement partners across the country,” Bussmann
said.
Pop
Culture, Streaming, Wrestling, MMA, Combat Sports,
Movies, Sports Business...
Netflix
finally reveals how much it makes from Australians
- 1st June 2023
Netflix
made more than $1 billion from Australians last year,
a figure the company reported for the first time after
deciding no longer to funnel revenues through a Netherlands-based
subsidiary.
Accounts
lodged by the streaming giant show Netflix Australia
made $1.06 billion in 2022, up from $30.7 million
the year before.
The
increase in reported revenue came after the company’s
local subsidiary changed how it bills. It now describes
itself as a “distributor of access” to Netflix
Service as opposed to a provider of services for its
parent company.
It
was previously estimated that Netflix made between
$790 million and $1.4 billion from Australians, but
customers were billed by Netflix International BV.
But from January 1 last year, customers were billed
by Netflix Australia, meaning subscription revenue
was recognised and taxed locally.
The
accounts, filed with the Australian Securities and
Investments Commission, show Netflix Australia paid
$966 million to the Netflix Group in distribution
fees and other costs, meaning it made just $22.7 million
from total revenues of $1.06 billion.
After
paying $6.9 million in income tax, it reported $15.8
million profit for the year.
“As
Netflix continues to grow and invest in Australia,
we want our corporate structure to reflect our business
activities here,” a spokesman for Netflix said
last year when The Australian Financial Review reported
the structural change.
In
2021, Netflix Australia reported $30.7 million in
revenue, $2.4 million in profit pre-tax, and $1.5
million in profit after its $868,000 income tax bill.
Netflix
does not disclose subscriber numbers for Australia,
but the revenue figures included in its latest accounts
implies the service has around five million customers
locally, if its standard plan, $16.99 per month, is
used as a guide. It has four monthly price tiers including
a new, cheaper one that now adds some advertising.
According
to the Australian Communications and Media Authority,
streaming services made a combined $2.49 billion in
Australia in 2021.
The
disclosure of Netflix’s true Australian revenue
comes as the federal government considers introducing
quotas that would force streaming companies to spend
a certain amount making shows locally.
Some
suggestions have been forcing them to spend between
10 and 20 per cent of local revenue on Australian
shows, meaning Netflix would be required to spend,
depending on the rate, between $100 million to $200
million.
ACMA
estimates streaming providers spend $335.1 million
on Australian content in the 12 months to the end
of June last year, up from $178.9 million the year
before.
Netflix
has been contacted for comment.
News
Mistakes
and miscalculations: How the Murdochs and Fox got
it so wrong - 30th May 2023
In
August 2021, the Fox Corp. board of directors gathered
in Los Angeles. Among the topics on the agenda: Dominion
Voting Systems’ $US1.6 billion ($2.5 billion)
defamation lawsuit against its cable news network,
Fox News.
The
suit posed a threat to the company’s finances
and reputation. But Fox’s chief legal officer,
Viet Dinh, reassured the board: Even if the company
lost at trial, it would ultimately prevail. The First
Amendment was on Fox’s side, he explained, even
if proving so could require going to the Supreme Court.
That
determination informed a series of missteps and miscalculations
over the next 20 months, according to a New York Times
review of court and business records, and interviews
with roughly a dozen people directly involved in or
briefed on the company’s decision-making.
The
case resulted in one of the biggest legal and business
debacles in the history of Rupert Murdoch’s media
empire: an avalanche of embarrassing disclosures from
internal messages released in court filings; the largest
known settlement in a defamation suit, $US787.5 million;
two shareholder lawsuits; and the benching of Fox’s
top prime-time star, Tucker Carlson.
And
for all of that, Fox still faces a lawsuit seeking
even more in damages, $US2.7 billion, filed by another
subject of the stolen election theory, voting software
company Smartmatic.
Caught
flat-footed
Repeatedly,
Fox executives overlooked warning signs about the
damage they and their network would sustain, the Times
found. They also failed to recognise how far their
cable news networks, Fox News and Fox Business, had
strayed into defamatory territory by promoting President
Donald Trump’s election conspiracy theories —
the central issue in the case. (Fox maintains it did
not defame Dominion.)
When
pretrial rulings went against the company, Fox did
not pursue a settlement in any real way. Executives
were then caught flat-footed as Dominion’s court
filings included internal Fox messages that made clear
how the company chased a Trump-loving audience that
preferred his election lies to the truth.
It
was only in February that Murdoch and his son with
whom he runs the company, Lachlan Murdoch, began seriously
considering settling. Yet they made no major attempt
to do so until the eve of the trial in April, after
still more damaging public disclosures.
At
the centre of the action was Dinh and his overly rosy
scenario.
Dinh,
a high-level Justice Department official under President
George W. Bush, declined several requests for comment,
and the company declined to respond to questions about
his performance or his legal decisions. “Discussions
of specific legal strategy are privileged and confidential,”
a company representative said in a statement.
The
second half of 2020 brought Fox News to a crisis point.
The Fox audience had come to expect favourable news
about Trump. But Fox could not provide that on election
night, when its decision desk team was first to declare
that Trump had lost the critical state of Arizona.
In
the days after, Trump’s fans switched off in
droves.
The
Fox host who was the first to find a way to draw the
audience back was Maria Bartiromo. Five days after
the election, she invited a guest, Trump-aligned lawyer
Sidney Powell, to share details about the false accusations
that Dominion, an elections technology company, had
switched votes from Trump to Joe Biden.
Soon,
wild claims about Dominion appeared elsewhere on Fox,
including references to the election company’s
supposed (but imagined) ties to the Smartmatic election
software company; Hugo Chávez, the Venezuelan
dictator who died in 2013; George Soros, the billionaire
investor and Democratic donor; and China.
‘Fox
News did its job, and this is what the First Amendment
protects. I’m not at all concerned about such
lawsuits, real or imagined.’
Fox’s
chief legal officer Viet Dinh
On
November 12, a Dominion spokesperson complained to
Fox News Media chief executive Suzanne Scott and Fox
News Media executive editor Jay Wallace, begging them
to make it stop. “We really weren’t thinking
about building a litigation record as much as we were
trying to stop the bleeding,” said Thomas A.
Clare, one of Dominion’s lawyers.
As
Fox noted in its court papers, its hosts did begin
including company denials. But as they continued to
give oxygen to the false allegations, Dominion sent
a letter to Fox News general counsel Lily Fu Claffee,
demanding that Fox cease and correct the record. “Dominion
is prepared to do what is necessary to protect its
reputation and the safety of its employees,”
the letter warned.
Fox,
however, did not respond to the Dominion letter or
comply with its requests — now a key issue in
a shareholder suit filed in April, which maintains
that doing so would have “materially mitigated”
Fox’s legal exposure.
Three
months after the election, another voting technology
company tied to the Dominion conspiracy, Smartmatic,
filed its own defamation suit against Fox, seeking
$US2.7 billion in damages. Dominion told reporters
that it was preparing to file one, too.
Dinh
was publicly dismissive.
