By Terence C. Cheng, Associate Professor, Centre for Health Economics, Monash University
The government has allowed private health insurers to raise premiums by an average of 4.41% from April. How are these set? And why is it higher than inflation?
(Full Story)
|
By Shahana Thankachan, Assistant professor, International Relations, Universidad de Navarra
Japan’s Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, has already made history since taking office in October 2025. Capitalising on her high approval ratings and “fresh new image”, she dissolved the lower house and called an election just four months into her term.
Her gamble paid off, winning the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) more…
(Full Story)
|
By Human Rights Watch
Click to expand Image Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodriguez speaks with her brother, National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez, during a ceremony marking the opening of the new judicial year at the Supreme Tribunal of Justice in Caracas, Venezuela, January 30, 2026. © 2026 AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos (Washington, DC) – Venezuelan authorities should take prompt measures to reform key judicial and electoral institutions and repeal abusive laws, Human Rights Watch said today.Following US military strikes in Venezuela and the arrest of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores,…
(Full Story)
|
By Human Rights Watch
Click to expand Image Dakar, Senegal, March 21, 2024. © 2024 Mosa'ab Elshamy/AP Photo The recent detention of 12 men in Senegal using homophobic laws have intensified concerns over the country’s criminalization of same-sex relations and the safety of people living with HIV and/or AIDS.On February 9, gendarmes in Dakar arrested 12 men on various charges, including “acts against nature” and the alleged intentional transmission of HIV. The men could face up to five years in prison, with fines of 100,000 to 1,500,000 CFA (about US$180 to 2,700) for alleged same sex conduct, as well as…
(Full Story)
|
By Human Rights Watch
Click to expand Image Left: Mirkamel Tourghoun. © Private; Right: Abdurahman Tohti. © Private (Paris) – Chinese authorities have attempted to pressure two ethnic Uyghur activists living in Paris, including by asking one to spy on France’s Uyghur diaspora, Human Rights Watch said today. The case highlights the Chinese government’s increasing harassment of critics abroad and members of diaspora communities, abusive acts beyond China’s borders known as “transnational repression.”“The Chinese government seeks to silence critical Uyghur voices in France through coercion, intimidation,…
(Full Story)
|
By Eleonora Feletto, Principal Research Fellow and and Cancer Epidemiologist, University of Sydney
Karen Canfell, Lead, Cancer Elimination Collaboration (CEC) and Professor of Public Health, University of Sydney
Bowel cancer is uncommon in those aged under 50, but rates are rising. Here’s how you can reduce your risk.
(Full Story)
|
By Amnesty International
A new Amnesty International investigation has established that Predator spyware was used in 2024 to target Teixeira Cândido, a prominent Angolan journalist, press freedom activist, jurist and former Secretary General of the Syndicate of Angolan Journalists (SJA). Predator is a highly invasive mobile phone spyware, developed and sold by Intellexa – a mercenary spyware company – for use by governments in surveillance operations. This is the first forensic confirmation of its use in Angola. “I feel […] The post Angola: Prominent journalist hacked with Predator spyware appeared first on Amnesty…
(Full Story)
|
By Amin Saikal, Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern Studies, Australian National University; The University of Western Australia; Victoria University
While the world is focused on the fate of a ruined Gaza, Israel has accelerated its creeping annexation of the West Bank.
Israeli legislative moves, security operations, settlement expansion and support of settlers’ violence are forcing the Palestinians out of their lands at an unprecedented rate.
US President Donald Trump has publicly opposed Israel’s annexation of the occupied territory, but he may not be able to stop it – unless he…
(Full Story)
|
By Christopher Hoy, McKenzie Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne
By 2025, 45% of full-time workers in Australia had ‘six figure’ earnings. But years of high inflation mean cracking this threshold doesn’t mean what it used to.
(Full Story)
|
By Thomas Moran, Lecturer in the Department of English, Creative Writing and Film, Adelaide University
Frederick Wiseman has died at 96. He is known for films including Titicut Follies (1967), Hospital (1970) and Welfare (1975).
(Full Story)
|