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Australia’s major sports codes are considered not-for-profits – is it time for them to pay up?

By Matt Nichol Et Al

Not-for-profit organisations support a range of needs and activities, such as financial disadvantage, health and education. Governments support these entities through various measures, notably exemption from income tax and...

Elon Musk thinks the US should leave the UN – what if Trump does it?

By Chris Ogden

When Donald Trumps benefactor and cost-cutter-in-chief Elon Musk recently supported a call for the United States to quit NATO and the United Nations, it should perhaps have been more surprising. But the first months of the...

Investors value green labels — but not always for the right reasons

By Vasundhara Saravade

Imagine you are choosing between two similar investment options. One has a green label, promising to fund climate-friendly projects and assets. The other offers a slightly higher return, but has no green label. Which do...

The US energy market has its troubles, though it may not be a ‘national emergency’

By Seth Blumsack

President Donald Trumps declaration of a national energy emergency on his first day in office and which he reiterated during his address to Congress on March 4, 2025 might have seemed to echo other national emergencies,...

Are our thoughts ‘real’? Here’s what philosophy says

By Sam Baron

You can doubt just about anything. But theres one thing you can know for sure: you are having thoughts right now. This idea came to characterise the philosophical thinking of 17th century philosopher René Descartes....

Consumer resistance is rising in the age of Trump. History shows how boycotts can be effective

By Garritt C. Van Dyk

Boycotts are back. With people worried about everything from labour practices and human rights to tariffs and equal opportunity initiatives, collective consumer resistance has been rising globally. Right now, there are...

Shuttered car factories in Australia could be repurposed to make houses faster and cheaper

By Ehsan Noroozinejad

Australia is in the grip of a severe housing shortage. Many people are finding it extremely difficult to find a place to live in the face of rising rents and property price surges. Homelessness is rising sharply. Tent...

Eating disorders don’t just affect teen girls. The risk may go up around pregnancy and menopause too

By Gemma Sharp Et Al

Eating disorders impact more than 1.1 million people in Australia, representing 4.5% of the population. These disorders include binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, and anorexia nervosa. Meanwhile, more than 4.1 million...

How the UK’s rollback of banking regulations could risk another financial crisis

By Alper Kara

After the global financial crisis of 2007-08, the UKs banking sector was placed under a much stricter regime. Bonuses were limited, regulations were beefed up and the whole industry scrutinised like never before. The idea...

A new study reveals the structure of violent winds 1,300 light years away

By Vivien Parmentier Et Al

The planet WASP-121b is extreme. Its a gas giant almost twice as big as Jupiter orbiting extremely close to its star50 times closer than the Earth does around the Sun. WASP-121b is so close to its star that tidal forces...

Can making the NHS cleaner slow the spread of disease?

By Jonathan R. Goodman

Several weeks ago, I visited a local NHS urgent care centre with my toddler on what might be called a semi-annual pilgrimage related to having a child in nursery. Owing to what is now a typical three- or four-hour wait,...

Why incest porn is more common and harmful than you think

By Clare McGlynn

Incest porn is finally facing long overdue scrutiny. The governments porn review recommends strengthening the extreme porn law to include incest porn and mandate its removal. The review also calls for much more proactive...

Identifying brands as Black-owned can pay off for businesses

By Oren Reshef Et Al

Labeling businesses as Black-owned can significantly boost their sales, we found in a recent study. In June 2020, the business-review website Yelp introduced a feature allowing consumers to search for Black-owned...

South Africa’s malnutrition crisis: why a cheaper basket of healthy food is the answer

By Julian May Et Al

The death in early February of a 9-year-old South African boy, Alti Willard, who drank poison while scavenging for food in rubbish bins with his father, is a tragic reflection of the persistent food insecurity crisis in...