“The
newsworthy nature of the contested presidential election
deserved full and fair coverage from all journalists.
Fox News did its job, and this is what the First Amendment
protects,” Dinh said at the time. “I’m
not at all concerned about such lawsuits, real or
imagined.”
The
Fox legal team based much of the defence on a doctrine
known as the neutral reportage privilege. It holds
that news organisations cannot be held financially
liable for damages when reporting on false allegations
made by major public figures as long as they don’t
embrace or endorse them.
An
early warning came in late 2021. The judge in the
case, Eric M. Davis, rejected Fox’s attempt to
use the neutral reportage defence to get the suit
thrown out, determining that it was not recognised
under New York law, which he was applying to the case.
Even if it was recognised, Fox would have to show
it reported on the allegations “accurately and
dispassionately”, and Dominion had made a strong
argument that Fox’s reporting was neither, the
judge wrote in a ruling.
That
ruling meant that Dominion could have access to Fox’s
internal communications in discovery.
That
was a natural time to settle. But Fox stuck with its
defence and its plan.
Treasure
trove
At
nearly every step, the court overruled Fox’s
attempts to limit Dominion’s access to private
communications exchanged among hosts, producers and
executives. The biggest blow came mid-last year, after
a ruling stating that Dominion could review messages
from the personal phones of Fox employees, including
both Murdochs.
The
result was a treasure trove of evidence for Dominion:
text messages and emails that revealed the doubts
that Rupert Murdoch had about the coverage airing
on his network, and assertions by many inside Fox,
including Carlson, that fraud could not have made
a material difference in the election.
The
messages led to even more damaging revelations during
depositions. After Dominion’s lawyers confronted
Rupert Murdoch with his own messages showing he knew
Trump’s stolen election claims were false, he
admitted that some Fox hosts appeared to have endorsed
stolen election claims.
During
Carlson’s deposition last year, Dominion’s
lawyers asked about his use of a crude word to describe
women — including a ranking Fox executive. They
also mentioned a text in which he discussed watching
a group of men, who he said were Trump supporters,
attack “an Antifa kid”. He lamented in the
text, “It’s not how white men fight,”
and shared a momentary wish that the group would kill
the person. He then said he regretted that instinct.
There
is no indication that Carlson’s texts tripped
alarms at the top of Fox at that point.
The
alarms rang in February, when reams of other internal
Fox communications became public. The public’s
reaction was so negative that some people at the company
believed that a jury could award Dominion more than
$US1 billion. Yet the company made no serious bid
to settle.
All
along, the Fox board had been taking a wait-and-see
approach.
But
the judge’s pretrial decisions began to change
the board’s thinking. Also, in those final days
before the trial, Fox was hit with new lawsuits. One,
from former Fox producer Abby Grossberg, accused Carlson
of promoting a hostile work environment. Another,
filed by a shareholder, accused the Murdochs and several
directors of failing to stop the practices that made
Fox vulnerable to legal claims.
The
weekend before the trial was to begin, the board asked
Fox to see the internal Fox communications that were
not yet public but that could still come out in the
courtroom.
The
board learned for the first time of the Carlson text
that referred to “how white men fight”.
Dinh did not know about the message until that weekend,
according to two people familiar with the matter.
By
the time the board learned of the message, the Murdochs
had already determined that a trial loss could be
far more damaging than they were initially told to
expect. A substantial jury award could weigh on the
company’s stock for years as the appeals process
played out.
“The
distraction to our company, the distraction to our
growth plans — our management — would have
been extraordinarily costly, which is why we decided
to settle,” Lachlan Murdoch said at an investment
conference this month.
The
text also helped lead to the Murdochs’ decision
to abruptly pull Carlson off the air. Their view had
hardened that their top-rated star wasn’t worth
all the downsides he brought with him.
Still
pending is the Smartmatic suit. In April, Fox agreed
to hand over additional internal documents relating
to several executives, including the Murdochs and
Dinh. In a statement reminiscent of Dinh’s early
view of the Dominion case, the network said that Fox
was protected by the First Amendment.
“We
will be ready to defend this case surrounding extremely
newsworthy events when it goes to trial, likely in
2025,” the statement said.
News
Lachlan
Murdoch explains $1.2b settlement, says Fox News won’t
change ‘successful strategy’ - 10th May
2023
Fox
News paid $US787 million ($1.16 billion) to settle
a recent lawsuit on its reporting after the 2020 election
to avoid a divisive trial and lengthy appeals process,
its parent company’s chief executive said.
Lachlan
Murdoch, executive chairman and CEO of Fox Corp.,
also noted that a Delaware judge “severely limited”
Fox’s defences against Dominion Voting Systems,
which said the network defamed it by airing bogus
charges of election fraud that it knew was untrue.
Fox
Corp announced that it had lost $US50 million the
previous three months, which it attributed to the
lawsuit settlement. Murdoch, who answered questions
from financial analysts, was speaking in public for
the first time since the case ended and Fox fired
its most popular anchor, Tucker Carlson. Carlson has
just announced he is launching a new show on Twitter.
Murdoch
said viewers, and investors, should expect no change
in direction from Fox News.
“We
made the business decision to resolve this dispute
and avoid the acrimony of a divisive trial and multi-year
appeal process, a decision clearly in the best interests
of the company and its shareholders,” he said.
Fox
still believes it was properly exercising its First
Amendment rights to report on newsworthy fraud allegations
made by former President Donald Trump, even though
that defence was shot down in a pre-trial court ruling
in the Dominion case, Murdoch said.
That’s
important, since Murdoch said Fox intends to use the
same defence against a similar lawsuit by another
elections technology company, Smartmatic. That case
is not expected to go to trial until at least 2025,
he said.
Despite
being asked directly about Carlson’s exit, Murdoch
didn’t mention the former prime-time host’s
name and referred to his reign obliquely. Fox has
not explained why it cut ties with Carlson.
“There’s
no change in programming strategy at Fox News,”
he said. “It’s obviously a successful strategy.
As always, we are adjusting our programming and our
lineup and that’s what we continue to do.”
Although
hurt by the Carlson exit, Fox News remains the leading
cable news network.
Fox
has lost viewers following Carlson’s firing.
Last week’s substitute host, Lawrence Jones,
reached between 1.28 million and 1.7 million last
week in a time slot where Carlson usually drew around
3 million, the Nielsen company said.
Yet
Fox has gained more than 40 new advertisers in that
hour, the network said, confirming a report in Variety.
Advertisers like Gillette, Scott’s Miracle Gro
and Secret deodorant that had considered Carlson’s
show a toxic environment have signed on.
(AP)
News
Jesse
Armstrong on the roots of Succession: ‘Would
it have landed the same way without the mad bum-rush
of Trump’s presidency?’ - 27th May 2023
It
has been the TV drama of our time – a brutal,
hilarious unpicking of how power works. As the series
comes to an end, its creator looks back at its origin
and the unholy trinity of men who helped inspire Logan
Roy
My
first vivid memory of the project that would develop
into Succession was trying to get out of it. It was
about 2008 and I was on location for the filming of
Peep Show, the UK sitcom my longtime writing partner
Sam Bain and I wrote together. Between that show and
my work on The Thick of It and In the Loop, and a
bunch of other things, I was feeling overcommitted.
