After five decades of ownership, the Thomas family are calling last drinks at their sprawling Oaks pub on Sydney’s lower north shore. A price tag of about $175 million is expected, which would make it the biggest sale in the sector’s history.
Oaks Hotel owner David “Taffy” Thomas said that after many unsolicited offers, he was ready to sell the Neutral Bay pub, famous for its 80-year-old oak tree that dominates the beer garden.
In April, former Sydney lord mayor Nelson Meers shelled out $160 million for the Crossroads Hotel in the western suburbs, reflecting the large appetite for the pub sector.
In May, the well-known Minskys Hotel, also on the lower north shore, sold for $39 million to the Karellas family with publican Mitchell Waugh.
The present building dates to 1939 after the original structure burned down.
The Thomas family bought the leasehold of the 2188-square-meter property in 1975 from Tooth & Co and have worked to make it the most well-known pub in the area.
David Thomas’s son and family representative Andrew Thomas said that given the offers, “it just feels like the right time for the family to move on, and we’ll leave The Oaks with fond memories and many friends.”
“It holds a very special place in the Australian hotel landscape, and we look forward to seeing its next incarnation under the new custodians,” he said.
Boosting the pub’s price tag is the mixed-use zoning and favorable planning guidelines that will enable a new owner to add five levels to the site.
Over the past few years, The Oaks has undergone extensive renovations to change the front bar, on the corner of Military and Ben Boyd Roads, into Taffy’s Sports Bar, create Alala’s Cocktail Bar and the Bar & Grill restaurant, add more lights to the oak tree and upgrade the beer garden.
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 series is for serious gamers who want maximum performance for a reasonable price.
We are testing the 15″ model G513RM-HF285W. base specs
AMD Ryzen 7 6800H (option AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX and Intel 12th Gen Core i9-1200H)
15.6” 1920 x 1080, 16:9, 300Hz refresh (no QHD 165Hz option in Australia)
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 (option RTX 3070 Ti or RTX 3080 Ti)
1TB PCIe 4.0 M2 SSD (option 512GB and 2TB)
16GB DDR5-4800 SODIMM x 2 (also in 8GB and can be upgraded to 32GB)
Windows 11 Home
Also available is the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 17 range featuring a 17.3″, 1920 x 1080, 16:9, 360Hz refresh screen with the Intel i9-12900H or i9-12900HX.
Don’t confuse these with the 2021 models, which had AMD Ryzen 4XXX/5XXX OR Intel 10th gen CPUs and 165Hz screens.
Australian review: ASUS ROG Strix G15 model G513RM-HF285W
website
2022 Strix range and Product Page
Price
As tested, $2699 but seen for as low as $2399.
desde
CE/IT retailers
Warranty
1-year ACL
country of origin
China
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We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed.
You can click on most images for an enlargement.
First Impression – A respectable laptop albeit with pretty flashing lights – Pass+
As it turns out, the test unit is the base-speced model, and the variations are memory and SSD capacity. There are versions with the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX/GeForce RTX 3070 Ti and Intel i9-12900H/GeForce RTX 3080 Ti at higher costs.
It is big at 354 x 259 x 226 ~ 272mm x 2.3kg, plus a hefty power brick. It is solid too.
The flashing keyboard (ASUS Aura Sync) is a 4-zone RGB, and there is a flashing band under the front keyboard deck. The body has more body art (think Tattoos), but it is not over the top.
Interestingly the main ports – power, HDMI 2.0b, LAN and USB-C (AMD does not support Thunderbolt) are on the rear, and there are two USB-A and a 3.5mm port on the left side (probably for wired game controllers and headset).
Depending on the configuration, it may have an Electro Punk, Volt Green or Eclipse Gray (UDH model) finish.
It is a Tianma TL156VDXP0101 used in the ASUS TUF 15″ range. It is an 8-bit, 16.07m color panel. The refresh rate is either 60/300Hz (50/250Hz in Australia). It has very narrow top and side bezels and, as such, no webcam.
