Paris Olympics unveils ‘joyful’ art deco-style posters inspired by famous landmarks

The posters were unveiled on Monday at the Musée d’Orsay — a former railway station transformed into an imposing museum stretching along the Seine River — in the presence of Paris 2024 director of design Joachim Roncin and the artist behind them, Ugo Gatton…[Read more]

French troops limited to non-combat role, minister says, after Macron remarks on Ukraine

“We must consider new actions to support Ukraine. These must respond to very specific needs, I am thinking in particular of mine clearance, cyberdefence, the production of weapons on site, on Ukrainian territory,” Stephane Sejourne told lawmakers.

“Some of…[Read more]

Sydney asbestos scare: How a mulch discovery has sent a city scrambling

In January, an Australian child innocently brought home a couple of handfuls of garden mulch from near a playground in Sydney’s inner west.

Looking at the mulch, the child’s parent was horrified to spot what looked like chunks of bonded asbestos.

Their call to authorities…[Read more]

Police banned from Sydney Mardi Gras after gay couple murder case

A decision to uninvite police from Sydney’s iconic Mardi Gras parade this weekend has divided Australians.

Organisers said the call was made to give the LGBT community “space to grieve”, after a New South Wales Police officer was charged with murdering a gay couple last…[Read more]

Former politician became foreign agent, nation’s spy boss says

A former Australian politician “sold out” the country to a foreign spy network, the nation’s intelligence chief has alleged in a speech.

Outlining the activities of the group dubbed the “A-Team”, Mike Burgess claimed the MP had offered it access to the then-prime minister’s…[Read more]

Australia jails first student for a school shooting

A teenager has become the first student to be jailed for carrying out a school shooting in Australia.

The 15-year-old from Perth fired three shots with two rifles at the Atlantis Beach Baptist College last May.

Staff and students were left cowering in cupboards and under desks before police…[Read more]

Elite Sydney school says sexism, bullying claims ‘unfounded’ after ABC program

Parents from the prestigious Sydney boy’s school Cranbrook School have refused to speak to the media after “devastating’ allegations of sexism were revealed on ABC’s Four Corners last night.
Former teachers described the prestigious school based in Sydney’s Rose Bay a…[Read more]

What is ‘whole of nation’ foreign policy and what does it mean for Australians?

A key phrase in foreign affairs at the moment is taking a “whole of nation” approach. It has been cropping up in government documents such as the Defence Strategic Review and International Development Policy.

But what exactly does it mean?

A new report to be launche…[Read more]

2024 is a huge year for the Olympics – and it’s not just about the Paris games

2024 is a leap year, and in the world of international sport it means something very exciting: it’s an Olympic year. For Australians, there is growing excitement about the 2032 games to be held in Brisbane. And between those four-yearly stints, there is also the winte…[Read more]

Australia’s shot-hole borer beetle invasion has begun, but we don’t need to chop down every tree under attack

A new pest attacking Perth’s trees threatens to spread across Australia, damaging crops and native forests as well as our urban forest. To control its spread, the Western Australian government is chopping down hundreds of estab…[Read more]

Earth’s early evolution: fresh insights from rocks formed 3.5 billion years ago

Our Earth is around 4.5 billion years old. Way back in its earliest years, vast oceans dominated. There were frequent volcanic eruptions and, because there was no free oxygen in the atmosphere, there was no ozone layer. It was a dynamic and evolving p…[Read more]

Man’s 18-year sentence upheld for 2017 Japan highway road rage deaths

A Japanese high court upheld Monday a sentence of 18 years in prison for a man convicted of a 2017 road rage incident that killed a couple and injured their two children and caused an outcry that led to tougher punishment of dangerous driving.

The Tokyo High Court rejected the…[Read more]

Nikkei ends at all-time high for 2nd day in a row

The Nikkei stock index closed at an all-time high Monday for the second consecutive trading day, as buying momentum was supported by expectations for robust corporate performance.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended up 135.03 points, or 0.35 percent, from Thursday at 39,233.71. The broader…[Read more]

Noto earthquake hypothermia deaths spark public awareness drive

Exposure to extreme cold temperatures caught many elderly people unawares in the wake of the Noto Peninsula earthquake that struck on New Year’s Day, and their experiences have led medical experts to warn against the dangers of developing hypothermia — even inside the…[Read more]

Japan Moon lander survives lunar night

Japan’s Moon lander has survived the harsh lunar night, the sunless and freezing equivalent to two Earth weeks.

“Last night, a command was sent to #SLIM and a response received,” national space agency Jaxa said on X.

The craft was put into sleep mode after an awkward landing in January left its solar…[Read more]

Tunisian imam expelled from France vows to appeal decision

Mahjoub Mahjoubi, from the town of Bagnols-sur-Ceze in the south of France, denounced his removal as “arbitrary”.

The cleric’s decision came a day he was expelled from France for “radicalism” and “unacceptable remarks”, French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said in a statement posted…[Read more]

France blames Russia’s FSB for anti-Semitic Star of David graffiti campaign

French prosecutors reported in November that 60 such stars had been found in the capital and surrounding suburbs weeks into the war between Israel and Hamas, with the graffiti being interpreted as a threat to Jews.

A Moldovan couple was arrested in the case and their a…[Read more]

Eiffel Tower reopens after six-day strike over monument’s maintenance

The operator of the 330-meter (1,083-foot) tower said in a statement it reached an agreement with unions representing the workers after promising to allocate an “ambitious 380 million euro (about $412 million) investment by 2031” for renovation work. This week, it also launc…[Read more]

How does Germany compare to other EU countries?

If Germany passes the cannabis bill, it would join the growing ranks of European countries that have either legalized the drug or decriminalized its usage.

The Netherlands is, perhaps, the best-known example of a cannabis-tolerant country due to the proliferation of coffee shops since the…[Read more]

Germany’s Bundestag votes for cannabis legalization

New legislation put forward by Germany’s ruling coalition will allow limited possession and cultivation of the drug. The conservative Christian Democratic Union opposed the government’s proposal

Bundestag votes in favor of legalizing cannabis consumption
German lawmakers have approved the…[Read more]