Trump Is an Absolute Disaster for the Oil and Gas Industry
Donald Trump’s recent military actions, notably the strike on Iran that closed the Strait of Hormuz, have sent oil prices soaring to $140‑$150 a barrel and reignited fears of a prolonged energy shock. Analysts at the CeraWeek summit described a mood of panic among oil and gas executives, warning that supply disruptions could threaten the sector’s long‑term viability. At the same time, falling solar‑plus‑storage costs—now about $60/MWh—are making renewable power cheaper than imported LNG, which costs roughly $160/MWh in Asia. The combined pressure is accelerating a global shift toward electrification, especially in China, where EVs now account for half of new car sales.
Fortescue Launches Ad Campaign Against Billion-Dollar Diesel Tax ‘Handouts’ to Miners
Mining giant Fortescue launched a national TV and radio campaign demanding the removal of diesel tax credits that it calls a billion‑dollar handout to the sector. The company, which claimed A$308 million (≈US$203 million) in credits for 600 million litres of diesel in...
ASX Wobbles as Oil Stocks and Gold Miners Fall, Wall Street Slips
The ASX 200 barely moved, closing at 8,949.40 after a 3.9‑point dip, as investors weighed the latest US‑Iran peace‑talks and easing oil prices. Energy giants Woodside and Santos slipped about 1.5‑1.8% while coal producers Yancoal and Whitehaven jumped 3.8% on...
Qantas, Virgin Launch Domestic Ticket Deals to Fill Cash Coffers in Iran Crisis
Qantas and Virgin Australia have launched aggressive domestic fare promotions to offset soaring fuel costs tied to the Iran conflict. Qantas is offering one‑way economy tickets from $99 through March 2027, while Virgin is selling half‑a‑million NSW economy seats starting at...
Aurum Rigs Roar as Thick High-Grade Gold Hits Stack up in West Africa
Aurum Resources reported a series of thick, high‑grade gold intercepts at its Boundiali BDT2 deposit in Côte d’Ivoire, highlighted by a 36‑metre, 1.99 g/t interval that includes a 27.97 g/t spike. The 40‑hole, 12,000‑metre drill campaign is expanding the known mineralised envelope...
‘It’s the Vibe’: Court Brawl Hinges on Alleged Industrial-Scale Data Hack
Australia's property data duopoly—CoreLogic (rebranded as Cotality) and Hubexo—has entered a Federal Court showdown over alleged large‑scale data theft. Hubexo claims Corelogic used bots and third‑party affiliates to scrape over 150,000 construction project records from Hubexo’s LeadManager service between 2016...
Trump’s Oil Gamble Could Blow up in His Face
Donald Trump’s escalation of the Iran conflict has pushed crude oil to about $100 a barrel and spurred a rapid redeployment of U.S. super‑tankers to the Atlantic, seeking to replace Gulf‑origin supplies now blocked by the Strait of Hormuz. While...
ASX Runners of the Week: Bison, Genetic Signatures, Narryer & Immutep
The ASX’s weekly spotlight highlighted four micro‑caps that outperformed a turbulent market. Bison Resources surged 375% after a $5.5 million IPO, targeting gold‑rich projects on Nevada’s Carlin Trend. Genetic Signatures landed a 28,000‑sample contract with Denmark’s Hvidovre Hospital, boosting its diagnostics...
Gold Fields, Great Southern Ready Rig for Big Qld Gold Target
Gold Fields and Great Southern Mining are set to begin diamond drilling at the Mt Dillon target in Queensland’s Edinburgh Park project after the wet season ends in May. The joint‑venture allows Gold Fields to earn up to a 75% interest by...
Pub Price Slump: Former Espy Owners’ Second Go at Selling Historic Fitzroy Hotel
Former owners of the Esplanade Hotel are relisting the historic Fitzroy pub at 125‑129 Brunswick Street after slashing the price from over $10 million AUD to $6‑7 million AUD (≈$4‑4.6 million USD). The five‑level, 1,649 sqm building includes a coveted 3 am liquor licence for...
My Job Doesn’t Take Mental Health Seriously. How Can I Change This?
Employees often see single‑day mental‑health gestures, such as R U OK Day, as superficial without follow‑up actions. Dr. Andrew Arena of the Black Dog Institute advises a systematic audit of current supports, identification of low‑hanging improvements, and peer‑driven check‑ins to spark cultural change. He...