Base specs as tested are
DCI-P3 67%
sRGB 97% (claim 100)
Adobe RGB 68% (Claim 73.5)
GTG 6ms (claim 3ms but depends on measurement)
BTW 13ms
Max nits 350 but drops to as low as 315 (bottom left) and 330 (top left)
Contrast 1020:1
Delta E 2 – capable of better calibration
Non-PWM
It will downscale Dolby Vision/Atmos and HDR content to SDR.
It is a good screen for gamers, but the lower specs for DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB limit its use to those working in the sRGB gamut.
AMD Ryzen 7 6800H Mobile Processor – Pass+
It is a 6nm, 8-core/16-thread, 3.2/4.7GHz max boost, with a TPD of 45W. It runs up to 115W and gets quite hot to 95° requiring good cooling (which it has).
Geekbench 5 single/multicore scores are 1465/7976. Full performance specs here.
Our only concern is that it does not support Thunderbolt 3 or 4, and expansion opportunities are limited.
GPU 1 AMD Radeon 680M 2200MHz GPU – Pass
The integrated AMD GPU supports an internal display of 1920 x 1080 x 200/240Hz (not 250/300Hz as per the panel). It will support four displays – one HDMI 4K@50/60Hz and the other 4K@50/60Hz via a USB-C alt DP port. The third external monitor is via Miracast.
This GPU can decode MPEG2, VC1, VP9, H.264, H.265 and JPEG to a maximum of 200/240fps.
OpenCL/Vulkan scores are 23,936/73,803. Full performance specs are here.
It is not very powerful and more useful for battery life. GPU 2 does more work, especially when selecting 300Hz panel refresh. You can switch this GPU off (Optimus MUX).
GPU 2 NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
This is a mid-range RTX 30-series with 3840 CUDA cores and 60-115W TDP. Although ASUS has ROG Boost on mains power at 1752MHz at 140W (1702MHz Boost Clock+50MHz OC, 115W+25W Dynamic Boost)
OpenCL/Vulkan/CUDA scores are 100,768/20,893/110,754. Full performance specs here.
1TB SSD – very fast – Exceed
The review unit has a Micron_2450 1TB M2.2230 SSD.
CPDT rates the internal SSD sequential read/write at 2.8/1.18GBps. Crystal Disk Mark (which uses different tests) rates it at 3342/3212MBps. Both tests show reasonable large file transfers.
USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps (1250MBps) maxes out at 849/670MBps on a WD Black P50 SSD – seriously fast (Western Digital review). We were hoping for USB-C 4.0 ports, but alas, no.
Keyboard-Pass+
It has a lovely 1.9mm throw and a 45g actuation, and it almost feels optomechanical. it has four-zone RGB adjustable lighting.
Key spacing is generous, and there are dedicated gaming and media keys. The trackpad is oversized and can traverse the screen in less than one swipe.
MIA is a webcam, although there is a mic array under the screen.
ASUS ARMORY CRATE – you can’t handle the truth
The Armory Crate is a dashboard that allows you to set parameters, change color calibrations, set up a games library (with individual game settings), activate XG Mobile and update the firmware. Gamers will love it.
Battery – not bad considering – Pass(able)
It is a 90WHr battery and uses 240VAC Adapter, 20VDC/12A/240W output. But you need to know that all specs are reduced to around 30W on battery – that’s 15% of the full power gamut.
PC Mark 3.0 Modern Office Battery test gave 11 hours and 14 minutes. Interestingly a VLC video loop was 11 hours and 49 minutes.
Both tests were on Best Power Efficiency and AMD graphics, so expect far worse results if you select 300Hz and the RTX graphics. Charge time is a very respectable 1 hour and 4 minutes.
How does it sound? Pass(able)
It has left and right stereo speakers under the keyboard deck. There are bottom vents under presumably to help bass. The maximum volume is 83dB – quite good. The sound stage is about screen width, and Dolby Atmos pre-sets do not add a wider or higher stage.
Using the Dolby Atmos Dynamic default settings over the 2.0 stereo up-firing speakers.
Sound-wise it has no low-or-mid-bass and very slow-building high bass from 100-250Hz. It then flattens through to 6kHz but is choppy with moderate clipping (when a speaker cannot handle the frequency and cuts the top off). It then slowly declines to 20kHz.
Little to no bass, clipping of mids, and treble make this best for clear voice.