That particular day we were pretending a very normal
field in Hertfordshire was a safari park. I sloped
off from set and, hiding from imaginary lions, tried
to elegantly step away from the project.
I
failed. And in the following months as I wrote, slowly,
I became certain the script was a dud. It was stodgy
and odd. The original idea, a faux-documentary laying
out Rupert Murdoch’s business secrets, with them
delivered straight to camera, evolved as I worked
into a sort of TV play, set at the media owner’s
80th birthday party. Channel 4 were supportive, but
it was an odd form, this docudrama/TV-play, and difficult
to make happen. Around 2011, after a read-through
in London where John Hurt played Rupert, the project
essentially died.
My
US agent was the first person I recall suggesting
a totally different approach. A fictional family,
a multi-series US show. For five years or so, I dismissed
the idea, certain that a portrayal of a fictional
family would never have the power of a real one. Four
works changed my mind: HBO’s excellent Robert
Durst documentary, The Jinx; Sumner Redstone’s
grimly business-focused autobiography, A Passion to
Win; James B Stewart’s propulsive DisneyWar;
and Tom Bower’s fascinating Robert Maxwell biography
Maxwell: The Final Verdict. These turned the idea
of doing a media-family drama without a singular real-life
model from a terrible betrayal of reality into a tantalising
chance to harvest all the best stories. Here was an
opportunity to explore all the most fascinating family
dynamics within a propitiously balanced fictional
hybrid media conglomerate. I took a long, deep dive
into rich-family and media-business research.
I
talked about this, as-yet-unwritten, idea in half-ironised
terms as ‘Festen-meets-Dallas’
When
Sam and I decided to bring things to a close on Peep
Show, I flew out to pitch this media show around LA.
I had a clear idea of where I wanted to develop it,
but my agent persuaded me appetites would be whetted
if we had a number of potential homes. So I spent
three days doing a round of pitch meetings where I
talked about this as-yet-unwritten idea in half-ironised
terms as “Festen-meets-Dallas”. No stars,
Dogme 95 camerawork. Scared of driving on the five-lane
highways, I bumped around town in the back of a Honda
Civic while a nice young man from my US agent’s
mailroom ferried me between rooms stocked with identical
tiny bottles of water and executives of vastly varying
degrees of interest.
Eventually,
I got to HBO, the place I most wanted the show to
land, home to The Sopranos and Six Feet Under. I knew
they might be receptive. Frank Rich – once known
as the “Butcher of Broadway” for his theatre
criticism, but now an in-house consigliere –
had championed my work there to the boss, Richard
Plepler, and I’d previously developed a show
with them. So, out the back of a French-style bistro
on a three-cappuccino high, I pitched it to their
head of drama and comedy, Casey Bloys.
Sometimes
a pitch stretches thin and threadbare, the fabric
renting as you go, the other party peeping grimly
through the holes. Other times, the air thickens,
and you can feel the atmosphere in the room turn oxygen-rich
as the enthusiasm you are trying to project transforms
into an enthusiasm you are actually feeling.
By
the time I left LA, HBO had made an offer and Adam
McKay, fresh from The Big Short, had said he would
be interested in directing. I’d written another
Succession forerunner, a script about the US political
strategist Lee Atwater, for Adam and his producing
partner Kevin Messick. It had been one of the few
LA experiences I’d had where the excitement expressed
at the start of the project sustained through the
writing and attempts to get it made.
This
was 2016 and, once back in the UK, I wrote the pilot
through the spring and summer in a one-room flat I
rented on Brixton Hill, south London, walking across
Brockwell Park each morning, listening to podcasts
and reading news about the Brexit referendum. Scotland
had recently voted by a narrow majority to stay inside
the UK and the abiding sense right before the Brexit
vote was, yeah, change looms, it glistens, menacingly,
promisingly, but it doesn’t happen. Not really.
Really, everything stays the same.
But
then it did happen. And across the Atlantic, the Trump
campaign was igniting – even if initially his
candidacy felt like a slightly amusing, slightly too-vivid
flash in the pan. Into early autumn, in fact, all
serious people were still explaining to one another
that Trump couldn’t happen. Although I suppose,
looking back, there was a notable lack of detail in
terms of the mechanism by which he would be stopped.
I
think a lot of the better films and TV shows I’ve
been involved with have at their heart a quite simple
impulse around which the more subtle layers are spun.
In the Loop’s spark was anger at the Iraq war.
Chris Morris’s Four Lions I think was driven
by his gut feeling that something was very wrong with
the way we understood jihadi terrorism in the UK.
Peep Show was about oddball male friendship, perhaps
even “masculinity”.
I
guess the simple things at the heart of Succession
ended up being Brexit and Trump. The way the UK press
had primed the EU debate for decades. The way the
US media’s conservative outriders prepared the
way for Trump, hovered at the brink of support and
then dived in. The British press of Rothermere, Maxwell,
Murdoch and the Barclay brothers, and the US news
environment of Fox and Breitbart.
The
Sun doesn’t run the UK, nor does Fox entirely
set the media agenda in the US, but it was hard not
to feel, at the time the show was coming together,
the particular impact of one man, of one family, on
the lives of so many. Rightwing populism was on the
march across the globe. But in the fine margins of
the Brexit vote and Trump’s eventual electoral
college victory, one couldn’t help but think
about the influence of the years of anti-EU stories
and comment in the UK press, the years of Fox dancing
with its audience, sometimes leading, sometimes following,
as the wine got stronger, the music madder. It was
politically alarming and creatively appealing: to
imagine the mixture of business imperatives and political
instinct that exist within a media operation; to consider
what happens when something as important as the flow
of information in a democracy hits the reductive brutality
of the profit calculation inside such a company. How
those elements might rebound emotionally and psychologically
inside a family as it considered the question of corporate
succession.
For
Logan Roy, Murdoch, Redstone and Maxwell were my holy
trinity of models. But Conrad Black, Brian L Roberts
of Comcast, Robert Mercer of Breitbart, Julian Sinclair
Smith of Sinclair, Tiny Rowland, Rothermere, Beaverbrook
and Hearst all fed in. The three central models were
wildly different, of course: the self-made refugee
Maxwell and the already-rich Murdoch, a scion of Australian
journalistic royalty, both so different from the tough
Boston lawyer Redstone who started with a couple of
his father’s drive-in cinemas.
But
they were connected by a strong interest in a few
things: a refusal to think about mortality (Redstone
and Murdoch both used to make the same joke about
their succession plan: not dying); desire for control;
manic deal-making energy; love of gossip and power-connection;
a certain ruthlessness about hirings and firings.
And most of all, an instinct for forward motion, with
a notable lack of introspection.
