The World Today

Independent experts say the South Australian Government's failure to secure a safe passage for its proposed bank levy will hurt Australia's international reputation. The levy was announced in the recent state budget, but late yesterday the Liberal party announced it would block the measure. Analysts say the problems now facing the South Australian Government should discourage other states and territories from experimenting with similar policy moves.

Paying people a universal basic income is one potential solution to the trend of unemployment, under-employment and low wage growth. PhD candidate Troy Henderson explains that it would reduce inequality and poverty, as well as shrinking the bureaucracy currently necessary to administer welfare. He says the money would have to come from an increase in taxation, similar to rates in France or those in the Nordic countries.

French President Emmanuel Macron has delivered a US State of the Union-style address and plans to do it every year. In a carefully choreographed appearance, the 39-year-old summoned all 900 members of parliament to the grand Palace of Versailles to tell them that Europe had lost its way and needed a new generation of leaders, and that he intends to reduce their number by a third. It's all too much for his critics, who say the 'boy-king' has lost his way.

The Governor of the US state of New Jersey is under fire for lounging on the beach when most of his state's famous shore was closed because of a budget impasse. Chris Christie was once tipped for the Republican presidential nomination but his popularity has plunged and pundits say he no longer cares what the public thinks of him.

Thousands of people have joined an opposition Justice March from Ankara to Istanbul to protest the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan. They are campaigning for the release of political prisoners and CHP lawmaker Enis Berberoglu.

As more Australians cram into capital cities, city dwellers are increasingly yearning for short breaks in the country. Data prepared by global accommodation giant, Airbnb, shows more than half the platform's listings in Australia are now outside the major cities. Hoteliers in parts of the country like regional Tasmania say the Airbnb expansion has contributed to a surge in country town tourism, but they also want Airbnb listers subject to the same regulatory burden as they are.

The Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has declared he intends to lead the Coalition to re-election in 2019, brushing aside the continuing policy critique from the man he deposed as leader, Tony Abbott. Mr Turnbull says he's not interested in political gossip and his senior colleagues have also urged people to focus on the Government's achievement. Labor says the internal tensions are drawing too much of the Prime Minister's time.

The US President Donald Trump has been accused of inciting violence against the media, after posting a spoof video, showing him assaulting a man with a CNN logo superimposed on his head. It comes as thousands of protesters march across cities in the United States, demanding the President's impeachment. Organisers say Mr Trump has breached the Constitution, and it's time congressional representatives begin the impeachment process.

The ownership of Australia's oldest publisher, Fairfax, will remain locally based, after two competing private equity firms that were circling the company opted not to proceed with bids for its purchase. TPG Capital and Hellman and Friedman have today both walked away from Fairfax, after being granted access by the company's board to confidential financial information. Fairfax says it'll now focus on splitting off its 'Domain' real estate business from its other assets and mastheads, and continuing with its 'established plans' for its traditional businesses. Analysts say the departure of both private equity players suggests Fairfax's own valuation of its assets is actually pretty sound.

The New South Wales Government will roll out an expansion of its SMART drum line program. SMART stands for Smart Management Alert in Real Time, and alerts scientists when a shark has been hooked 500 metres off shore. The creature is then tagged and released. It doesn't stop sharks from getting close to beachgoers, but it helps track their movements and will provide a warning when a tagged shark gets too close to shore.