This is a mid-sound (bass recessed, mid boosted, treble recessed) signature. Clear voice (1-4kHz) is strong and not much else. We tried with other Dolby Access pre-sets, but the impact on the speakers was negligible.
If you listen to music, the lack of mid-bass means muddy notes and the declining mid-to-high treble means instruments lack that sparkle.
Bluetooth Headphones using BT 5.2 was clear, but the SBC codec means that the Dolby Atmos pre-sets had little effect. We did notice good 3D spatial height and some directionality.
You can read more about sound signatures How to tell if you have good music (sound signature is the key – guide).
Dolby Access – enabled – Exceed
Dolby Access is usually at extra cost from the Windows Store. Here it is enabled and allows you to select Bright, Dark and Vivid Dolby Vision profiles.
The Dolby Atmos settings allow for a range of sound pre-sets, including Dynamic (default), Game, Movie, Music, Voice and three custom settings. You can customize it for the stereo speakers, headphones, or home theater (over HDMI via a dock).
The Atmos pre-sets made little difference, but the Vision pre-sets did. Note: these only enable you to play Dolby Vision and Atmos at SDR and in stereo 2.0.
Comms-Exceed
It has Wi-Fi 6e, 2×2 MIMO using the MediaTek MT922 160Hz wireless LAN card.
We don’t have a 6e router yet, but it achieved 2400Mbps full duplex at 2m from a Netgear AX11000 router. We expect that to almost double with 6e.
BT 5.2 has the SBC codec. It was good to 15 meters and supports multi-point connection with one other BT 5.X device.
Ports–Pass
You should be aware that AMD does not support Thunderbolt 4, so expansion is limited to USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps. This is not a good device to expand.
HDMI 2.0b 4K@50/60Hz
USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps data only
USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 alt DP/G-SYNC/5V/3A/15W downstream*
2 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 5Gbps 5V/1A/5W
LAN port (no speed given but should support 2.5Gb)
3.5mm 3-pole headset jack
* The specs mention that the USB-C has power delivery, but that it is downstream. You cannot charge this via USB-C.
CyberShack’s view – ASUS ROG Strix G15 series is a serious gaming rig
With the caveat that I don’t play games, this appears to have the horsepower and staying power that gamers want. It is very reasonably priced, has expandable RAM and SSD, and I particularly like what seems to be optical keys on the keyboard.
From a creators’ view, the 60/300Hz screen (probably 50/250Hz in Australia given our 50Hz power) is no real benefit, and the lower Adobe and DCI-P3 specs may not suit your work – although sRGB is nearly 100%.
But the lack of Thunderbolt expandability would be the deal breaker here as most creators want dual screens and more attached gadgets. No, this is a gamers’ device.
BTW – the majority of international reviews are for a different model with a 2K screen and AMD Ryzen 7 6800HX CPU. The only external identifier is a gray speckled end cap (not pink) at the left screen hinge.
ASUS ROG Strix G15, ASUS ROG Strix G15, ASUS ROG Strix G15
ASUS ROG Strix G15 series
From $2000 – as tested $2699 but shop around
pros
2 x M2 2280 and 2 x SODIMM slots
solid build
Decent battery life (if not pushed)
Cons
No Thunderbolt of USB 4.0 and poor rear port placement
Media personality Abbie Chatfield has shared a sneak peek of her new clothing collection with her followers, stirring excitement among fans.
the Hot Nights with Abbie Chatfield star announced her clothing line Verbose the Label in May this year with five pieces, such as a wrap dress, in bold colours.
Now, she has given fans a behind-the-scenes look at the new collection after she listened to customer feedback on what direction they would like the brand to head to next.
“We’re here at the Verbose shoot, Walter is here as well,” Abbie said during an Instagram story. “We have our new range – reveal vibes – we are finally doing an all black range.
“Everyone was like ‘all we want is black, it’s all we want and all we need’.
“So, we decided to do it, it’s a real basics vibe.”
She gave people the opportunity to ask questions, with facts such as the trousers in this range are the same fit as the initial drop, being revealed.
The range features a skirt, a pair of trousers, a dress and at least three different shirt designs.
Prices range from $89.95 to $129.95 with sizes between a 6 and a 26 available to shoppers.