Virgin Australia’s deal with Qatar has been given the green light. Travellers should be the winners

By Chrystal Zhang

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has given the green light for Qatar Airways to buy a 25% stake in Virgin Australia, as part of a strategic alliance. The deal will shake up the Australian aviation market. The announcement follows a...

Why does music make us feel things?

By Katrina McFerran

Imagine a scene from the movie Jaws, with the great white shark closing in on another helpless victim. The iconic semi-tone pattern builds and your heartbeat rises with it; the suspense pulls you further to the edge of...

What’s the difference between burnout and depression?

By Gordon Parker

If your summer holiday already feels like a distant memory, youre not alone. Burnout a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion following prolonged stress has been described in workplaces since a 5th century...

We need to switch to heat pumps fast – but can they can overcome this problem?

By Jack Marley

People in the UK need to adopt heat pumps and electric vehicles as fast as they once embraced refrigerators, mobile phones and internet connection according to a new report by the Climate Change Committee (CCC). This...

Canada is one step closer to high-speed rail, but many hurdles remain

By Ryan M. Katz-Rosene

Canada is the only G7 country without a high-speed rail line, yet not for lack of trying. Over the last half century, numerous high-speed rail projects have been proposed, studied and even approved by political leaders....

The world needs a circular economy. But workers in developing countries shouldn’t pay the price

By Sukyung Park Et Al

The circular economy offers a fresh approach to how we produce and consume, focusing on reducing, reusing, recycling and recovering. It moves us away from the traditional make, use, discard model, creating a more...

From Messi to Mika Häkkinen: how top athletes can slow down time

By Steve Taylor

With the new Formula 1 season is about to begin, its worth pondering what makes a great racing driver. There are no doubt several important qualities, such as calmness under pressure, the courage to take risks, quick...

From sunscreen to essential oils, why some personal care products could be harmful to your health

By Asit Kumar Mishra

Each time you apply sunscreen to your face, you may inhale somewhere between 10 to 30 milligrams of ethanol, the type of alcohol used in alcoholic drinks. While the ethanol in sunscreen may not give you a buzz, it could...

What’s the shape of the universe? Mathematicians use topology to study the shape of the world and everything in it

By John Etnyre

When you look at your surrounding environment, it might seem like youre living on a flat plane. After all, this is why you can navigate a new city using a map: a flat piece of paper that represents all the places around...

How ticket-splitting voters could shape the 2026 midterms

By Ian Anson

With the 2024 U.S. election over and done with, political analysts and both major parties are already turning their attention to the upcoming midterm elections in 2026. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 33...

As Pennsylvania inches toward legalizing recreational cannabis, lawmakers propose selling it in state-owned dispensaries similar to state liquor stores

By Daniel J. Mallinson

After a long, largely successful march over 25 years to liberalize cannabis laws in the United States, the movement had a tough election in 2024. Legalization ballot measures failed in Florida, North Dakota and South...

The quest to extend human life is both fascinating and fraught with moral peril

By Richard Gunderman

Who wants to live forever? Freddie Mercury mournfully asks in Queens 1986 song of the same name. The answer: Quite a few people so much so that life extension has long been a cottage industry. As a physician and scholar...

Asteroid has a very small chance of hitting Earth in 2032, but a collision could devastate a city

By Maggie Lieu

In December 2024, astronomers in Chile spotted a new asteroid streaking through the sky, which they named 2024 YR4. Whats significant about this 100m-wide space rock is that it has a small chance of hitting Earth in 2023....

Ukraine war: Trump is not trying to appease Putin – he has a vision of a new US-China-Russia order

By Stefan Wolff

There has been much and justified focus on the implications of a likely deal between US president Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and the overwhelmingly negative consequences this will have for...

South Africa’s ‘working for water’ programme is meant to lead to skills and jobs: why it’s failing

By Sinazo Ntsonge

South Africas Expanded Public Works Programme is part of its social safety net. It complements the countrys social grants system, which has over 28 million recipients. The public works programme helps fill a gap for people...

