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Energy Minister Chris Bowen acknowledges a potential rise in interest rates in coming days will be tough for households, but he says the independence of the central bank must be respected.
The Reserve Bank board hands down its next interest rate decision on Tuesday.
There have been four interest rate hikes this year, and data this week showing an increase in Australia's inflation rate has markets tipping a rise in interest rates to 4.85 per cent.
Mr Bowen says it is a wait-and-see situation.
"Obviously, the Reserve Bank is independent. But we also recognise that Australians are doing it very tough. And any increase in interest rates will come as a significant blow when it comes to cost of living. But also we understand and respect Reserve Bank independence. That is why we are taking actions we can take to provide cost of living relief. Whether it be the tax cuts that every Australian has received under government, cheaper medicines, ensuring very very high bulk billing rates, so that people can go to the doctor without being charged."
The world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, says it is working to resolve what it says is a "complex attack" that's impacted funds totalling around $6.3 billion US dollars (A$9 billion).
The company says the hackers gained unauthorised access via a compromised laptop belonging to one of its engineers.
Binance says it will cover all losses from the hack, which two US blockchain analysis firms claim originated in North Korea.
President Donald Trump says US officials are investigating the incident.
"We're looking at that. But, it was a hack. That's the problem. You know, the old fashioned way, when you used to sign a check, take that. These are different people never see the money anymore. So I've always felt it was a little bit dangerous. But no, they (Binance) say they have it pretty much under control. We'll see."
Residents in the Russian-held city of Oleshky in southern Ukraine have been evacuated to territories still under Ukraine's control as part of a US-brokered local ceasefire.
Over the past three days, a humanitarian ceasefire has made it possible to evacuate inhabitants of Oleshky, which is gripped by hunger.
An estimated 2,000 residents remaining in the city were offered the choice of travelling to Ukrainian- or Russian-held territory, or staying after food and medical supplies were replenished.
This resident headed for northern Ukraine says she experienced months of severe food shortages.
"We're worn out ourselves. It's really hard—if only we were healthy, when night comes, it's dark. If we were healthy, maybe we'd keep sitting here, but as things are, that's it—we just want to be with our children."
Meanwhile, a new missile attack hit districts of Kyiv just before 11 pm local time on Friday.
The city's military administration says one person died.
Warehouses were set ablaze and falling debris damaged a building on the east side of the Dnipro River.
An aging NASA telescope is barely clinging to space, after a failed rescue effort left it tottering lower and lower.
The US Space Force predicts the Swift Observatory will come crashing down any day.
Any surviving wreckage will most likely plunge into the ocean but swaths of Africa, Australia, India, Southeast Asia, and Central and South America are within the re-entry zone.
The US Space Force is tracking the telescope’s dwindling path.
NASA's Brad Cenko says most of the telescope is expected to burn up in the atmosphere, but a handful of pieces made of denser-than-lead tungsten and some mirror parts could survive re-entry.
Athletes representing Australia at the World Deaf Rugby Sevens Championship are aiming to better their performance from the last tournament in 2023.
Australia finished runner up in the men's competition in 2023 and placed third in the women's competition.
This year's tournament opens today in Japan.
The men's team face England, Japan, Hong Kong China and Italy in the pool stage for a chance to place in the top three teams for the knockouts.
The women's team play Fiji, England, Wales, New Zealand and a combined Barbarians team.
