Australian retail billionaire Brett Blundy has agreed to acquire iconic local brands Bonds, Bras N Things, Berlei, and Sheridan from Canadian clothing giant Gildan Activewear in a $700 million deal. The acquisition marks a homecoming for Blundy, who originally built Bras N Things before selling it to Hanesbrands for $500 million in 2018.
Qantas will end Airbus A380 flights between Melbourne and Los Angeles effective October 24, 2026, replacing the superjumbo with the smaller, more fuel-efficient Boeing 787-9 on the transpacific route. This year, Melbourne will record its highest number of A380 departures since the pandemic, driven by Qantas, Emirates, and Singapore Airlines, despite the Qantas route change.
Australian actress Samara Weaving has reportedly been cast as Emma Frost, the iconic White Queen, in Marvel Studios' upcoming X-Men reboot. Director Jake Schreier and Marvel President Kevin Feige chose Weaving after an extensive summer search for the role, with the project expected to feature prominently at Disney's D23 event next month.
HSBC has announced it will close all 19 Australian branches and exit retail banking after nearly 40 years, selling its $36 billion mortgage and personal loan portfolio to US private equity giant Blackstone. The London-based bank will retain corporate, institutional, and private banking operations in Australia but phase out retail products over 18 months.
Domino's Pizza has reported a $300 million annual loss and closed 29 stores in Australia and New Zealand as part of a major strategic pivot. The fast-food giant is abandoning its famous $5 pizza deals and heavy discounting to protect franchise profitability. Investors have responded positively, with shares jumping 9%.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has unveiled a plan to open five municipal grocery stores, one per borough, offering a 30% discount on a core basket of staples including produce and meat. The city will subsidize the stores, aiming to save shoppers an average of $1,000 a year, but faces a lawsuit from small grocers who call it unfair competition.
Australian media personality Kyle Sandilands has resigned from his judging role on Channel Seven's Australian Idol after four seasons, citing pressure from activist group Mad F---ing Witches targeting the show's advertisers. He will launch his own subscription-based show, Kyle Sandilands Live, on August 10.
A Perth jury has acquitted British YouTuber and rapper Yung Filly of raping a 20-year-old fan after a 2024 concert, but found him guilty of two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm. The 30-year-old, whose real name is Andres Barrientos, was cleared of three rape charges, with the jury unable to reach verdicts on three further rape counts.
US President Donald Trump has seized on Spain's Ceuta migrant crisis as a campaign talking point, warning that America faces a similar "invasion" if Democrats win the midterms. With over 50,000 migrants crossing into the Spanish enclave, Trump and his officials are using the crisis to rally support, while European far-right leaders echo their warnings.
A British Airways Airbus A320, flight BA919 from Dusseldorf, declared a mayday emergency on approach to Heathrow on July 6 after an air data system failure triggered stall warnings at 3,000 feet. The aircraft lost automated protections, requiring the captain to intervene in what experts describe as the most serious near-miss in UK aviation in years.