By Syed Salman Mehdi
Pakistan bears the devastating consequences of a climate crisis it did not create, yet inadequate global funding and weak domestic response continue to leave millions vulnerable to glacial lake disasters.
(Full Story)
|
By Amnesty International
In the context of the earthquakes that struck Venezuela on the afternoon of 24 June and the relief efforts that are following, Amnesty International raises the alarm over the potentially devastating effects this disaster may have on the Venezuelan population and calls on Venezuelan authorities and international community to do all they can to provide […] The post Venezuela: Human rights must guide earthquake response amid devastating crisis appeared first on Amnesty International. ]]>
(Full Story)
|
By Niusha Shafiabady, Professor in Computational Intelligence, Australian Catholic University
In her Quarterly Essay, Anna Goldsworthy treats AI as a mirror rather than a monster. Is humanity wise enough to live with a technology that amplifies our weaknesses?
(Full Story)
|
By Patricia Morada Macabulos, PhD Candidate, Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Macquarie University Anina Rich, Professor, Performance & Expertise Research Centre and School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University
Ding – that’s an all too familiar sound, designed to instantly capture your attention. The average adult receives at least 46 push notifications a day from their smartphone – roughly one every 20 minutes during waking hours. These interruptions might seem like a small price to pay for staying connected. However, research shows these attention-grabbing features…
(Full Story)
|
By Yinghua Yu, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Centre for Western Sydney, Western Sydney University Azadeh Dastyari, Director, Centre for Western Sydney, Western Sydney University
From July 1, government-funded paid parental leave increases from 24 weeks to 26 weeks. While welcome, many challenges remain for new parents, particularly mothers.
(Full Story)
|
By Luke Hartigan, Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of Sydney
Over the past few years, central banks have been quietly buying up significant quantities of gold. As the trend has accelerated, official agencies now hold the highest quantity of gold since 1975 – more than 36,000 tonnes of the precious metal. Central bank buying of gold picked up after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The World Gold Council says central banks have…
(Full Story)
|
By Human Rights Watch
Click to expand Image Amret MFI advertisement posted on the wall of the home of a Tampuan Indigenous borrower in Pa Chon Thom village, Ratanakiri, Cambodia, reading: “Amret helps you buy agricultural equipment without having your own money” [left]; “Amret is always ready to help you and your family” [right]. © 2023 Private The World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) rejected its ombudsman’s findings about harm related to investments in Cambodia’s microfinance sector, failing a critical test of accountability, Human Rights Watch said today. In its response, published on June…
(Full Story)
|
By Brooke Zanco, Postdoctoral Researcher, The Pollinator Futures Research Centre, Macquarie University Carmen da Silva, Macquarie University Research Fellow, The Pollinator Futures Research Centre, Macquarie University
When we think of bees, we often think of flowers. The more flowers the better, right? Well, not exactly. Like us, bees need to consume specific nutrients in suitable amounts and combinations. So, the mere presence of flowers doesn’t necessarily mean the bees are getting nutritionally adequate food. This matters because climate change is altering both the quantity and nutritional…
(Full Story)
|
By Danaë Anderson, Lecturer in Occupational Health and Safety, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Chris Peace, Lecturer in Occupational Health and Safety, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Joanne Crawford, Professor of Health and Safety, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
The government’s proposed workplace safety reforms aim to create simpler rules for employers. Critics argue they may also move risk onto workers.
(Full Story)
|
By Human Rights Watch
Click to expand Image A same-sex couple hold hands during an event to raise awareness of gay rights in Hong Kong on May 25, 2019. © 2026 Philip Fong/AFP via Getty Images (New York) – The censorship of prominent social media accounts, foreign films, and events with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) themes around Pride month illustrates the deteriorating rights situation for LGBT people in China, Human Rights Watch said today. A number of these events were organized by foreign embassies and cultural institutes.“Under Xi Jinping, the Chinese government’s intensifying repression…
(Full Story)
|