The American Express Times
Saturday, June 20, 2026
Labour revolution or the party's really over
Andy Burnham won the Makerfield by-election, marking his return to Parliament and positioning him as a strong contender for Labour Party leadership. His victory reflects voter dissatisfaction with current political leadership and signals a push for systemic reforms, though Labour faces internal divisions and the challenge of appealing beyond its northern base.
★ Featured Stories
Virgin retreats on Covid tickets
Virgin Australia has extended the deadline for customers to redeem unused Covid-19 travel credits to June 30, 2026, allowing bookings to be made until May…
Two men escape despite a wild backyard pursuit
Police chased a stolen Audi linked to a break-in from Petersham to Alexandria early Friday, where three occupants fled and two men remain at large…
Nation of Noir
New Zealand is experiencing a surge in locally written crime fiction that blends suspense with social commentary and settings familiar to domestic readers. This growing…
Peace has put a bomb under bromance
President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have clashed over Israeli military strikes in Lebanon and differing approaches to Iran, with Trump advocating…
★ All Stories
Market rout hits BHP for $18.5bn
BHP Group’s shares plummeted 5.6% after the company announced a $2 billion cost increase for stage two of its Jansen potash project and faced potential…
Bitter Pill: Why Plug Pulled on Mounjaro
Eli Lilly has withdrawn its GLP-1 drug Mounjaro from Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme after rejecting the pricing and patient access conditions set by the government.…
Defence ‘fabricated evidence’ to hide fatal chopper flaws
An investigation into the July 2023 crash of an MRH-90 Taipan helicopter off Queensland, which killed four Australian Army personnel, is being questioned after retired…
Real bigots the bureaucrats sacrificing women’s rights
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described debates over transgender rights and the legal recognition of biological sex as part of wider culture wars, dismissing concerns…
New MP in Box Seat for No. 10
Andy Burnham, newly elected Labour MP for Makerfield, has announced his intention to challenge Keir Starmer for the party leadership following a strong by-election performance.…
Bigger business to get CGT benefits
The Australian government has introduced proposed capital gains tax reforms that are expected to favor large, dividend-paying corporations while potentially disadvantaging smaller, high-growth companies. Critics…
Aged-care resident in court over assault
A 69-year-old man has been charged with assault after allegedly injuring an 87-year-old dementia patient at a Hammondville aged-care facility. The case has sparked scrutiny…
GOP Iran backlash, Bibi rift hit Trump
Donald Trump’s memorandum of understanding with Iran aims to end regional conflicts, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and stabilize energy markets by ceasing military operations…
'Play it Straight Don the Middle'
Trade Minister Don Farrell has urged the Australian Labor Party to adopt a centrist, pragmatic approach and avoid symbolic "wokeness" to counter growing support for…
Tech bosses, investors lash PM’s tax fix ‘punishment’
The Albanese government’s proposed exemption for "innovative companies" from new capital gains tax rules has been met with criticism from tech founders and investors who…
Xavier ‘branded’ for fight of his life
Eight-year-old Xavier Pudovkin from Adelaide is pursuing experimental cancer treatments in the United States after multiple recurrences of neuroblastoma and limited access to necessary drugs…
Winds of change blow with no clear direction
Former Iranian Prime Minister Hossein Mousavi was unexpectedly released from 17 years of house arrest to receive hospital treatment, reigniting debate about Iran's political future.…
Disastrous 30-year-old law is the real KPMG scandal
A 30-year-old law caps the financial liability of auditing firms to a small multiple of their fees, limiting their accountability for audit failures and fostering…
Bird Sparks Fear of New Flu Disaster
Australian authorities are awaiting confirmation that a migratory brown skua seabird found in Western Australia is the country's first case of the highly pathogenic H5N1…
Show us the Monet: in the frame with grateful eight
Geelong Gallery is exhibiting eight paintings by Claude Monet alongside works by other Impressionist artists to mark the 100th anniversary of Monet’s death. This regional…
Bishop’s apology for ‘shameful’ church abuse
Bishop of Bathurst Mark Calder will formally apologize to Beth Heinrich, a survivor of historical sexual abuse by a predatory Anglican priest, during a Sunday…