Like her first collection, Abbie shot with six models in various sizes so customers could look at what the outfit looks like on their body type.
The collection will be available from Monday, August 8, at 6pm AEST.
When Abbie announced the label earlier this year, her posts were flooded with comments commending its representation and inclusivity – which she took one step further with the brand’s website itself.
Instead of organizing the pieces by product, customers are able to shop by their size – therefore viewing each design on a model whose body type actually represents theirs.
Dozens of the former Bachelor star’s 399k followers inundated the comments under her explanation, describing the website format as one that “made choosing my size so much easier”.
“This is how you create a modern day clothing brand. DIVERSITY AND SIZE INCLUSIVITY. Why is it so hard???” one wrote.
“If you can do it while starting up why can’t these million massive dollar brands do it??? You’ve smashed it.”
“This is the best way to show each size. It is so helpful seeing it on someone in my actual size,” added another.
“OMG you’ve nailed it, love it, summary of a real women’s wishes when looking at clothes,” commented a third.
“I f***ing love the representation of different bodies and how you’ve featured every model in the exact same clothes and same poses,” wrote one.
LIV Golf offered a figure between $700 million-$800 million ($A997m-$1.1bn) to Tiger Woods in an attempt to lure the 15-time major winner away from the PGA Tour, according to LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman.
“The number has been out there, yes,” Norman said on “Tucker Carlson Tonight” on Monday night.
“Tiger is a needle move. So of course you got to look at the best of the best. They originally approached Tiger before I became CEO, so yes, that number is somewhere in that neighborhood.”
Watch LIVE coverage from The USPGA Tour with Fox Sports on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
Donald Trump backs LIV Golf Series | 00:46
The Saudi Arabia-backed golf league has grown notorious for offering audacious sums of money to pry golfers from the PGA Tour, with Woods’ offer being the most-lucrative total known to date. Norman had previously hinted at the offer, noting that the money was ‘mind-blowingly enormous.’
Few professional golfers have been more critical of LIV Golf than Woods. In July, ahead of the British Open, Woods supported the R&A’s decision to disinvite Norman from its Celebration of Champions exhibition, while also lashing out against the golfers who failed to join the LIV ranks.
Casey has ‘questions’ after joining LIV | 01:08
“The players who have chosen to go to LIV and to play there, I disagree with it,” Woods said.
“I think that what they’ve done is they’ve turned their back on what has allowed them to get to this position.”
The separate factions have even disintegrated relationships between Woods and other golfers.
Monday, Bryson DeChambeau — who reportedly received more than $US125 million to join LIV Golf — revealed that he has not spoken with Woods since his defection.
LIV Golf just completed its third tournament this past weekend at Trump Bedminster that was one by Henrik Stenson.
This story originally appeared on the New York Post.
A group of Pacific workers who breached their visa conditions are fighting to get them back, although advocates say it should never have reached this point.
Key points:
Under the PALM scheme, workers can only take jobs with approved employers
Officials are attempting to reinstate some of the 24 Pacific workers who are still eligible to work
Farmers say the highly skilled workers are essential for picking and planting
The 24 workers in Bundaberg “absconded” from the Pacific Australian Labor Mobility (PALM) scheme by getting jobs with a non-registered employer when working on the farm they were at dried up.
A spokesman for the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) said officials had met with the employees to discuss their individual cases, but solicitor Dana Levitt said they should have helped sooner.
She said the workers were brought to Australia by an approved employer but there were issues with pay and conditions.
“These workers were faced with overheads that they couldn’t meet because they weren’t getting sufficient work,” Ms Levitt said.
“Unable to make ends meet, these workers were very open and vulnerable to inducement from other employers who were not approved employers in the scheme.
“These workers went with that non-approved employer, fell foul of the program and their visa conditions, and have been trying to navigate their way back into the PALM scheme ever since.”
Reluctance to complain creates vulnerability
The PALM scheme allows Australian businesses to hire workers from nine Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste for seasonal work or longer engagements of up to four years, under certain circumstances.
Approved employers must ensure the workers are well supported, and provide sufficient hours of work, a minimum standard of accommodation and the same workplace rights as Australian workers receive.
Last month, DEWR officials met with the workers, and they are now working with the Department of Home Affairs to re-engage those that are still eligible.
