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In the past 24 hours, we’ve had reports of missile and drone strikes on Middle Eastern countries including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, among others. If the conflict is between Iran and Israel and the United States, why are so many places being bombed?
As an expert on the region, Andrew Thomas explains the common thread among all the places targeted by Iran is the presence of US military facilities. But Thomas argues it’s not just US assets driving the retaliation campaign.
The US-Israeli attacks have also prompted many to question if international law is meaningless. But Shannon Bosch argues the opposite is true and explains why a strike on a school in southern Iran may have breached the law.
And in the lead-up to the Iran strikes, another conflict was playing out in the US – between the Department of Defense and the AI companies it relies on. As Bianca Baggiarini writes, the outcome shows how the idea of “ethical AI” rests on increasingly shaky democratic principles.
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Erin Cooper-Douglas
Public Policy Editor
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Andrew Thomas, Deakin University
By using its drone and missile arsenal on its neighbours, Iran is telling the region and the world that the regime will not go quietly.
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Shannon Bosch, Edith Cowan University
Daily compliance of international law remains the norm. Violations do occur – sometimes brazenly – but they are exceptions.
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Bianca Baggiarini, Deakin University
Questions about ethical AI may go out the window when democratic norms are collapsing.
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Hussein Dia, Swinburne University of Technology
Oil isn’t a normal commodity – it shapes politics around the world.
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Natasha Heap, University of Southern Queensland
War has caused chaos for airlines in the Middle East, stranding tens of thousands of passengers.
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
The Senate chose to censor Senator Pauline Hanson over her comments on Muslims.
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Leonora Risse, Queensland University of Technology
Despite signs of progress, men are still almost twice as likely to be in the highest-earning income bracket.
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Stewart Prest, University of British Columbia
Canada’s Mark Carney has a vision of an alternate global order that grabbed global headlines – asking middle powers like Australia to challenge the current system.
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Peter Breadon, Grattan Institute; Dominic Jones, Grattan Institute
Australia has more nurses per person than many countries. Allowing nurses in general practice to use all their skills could help meet the growing demand for care.
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Politics + Society
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Adrian Beaumont, The University of Melbourne
Labor maintains a clear two-party advantage over One Nation and the Coalition, but their combined vote has increased by two points.
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Andrew Lensen, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington; Andrew Geddis, University of Otago
Months out from the next general election, political 'AI slop' is spilling into social media feeds. Lessons from overseas could help electoral laws catch up.
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Health + Medicine
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Dylan A Mordaunt, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington; Flinders University; The University of Melbourne
NZ’s primary care model rewards volume over complexity. Properly funding high-need patients would make the system safer and more sustainable.
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Hayley O'Neill, Bond University
You probably know someone who claims to have a ‘fast metabolism’. But does the science support that idea?
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Environment + Energy
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Paul Humphries, Charles Sturt University; Katie Doyle, Charles Sturt University
Carp is a prized table fish in Europe but despised in Australia. How did we get here?
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Science + Technology
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Kenya Fernandes, University of Sydney
The next jar of Australian honey you buy may be doing more good than you realise.
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Tanya Hill, Museums Victoria Research Institute; The University of Melbourne
Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand are in prime position to catch this total eclipse of the Moon; find the timing in our interactive map.
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Arts + Culture
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Corey Martin, Swinburne University of Technology; Jessica Ford, Adelaide University ; Lisa French, RMIT University; Liz Giuffre, University of Technology Sydney; Oscar Bloomfield, Deakin University; Phoebe Hart, Queensland University of Technology; Roger Dawkins, Western Sydney University
Whether you’re chasing escapism, comfort, or something more substantial, these titles new to streaming are worth pressing play on.
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Books + Ideas
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Natalie Kon-yu, Victoria University; Emily Booth, University of Technology Sydney
Australian First Nations and culturally diverse authors talk about the balancing acts expected of them – and the pressure not to be ‘scarily diverse’.
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Jessica Gildersleeve, University of Southern Queensland
In her latest novel, Claire Thomas spotlights the significance of the Swiss Alps to a wide range of authors, scientists, historians and artists.
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Why group assessments are everywhere
“The uncomfortable reality is that in many institutions, particularly those that treat teaching primarily as a revenue stream rather than a craft, group assessments are driven less by pedagogy than by workload management. Universities are under constant pressure to make teaching more ‘efficient’, and academics are expected to deliver subjects with progressively fewer resources. This has had significant consequences for teaching practice, including the widespread use of the group assessment. The inclusion of even a single group task can substantially reduce the marking load.”
Hassan Vally, Associate Professor in Epidemiology, School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University
Hanson’s doctors orders
“If One Nation wants to force doctors to do a regional stint to get a Medicare provider number, they need to consider how to accommodate these people. Many small towns do not have rental properties that could be leased short-term (or even sufficient rentals for long-term, for that matter). And how does a beginner doctor afford to pay another rent when they are probably paying rent in the city of their training? In addition, many rural folk come with complex conditions that would challenge doctors straight out of medical school. We as patients prefer doctors with a few years of experience, and so do rural practice leaders.”
Kirsty Harris, Upotipotpon, South VIC
Realities of a discouraged worker
"I am a discouraged worker. I’m 63 with some chronic health issues and have worked the last two decades at two of the big four banks. I left both due to their resistance to part-time work and sexist and ageist work cultures. The thought of going back to work in an environment that is dismissive of experience and only values young males 'with potential' is soul destroying. I understand why the government wants us to work later in life, but they’re not realistic about what it’s like in the work force."
Jane Davis, Naarm VIC
We'd love to hear from you. You can email us with your thoughts on our stories and each day we'll publish an edited selection.
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