Perhaps
the best part of Redstone’s autobiography for
a casual reader is the opening, where he recounts
clinging by one hand to a hotel balcony through a
fire. Despite suffering third-degree burns over half
his body, years of rehabilitation, excruciatingly
painful skin grafts, he says this event, after which
he made all his biggest business plays, had no impact
whatsoever on the trajectory of his life.
Whether
due to all this grist, or the aligning of the political
planets (in)auspiciously, the pilot came unnervingly
easily. Getting names in a script to feel real can
be hard for me – they’re a tell-tale sign
of whether I’m living inside it. Kendall, Shiv,
Roman, Connor. They all felt right straight off the
bat. Their inspirations, I suppose, were the children
of these magnates: three of the Maxwell kids, the
ones closest to the business (the boys, Ian and Kevin)
and to their father (Ghislaine). Brent and Shari Redstone,
with whom Sumner played a tough and complicated game
of bait-and-switch over CBS-Paramount succession.
And the Murdoch children, Prudence, Lachlan, James,
Elisabeth, Chloe and Grace.
But
getting those names for the Roy children made them
feel like their own individuals to me. It allowed
me to pour in just what I wanted from the real world,
fill each with all the faults they might have inherited,
while giving me room to add some extra, just for them.
Greg
and Tom came fast, too. Tom from two roots. One was
thinking about the sort of lunks I’ve occasionally
seen powerful women choose as partners. Plausible,
manly men with big watches and a soothing affable
manner. That mixed with the deadly courtier, a more
18th-century figure, minutely attuned to shifts in
power and influence, an invisible deadly gas that
occurs in certain confined places and rises to kill
anyone unwise enough not to take precautions. A hanger-on
sustained by some Fitzgeraldian illusions about the
world, a sense that perhaps the rich really are different
from us and a romantic ambition to make it in New
York City.
Greg,
I guess, was a distant relative of the sort of political
adviser I had myself briefly been. Gormless, clueless,
out of place and gauche. But not without an eye for
a deal. And, I hope, a little more wheedling and insinuating
than I ever was.
The
scenes flowed. I put all research aside and followed
my nose and wrote pretty much exactly what I wanted
The
charge between these two semi-outsiders struck me
from the start as toxic and comic. Tom, the interloper,
is like an organism that has found a precarious but
rewarding perch above some deep oceanic vent and adapted
itself to conditions perfectly. He is not pleased
at all to see a similar creature scuttling along hoping
to share the same cramped evolutionary niche. That
first half-bullying, half-provocative exchange they
share in the outfield at a softball game in the pilot
landed them right in the middle of a stew they’ve
been cooking in ever since.
The
scenes flowed. I had eaten a very large amount of
research, but once I was writing I put it all aside
and followed my nose and wrote pretty much exactly
what I wanted. It felt funny but odd and broken-ended,
fragmentary, abrupt, oblique and slightly brutal.
When I emailed it off, I had the familiar feeling
that Adam, Frank and HBO might email back to say not
only was it not good, it wasn’t even actually,
technically, a script. But their response was frighteningly
positive. Almost as though the script was finished,
after what was, I thought, a quick first draft. I
think every other episode of Succession has gone to
at least 30 drafts – usually 50. The pilot barely
hit 15.
We
had our read-through in New York on US election day
2016. Before we started, I made the sort of joke lots
of people made that day, assuming the polls were right
and Hillary Clinton was going to squeeze it. That
night we gathered in Adam McKay’s apartment to
watch the results roll in. Much later, I walked a
long walk back from Soho to where I was staying near
the United Nations looking at the electoral college
numbers projected on to the Empire State Building.
We
started filming the next day.
I
still wonder whether Succession would have landed
in the same way without the mad bum-rush of news and
sensation Trump’s chaotic presidency provided.
Trump wasn’t the firebombing of German civilians,
and nor is Succession Slaughterhouse-Five, but I do
sometimes think about Vonnegut saying no one in the
world profited from the firebombing of Dresden, except
himself.
This
is an edited extract from Succession: The Complete
Scripts – Seasons One, Two and Three (Faber &
Faber), out now at £20 each. To support the
Guardian and Observer, order your copies for £17.60
each from guardianbookshop.com.
The
final episode of Succession airs in the UK on Sky
Atlantic/Now on Monday. Jesse Armstrong donated the
fee for this article to the Writers Guild of America
strike assistance fund.
News
LIV
Golf announces new pay-per-view option - 26th May
2023
"The
hope for LIV is to grow off the success first seen
on YouTube in 2022, where the league attracted tournament
audiences of several hundred-thousand views in the
U.S. and abroad."
Going
forward, LIV Golf Series events will be available
via a pay-per-view option on YouTube.
The
new deal was detailed by James Colgan of Golf.com.
“Less
than six months after signing a media rights agreement
with the CW, LIV announced Friday that it has created
a new, pay-per-view broadcast option to run on YouTube,”
Colgan reported. “The PPV broadcast will cost
$3 per tournament day, LIV said in a release announcing
the decision, and will run in addition to the league’s
agreement with the CW.”
Colgan
also detailed that “A LIV source indicated that
the CW is aware of the decision to introduce a pay-per-view
model, and that the decision does not violate any
of the league’s preexisting broadcast agreements.”
“The
hope for LIV is to grow off the success first seen
on YouTube in 2022, where the league attracted tournament
audiences of several hundred-thousand views in the
U.S. and abroad. The league already has its own direct-to-consumer
subscription platform, LIV Golf Plus, which the PPV
channel will run counter to. LIV broadcasts will continue
to be streamed for free on the CW app.”
This
announcement comes less than two weeks after a rather
embarrassing moment for the tour. One week before
LIV’s Brooks Koepka triumphed at the PGA Championship,
the Saudi-backed golf series was in Tulsa.
On
one hand, it was a perfect showcase event for LIV.
Two of its most high-profile players, Dustin Johnson
and Cam Smith, went to a three-way playoff (along
with Branden Grace). But most of the people watching
did not get to see Johnson’s eventual triumph.
The
CW, the league’s primary broadcast partner, went
away from coverage in the vast majority of its markets,
showing “regularly scheduled programming.”
Jim Nantz was quick to make a joke at LIV’s expense
on the matter at the PGA Championship. The CW also
announced a change, saying that all events will be
shown to their conclusions going forward.
[Golf.com]
News
WWE
Night Of Champions Reportedly Earned Highest Viewership
Of Any Saudi Arabia Show - 31st May 2023
According
to a report from Fightful Select, Saturday's Night
of Champions PLE scored WWE the highest viewership
out of any of the company's Saudi Arabia events since
the partnership between the two began in 2013. The
report states that Night of Champions brought in an
18% increase in viewership compared to last year's
Crown Jewel event, and the company is reportedly quite
happy with its holiday weekend results.
