insert_link World U.S. launches moon landing space rocket A US space rocket has launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on a mission to make the first American Moon landing in more than half a century. Nasa has teamed up with private companies to study the Moon's surface ahead of human missions in the coming years. Nick Harper reports from Washington. todayJanuary 9, 2024 24
insert_link World Norway to approve controversial deep sea mining activity Norway is expected to become the first country in the world to approve the controversial practice of deep-sea mining. Supporters say it's needed to find precious metals and minerals, but environmental scientists have warned it could be devastating for marine life. According to the BBC, Norway's proposal will open up 280,000 sq km of its national waters for companies to apply to mine these sources - an area bigger than […] todayJanuary 9, 2024 10
insert_link Opinion Pieces Indonesia is one of the world’s largest democracies, but it’s weaponising defamation laws to smother dissent Tim Mann, The University of Melbourne Two former coordinators of one of Indonesia’s most prominent human rights organisations have escaped conviction in a defamation case brought by a powerful government minister. While their astonishing acquittal is welcome, the case marked a bleak new low for freedom of expression in one of the world’s largest democracies. Haris Azhar and Fatia Maulidiyanti, who had coordinated the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims […] todayJanuary 9, 2024 18
insert_link World US Congressional leaders strike deal to avert government shutdown U.S. congressional leaders have struck a deal that could help avert a government shutdown later this month. The deal is worth roughly 1.6 trillion dollars but must still gain support from lawmakers in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. U.S. correspondent William Denselow reports. todayJanuary 9, 2024 6
insert_link World US National Rifle Association trial begins in New York A corruption trial against the US National Rifle Association in the United States begins on Monday. New York Attorney General Letitia James accuses the gun rights group and its leaders of widespread civil corruption - the defendants have denied wrongdoing. The trial is expected to last around six weeks. Sally Patterson reports from New York. ENG CORRUPTION AT NATIONAL RIFLE todayJanuary 9, 2024 1
insert_link Opinion Pieces Australia is still reckoning with a shameful legacy: the resettlement of suspected war criminals after WWII By Jayne Persian, University of Southern Queensland In the Canadian parliament last year, an outcry erupted after 98-year-old Ukrainian-Canadian Yaroslav Hunka was presented to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a hero of the second world war. It turned out Hunka had fought against the Allies as a voluntary member of the Nazi German Waffen-SS Galizien division. The incident was deeply embarrassing for Canada; Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was forced to […] todayJanuary 9, 2024 15
insert_link World Biden speaks to Black congregation in South Carolina looking for votes U.S. President Joe Biden is campaigning for more support in South Carolina – particularly from Black voters – on a trip on Monday. He's speaking at a church where a white supremacist shot and killed people in 2015 – and reminding people what is at stake. Caroline Malone reports. todayJanuary 9, 2024 18
insert_link Environment Why is the universe ripping itself apart? A new study of exploding stars shows dark energy may be more complicated than we thought The remains of a Type Ia supernova – a kind of exploding star used to measure distances in the universe. NASA / CXC / U.Texas, CC BY Brad E Tucker, Australian National University What is the universe made of? This question has driven astronomers for hundreds of years. For the past quarter of a century, scientists have believed “normal” stuff like atoms and molecules that make up you, me, Earth, […] todayJanuary 9, 2024 26
insert_link Africa Scramble for the Sahel – why France, Russia, China and the United States are interested in the region By Olayinka Ajala, Leeds Beckett University The Sahel, a region 3,860km wide located south of the Sahara Desert and stretching east-west across the African continent, has been a focus of attention around the world recently. In the last decade, issues such as terrorism, insecurity and trafficking have characterised the region. Military takeovers have been a major source of concern in the region and beyond in the last few years. […] todayJanuary 9, 2024 3