Erotica, gore and racism: how America’s war on ‘ideological bias’ is letting AI off the leash

By Judith Bishop

Badly behaved artificial intelligence (AI) systems have a long history in science fiction. Way back in 1961, in the famous Astro Boy comics by Osamu Tezuka, a clone of a popular robot magician was reprogrammed into a...

China didn’t violate any rules with its live-fire naval exercises. So, why are Australia and NZ so worried?

By Donald Rothwell

In recent days, the Chinese Navy conducted two live-fire military exercises in waters near Australia and New Zealand, sparking concern in both countries. The Albanese government lodged a diplomatic protest with Beijing....

Suicide or accident? The hidden complexities of intentional road crashes in Australia

By Milad Haghani Et Al

In Australia, fatal road crashes are climbing again, especially since the pandemic, and despite years of attempts to reduce road trauma, the numbers remain stubbornly high. Strategies to reduce the road toll have largely...

Parliament passes landmark election donation laws. They may be a ‘stich up’ but they also improve Australia’s democracy

By Joo-Cheong Tham

Federal parliament has passed the biggest changes to Australias electoral funding laws in decades. The Albanese governments Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Reform) Bill 2024 cleared the Senate on Wednesday...

An unexpected anomaly was found in the Pacific Ocean – and it could be a global time marker

By Dominik Koll

Earth must have experienced something exceptional 10 million years ago. Our study of rock samples from the floor of the Pacific Ocean has found a strange increase in the radioactive isotope beryllium-10 during that time....

How Asian immigrants to the U.S. resisted pressures to assimilate, creating a vibrant American suburbia

By Bianca Mabute-Louie

This article is adapted from UNASSIMILABLE: An Asian Diasporic Manifesto for the 21st Century by Bianca Mabute-Louie (HarperCollins, January 2025). I grew up in San Gabriel Valley also referred to as SGV or the 626. SGV...

What to do if your partner wants to speak to your baby in a language you don’t understand

By Una Cunningham

Finding out you and your partner are expecting a baby throws many discussions that might have once been hypothetical into stark relief. This certainly may be the case if your partner speaks another language beyond the one...

The heart is symbol of love – things weren’t always like that

By Michelle Spear

Valentines Day is all about the hearts: heart-shaped chocolates, cards, balloons and even pizza. But the heart hasnt always just been a symbol of romance. Across cultures and centuries, the heart has been revered as the...

How to cope with romantic rejection – a psychologist’s advice

By Veronica Lamarche

Has a romantic partner, or someone you had a crush on, ever hurt your feelings? Youre far from alone. Very few people can boast a 100% success rate when it comes to attracting love interests. And even for those who have...

Can the president really kill off the penny – and should he?

By Jay L. Zagorsky

In the middle of Super Bowl LIX, President Donald Trump posted on social media that he was getting rid of the penny. Since the lowly penny in 2024 cost about 3.7 cents to make meaning the government loses money on every...

Decentralised social media offers an alternative to big tech platforms like X and Meta. How does it work? Podcast

By Gemma Ware1

When Elon Musk acquired Twitter in 2022, many users looked for alternatives, fuelling a wave of online migration from the social media platform. Musk says hes using Twitter, now named X, to champion free speech and that...

USAID’s freeze has thrust the entire global aid system into uncertainty

By Borja Santos Porras

The Trump administrations decision to suspend USAID workers for 90 days and pause most of its international aid work has rocked the foundations of the global aid system. The move, which has sparked outrage in the...

Power to the people: a new book reveals the true story of how Australian democracy works

By Amanda Dunn

When I was a child, I lived in a very politically engaged household. My parents were always talking politics, and my dad in particular was often growling at the television when the face of someone he disagreed with...

Here’s why some people still evade public transport fares – even when they’re 50 cents

By Milad Haghani Et Al

Public transport in Queensland now costs just 50 cents. Yet in the first six months of the trial, its been revealed that thousands of commuters were fined for fare evasion. More than 3,000 people received fines of A$322...