Night
of Champions was headlined by Kevin Owens and Sami
Zayn successfully defending the Undisputed WWE Tag
Team Championship against Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa
of The Bloodline, with a major angle taking place
on the show that saw The Usos turn on Reigns after
more than a year of build-up and tension.This marks
the second time a tag team match has served as the
main event of a major WWE show in recent months. Additional
matches on the show included Seth Rollins vs. AJ Styles
to decide the first WWE World Heavyweight Champion,
a singles match between Becky Lynch and Trish Stratus,
and a Backlash rematch pitting Brock Lesnar against
Cody Rhodes, among others.
To
date, WWE has held nine PPVs and PLEs in Saudi Arabia,
along with three house shows. Back in 2019, WWE announced
that they had "expanded their partnership"
with Saudi Arabia, and that they would be hosting
two major events per year in the Middle Eastern nation
through at least 2027. Though it hasn't been announced
yet, WWE will likely return to Saudi Arabia for another
Crown Jewel event later this year.
News
Pat
McAfee Comments On Empty Seats At AEW Double Or Nothing
- 31st May 2023
All
Elite Wrestling's Double or Nothing pay-per-view took
place this past weekend at the T-Mobile Arena in Las
Vegas, Nevada. During the event, Wrestlenomics' Brandon
Thurston tweeted images of empty seats inside the
venue. Wrestling Observer's Bryan Alvarez also posted
a photo from his ringside position, which showed many
unoccupied places behind Orange Cassidy after he retained
the AEW International Championship in a Blackjack
Battle Royal. Former "WWE SmackDown" commentator
Pat McAfee has weighed in with his thoughts.
"Anytime
you get a shot away from hard cam, you know what I
mean, you can really see a lot of things," McAfee
said on "The Pat McAfee Show." "AEW
found out this weekend or whatever at one of their
events, it's like three quarters of an arena completely
empty. They don't want that photo out anywhere."
Ahead
of the pay-per-view going live on Sunday night, WrestleTix
revealed 10,229 tickets had been distributed for an
11,641 setup inside the T-Mobile Arena, leaving 1,412
tickets available. An Anarchy in the Arena match headlined
the show, with Blackpool Combat Club's Bryan Danielson,
Jon Moxley, reigning ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli,
and Wheeler Yuta picking up the win in that bout against
The Elite's Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson,
and "Hangman" Adam Page.
AEW's
next major standalone show, All In, which will take
place on August 27 at Wembley Stadium in London, England,
has currently sold over 65,000 tickets and has a gate
of over $8 million. No matches have been announced
for AEW's first event across the pond as of this writing.
Ticket sales for All In have slowed following an initial
surge.
News
WWE-UFC
merged company to be called ‘TKO Group Holdings’
- 16th May 2023
A
name has emerged for the group.
Coming
out of WrestleMania, it was announced by Endeavor
that an agreement had been reached with WWE and the
company would be merging with UFC to form a new sports
and entertainment company.
The
deal has not been formally finalized but a name for
the merged group has been revealed. CNBC’s Alex
Sherman and Mike Calia published a story and an Endeavor
spokesperson confirmed to the outlet that the new
group is going to be called ‘TKO Group Holdings’.
It
will trade under the New York Stock Exchange as ‘TKO’.
The
merger between WWE and UFC is being valued at $20
billion. Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel will be the CEO
of TKO Group and Vince McMahon is going to serve as
Executive Chairman.
News
Nick
Khan Says WWE In Talks With International Cities For
2024 PLEs
It
sounds as though WWE will continue expanding its PLEs
into international markets next year. Speaking at
the JP Morgan Global Technology, Media & Communications
Conference, WWE CEO Nick Khan stated that the company
was discussing the potential for additional overseas
shows in 2024.
"We're
in conversations now with a lot of international cities
about doing 2024 shows there," Khan said. "Also,
part of the intent is to match those up with our media
rights, even if they're not up to over-deliver for
incumbent partners who can then invite their partners
in the international city to the event, and host them.
It's good for our overall business." Khan's comments
came as part of a conversation about countries offering
subsidies to WWE for bringing shows there, as the
company brings a great deal of revenue to the city
for major events. Khan cited recent events in Puerto
Rico as well as the Dallas, Texas area as examples.
Previous
rumors pointed toward Australia as a potential location
for a future international WWE PLE. However, it's
unknown if negotiations with the country have progressed
in the months since.
WWE
has steadily ramped up its major international shows
over the last five years, with the company holding
several yearly events in Saudi Arabia, as well as
last year's Clash at the Castle and the upcoming Money
in the Bank both being held in the United Kingdom.
It seems fans around the world should stay on the
lookout for upcoming announcements regarding WWE's
international schedule in 2024.
News
“We
Let People Go”: Months After $21.4 Billion UFC-WWE
Deal, Endeavor CEO Recalls “Horrible” Time
for Organization - 2nd June 2023
The
year 2020 brought unprecedented challenges for individuals
and organizations alike, and the UFC was no exception.
The promotional frontman Dana White has reflected
on those uncertain times and shared the struggles
the organization faced in keeping things going. Despite
the pandemic, White was determined to keep the show
running and provide entertainment for fight fans worldwide.
While the rest of the world was shut down, the UFC
managed to organize consistent events, albeit on a
smaller scale. However, this arduous journey was not
without its fair share of hardships.
Ari
Emanuel, the CEO of Endeavor, the parent company of
the UFC and William Morris Endeavor talent agency,
revealed the significant challenges they encountered
during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though Endeavor
recently secured a massive $21.4 billion deal to acquire
the WWE, during the COVID-19 days, the company found
itself at rock bottom struggling to stay afloat.
When
Covid-19 posed a threat to the UFC
In
an interview on the “Freakonomics Radio”
podcast, Emanuel shared how the pandemic affected
the company financially. During the interview, podcast
host Stephen Dubner asked Emanuel, “Did you think
COVID might kill Endeavor?”. Reflecting on this,
the 62-year-old CEO replied, “It was bad,”
He continued, “I’d never had to fire that
many people.”
Emanuel
mentioned that the continuation of UFC fights during
the pandemic played a crucial role in saving the company,
accounting for approximately 70% of their revenue
that year. Further talking about the struggles to
keep the organization alive during the pandemic, the
Endeavor CEO stated, “We had our ESPN deal. We
then started making deals for writers. So we stored
all the cash. We didn’t let anything out. We
let people go, which was horrible, or furloughed them.”
Through
the storm, Endeavor’s leadership team, led by
Emanuel, proved to be the lighthouse that guided them
to safer shores. The UFC’s resilience and the
implementation of innovative strategies, such as the
‘Fight Island’ events, not only salvaged
the company but also became a beacon of hope for other
professional sports leagues.
News
“Very,
Very Easy for Jon Jones”: Ex-UFC Star Ruthlessly
Shuts Down Tyson Fury Days After Boxer’s Callout
of UFC Champ in Ugly Public Feud - 1st June 2023
The
claim made by Joe Rogan that Tyson Fury would stand
no chance against Jon Jones has sparked an intense
and never-ending debate. Recently, another prominent
figure from the UFC, the world of mixed martial arts,
has jumped into this heated discussion. However, ‘The
Gypsy King’ himself strongly opposed the take
of the UFC commentator and didn’t hold back in
expressing his views. In fact, he went as far as bashing
Rogan and proudly proclaimed himself to be ‘the
baddest man on the planet’.