Iran Holds the Trump Card in This Energy Crisis
The International Energy Agency warns the Gulf standoff is cutting 13 million barrels of oil daily, potentially rising to 15 million if the U.S. blocks Iranian shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran has threatened to extend the conflict to the Red...
Larvotto Closes in on First Antimony Ingots at NSW Mine
Larvotto Resources is on track to start producing antimony, gold and tungsten at its Hillgrove mine in New South Wales by mid‑2026, with the processing plant undergoing a US$46 million refurbishment and slated for wet commissioning in August. The project will...
Fewer Flights, $800m Fuel Blowout as Iran Crisis Hits Qantas
Qantas warned that its second‑half 2026 fuel bill will swell by $600‑$800 million, pushing total fuel costs to roughly $3.1‑$3.3 billion as the US‑Israel‑Iran war drives jet‑fuel prices to historic highs. The airline is trimming domestic schedules, cancelling a $150 million share buyback...
Critical Fires up Hunt for Hidden Lithium in Canada
Critical Resources is launching a focused lithium exploration program across a five‑kilometre corridor at its Corona pegmatite field in Ontario. The campaign aims to uncover concealed spodumene systems that could expand the flagship Mavis Lake deposit, which already hosts 8 million...
ASX on Shaky Ground After Failed Iran Talks; Oil Jumps, A$ Falls
The Australian stock market reacted to the collapse of US‑Iran peace talks, with ASX futures edging up 0.8% and hinting at a breach of the 9,000‑point barrier. Brent crude surged roughly 8% as President Trump threatened a naval blockade of...
A Ceasefire Is Good. But Trump’s Impact on Rates Is Just Starting
The Iranian‑U.S. conflict has disrupted oil flows, keeping crude prices above pre‑war levels for months. Higher fuel costs are feeding a second‑round inflation surge that could push Australian CPI past 5 %, well outside the Reserve Bank’s target. The RBA, already...
Gold Coin Rush: How TikTok Spun the Passive Income Dream of the Luxe Laundromat
TikTok has turned the upscale laundromat model into a viral passive‑income narrative, spotlighting Sydney entrepreneur Omer Tas and his Stacks Laundry chain. Tas grew a single self‑service outlet into seven locations in three years, attracting a flood of inquiries from...
What Happens when a Drone-Killer and Toxic Radio Collide?
DroneShield, once valued at $6 billion, saw its share price tumble by roughly 50% after CEO Oleg Vornik and chairman Peter James abruptly quit and sold their holdings. The company announced the sudden departure of both executives ahead of its annual...
Aurum Clears 4M Ounces After West African Gold Resource Surge
Aurum Resources announced a 34% increase in its Napié gold resource, adding a first indicated resource of 0.35 million ounces and bringing the Napié total to 1.16 million ounces. Combined with the 3.03 million ounces at the flagship Boundiali project, Aurum’s group resource...
Zenith Pushes Queensland Gold System Beyond 700m Depth
Zenith Minerals announced that deep diamond drilling at its Red Mountain gold project in Queensland has extended mineralisation beyond 700 m vertical depth, with the deepest hole reaching 758 m. The two latest holes delivered a combined 500 m of intercepts averaging 0.28 g/t...
The $450m MAGA Monster: Inside the Wild World of Trump Merchandise
Donald Trump has built a $450 million merchandise empire that dwarfs any other American politician’s retail operation. Official items like diamond‑studded watches and NFTs have generated millions for the Trump family, while a network of third‑party sellers runs dozens of dedicated...
Dalaroo Launches 9km-Long West African Gold Soil Sampling Blitz
Dalaroo Metals has launched a 9‑km soil geochemical sampling campaign at the Goldridge prospect of its Bondoukou project in north‑eastern Côte d’Ivoire. The grid comprises 4,400 samples spaced 200 m by 50 m to turn the structural corridor into drill‑ready targets. Early...
TMK Gas Surge Clears Path to Production at Mongolian Project
TMK Energy reported a 48% jump in March gas production at its Gurvantes XXXV pilot in Mongolia, reaching 866 cubic metres per day and a single‑day record of 1,350 cubic metres. The LF‑07 well demonstrated reservoir connectivity and commercial‑scale desorption, pushing output...