Heads vs tails? A simple coin flip can be enough to change how we treat others

By Eliane Deschrijver Et Al

Imagine you are asked to give a small amount of money to a stranger. Its not your money, so it doesnt cost you anything. Youre just deciding how much they get. But first, a pair of coins is flipped one for you and one for...

Inflation is heating up again, putting pressure on Trump to cool it on tariffs

By Jason Reed

Inflation figures released on Feb. 12, 2025, will come as a disappointment to Americans who hoped President Donald Trump would be true to his word on bringing down prices on Day One. It will also put pressure on the new...

Why federal courts are unlikely to save democracy from Trump’s and Musk’s attacks

By Maya Sen

State governments, community groups, advocacy nonprofits and regular Americans have filed a large and growing number of federal lawsuits opposing President Donald Trumps barrage of executive orders and policy statements....

How Valentine’s Day was transformed by the Industrial Revolution and ‘manufactured intimacy’

By Christopher Ferguson

When we think of Valentines Day, chubby Cupids, hearts and roses generally come to mind, not industrial processes like mass production and the division of labor. Yet the latter were essential to the holidays history. As a...

Do parties win elections because of their leaders, or in spite of them? History shows it’s a bit of both

By Pandanus Petter Et Al

The upcoming federal election will see the incumbent Labor prime minister, Anthony Albanese, face off against Liberal opposition leader, Peter Dutton. Well likely see a strong focus on the personal qualities and...

The Paris AI summit marks a tipping point on the technology’s safety and sustainability

By Robert Diab

United States Vice President JD Vance made headlines this week by refusing to sign a declaration at a global summit in Paris on artificial intelligence. In his first appearance on the world stage, Vance made clear that the...

Why ‘low carbon’ roses are flown around the world

By Will de Freitas

As you read this, planes full of roses are heading from east Africa and South America to almost every corner of the world. If you buy someone a rose this Valentines Day, it may be in the air right now or perhaps in a...

Stock Market Plummets as Recession Fears and Tariff Concerns Mount

U.S. stock futures tumbled Monday evening following a sharp sell-off on Wall Street, as recession fears fueled by President Donald Trumps tariff policies rattled investors. SP 500 Futures dropped 0.5% to 5,595.0 points,...

G7 Tensions Rise as U.S. Blocks Ukraine, Russia Sanctions Language

03:41 AM| Politics

The U.S. is pushing back against G7 allies over language on Russias war in Ukraine, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized Washingtons efforts to broker peace. The Group of Seven foreign ministersrepresenting the...

House Republicans Push Funding Bill to Avert Shutdown Amid Political Tensions

03:41 AM| Politics

The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote Tuesday on a bill to keep the government funded, preventing a partial shutdown. The measure must pass both chambers before President Donald Trump can...

Larry Fink Warns of Inflation Risks Amid Nationalist Policies and BlackRock’s Panama Port Deal

03:41 AM| Business

BlackRock CEO Larry Fink warned that U.S. inflation will remain elevated due to rising nationalist policies, including mass deportations. Speaking at the CERAWeek conference in Houston, Fink highlighted that markets are...

Trump to Build Metal Refineries on Military Bases to Cut China Reliance

03:41 AM| Business Politics

U.S. President Donald Trump is set to establish metal refining facilities on Pentagon military bases to reduce dependence on Chinese imports, according to a Reuters report. An executive order could be announced as soon as...

Oil Prices Drop as Tariff Concerns and OPEC+ Supply Increase Weigh on Market

03:41 AM| Economy

Oil prices declined for a second straight day as concerns over U.S. tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China fueled fears of a global economic slowdown, impacting energy demand. Meanwhile, OPEC+ is set to increase oil...

