Bitcoin passes $60,000 for first time as record-breaking run continues

The cryptocurrency hit an all-time high of $60,012 at 1149 GMT, according to the website CoinMarketCap.

Bitcoin has been on a meteoric rise since March last year, when it stood at $5,000, spurred by online payments giant PayPal saying it would allow account holders to use cryptocurrency.

Last month Elon Musk's electric carmaker Tesla invested $1.5 billion in the virtual unit, while Twitter chief Jack Dorsey and rap mogul Jay-Z said they are creating a fund aimed at making Bitcoin “the internet's currency”.

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KU Jayhawks withdraw from Big 12 basketball tournament after player tests positive for COVID-19

The Kansas Jayhawks have removed themselves from the Big 12 basketball tournament after a player tested positive for COVID-19.

The news means KU will not play the Texas Longhorns Friday night at the T-Mobile Center. 

“Obviously we are disappointed, and our players are disappointed that they can’t continue to compete for the Big 12 championship,” KU coach Bill Self said. “While we have been fortunate to avoid this throughout the season, there are daily risks with this virus that everybody participating is trying to avoid. We have followed the daily testing and additional protocols that have been set up for us, unfortunately, we caught a bad break at the wrong time."

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Michael Pascoe: Property prices + interest rise threat = Clickbait

When not promoting the government’s shakedown of Google and Facebook, the main focus of media companies is attracting eyeballs in the hope of subsequently gaining a few pennies from advertisers.

And that, folks, is why we have clickbait.

Wardrobe malfunctions, anything real or imagined about the Royal family, two-headed snakes and frightening new diseases are great eyeball catchers – but if you’re a finance journalist, it’s difficult to work them into the business pages. 

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Madonna King: The 10 questions Jenny can answer to help PM understand

Prime Minister Scott Morrison recently put stock on the wisdom of his wife Jenny, taking her advice on how to respond with more empathy over the Brittany Higgins’ revelations.

As the scandal around his government deepens, it might be time for him to seek Jenny’s input on a host of other issues.

Here are 10 questions to discuss over dinner at The Lodge. 

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Paula Matthewson: Coalition’s women problem goes far beyond politics

If you are among the small cohort of women who’ve never experienced sexual discrimination, harassment, abuse or attacks then you might not understand why those who have suffered this treatment are particularly angry right now.

So angry in fact that they pose a real threat to our Teflon-coated Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who until now has invested heavily in a blokey-bloke persona. 

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Confronting images that show the US and UK’s fight against COVID-19

Heartbreaking images reveal the state of life in the United States and the United Kingdom as the two countries continue their uphill battles against the coronavirus pandemic.

A year after COVID-19 claimed its first American life – a Washington State man in his 50s – the nation’s coronavirus death toll has surpassed 500,000.

And it’s going to get a lot worse, according to grim predictions by the University of Washington. 

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Queensland raffles off $200 travel vouchers to boost state’s ailing tourism industry

The Queensland government is running a raffle to help support struggling tourism operators in the state’s far north.

From Monday, Queenslanders can go into the draw for one of 15,000 travel vouchers, each worth up to $200.

Winners will get a 50 per cent discount on travel experiences such as reef and rainforest tours in a bid to boost business for far north Queensland operators, 

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Julia Gillard urges Australians to set any reservations aside and get jabbed

Julia Gillard has had her coronavirus jab, urging everyone – and particularly women – to get vaccinated.

The former prime minister joined Health Minister Greg Hunt and Department of Health secretary Brendan Murphy to be among the first to receive the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccination at a Melbourne clinic on Sunday. 

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Doctor’s note lets Defence Minister Linda Reynolds skip parliament – and Senate grilling – for another month

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds will remain on sick leave for another month, amid calls for her to resign or be dumped from her portfolio by the Prime Minister.

The extended absence means she will miss the next fortnight of parliamentary sittings in Canberra, as well as the forensic scrutiny and interrogation often experienced during Senate estimates hearings. 

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‘Canberra culture’ prober Kate Jenkins doubts courts give victims the justice they deserve

The person tasked with reviewing the culture of Parliament House believes there needs to be a conversation as to whether the justice system meets the needs of victims of harassment.

Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins says it is very difficult for people to come forward with a compliant.

“My role is the Sex Discrimination Act, so that’s where my focus is in a sense,” she told ABC’s Insiders program on Sunday. 

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