As
the back and forth continued between Fury and Rogan,
UFC president Dana White has stepped in, proposing
a potential fight between Fury and Jones. However,
the WBC heavyweight champion firmly refused to step
into the octagon, dismissing the idea altogether.
This decision faced an immediate backlash from fans
who had eagerly anticipated the materialization of
this debate inside the fighting arena.
Despite
the disappointment felt by fans, it becomes evident
that the 34-year-old boxer has no intention of venturing
into the octagon. On the contrary, a former UFC welterweight
challenger believes that Fury would fare well in the
realm of mixed martial arts. However, he warns that
there may be unforeseen challenges along the way.
Tyson
Fury will have a Jon Jones threat in MMA
During
a recent interview, the former UFC fighter Dan Hardy
shared his reflections on the latest happenings in
the combat sports world, ranging from boxing to MMA.
However, it was the Tyson Fury-Jon Jones debate that
took center stage.
The
41-year-old Hardy began by heaping praise on ‘The
Gypsy King’ for his potential in MMA, stating,
“Tyson Fury doesn’t come from a boxing background.
He comes from a fighting man background. Tyson Fury
sees himself as a fighter first that boxes, and I
think he looks at mixed martial arts and sees lots
of ways he can capitalize on the changing of the rules.”
Continuing
his analysis, Hardy mentioned Fury’s collaboration
with Tom Aspinall and how he has showcased proficient
elbows and knees in the videos shared with him. ‘The
Outlaw’ confidently stated, “I feel like
Tyson Fury would be really good if he crossed over
to mixed martial arts. Of course, there’d be
a lot for him to learn. The main issue would be, he’d
be very, very easy for Jon Jones to take down. And
I think that’s something that Tyson has not experienced
and has not and has not really quite comprehended.”
Meanwhile,
Jon Jones recently made a strong statement in his
heavyweight debut, securing a first-round victory
against Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 after returning from
a three-year-long hiatus.
This
certainly explains Dan Hardy’s warning to Tyson
Fury. How do you think ‘The Gypsy King’
would fare in MMA?
News
Dwayne
Johnson to Return as Luke Hobbs in New ‘Fast
and Furious’ Standalone Film - 7th June 2023
Dwayne
Johnson is returning to the “Fast and Furious”
universe with a new standalone film, reprising his
franchise role as Luke Hobbs.
Universal
Pictures announced the project on Thursday. Longtime
“Fast and Furious” collaborator Chris Morgan
wrote the untitled film’s script. Plot details
were not available, though individuals familiar with
the deal said the new movie will bridge between the
events of the just-released “Fast X” and
the upcoming “Fast X: Part II,” which is
expected in 2025. Johnson just appeared as Hobbs,
a diplomatic security service agent, in a credits
scene for “Fast X.”
Johnson
will produce the film with Dany Garcia and Hiram Garcia
for their Seven Bucks Productions, along with Vin
Diesel and Samantha Vincent via their One Race Films.
Additional producers include Chris Morgan for his
Chris Morgan Productions, Jeff Kirschenbaum for Roth/Kirschenbaum
Films and Neal Moritz for Original Film.
Screenwriter
Morgan wrote and produced “Fast and Furious Presents:
Hobbs & Shaw” and “The Fate of the Furious.”
He’s also scripted and executive produced the
fifth, sixth and seventh entries in the franchise.
Directed by Louis Leterrier, “Fast X” opened
at No. 1 around the world in May with $320 million
and became the second-biggest global opening of 2023.
Johnson
announced Hobbs’ return with a video posted to
social media with the caption: “Your reactions
around the world to Hobbs’ return in ‘Fast
X’ have blown us away. The next ‘Fast &
Furious’ film you’ll see the legendary lawman
in will be the Hobbs movie that will serve as a fresh,
new chapter & set up for ‘Fast X: Part II.'”
“Last
summer Vin Diesel and I put all the past behind us,”
Johnson added. “We’ll lead with brotherhood
and resolve – and always take care of the franchise,
characters & fans that we love. I’ve built
my career on an ‘audience first’ mentality
and that will always serve as my north star.”
Johnson
is repped by WME, lawyers Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown
& Passman, Inc. and The Lede Company.
Seven
Bucks has co-produced films like Disney’s “Jungle
Cruise” and the DC Studios entires “Black
Adam” and “DC League of Super-Pets.”
Original series include NBC’s “Young Rock”
and “The Titan Games.” Johnson will next
produce and star in “Red One” at Amazon
Studios and Disney’s live-action “Moana.”
News
13
States Comment On Possibility Of Allowing Gambling
On WWE Matches
In
March 2023, CNBC reported that WWE was working toward
legalizing gambling on wrestling matches, enlisting
the services of accounting firm Ernst & Young,
with Michigan, Colorado, and Indiana mentioned as
the initial targets. As of now, betting on WWE matches
is only available at offshore sportsbooks like BetOnline.ag,
based out of Antigua, and Bovada, based out of Latvia.
Betting on matches in America would open up new streams
of revenue for WWE and add some mainstream legitimacy
to the sports entertainment powerhouse.
Since
that report broke, however, it's been nothing bad
news for WWE in the gambling department. Dave Meltzer
has reported that WWE's efforts aren't going well
— Colorado denied talking to WWE and said that
"By statute, wagers on events with fixed or predicted
outcomes ... are strictly prohibited in Colorado."
Indiana told Casino.org that it had "no interest
in approving wagering on scripted events," and
Michigan also denied any recent talks with WWE, while
New Hampshire Lottery Commission executive director
Charlie McIntyre deemed it "very unlikely"
betting on WWE gets approved in New Hampshire.
In
light of this, Wrestling Inc. reached out to multiple
states about the possibility of legalized betting
on WWE matches. Each gambling commission was asked
1) how likely WWE would be to succeed if they pitched
gambling on matches to them, and 2) if there were
any regulations, laws, or statutes that barred betting
on something with predetermined outcomes. 13 states
-– Arizona, Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio,
Oregon, South Dakota, and Washington -– responded.
While their responses varied slightly, overall, they
paint a picture of increasingly fewer opportunities,
and increasingly more obstacles, for legal gambling
on WWE matches to get approved.
At
least three states say they wouldn't allow gambling
on WWE as a matter of policy, even if there are no
explicit laws against it.
Kerry
Hemphill, Manager of Sports Betting Product at the
Oregon Lottery, made it clear that gambling on WWE
wouldn't be allowed as a matter of policy in the Beaver
State: "Although there is no law or statute that
forbids it, Oregon Lottery sports betting policy is
to not accept wagers on scripted events with predicted
outcomes."
Seth
Elkin, Assistant Director of Communications for Public
Affairs for Maryland Lottery and Gaming, also told
us his state had made a determination on the matter.
"Maryland's sports wagering law and regulations
prohibit forms of wagering that are contrary to public
policy or unfair to bettors," he said. "We've
determined that it is unfair to bettors, and therefore
not in the public's interest, to accept wagers on
sports entertainment events that have predetermined
outcomes, like professional wrestling."