“These are matters the department takes seriously,” a spokesman said.
It is a condition of the visa that workers continue to be employed by their sponsor or another approved in the scheme, and not change employers unless approved by the federal government.
PALM scheme employees can access country liaison officers and a support phone line if they have issues with their employment, but Ms Levitt said there was reluctance to report issues to the same authority that they relied on for visas.
Advocates say workers are reluctant to complain to the same authority that approved their visas.(ABC Wide Bay: Johanna Marie)
“There’s a huge deterrent effect for workers to actually seek help through the right channels,” she said.
“There’s no distinction between the people that are going to sport you and the people that are going to help you.
“There needs to be … an independent body that workers can approach when they have issues related to their inability to make ends meet, or their desire to move to another approved employer.”
Worker shortage exacerbates issues
Traditionally, farmers have relied on seasonal backpacker labor for planting and harvest work, but since the pandemic, working holiday-makers are yet to return in the same numbers.
Bundaberg Fruit and Vegetable Growers chief executive Bree Grima said that it made it even more critical the Pacific workers were supported.
“If it wasn’t for them, we simply would not have been harvesting our crops or planting our crops either,” she said.
“We’ve had some brilliant numbers come into Queensland and into regional areas, a lot more than we’ve had before.
“So we need to make sure that the workers that are here, that they are keen to stay here, that they’ve got the support mechanisms to ensure that they’ve got that work available for them.”
She supported calls for independent and confidential advice, but said there was already a lot of support and protection built into the scheme.
“There’s a lot of work and time and effort that goes into becoming an approved employer, and there should be,” she said.
“It is a difficult process to go through but I do support that it does do a lot of background checks and ticks a lot of boxes.
“These workers, they are highly skilled, they’re putting a lot into the community, and we need to make sure that we’re looking after them in every aspect.”
SACRAMENT—Gov. Gavin Newsom of California declared a state of emergency on Monday to address a monkeypox outbreak, making the state the third in four days to elevate its public health response to the rapidly spreading disease.
The declaration followed similar actions by New York on Friday and Illinois on Monday, and by the city of San Francisco on Thursday. Mayor Eric Adams of New York also declared a local emergency on Monday.
“California is working urgently across all levels of government to slow the spread of monkeypox, leveraging our robust testing, contact tracing and community partnerships strengthened during the pandemic to ensure that those most at risk are our focus for vaccines, treatment and outreach,” Mr Newsom said in a statement.
“We’ll continue to work with the federal government to secure more vaccines, raise awareness about reducing risk and stand with the LGBTQ community fighting stigmatization,” he added.
The moves, which help streamline and coordinate the monkeypox response among different levels of government, come amid an uptick in infections as well as increasingly vocal complaints about the public health response.
What to Know About the Monkeypox Virus
Cards 1 of 7
What is monkey pox? Monkeypox is a virus similar to smallpox, but symptoms are less severe. It was discovered in 1958, after outbreaks occurred in monkeys kept for research. The virus was primarily found in parts of Central and West Africa, but in recent weeks it has spread to dozens of countries and infected tens of thousands of people, overwhelmingly men who have sex with men. On July 23, the World Health Organization declared monkeypox a global health emergency.
How does it spread? The monkeypox virus can spread from person to person through close physical contact with infectious lesions or pustules, by touching items — like clothing or bedding — that previously touched the rash, or via the respiratory droplets produced by coughing or sneezing. Monkeypox can also be transmitted from mother to fetus via the placenta or through close contact during and after birth.
I fear I might have monkeypox. What should I do? There is no way to test for monkeypox if you have only flulike symptoms. But if you start to notice red lesions, you should contact an urgent care center or your primary care physician, who can order a monkeypox test. Isolate at home as soon as you develop symptoms, and wear high-quality masks if you must come in contact with others for medical care.
What is the treatment for monkeypox? If you get sick, the treatment for monkeypox generally involves symptom management. Tecovirimat, an antiviral drug also known as TPOXX, can occasionally be used for severe cases. The Jynneos vaccine, which protects against smallpox and monkeypox, can also help reduce symptoms, even if taken after exposure.