Victory to spark a bloody civil war
Andy Burnham won the Makerfield by-election with a commanding majority of 9,231 votes, reinforcing his local influence while intensifying divisions within the Labour Party. His…
Battle for Britain as civil wars rage
Nigel Farage's Reform party has surged to prominence, challenging the Conservative Party's dominance on the right amid growing fragmentation caused by the rival Restore party…
Anti-One Nation Campaign Takes Off
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese are intensifying campaigns across key electorates to counter One Nation’s surging support, which recently reached 31…
Chalmers forgets cardinal rule
Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers has faced internal criticism and public backlash over controversial tax changes in the recent federal budget, leading to a partial reversal…
Rail chiefs spend $147k on public service credit cards
Executives and staff involved in the Suburban Rail Loop project charged about $147,000 to government credit cards over the past year, including questionable expenses like…
Sins of ‘Fallible’ KPMG Laid Bare
KPMG Australia is facing multiple investigations after a parliamentary inquiry uncovered allegations that confidential client information was misused during audits of Optus and Lendlease, leading…
‘Sistine Chapel of warplanes’: Memorial’s beloved mural flies again
Harold Freedman’s large mural illustrating Australian military aviation history has been restored and put back on display at the Australian War Memorial after more than…
Silvey associate faces new charges
A 68-year-old Perth woman, Glenda Joy McGregor, has been charged with additional offences related to child exploitation material linked to author Craig Silvey, with more…
Hegseth turns heat up on European allies
U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a six-month review of America's military posture in Europe to pressure NATO allies into boosting their defence spending. This…
Kinnock tells Labour: Stop being so terrified
Former Labour leader Neil Kinnock gave a frank critique of the UK Labour Party’s current challenges, citing its disconnect from working-class voters and warning against…
NDIS Delay for Greens’ Tax Nod
The Australian government is considering postponing key reforms to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to negotiate with the Greens on proposed changes to negative…
$631m for autistic children’s NDIS diversion
The New South Wales government has allocated $631.9 million to launch the Thriving Kids program, designed to support children with mild to moderate autism by…
‘Look at the room’: Accused slave trader’s panic over IS flag
Melbourne grandmother Kawsar Abbas faces multiple slavery-related charges for allegedly enslaving a Yazidi teenager during ISIS's occupation of Syria, marking Australia's first federal prosecution of…
Underpaid RSPCA workers to share in $4.3m
RSPCA Queensland will repay over $4.3 million to more than 1,000 current and former employees after a Fair Work Ombudsman investigation uncovered wage underpayments spanning…
Battle for Britain as civil wars rage on left and right
Ten years after the 2016 Brexit referendum, the United Kingdom remains deeply divided along cultural and ideological lines, with ongoing internal conflicts within both major…
Idea That Changed World: Five Ex-PMs Assess US Declaration
Five former Australian prime ministers offered differing reflections on the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, praising its democratic principles while also expressing…
Reformation poised to file for IPO
Reformation plans to confidentially file for an IPO as early as this summer, aiming for a public debut around July to capitalize on its rapid…
Gravity-defying SpaceX IPO flags warning of market crash landing
SpaceX’s IPO has propelled its valuation to nearly $3 trillion, surpassing Amazon despite the company’s smaller revenue and ongoing losses. This surge raises concerns that…
Pilot accused of escape plot
Australian Federal Police arrested a 32-year-old Brisbane man accused of piloting an unauthorized flight that helped two Australian fugitives flee to Indonesia. The fugitives were…
Warm welcome for El Nino? Snowball’s chance in hell
Australia’s alpine ski resorts are facing a poor start to the season due to a lack of natural snowfall and unusually warm temperatures, compounded by…
Peril of political fix on tax that won’t solve core issues
The Albanese government’s tax reform package, targeting unrealised capital gains and small businesses, has faced strong opposition from business groups and political critics who argue…