Meanwhile,
a representative from the South Dakota Department
of Revenue simply said, "WWE wrestling matches
would not be eligible for sports wagering in South
Dakota."
Iowa
and Ohio say no to betting on predetermined events
Two
more states said that predetermined events weren't
permitted, but made a point to highlight policy and
procedure. Brian J. Ohorilko, Administrator of the
Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, also shot down
gambling on wrestling for the time being.
"Predetermined
events are not permitted in the State of Iowa,"
he told Wrestling Inc. "Iowa law defines and
permits professional sporting events and sports-related
events; however, fixed or predetermined outcomes are
not explicitly permitted. As such, and for other integrity
concerns, the commission has not permitted predetermined
events in any of the approved wagering markets."
Ohorilko
also brought up the process that would be required
for any kind of legalization: "From a practical
standpoint, any request would need to come with a
legal opinion as to how this would be permitted under
Iowa law," he said. "It would need to go
through legal review with consultation from the AG
office. If legal review passes, the commission would
still need to review policy and integrity concerns
with respect to the activity having predetermined
outcomes. Approval would be needed before this type
of wagering activity could take place."
Ohio
tells a similar story. Jessica Franks, Director of
Communications for the Ohio Casino Control Commission,
pointed us towards Rule 3775-11-01 of the Ohio Administrative
Code — the process for adding to Ohio's catalog
of wagers and events. She said the Commission's review
of such requests includes, but is not limited to,
the following criteria:
The
quality of the governing body's documented integrity
program.
The
general availability of information related to the
governing body.
The
professional or skill level status of athletes.
The
history of integrity related to events sanctioned
by the governing body.
This
already puts the WWE in shaky territory, but it's
seemingly locked out for good with the following consideration:
"Please note that the Commission will not approve
requests for wagers/events involving 'Events which
are pre-recorded or in which the outcome has been
otherwise previously determined.'"
Arizona
and Connecticut have laws against betting on fixed
outcomes
At
least two states have laws in place that would ban
gambling on WWE matches.
Max
Hartgraves, Public Information Officer at the Arizona
Department of Gaming, provided a straightforward statement:
"Arizona statute prohibits gambling on fixed
events."
Meanwhile,
when asked how likely WWE would be to garner approval
for gambling on matches, Kaitlyn Krasselt, Communications
Director at Connecticut Department of Consumer Protections,
said "I cannot speculate on that." That
said, she did inform Wrestling Inc. about state regulations
on gambling: "Connecticut law only allows wagering
on sporting or athletic events. WWE is sports entertainment.
The 'matches' are predetermined by the company and
are scripted. There is no regulation body for professional
wrestling, and WWE is one of several companies that
offers this type of entertainment. With a predetermined
outcome, this would not be considered a sport. It
is considered entertainment. Wagering on the Oscars,
for example, is also not permitted in Connecticut."
That
last part is significant, since CNBC's report mentioned
that WWE executives were using Oscar betting as an
example for regulators.
Maine
and Montana agree with most of their colleagues
Two
states specifically cited the statements from Colorado,
Indiana, Michigan, and New Hampshire in their responses.
After hearing that four other states had expressed
skepticism over betting on WWE, Maine Gambling Control
Unit Executive Director Milton Champion said, "On
the surface, without looking into the matter, I would
concur with my colleagues. Operators will submit with
their application events that they want to take wagers
on, and I shall approve them."
Daniel
Iverson, Content Manager for the Montana Lottery,
said something similar. "Montana does not intend
to add WWE markets, for the same reasons our counterparts
cited," he advised, before directing any questions
on state law to the Montana Department of Justice
Gambling Control Division.
New
Jersey and Massachusetts punted, for now
Two
states we contacted declined to comment on the matter,
not wanting to address issues that haven't come before
them yet. Thomas Mills, Communications Division Chief
of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, said, "I
appreciate your question, but am unable to speculate
on a hypothetical action the Commission may or may
not take."
Dan
Prochilo, Public Information Officer at the New Jersey
Attorney General's Office, responded that "The
Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) cannot comment
on any hypothetical discussion with an operator or
league about future sports betting opportunities."
He added that "In New Jersey, an entity seeking
permission for a contest to be authorized for wagering
on a sports event is required to submit its proposal
to DGE for evaluation and approval pursuant to state
law and regulations."
Prochilo
also provided the state's legal definition of a "sports
event" for the purposes of gambling. Notably,
it includes the phrase "A 'sports event' shall
include any live competition or talent contest, including
awards competitions[.]"
New
Jersey and Massachusetts are two of the only states
that allow betting on the Oscars, with New Jersey
okaying it in 2019 (the first state to do so) and
Massachusetts greenlighting it in 2023. It's unknown
if WWE will approach either state or how each state
would respond, but at bare minimum, WWE's argument
to treat wrestling like the Oscars for betting purposes
might carry some weight.
Washington
and New Mexico illustrate the challenges of Tribal
gaming
Washington
is unique among the states who responded to us, in
that sports wagering is only available on Tribal lands
yet still regulated by the state. Sports wagering
was legalized, subject to terms of Tribal/State Compacts,
on Tribal lands in 2020. All wagering, even online
betting, must take place on Tribal lands, and each
casino decides bets within certain limitations. The
Angel of the Winds Casino and Resort and the ilani
Casino Resort, for example, don't 100% overlap on
sports offered for betting.
But
WWE, or any wrestling, won't be joining those offering
under current rules and regulations. Dan Wegenast,
Agent In Charge for the Tribal Gaming Unit of the
Washington State Gambling Commission, pointed Wrestling
Inc. towards the Tribal/State Compacts for sports
wagering. He also stated that "Washington State
law and the Tribal/State Compacts for sports wagering
... prohibit wagers on events with known outcomes."
To
further illustrate the complications of garnering
approval for gaming on Tribal lands, a representative
from the New Mexican Gaming Control Board told Wrestling
Inc. that sports betting is illegal in their state,
but legal with some Tribes. That said, New Mexico
does not regulate Tribal gaming, meaning that approval
would likely have to be worked out with each Tribe
individually.
There
are other obstacles, too
It's
worth noting that gambling laws are constantly changing.
Many states without gambling –- such as North
Carolina -– have spent years hammering out legislation
that would approve gambling off Tribal lands. Additionally,
for states with legalized gambling, internal policies
are not inherently laws, and can be subject to change
under the right circumstances.
That
said, even if WWE manages to get gambling on matches
approved anywhere, that's only one part of the battle:
They still need casinos and/or sportsbooks to be willing
to accept wagers at all, and there's resistance in
this field, as well, as demonstrated in subsequent
coverage from CNBC. FanDuel deems it unlikely that
they'd ever accept bets on WWE, noting that the Academy
Awards –- which held once per year -– are
vastly different than dealing with WWE's weekly programming.
Additionally, when BetCEO Adam Greenblatt was asked
if he had any interesting in accepting bets on WWE,
he responded "NFW."