I live in New York. Can I get the vaccine? Adult men who have sex with men and who have had multiple sexual partners in the past 14 days are eligible for a vaccine in New York City, as well as close contacts of infected people. Eligible people who have conditions that weaken the immune system or who have a history of dermatitis or eczema are also strongly encouraged to get vaccinated. People can book an appointment through this website.
Nearly 6,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported nationally since May, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with nearly half of them reported in California, Illinois and New York. The World Health Organization has already declared the virus to be a global health emergency.
No deaths have been reported so far in the United States, and monkeypox is rarely fatal, but the rash caused by the virus has led to intense pain in some patients. The virus spreads primarily via prolonged physical contact, but it can also be transmitted via shared linens and clothing, health officials say.
Men who have sex with men have so far made up about 99 percent of the confirmed cases. Public health officials emphasize that the virus can spread to anyone who has prolonged skin-to-skin contact with a person who has the rash.
The US case count is among the highest in the world, and health officials say the figure is almost certainly an underestimate.
Federal health officials say they have not yet declared a health emergency at the national level in part because monkeypox is a known disease with tests, vaccines and treatments available.
But as the virus has spread and scientists have gathered research, the emerging picture has been a bit more complicated than in past outbreaks, and pressure has intensified for more aggressive measures.
Last week, President Biden’s health secretary urged states and municipalities to take more initiative, noting that most public health powers in the United States are concentrated at local levels.
“We don’t control public health in the 50 states, in the territories and in the tribal jurisdictions,” Xavier Becerra, the secretary of health and human services, said in response to a reporter’s question about whether the virus could be eliminated. “We rely on our partnership to work with them. They need to work with us.”
California’s emergency declaration will allow Emergency Medical Services workers to administer federally approved monkeypox vaccines.
Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York issued an emergency declaration on Friday, saying the move would pressure the federal health officials to send additional monkeypox vaccines to the state. On Monday, Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois followed suit, calling monkeypox “a rare but potentially serious disease that requires the full mobilization of all available public health resources.”
Mr. Pritzker added that the effort would “ensure our LGBTQ+ community has the resources they need to stay safe while ensuring members are not stigmatized as they access critical health care.”
Bubs was the early mover in the application process and was one of the first infant formula manufacturers globally to receive temporary US government approval to help address the country’s baby formula shortage.
Bubs delivered more than 540,000 tins between May and July, funded by the US government’s Operation Fly Formula. Chinese-backed Bellamy’s Organic was approved to sell products at the end of June to ship at least 1.25 million tins of its formula.
The latest Australian formula manufacturer to get the tick on July 8 was Care a2 Plus – a little-known infant formula player formerly named Acell Milk Australia.
Care a2 Plus makes Care a2+ infant and toddler formula using single-sourced milk from Australian grass-fed a2 cows.
The FDA approved Care a2 Plus to deliver up to 4.8 million tins of Australian-made Care a2+ Premium Infant Formula with Iron and added Lactoferrin to the US market. Its first orders for more than 250,000 tins of infant formula are due to ship starting this week.
According to documents lodged with the corporate regulator, the company was founded in 2019 with Dominic Galati, Kerry Hyland and Gary Lissa all named as directors.
In early 2021, it snared $50 million in equity financing from alternative investment group LDA Capital. LDA’s other recent Australian portfolio companies include software group GetSwift, lithium player Altura Mining and technology group BrainChip Holdings.
Comment was being sought from Ms Hyland who did not return calls from the FinancialReview.
Empty shelves
About 160 companies have applied under this enforcement discretion policy – including a2 milk and New Zealand’s Fonterra – all of which are seeking to gain a foothold into the world’s second-biggest formula market.
While the Abbott Laboratories’ plant in Michigan has reopened after being shuttered in February due to the contamination worry, and importation from global companies surged, US supermarket shelves in many places are still in short supply as the crisis moves into its sixth month.
Despite the need, the US food safety watchdog suspended emergency imports of baby formula from a UK-based company after accusing it of submitting altered paperwork to authorities in England, according to a Financial Timess article published August 1.
The suspension of Global Kosher’s plans to export millions of tins to the US is a major setback in the country which has traditionally relied on just three major players for domestic production including Abbott, Reckitt Benckiser and Nestlé. However, it might provide more opportunity for local players.