Elon Musk Discusses Tesla Woes, Government Waste, and DOGE Expansion in Wide-Ranging Interview

03:40 AM| Business Politics

Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) CEO Elon Musk shared insights on Teslas struggles, government waste, and DOGE in a candid interview with Fox Business host Larry Kudlow. Addressing Xs outage, Musk attributed the disruption to IP...

Top Stories

What are the chances an asteroid will impact Earth in 2032?

By Gordon Osinski - 16:44 PM| Insights & Views Science

For a few days in mid-February, headlines around the world buzzed about the potential for an asteroid to hit the Earth in 2032 specifically, asteroid 2024 YR4. The chance of this impact rose to a high of 3.1 per cent on...

Oscars 2025: who will likely win, who should win, and who barely deserves to be there

By Ari Mattes - 16:43 PM| Insights & Views Entertainment

Weve probably all had a moment when we stopped taking the Oscars too seriously. For me, it was when Denzel Washington won best actor for Training Day (2001), a crime film in which he displays virtually none of his acting...

A robot nearly headbutted a festival spectator in China – here are four urgent steps to make the tech safer

By Carl Strathearn Et Al - 16:41 PM| Insights & Views Technology Law

Humanoid robots are supposed to be our loyal assistants, but we saw another side to them the other day. Chinese robot manufacturer Unitree was demonstrating its latest H1 robots at a lantern festival in the city of...

Colombia wants to ban Pablo Escobar and other narco-themed merchandise – here’s why

By Ross Bennett-Cook - 16:41 PM| Insights & Views Life Law Business

When you think of Colombia, what images come to mind? For some, it may be coffee or perhaps the countrys diverse landscapes and cultures. For many others, it will be cartels, crime and cocaine. Colombias history as a drug...

Is a united European voice possible in the age of Trump, Putin and far-right politics? Germany’s new leader intends to find out

By Julia Khrebtan-Hörhager - 16:38 PM| Insights & Views Politics

Who do I call if I want to speak to Europe? The question was famously attributed to former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and refers to the historical inability of the political entity of Europe to coordinate on a...

Managers can help their Gen Z employees unlock the power of meaningful work − here’s how

By Kelly Kennedy, Ed.D. Et Al - 16:38 PM| Insights & Views Life Business

Finding fulfilling and motivating work is a challenge for many people, but it can be especially difficult for those just starting their careers. And as Generation Z professionals those born between 1997 and 2012 ...

DeepSeek is now a global force. But it’s just one player in China’s booming AI industry

By Mimi Zou - 11:55 AM| Insights & Views Technology

When small Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) company DeepSeek released a family of extremely efficient and highly competitive AI models last month, it rocked the global tech community. The release revealed Chinas...

Econotimes Series

Economy

Woodside’s Louisiana LNG Project Faces Possible Delay as Partner Talks Continue

Woodside Energy (OTC: WOPEY) may delay its final investment decision (FID) on the Louisiana LNG project to Q2 2025 as negotiations to sell 50% of the project continue, CEO Meg ONeill told Reuters. Initially set for Q1, the...

Yen Rises as Investors Seek Safe Haven Amid U.S. Growth Concerns

The Japanese yen surged to a five-month high on Tuesday as investors sought safety amid growing concerns over a U.S. economic slowdown driven by tariffs. The yen peaked at 146.625 per dollar before settling at 146.85. U.S....

UK Consumer Spending Slows in February Amid Retail Challenges

British consumer spending slowed in February, losing momentum after a strong start to the year, despite growing confidence in personal finances and the broader economy. According to the British Retail Consortium (BRC),...

Australian Business Confidence Falls in February Despite Rate Cut

Australian business confidence declined in February, slipping into negative territory despite recent interest rate relief from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), according to a National Australia Bank (NAB) survey. The...

Japan’s Q4 GDP Growth Revised Down Amid Weak Consumer Spending

Japans economy expanded at a slower pace in Q4 2024 than initially estimated, as sluggish consumer spending offset gains in exports and capital expenditure. Government data released Tuesday showed GDP grew 2.2%...

