Category Archives: headline

headline

SA Chief Public Health Officer denies resignation rumours

South Australia's Chief Public Health Officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier has staunchly denied rumours she threatened to resign, after it was pointed out she has been absent from public health updates in recent weeks.

"Now why would I threaten to resign from this sort of job. I'm here to handle a pandemic, not mess around," Ms Spurrier said at today's press conference.

"I am here to do a good job and I am leading a pandemic response. Absolutely no to that sort of question."

LIVE UPDATES: Supermarket shortages as COVID-10 cases skyrocket

Ms Spurrier shut down the rumours, adding there were no tensions between herself and Premier Steven Marshall.

"I get on extremely well with the premier. We spend a lot of time talking, we need to be on the same wavelength. We've worked extremely well in South Australia as a team."

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She said despite rumours she had resigned, or had been sick with COVID-19, she was still working as the CPHO.

"I'm always available to come and do a press conference as part of my job and address the public and I look forward to any opportunity I am given."

South Australia recorded 3707 cases of COVID-19 today and two further deaths.

headline

Bitcoin hits lowest price in months

Bitcoin has continued to shed value in January, reaching its lowest point in months, trading at just over US$42,250 at 2.30pm AEST.

Since reaching a $69,000 high in November, the cryptocurrency has rapidly lost over a third of its price.

Over the past week, deadly protests in Kazakhstan have caused more jitters in the Bitcoin market, with the second-biggest country for Bitcoin mining losing internet access and taking as much as 15 per cent of the network offline.

LIVE UPDATES: Supermarket shortages as COVID-10 cases skyrocket

A graph from CoinMarketCap showing the price of Bitcoin over the past three months.

READ MORE: Talented Sydney sportsman, just 23, dies from COVID-19

Bitcoin today fell below $43,000 for the first time since September.

Many investors rushed into Bitcoin in 2017 and watched prices surge from about $1000 per coin to a little below $20,000 by December of that year.

More large gains were made last year, despite China clamping down on Bitcoin and banning mining and all crypto-related activity.

But investors are used to a bumpy ride.

Earlier this week investment bank Goldman Sachs predicted Bitcoin could more than double, to a little over $100,000 per coin, within the next five years.

An increasing number of top fund managers including George Soros, Stanley Druckenmiller, Paul Tudor Jones and have invested in Bitcoin.

NEWS QUIZ: Test your knowledge with trivia from this week's big news events

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Toyota the top choice for Aussies in 2021

Of all the 1,049,831 new vehicles bought in Australia last year, one in five was a Toyota.

With 223,642 sales, the Japanese car giant easily ranked top of the list of new vehicle sales in Australia, according to statistics by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.

Fellow Japanese manufacturer Mazda came second, with 101,119 vehicles sold, or 9.6 per cent of the market.

LIVE UPDATES: Supermarket shortages as COVID-10 cases skyrocket

Toyota was the highest selling brand for the year, with 223,642 vehicles sold resulting in 21.3 per cent of overall market share

READ MORE: Talented Sydney sportsman, just 23, dies from COVID-19

South Korea's Hyundai ranked third, with 72,872 vehicles sold, pipping American motoring behemoth Ford on 71,380, and South Korean automaker Kia fifth, recording 67,964 sales.

The 1,049,831 new vehicles sold across Australia last year represented a 14.5 per cent increase on 2020.

Electric vehicles sales jumped 191.1 per cent on 2020 figures.

But electric cars continue to make up a tiny fraction of the Australian automotive market, at just 0.49 per cent.

Meanwhile, Aussies continued to show their preference for SUVs and light commercial vehicles in 2021.

A total of 531,700 SUVs were sold, a 16.9 per cent increase on 2020, with light commercials up 23.2 per cent on last year's figures with a total of 253,254 vehicles sold.

NEWS QUIZ: Test your knowledge with trivia from this week's big news events