NZ budget 2018: election promises and real-life tests
Labour campaigned hard on promises to boost health and education in particular, saying both sectors had been underfunded by the previous National government.
The RBA’s shift to worrying about financial stability could be hurting Australian wages
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is making an explicit trade-off between inflation and financial stability concerns. And this could be weighing on Australians’ wages.
There are no age restrictions for gambling in video games, despite potential risks to children
Since the early 2000s, the boom in mobile technology has seen the spread of video games from desktop PCs to the pockets of young people everywhere. But with that spread has come new hazards, in the form of online social gambling.
Trump's high-stakes gamble on the Iran nuclear deal could work
U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the United States’ intent to withdraw from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
We asked five experts: will the banking royal commission push down property prices?
The Financial Services Royal Commission has exposed some irresponsible lending by Australia’s biggest banks. The question is whether the information brought to light by the commission will further push down property prices?
Most successful entrepreneurs are older than you think
The romanticized image of entrepreneurs is a picture of youth: a 20-something individual with disruptive ideas, boundless energy and a still-sharp mind. But is this right?
A hangover pill? Tests on drunk mice show promise
Although our thirst for alcohol dates back to the Stone Age, nobody has figured out a good way to deal with the ensuing hangover after getting drunk. Until now.
Cryptojacking spreads across the web
Right now, your computer might be using its memory and processor power – and your electricity – to generate money for someone else, without you ever knowing. It’s called “cryptojacking.”
Are North Korean media outlets signaling that the regime is getting serious about diplomacy?
North Korea’s domestic news media remains carefully choreographed and managed by the ruling Korean Workers’ Party.
Russians hack home internet connections – here's how to protect yourself
In late April, the top federal cybersecurity agency, US-CERT, announced that Russian hackers had attacked internet-connected devices throughout the U.S., including network routers in private homes.
Buying pot in Ontario in 2018 will be like buying booze in 1928
The legalization of cannabis in Canada is on the horizon. Canadian provinces are taking different approaches to how it will be sold to the public.
How artificial intelligence can detect – and create – fake news
Despite some basic potential flaws, AI can be a useful tool for spotting online propaganda – but it can also be startlingly good at creating misleading material.
Facebook gets into dating, but there's little scientific evidence online personality matching works
One of the biggest reveals of Facebook’s F8 developer conference so far has been that it is planning on getting into the dating game.
Nike's #MeToo moment shows how 'legal' harassment can lead to illegal discrimination
Nike’s having its #MeToo moment – and it illustrates plainly what’s still missing from our discussion of sexual harassment in the workplace.
I go to the gym every day. Why can’t I lose weight?
Some people spend time in the gym daily but are still not losing weight. What is the problem?
Labor MP Tim Hammond quits for family reasons, creating byelection in WA
The Labor Party faces a byelection in the seat of Perth after first-term MP Tim Hammond announced he was leaving politics because of the difficulties of being separated from his young children.
A Korean peace process is underway – but it still depends on the US and China
The meeting between North Korea’s Kim Jong-un and South Korea’s Moon Jae-in is certainly one of the most dramatic and momentous events in the recent history of East Asia.
What Buhari and Trump stand to gain from state visit
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit this week to the Trump White House will be awkward. His host is a president who has referred to African states as “shithole countries.”
Why you should talk to your children about Cambridge Analytica
Former Cambridge Analytica employee Christopher Wylie blew the whistle last month. But what are the implications for our kids?
What is a tariff? An economist explains
A global trade war is brewing as the U.S. and China slap tariffs on each other’s products. These actions have prompted significant concern and discussion about the wisdom of this action.
Turnbull government abandons $8.2 billion Medicare levy increase
The government is scrapping its $A8.2 billion planned increase in the Medicare levy, declaring a stronger budget outlook means it is not needed to fund the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
How transshipment may undercut Trump’s tariffs
President Donald Trump is vowing to crack down on deceptive transshipment. That is the practice of moving cargo from one country to another by way of a third nation to evade trade restrictions.
Melting Arctic sends a message: Climate change is here in a big way
Scientists have known for a long time that as climate change started to heat up the Earth, its effects would be most pronounced in the Arctic. This expectation has become a reality.
What is the TPP and can the US get back in?
The TPP was on track to become the world’s largest free trade zone by joining Pacific Rim countries that collectively produce about 40 percent of global economic output. But Trump railed against the accord.
Driverless cars are already here but the roads aren't ready for them
Tragic fatalities are raising overdue questions about whether people and places will be ready when driverless car technology moves from beta-testing to a full-throttled rollout.
1 in 5 college students have anxiety or depression: Here's why
Research shows that nearly 1 in 5 university students are affected with anxiety or depression.
Why are some E. coli deadly while others live peacefully within our bodies?
Obviously some E. coli can be deadly for people. But not all strains of these bacteria make you sick. In fact, you have a variety of strains of E. coli in your intestines right now.
Artificial sweeteners linked to diabetes and obesity
There is growing evidence that sweeteners may have health consequences of their own.
Organic agriculture is going mainstream, but not the way you think it is
New research suggests that the relationship between organic and conventional farming is more complex. The flow of influence is starting to reverse course.
How Kendrick Lamar’s Pulitzer win blurs lines between classical music and pop
The awarding of the 2018 Pulitzer Music Prize to Kendrick Lamar for his album "DAMN." has attracted considerable controversy.