Politics

Trump Pushes Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Strained Ties

U.S. and Ukrainian officials met in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to discuss potential concessions in President Donald Trumps push for a swift end to Russias war on Ukraine. Since taking office in January, Trump has shifted U.S....

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Arrested at Manila Airport Under ICC Warrant

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested upon arrival at Manilas main airport on Tuesday after being served an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant for alleged crimes against humanity linked to his...

Trump Backs Musk, Buys Tesla Amid Controversy Over DOGE Cuts

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he will purchase a new Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) to show support for CEO Elon Musk. Trump praised Musk for collaborating with his administration, calling out Radical Left...

Trump’s Envoy Heads to Moscow for High-Stakes Talks With Putin

Donald Trumps special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is set to visit Moscow for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a source familiar with the matter. Witkoff, officially serving as Trumps Middle East...

USDA Cuts $1B in Local Food Programs, Impacting Schools and Food Banks

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has eliminated two major federal programs that supported local food purchases, cutting over $1 billion in funding. The move affects schools, food banks, and farmers nationwide. The...

Science

Leonardo da Vinci’s incredible studies of human anatomy still don’t get the recognition they deserve

Wikimedia, CC BY-SA The mere mention of Leonardo da Vinci evokes genius. We know him as a polymath whose interests spanned astronomy, geology, hydrology, engineering and physics. As a painter, his Mona Lisa and Last Supper...

One of the largest searches for alien life started 30 years ago. Its legacy lives on today

In February 1995, a small research organisation known as the SETI Institute launched what was then the most comprehensive search for an answer to a centuries-old question: are we alone in the universe? This Sunday marks...

South African telescope discovers a giant galaxy that’s 32 times bigger than Earth’s

Inkathazos glowing plasma jets are shown in red and yellow. The starlight from other surrounding galaxies can be seen in the background. K.K.L Charlton (UCT), MeerKAT, HSC, CARTA, IDIA, CC BY You may not know it, but right...

It’s science, not fiction: high-tech drones may soon be fighting bushfires in Australia

Picture this. Its a summer evening in Australia. A dry lightning storm is about to sweep across remote, tinder-dry bushland. The next day is forecast to be hot and windy. A lightning strike tonight could spark a fire that...

Earth is bombarded with rocks from space – but who gets to keep these ultimate antiques?

Every day, about 48.5 tonnes of space rock hurtle towards Earth. Meteorites that fall into the ocean are never recovered. But the ones that crash on land can spark debates about legal ownership. Globally, meteorite hunting...

Technology

Nissan CEO Faces Exit Amid Struggles, Successor Search Underway

Nissans board will meet Tuesday to discuss replacing CEO Makoto Uchida, under pressure due to the companys declining earnings and failed merger talks with Honda (NYSE:HMC). Sources say Uchidas departure is likely, though...

Boeing Under Scrutiny as U.S. Officials Visit 737 MAX Factory Amid Safety Concerns

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will visit Boeings (NYSE: BA) Renton, Washington, factory on Thursday, joined by acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau. The visit follows heightened scrutiny of Boeings safety...

Oracle Stock Rises as Record Demand Boosts Backlog Despite Q3 Miss

Oracle Corporation (NYSE: ORCL) saw its stock rise 2.2% in after-hours trading on Monday, despite missing Wall Street expectations in its fiscal Q3 results. For the quarter ending Feb. 28, Oracle reported adjusted earnings...

China Expands University Enrollment to Boost AI and STEM Talent

Chinas top universities are increasing undergraduate admissions to meet national strategic needs and advance AI, engineering, and other critical fields. The move aligns with Beijings push to strengthen its STEM talent pool...

Tesla Faces Protests and Vandalism Amid Musk’s Political Ties

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) is facing protests and vandalism in the U.S. and Europe as public backlash grows over CEO Elon Musks involvement in the Trump administrations Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)....
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