Larvotto Lines up Defence Insider for NSW Antimony Push
Larvotto Resources has hired former federal senator David Fawcett as a strategic adviser to help position its Hillgrove antimony‑gold project as a key global supplier. The move targets growing demand for antimony in defence technology, night‑vision equipment and grid‑scale batteries,...
Locksley Fires up First Ever Drilling Beside Giant US Rare Earths Mine
Locksley Resources has begun its first subsurface drilling at the El Campo rare‑earth prospect, located 6.5 km southeast of the Mountain Pass mine in California. The four‑hole diamond program will test a 900‑metre strike that previously returned surface grades up to...
Viking Sharpens Nevada Tungsten Drill Targets with Gravity Survey
Viking Mines Ltd completed a combined ground gravity and magnetic survey at its Linka tungsten project in Nevada, confirming that gravity highs coincide with known scheelite‑bearing skarn mineralisation. The data sharpened drill‑ready targets at Linka Main, Hillside and Conquest and...
Australian Petrol Prices to Fall Within the Month – if US-Iran Ceasefire Holds
A US‑Iran cease‑fire agreement sent Brent crude below $91 per barrel, sparking hopes that Australian fuel prices will soon ease. Regular unleaded, which has surged above A$2.50 (≈ $1.65 USD) a litre, could drop roughly 10 cents per litre (≈ $0.066 USD) for every $10‑a‑barrel...
Gentrified Groceries: The New Food Line Splitting Your City
Around one‑quarter of Woolworths outlets in Sydney have been converted into Metro stores, while Coles is accelerating growth of its Local format. The Metro concept emphasizes smaller footprints, premium ready‑to‑eat items and a higher price point, mirroring a broader “gentrification”...
Kmart, Shein Sued by Aussie Fashion Label Sabo Skirt for Allegedly Ripping Off Designs
Australian label Sabo Skirt has filed a Federal Court lawsuit against Shein, Kmart and 14 other retailers, accusing them of copying dozens of its designs. The claim alleges infringement across 36 distinct patterns, with Shein specifically targeted for six items and...
Some Uber Trips Now Cost 40 per Cent More than Others. These Are the Hardest-Hit Areas
Uber has introduced a zone‑based fare structure in Sydney and Melbourne that makes rides from central business districts and affluent suburbs up to 39% more expensive than identical trips from outer suburbs. The new model sets higher base, per‑kilometre and...
The Mystery of the $727 Million Will, Signed by Ghosts
A mysterious seven‑page will for Tony Hsieh’s roughly $500 million estate arrived at a Reno law firm, claiming a $50 million trust and other unconventional bequests. The document, dated 2015 and signed by alleged witnesses who cannot be located, met Nevada’s minimal...
‘A Lot of Pressure’: How Rising Costs Are Pushing Cafe Owners to the Brink
Rising food, wage and rent costs are squeezing Australian cafés into razor‑thin profit margins of roughly 3‑4%. Owners like Benjamin Cheong of The Little Cup and Saucer report that reduced foot traffic and higher operating expenses are eroding cash flow,...
Osmond Spotlights Spanish Critical Minerals Play at Swiss Expo
ASX‑listed Osmond Resources highlighted its Orion EU critical minerals project at the Swiss Mining Institute conference in Zurich. The 228‑km² Spanish deposit hosts a three‑metre‑thick seam with high‑grade rutile (up to 18.8%), zircon (up to 11.9%) and rare‑earth‑rich monazite, offering...
Golden Dragon Flags Million-Ounce-Plus Gold Potential in WA
Golden Dragon Mining announced that its Cue project in Western Australia targets a million‑ounce‑plus gold resource after an independent review of 14 priority targets. The 600‑square‑kilometre land package hosts over 50 km of mineralised shear zones comparable to other orogenic gold...
ABC News Warns Viewers of Disruptions Ahead of Strike
ABC News announced that a pending labor strike will cause interruptions to its broadcast schedule, with presenter Gemma Veness warning viewers of potential programming gaps. The strike is part of a broader dispute between the network’s journalists and management over...
Tesla Sold ‘Self-Driving’ Software for $10,000. Now It Faces a Legal Fight
Tesla is being sued in Australia after selling its Full Self‑Driving (FSD) software for about AU$10,100 (≈US$6,600) to owners of Model 3 and Y vehicles equipped with older HW3 hardware that cannot access the feature’s full capabilities. Owner Andy Young filed...
