Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Speech given by Mirjana Spoljaric, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, at the UN Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict – 20 May 2026, New York
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By Christian Jakob, Director, ARC Centre of Excellence for the Weather of the 21st Century, Monash University
Andy Hogg, Professor and Director of ACCESS-NRI, Australian National University
Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick, Deputy Director, Engagement and Impact, The ARC Centre of Excellence for the Weather of the 21st Century, Australian National University
CSIRO has told staff it will cut 92 positions in its environment unit – just days after the Australian government boosted funding to the national science agency by A$387 million.
Our scientific colleagues have told us roughly a third of CSIRO’s climate modellers will lose their jobs – between four and six roles out of about 15 scientists. These cuts come on the back of decades of slow but steady reductions in funding in the same area. This threatens Australia’s ability to do its own climate modelling at a time when the United States has drastically…
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By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
Foreign Minister Penny Wong ordered the Israeli ambassador, Hillel Newman, to be called into the department over a video posted by far right Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, in which he insults and taunts detained members of the flotilla carrying aid for Palestinians.
Wong said on social media: “The images we have seen overnight are shocking and unacceptable”.
The video shows the activists keeling with their heads on the ground.
A gloating Ben-Gvir says: “Welcome to Israel, we are the landlords.”
“They came with much pride, as…
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By Dave Carter, Associate Professor, School of Music and Screen Arts, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University
Jesse Austin-Stewart, Lecturer, School of Music and Screen Arts, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University
A finding of anti-competitive behaviour by US industry giant Live Nation raises questions about New Zealand’s heavily consolidated music market.
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By Niusha Shafiabady, Professor in Computational Intelligence, Australian Catholic University
The first thing to check – ideally before you buy – is whether the blanket complies with Australian safety requirements.
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By Gemma Blackwood, Lecturer, Media, University of Tasmania
The film is a portrait of a highly dysfunctional family fighting over generational wealth – a familiar story for many.
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By Alexander Korolev, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, UNSW Sydney
It’s been quite a week for Beijing, with back-to-back visits by the leaders of the United States and Russia. Chinese President Xi Jinping has had his hands full with hosting duties, gun salutes, photo opportunities and high-level talks.
Each visit was important in its own way. US President Donald Trump’s state visit was his first to Beijing since 2017. It came at a moment of strained China-US relations, with the…
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By Natalie Peng, Lecturer in Accounting, The University of Queensland
Young people saving through shares and ETFs are worried about capital gains tax changes. But first-home buyers may already have a better option: their super.
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By Archana Koirala, Paediatrician and Infectious Diseases Specialist; Clinical Researcher, University of Sydney
Bianca Middleton, Senior Research Fellow, Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research
Since January, Australia has recorded more than 220 diphtheria cases. Experts say waning vaccination rates are contributing to this historic outbreak.
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By Human Rights Watch
Click to expand Image Police block protesters during a demonstration against the jailing of two journalists in the Maldives capital of Malé, on May 13, 2026. © 2026 Mohamed Shabin/Viraasee (Bangkok) – Two journalists were arrested in the Maldives in the second week of May, 2026, the first journalists jailed on criminal charges since the country adopted a democratic constitution in 2008, Human Rights Watch said today.The Maldives authorities should immediately release the arbitrarily imprisoned journalists, Leevan Ali Naseer, 29, and Mohamed Shahzan, 31, and drop charges against media officials…
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