By Stephen Coleman, Emeritus Professor of Political Communication, University of Leeds
Every election is a storytelling contest, with campaigning parties competing to frame the plot. This year’s local elections, the largest test of voters’ mood since the 2024 general election, have been dominated by two master-narratives.
The first is about the demise of the old two-party system under…
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By Amra Lee, PhD candidate in Protection of Civilians, Australian National University
This is driven by an absence of legal accountability for attacks on civilians, aid workers and journalists in both Lebanon and Gaza.
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By Clarke Jones, Research Fellow, Research School of Psychology, Australian National University
Amid great media attention, four women and nine children with links to Islamic State have returned from Syria to Australia.
Three of the women were arrested by police after touching down in Melbourne and Sydney on Thursday night. One was charged with terror-related offences after arriving in Sydney, while two…
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By Aiden Magro, Art History Tutor, University of Sydney
It is perhaps the way Ken is brought forward by the bright yellow ochre background that gives the work its greatest sense of presence.
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By Abu Barkat ullah (Barkat), Associate Professor of Cyber Security, University of Canberra
Mohiuddin Ahmed, Associate Professor in Cyber Security, Adelaide University
A US-based education tech provider announced a cybersecurity incident affecting its Canvas platform – used by institutions around the world, including Australia.
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By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
Anika Wells has repaid more than $10,100, which includes a penalty, after an audit found she wrongly claimed travel expenses on four occasions.
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By Zubair Torwali
For Torwali community in Pakistan’s Swat valley, rivers embody sacred identity and history. Government-backed hydropower projects threaten them, prompting resistance since 2023 to protect the Swat river and cultural survival.
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By Human Rights Watch
Click to expand Image Aimable Karasira. © Private (Nairobi) – Rwandan authorities should conduct an effective, independent, and transparent investigation into the death in custody of Aimable Karasira, a Rwandan academic and outspoken government critic, on the day he was set to be released from prison, Human Rights Watch said today.Karasira’s prosecution and imprisonment are emblematic of Rwanda’s crackdown on dissent and free expression. His death adds to the list of disappearances and suspicious deaths of perceived critics and government opponents, and the authorities’ failure to deliver…
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Thursday, May 7, 2026
In Somalia’s Puntland region, dried out watering holes, animal carcasses and old pots filled with ash have become part of the landscape as worsening drought conditions deepen a growing hunger crisis.
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By Steven Gordon, Chief Research Specialist., Human Sciences Research Council
Anti-immigrant marches in several major South African cities (such as Tshwane and Johannesburg) in early May 2026 once again led to questions being asked about xenophobia in post-apartheid South Africa.
In the wake of the protests President Cyril Ramaphosa called on South Africans to embrace solidarity with their African neighbours. For their part, foreign…
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