At Kotaku, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you’ll like it too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.
If you spend a lot of time playing racing sims and you feel a need for speed that your controller just can’t handle, then it might be time to grab yourself a steering wheel. Also known as racing wheels, these controllers are designed to replicate the feel of driving an actual car, by replicating the force feedback and resistance of the steering wheel and pedals.
A racing wheel isn’t something that everyone needs, but if your gaming diet is predominantly consumed by titles like Grand Touring 7, then it could be a worthwhile investment – especially when you can nab one at a nice price.
Logitech’s G29 Driving Force Wheel with Shifter combo is currently on sale for $439 here. This set includes a steering wheel, pedals and gear shifter, and usually retails for $549.95, so you’ll be saving a meaty $110 off its price tag.
Considering that the base G29 set – which includes just the steering wheel and pedals – retails for $499.95, that’s a pretty solid bargain. You’re paying less for the steering wheel and pedals, with a bonus shifter thrown in (coincidentally that G29 base set is also on sale for $375 here).
What can the Logitech G29 wheel do?
Image: Logitech
As far as racing wheels go, Logitech is one of the go-to brands when it comes to quality and durability. The Logitech G29 is a sturdy steering wheel and pedal set, which uses a dual-motor system and helical gears to provide precise force feedback while driving. Much like an actual car, the wheel also has a 900-degree lock-to-lock rotation.
The added 6-speed shifter is also another step in replicating the real-life experience, by allowing you to change gears as you would with an actual car.
Is the Logitech G29 compatible with the PS5?
Screenshot: Kotaku/Sony
It sure is! According to Logitech’s listing for the G29, the steering wheel is compatible with the PS3, the PS4 and the PS5. So if you’re looking for something to use with your PS4 with the intention of upgrading to a PS5 down the line, you’ll have a future-proof steering wheel. It’s also compatible with PC if that’s your preferred platform when playing racing sims.
In terms of games, the Logitech G29 steering wheel is compatible with recent and popular titles like WRC10, NASCAR 21 Ignition, F1 2021, Grand Touring Sport and Grand Touring 7. You can find a full list of PS4, PS5 and PC games that the Logitech G29 steering wheel is compatible with at the end of this page.
You can drive away with the Logitech G29 Driving Force Wheel (with Shifter) on sale here, while the standard Logitech G29 Driving Force Wheel is on sale here.
Former A-League Men coach Ernie Merrick has been given the freedom to shape Australia’s footballing future after being appointed as Football Australia’s first chief football officer.
The former Melbourne Victory and Newcastle coach will be able to “disrupt Australian football’s technical vision”, according to FA. The newly-created role encompasses improving Australia’s development of players and coaches.
The 69-year-old will also have an input into the direction of national team programs from junior age groups through to the Socceroos and Matildas at senior level.
“My challenge as chief football officer is to assist in raising participation numbers and improve elite youth development and high-performance programs for both boys and girls,” Merrick, who begins work next Monday, said.
“To increase the production of world class Australian players we need to review our football curriculum and development programs to benchmark ourselves against top-ranking nations.
“Training alone is not enough to develop elite performers and prepare them for Australia’s national teams.”
FA cited the advancement of fellow Asian nations and a desire to return to being a global leader in developing world-class players as reasons for a reset under Merrick.
“Ernie will work closely with our already very experienced technical and coaching teams, and we are excited about the contributions he will make to Football Australia and the game more broadly,” FA chief executive James Johnson said.
The Solomon Islands government has ordered the country’s national broadcaster to self-censor its news and other paid programs and only allow content that portrays the nation’s government in a positive light.
Key points:
The Solomon Islands government is seizing financial and editorial control of the Pacific nation’s public broadcaster
The government says its censorship will protect the public from “misinformation and lies”
Local media and observers fear democracy will suffer as a result
Staff at Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC)confirmed to the ABC that acting chairman of the board William Parairato met with them last Friday to outline the new requirements.
They include vetting news and talkback shows to ensure they did not create disunity.
Mr Parairato had earlier attended a meeting with the Prime Minister’s office, the SIBC journalists said.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has become increasingly critical of the public broadcaster, accusing SIBC of publishing stories that have not been verified or balanced with government responses.