Between
the overwhelming majority opinions of the 13 states
who responded to Wrestling Inc., the states that have
already responded, and the reluctance of sportsbooks
to include anything that looks less than credible,
WWE faces an increasingly uphill battle if they want
to make betting on wrestling matches legal anywhere
in the United States.
News
News.com.au
holds number one news traffic ranking in April for
fourth consecutive month - May 22, 2023
News.com.au
has retained the number one news website traffic ranking
for the fourth month in a row, reaching 12.71 million
Australians in April.
The
latest Ipsos Iris report showed the news website has
resolidified its market-leading stance, although there
was a three per cent dip month-on-month in unique
audience. Average time on site per person, sitting
at 29 minutes and 55 seconds, also slipped modestly
compared to March.
Oliver
Murray, news.com.au editor, pointed out April was
a month when many should’ve switched off to enjoy
Easter and the school holidays.
“It’s
testament to our team that we kept serving up news
they needed to read,” he said.
That
content offering drew in the largest and most engaged
audience in the news category, he pointed out –
six in 10 online Australians.
“We
saw a 17 per cent month-on-month increase in our sports
audience to become the number one sports brand, driven
by our NRL and AFL coverage,” Murray said.
“Australians
also turned to us for travel news, reaching an audience
of 2.541 million and leading the travel news category.”
The
gap between news.com.au and rival ABC News, sitting
in second spot, is sizeable. The national broadcaster’s
web offering attracted the eyeballs of 11.14 million
Aussies.
Rounding
out the top five was nine.com.au with 10.73 million
unique viewers, 7news.com.au on 10.06 million, and
Daily Mail Australia on 8.35 million.
The
Ipsos Iris report found 20.2 million people used a
news website or app in April, with engagement increasing
by 1.2% to almost six hours per person, per month.
Major
news events ranging from the death of comedian Barry
Humphries to the arrest of former US President Donald
Trump and the federal budget helped fuel the increase,
it said.
The
report called out travel-related browsing in the month,
given Easter and the school holidays, with 16.9 million
Aussies aged 14 and above visiting a travel website
or app in April.
Those
in the 55-plus age bracket spent the most time browsing
– 33% more than those under 55 – while women
were more likely to use travel sites and apps than
men. People aged 25 to 39 are the largest cohort engaging
with travel content online.
Sydney
Morning Herald is the country’s best-read masthead
May 22, 2023
The
Sydney Morning Herald has retained its position
as Australia’s top masthead, with more readers
across all platforms than any other over the 12 months
to March this year.
Total
News figures from the industry’s official data
provider, Roy Morgan, showed 7.7 million people, or
about one in three Australians, read the masthead.
It puts the Herald ahead of its traditional NSW rival,
the News Corp-owned Daily Telegraph, which has 3.98
million readers.
The
Herald’s sister paper, The Age, cemented its
place as the most-read Victorian masthead with 5.2
million readers, and the outlets’ Good Weekend
magazine was the premier Saturday insert. It had an
average print readership of 754,000 people, up 4 per
cent for the quarter.
Print
was a particular bright spot for this masthead, with
the Monday to Friday newspaper recording 17 per cent
growth year over year and quarterly growth of 4 per
cent, taking its average readership per edition to
417,000. It marks the sixth consecutive quarter of
growth for the physical newspaper, while the Sun Herald’s
Sunday print edition was steady, up 1 per cent, to
a readership of 423,000. In the last four weeks, an
average of almost 1.9 million people read the printed
paper.
The
Herald and Age’s Good Food and Traveller titles
had audiences of 1.49 million and 1.56 million, respectively,
each month. Sunday Life had an average issue print
readership of 419,000, and Domain defied a softening
real estate market, seeing annual growth of 7 per
cent and quarterly growth of 5 per cent, to record
an average issue print readership of 537,000.
“I
am proud of our team for achieving such a strong result,
particularly given the challenging environment all
publishers are finding themselves in right now,”
Herald editor Bevan Shields said.
“The
Herald continues to set the benchmark for quality
journalism in Australia and I want to thank our subscribers
and readers for their continued support for what we
do.”
Roy
Morgan’s data covers all news brands and digital
news websites and tracks audiences on Apple News and
Google News.
Financial
Review most-read business masthead. By Sam Buckingham-Jones
- May 22, 2023
The
Australian Financial Review is the country’s
most-read premium business masthead, reaching a print
and digital audience of 3.5 million people, figures
released by Roy Morgan show.
More
than 1.1 million people read the print edition of
the Financial Review over the past four weeks, and
the masthead reported its third consecutive quarter
of growth and a year-on-year increase of 6 per cent.
The Australian suffered an annual drop of 17 per cent
in print readership for the same period.
The
Financial Review’s combined print and digital
audience fell slightly from last quarter, from 3.6
million to 3.5 million, but the decline was smaller
than rivals.
The
AFR Weekend print edition readership grew 59 per cent,
on the Roy Morgan figures, and 11 per cent in the
last quarter. The weekend and weekday print editions
have recorded their highest quarterly result since
2018.
The
Australian Financial Review Magazine recorded a print
readership of 481,000, after quarter-on-quarter growth
of 12 per cent and annual growth of 14 per cent. This
is AFR Magazine’s highest quarterly result since
2018.
“After
the hit from COVID-19, it’s encouraging to see
readers return to the newspaper edition of the nation’s
premium business, finance and political publication,”
said the masthead’s editor-in-chief, Michael
Stutchbury.
“That’s
an endorsement of the newsroom’s journalism,
including our breaking and ongoing pursuit of the
PwC tax scandal.
“At
the same time, the Financial Review continues to hold
the most digitally focused readership of any newspaper
brand as we increase our share of that national market.”
Nine’s
total publishing assets – including the Financial
Review, nine.com.au, The Sydney Morning Herald, The
Age, WA Today, Domain Digital and more, reach a de-duplicated
audience of 16.6 million Australians across print
and digital.
ThinkNewsBrands,
a group representing news publishers, says 16.5 million
Australians read news each week and 20.6 million or
96 per cent of Australians read news each month.
The
Total News readership figures are produced each quarter
by Roy Morgan for ThinkNewsBrands.
Bikini
besties Tash Oakley and Devin Brugman make waves on
Bondi - 7th March 2016
Published
on 29 Mar 2016
Natasha Oakley and Devin Brugman talk fitness and
their new activewear line, Monday Active with E! news
host Ksenjia on Bondi Beach.
On
a Web site, a blog, a short form for weblog, is a
personal journal that is frequently updated and intended
for general public consumption. Blogs generally represent
the personality of the author or the Web site and
its purpose. Topics sometimes include brief philosophical
musings, commentary on Internet and other social issues,
and links to other sites the author favors. The essential
characteristics of the blog are its journal form,
typically a new entry each day, and its informal style.
The author of a blog is often referred to as a blogger.
People who post new journal entries to their blog
may often say they blogged today, they blogged it
to their site, or that they still have to blog.
