By Guest Contributor
The data-labelling industry relies heavily on workers in Kenya and Nigeria to annotate what AI systems learn. Those same workers rarely see their languages reflected in the systems they help train.
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By Justin Bergman, International Affairs Editor, The Conversation
Over the past several days, there have been conflicting reports about the Strait of Hormuz. It’s difficult to know what’s happening from one moment to the next.
Iran said the waterway was open to commercial shipping again, then turned around and said it was closed.
Iran then fired at two Indian-flagged ships going through the strait, forcing them to turn around.
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By Kevin John Brophy, Emeritus Professor of Creative Writing, The University of Melbourne
Mohammed Massoud Morsi is a master storyteller and it is no surprise that the manuscript of his new novel won the prestigious 2025 Dorothy Hewett Award. He brings stories to light that unsettle stereotypes and show unremittingly the fault lines, hypocrisies and ethical dilemmas of lives lived under theocratic systems amid bloody political conflicts.
The Hair of the Pigeon – Mohammed Massoud Morsi (UWA Publishing)
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By Allen Cheng, Professor of Infectious Diseases, Monash University
We all know the risks of influenza and COVID for older people. But a third virus, RSV, can also land you in hospital. A free vaccination aims to reduce this risk.
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By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne
Has One Nation reached its polling peak? That’s the intriguing question from the latest batch of polls.
On Friday I covered a DemosAU poll that was one of Labor’s worst since the 2025 election. Newspoll and Resolve give Labor clear leads, and both have the combined vote for One Nation and the Coalition at 45% (down two in Newspoll and down one in Resolve). That’s four points lower than in DemosAU.
There is disagreement between these polls on Angus…
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By Kate Kersey, Research Fellow, School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
Antonia Lyons, Professor of Addiction Research, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
Women are highly aware of alcohol’s immediate effects, but, in a culture that promotes drinking as self-care, dangers down the track aren’t front of mind.
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By Joanne Bennett, Senior Research Fellow Gulbali Institute, Charles Sturt University
Heidi Zimmer, Research Scientist (Botany), Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (joint venture between Parks Australia and CSIRO), Australian National Herbarium, CSIRO
Orchids aren’t just beautiful or rare – they’re ecological time capsules that offer clues to the long-term health of ecosystems.
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By Omid Zabihi, Research Fellow, Institute for Frontier Materials Carbon Fibre and Composites, Deakin University
Minoo Naebe, Professor, Program Lead Solving Plastic Waste Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), Deakin University
Just a tiny fraction of the plastic Australia uses each year gets recycled. This year’s oil shock could cause a rethink.
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By Pat Leslie, Senior Lecturer, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
Governments are often criticised for lacking ambition and failing to tackle the long-term issues facing Australia. But it’s been done before, and can be again.
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By Warwick Smith, Honorary Fellow, School of Social and Political Sciences, The University of Melbourne
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) will look at the latest unemployment figures – 4.3%, roughly 650,000 people out of work – and see a labour market that is still “too tight”.
In other words, not enough people are unemployed for inflation to come down. Although that figure reflects almost none of the economic fallout from the war in the Middle East, it will strengthen the case for further interest rate hikes.
The logic of these expected…
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