Olympio Lands Best-Ever Gold Hit in Quebec
Olympio Metals announced its best‑ever gold intercept at the Paquin prospect of the Bousquet project in Quebec, reporting a 7.5‑metre interval grading 41.81 g/t gold from 182 metres depth. The result comes from phase‑two drilling, which completed seven holes totaling 1,639 metres and...
Lindian Workers Camp Goes Live at Malawian Rare Earths Project
Lindian Resources announced that its Tipume accommodation camp at the Kangankunde rare‑earth project in Malawi is now fully operational. The camp includes 65 rooms with 38 staff already on site and will expand to house up to 90 workers by...
Three Things to Do when You’ve Quietly Stopped Caring at Work
Graeme Cowan warns that silent disengagement, often labeled “quiet quitting,” is a symptom of widespread burnout. Gallup data shows only 14% of Australian workers feel truly engaged, while Wiley research finds 47% of managers and 36% of employees report severe...
Fuel Chief Blames Panic Buying for ‘Short-Term’ Shortages
Australia’s largest fuel retailer Ampol says it has enough stock to meet demand despite panic‑driven shortages at some stations. The Middle‑East war and China’s suspension of 15% of regional fuel exports have strained traditional supply routes, prompting Ampol to secure...
Sydney-Bound Delta Flight Hit by Extreme Turbulence, Crew Members Taken to Hospital
Delta Air Lines’ A350 from Los Angeles to Sydney encountered extreme turbulence during its descent, jolting passengers and crew. Four flight attendants reported injuries, and three were taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital for evaluation, while the airline said no passengers...
Patriot Taps New MD to Drive Growth at Peruvian Silver Project
Patriot Resources has appointed CEO Dominic Duggan as managing director of its high‑grade Tassa silver project in Peru. The project holds a JORC‑inferred resource of 18.53 Mt at 52.68 g/t silver, equivalent to over 31 million ounces. Recent drilling delivered intercepts exceeding 200 g/t...
Viking Taps Global Firm to Expedite US Tungsten Permitting
Viking Mines has engaged global engineering consultancy WSP USA to accelerate permitting for its Linka tungsten project in Nevada. The partnership will run baseline studies and a three‑phase permitting program in parallel with metallurgical, geological and engineering work. Viking also...
Advance Nails Bonanza Silver-Gold in Mexico as Resource Update Nears
Advance Metals completed its final extensional drill program at the Yoquivo silver‑gold project in Mexico, delivering striking high‑grade intercepts including a 48.4 m interval at 148 g/t silver equivalent and a 9.4 m interval at 633 g/t silver equivalent. The results confirm continuity of...
Dalaroo Locks in 2.5km Gold Drill Target in West Africa
Dalaroo Metals has defined a 2.5‑kilometre gold drill target at the Goldridge prospect within its Bondoukou project in northeastern Côte d’Ivoire. The target, up to 400 metres wide, is supported by systematic mapping, geochemistry, aeromagnetic data and artisanal mining evidence, and includes...
Auric Smashes Budget with Golden Finish at WA Mine
Auric Mining’s Munda starter pit delivered 8,886 ounces of gold, beating its 6,100‑ounce budget by 46%. The two‑campaign operation achieved a 2.46 g/t average head grade—37% above the forecast—and an 89.5% mill recovery, surpassing expectations. A toll‑treating deal with Black Cat’s...
Infini Locks in Key Contractors for Canadian Uranium Push
Infini Resources has secured Rodren Drilling and Archer Cathro & Associates to launch its first diamond‑drilling campaign at the Reynolds Lake and Reitenbach Lake uranium projects in Saskatchewan’s Athabasca Basin. The program targets a minimum 2,500‑metre drill run to test...
Dateline Buys Second Rig for US Gold-Rare Earths Drilling Blitz
Dateline Resources has purchased a second track‑mounted diamond drill rig for its Colosseum project in California’s Walker Lane Trend, bringing the total on‑site rigs to three. The new rig can drill to 1,200 metres and is already operational, enabling owner‑operated drilling...
NeuroScientific Readies Stem Cell Supply Boost for Bowel Disease Trials
NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals has begun its first manufacturing run of the StemSmart mesenchymal stem cell therapy at Q‑Gen Cell Therapeutics in Brisbane, initiating a critical technology transfer. The engineering run will validate quality, potency and regulatory compliance ahead of a Phase 2...