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Insights & Views

Thu, Dec 18, 2025 11:24 PM All times are UTC

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Friday essay: ‘the Boy-Girl’, a crime journalist and a Black activist – meet the radical ratbags of 19th-century Melbourne

| Insights & Views

The past is a foreign country, they do things differently there, wrote English author L.P. Hartley in The Go-Between (1953). Modern Melburnians may feel the same. But while they live with an increasing cityscape of...

From peasant fodder to posh fare: how snails and oysters became luxury foods

| Insights & Views

Oysters and escargot are recognised as luxury foods around the world but they were once valued by the lower classes as cheap sources of protein. Less adventurous eaters today see snails as a garden pest, and are quick to...

There is a growing number of ‘super-sized’ schools. Does the number of students matter?

| Insights & Views

Earlier this week, The Sydney Morning Herald reported one of Sydneys top public high schools had more than 2,000 students for the first time, thanks to the booming population in the area. This follows similar reports of...

Australian roads are getting deadlier - pedestrians and males are among those at greater risk

| Insights & Views

At least ten people died in fatal crashes earlier this month in a single 48-hour period on Victorian roads. It was the latest tragic demonstration of the mounting road trauma in Australia. In the decade up to 2020, the...

Israelis have a skewed view on extent of Gaza’s hunger plight − driven by censorship and media that downplay humanitarian crisis

| Insights & Views

Under mounting international pressure, Israel announced on May 19, 2025, that it would lift its monthslong humanitarian blockade on Gaza. The aid, which the Israeli government said would include a basic amount of food to...

Golden Dome: An aerospace engineer explains the proposed nationwide missile defense system

| Insights & Views

President Donald Trump announced a plan to build a missile defense system, called the Golden Dome, on May 20, 2025. The system is intended to protect the United States from ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missiles, and...

Head knocks and ultra-violence: viral games Run It Straight and Power Slap put sports safety back centuries

| Insights & Views

Created in Australia, Run It Straight is a new, ultra-violent combat sport. Across a 20x4 metre grassed battlefield, players charge at full speed toward one another. Alternating between carrying the ball (ball runner) and...

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Economy

Oil Prices Climb on Venezuela Blockade, Russia Sanctions Fears, and Supply Risks

Oil prices extended their gains during Asian trading on Thursday as geopolitical tensions involving Venezuela and Russia heightened concerns over global crude supply. Market sentiment was boosted after U.S. President...

Asian Stocks Slide as AI Spending Fears and Global Central Bank Decisions Weigh on Markets

Asian shares fell sharply on Thursday as technology stocks came under renewed pressure, driven by growing investor concerns over heavy artificial intelligence spending and its impact on corporate balance sheets. Market...

Dollar Holds Firm Ahead of Global Central Bank Decisions as Yen, Sterling and Euro React

The U.S. dollar remained steady against major global currencies on Thursday as investors positioned themselves ahead of key central bank decisions in the United Kingdom, Europe and Japan. Currency markets showed cautious...

BoE Set to Cut Rates as UK Inflation Slows, but Further Easing Likely Limited

The Bank of England is widely expected to cut interest rates on Thursday as signs mount that UK inflation is easing and economic growth is weakening. Financial markets anticipate a 25-basis-point reduction, bringing the...

U.S. Stock Futures Edge Higher as Micron Earnings Boost AI Sentiment Ahead of CPI Data

U.S. stock index futures inched higher on Wednesday evening, supported by blowout earnings and strong guidance from Micron Technology, although broader gains remained limited as investors stayed cautious ahead of key U.S....

Politics

Trump Announces $1,776 Cash Bonus for U.S. Military Personnel Ahead of Christmas

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Wednesday evening that eligible U.S. military personnel will receive a one-time cash payment of $1,776, a move he described as a special warrior dividend timed ahead of Christmas. The...

U.S. House Advances GOP Healthcare Bill as ACA Subsidies Near Expiration

A major U.S. federal healthcare subsidy expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic is set to expire at the end of the year after the House of Representatives narrowly advanced a Republican healthcare bill that does not renew...

U.S. Initiates $11.1 Billion Arms Sale to Taiwan Amid Rising China Tensions

Taiwans defence ministry announced on Thursday that the United States government has formally initiated the congressional notification process for a proposed $11.1 billion arms sale to Taiwan, underscoring Washingtons...

Union-Aligned Investors Question Amazon, Walmart and Alphabet on Trump Immigration Policies

A union-aligned investment group has urged major U.S. corporations including Amazon, Walmart and Google-parent Alphabet to explain how President Donald Trumps immigration policies are affecting their finances, workforce...

Venezuela Seeks UN Security Council Meeting Over U.S. Oil Tanker Blockade

Venezuela has formally requested an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council to address what it described as ongoing U.S. aggression against the country, according to a letter seen by Reuters. The request...

Science

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced it will vote on December 8 on President Donald Trumps renewed nomination of private astronaut and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman, known for his...

NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

NASA has significantly scaled back Boeings Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The...

Blue Origin’s New Glenn Achieves Breakthrough Success With First NASA Mission

Blue Origins massive New Glenn rocket marked a major milestone as it completed its first mission for paying customers, sending two NASA satellites toward Mars and successfully landing its reusable booster at sea. The...

Cogent Biosciences Soars 120% on Breakthrough Phase 3 Results for Bezuclastinib in GIST Treatment

Cogent Biosciences (NASDAQ: COGT) shares skyrocketed over 120% after the biotech company announced groundbreaking results from its Phase 3 PEAK trial evaluating bezuclastinib in combination with sunitinib for patients with...

Technology

Apple Opens iPhone to Alternative App Stores in Japan Under New Competition Law

Apple has announced a major shift in its App Store policies in Japan, opening iPhones and other Apple devices to alternative app stores in order to comply with new competition laws aimed at reshaping the countrys...

Micron Technology Forecasts Surge in Revenue and Earnings on AI-Driven Memory Demand

Micron Technology delivered record first-quarter results and issued a bullish forecast for the current quarter, driven by rising memory prices and strong demand linked to artificial intelligence workloads. The upbeat...

Oracle Stock Slides After Blue Owl Exit Report, Company Says Michigan Data Center Talks Remain on Track

Oracle shares fell more than 4% on Wednesday after a Financial Times report claimed that Blue Owl Capital, Oracles largest U.S. data center partner, decided not to support a planned $10 billion data center project in...

OpenAI Explores Massive Funding Round at $750 Billion Valuation

OpenAI, the company behind the widely used AI chatbot ChatGPT, has reportedly entered preliminary discussions with investors about a potential new funding round that could value the company at approximately $750 billion....

Republicans Raise National Security Concerns Over Intel’s Testing of China-Linked Chipmaking Tools

Republican lawmakers are raising alarms over potential U.S. national security risks after a Reuters report revealed that Intel evaluated advanced chipmaking equipment from ACM Research, a company with significant ties to...