Last month, SIBC was removed as a state-owned enterprise (SOE) and became fully funded by the government, raising concerns about the broadcaster’s independence.
The government defended the reclassification, saying it had a duty to protect its citizens from “lies and misinformation”.
It is unclear whether SIBC — which plays a vital role as a government watchdog — will be able to publish any news or statements from the opposition under the new regime.
Critics are concerned the new rules resemble media policies adopted by the Chinese Communist Party, and could essentially make SIBC a mouthpiece for the government.
Local reporters say the government has become less inclined to answer media questions since the country signed a security pact with China. (Photo by Yao Dawei/Xinhua via Getty)
Media Association of Solomon Islands president Georgina Kekea said there were growing fears the government would be influenced by its “new partner”, referring to the security pact recently signed between Solomon Islands and China.
“It really doesn’t come as a surprise,” she told the ABC.
“This is one of the things which we are fearful of for the past month or so now.
“We’ve been vocal on this issue, especially when it comes to freedom of the press and media doing its expected role.”
What impact will it have?
Honiara-based Melanesian News Network editor Dorothy Wickham said it was unclear how the development would play out.
Dorothy Wickham says she isn’t surprised by the move, given the government’s ongoing criticism of the media. (Supplied: Dorothy Wickham )
“We haven’t seen this happen before,” she said.
“If the opposition gets on SIBC and starts criticizing government policies, which every opposition does… would the government disallow SIBC to air that story or that interview? That is the question that we’re asking.”
Officials have denied taking full control of SIBC’s editorial policy, saying it just wants the broadcaster to be more responsible because it’s a government entity.
But University of South Pacific journalism professor Shailendra Singh said the government’s intentions were clear.
“There seems to be no doubt that the government is determined to take control of the national broadcaster, editorially and financially,” he told ABC’s The World Today.
“I don’t think there’s any way the government can be stopped.
“This latest move by the government, what it has done with the SIBC, is bringing it closer to media in a communist system than in a democracy.”
Press freedoms dwindling
Local media have been vocal about increased government secrecy, the closing of doors and controlled dissemination of information from the prime minister’s office.
Wickham said the media did not have issues with governments in the past, adding that since the security pact was signed with China, the government had been making life harder for the press.
“I don’t think this government actually restricts us, I think it’s controlling their information more than they used to,” Wickham told ABC’s The World.
“The government has been concerned that the negativity expressed by a lot of Solomon Islanders is affecting how the government is trying to roll out its policies.”
When China’s foreign minister toured the country in May, Solomon Islands local media boycotted a press conference because they were collectively only allowed to ask one question — to their own Foreign Minister.
They also struggled to obtain information about the timing of the visit and agreements being signed between the two countries.
Last month, the ABC was also shunned after being promised an interview with Mr Sogavare after his national independence day speech, in which he thanked China for being a “worthy partner” in the country’s development.
Instead, his minders escorted him to a nearby vehicle, with police blocking reporters from getting close to the Prime Minister.
Professor Singh warned that the country’s democracy would suffer as a result of less media freedom.
“Media is the last line of defence, so if the media are captured, who will sound the alarm? It’s happening right before our eyes. It’s a major, major concern,” he said.
The local police force blocked the ABC from speaking to the Prime Minister. (ABC News: Adilah Dolaiano )
‘A wake up call’
Kekea said SIBC staff should be able to do their jobs freely without fear and intimidation.
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But the best thing the media can do is uphold the principles of journalism, stressing that “we must do our jobs properly.”
“It’s a wake-up call for SIBC to really look at how they have gone over the years, how they format their programs, the quality control they have in place,” Kekea said.
“It’s really a wake up call for every one of us.”
She said the media landscape had changed over the years and standards had been dropping, but the government also needs to respect the role of journalist and be more open to requests for information.
The Prime Minister had repeatedly said he was available for questions and calls, but local media complained they were continuously left unanswered, she said.
“They do not have the courtesy to respond to our emails. Even if we want to have an exclusive it gets rejected,” Kekea said.
“So it’s time governments should also walk the talk when it comes to responding to the media when they ask questions.”
The ABC has contacted Solomon Islands’ Prime Minister’s office and SIBC for comment.
