Without the perfect-storm conditions of post-invasion insurgency, this most potent expression of al-Qaedaism yet would never have risen to dominate both the Middle East and the world in the way that it does.
Reuters/Stringer
The final article of our series on the historical roots of Islamic State examines the role recent Western intervention in the Middle East played in the group’s inexorable rise.
Artichokes growing in Werribee South, an area that uses recycled water for irrigation.
Jen Sheridan
William Yang has, maybe more than anyone else, shaped Sydney’s view of itself. A new book, William Yang: Stories of Love and Death, collects his iconic photographs, with scrawled annotations.
Should universities ditch the ATAR and use other ways to select students onto courses?
from www.shutterstock.com
The ATAR system is cheap and efficient, but it means students are selected to go to university on the basis of a single score which some have claimed is too simplisitc. Is it time for a new system?
Before media reform becomes a runaway train, we need to return to the drawing board and rethink the maps that define and guide broadcasters on reporting news for “local areas”.
Alan Finkel addresses the National Press Club.
AAP Image/Mick Tsikas
Lady Gaga and Lorde have both paid tribute to David Bowie in very different ways. Debating who did it better is rooted in an ideology of authenticity that pits rock against pop. In reality, Bowie embodied both.
Fungus gnats are one the many arthropods that find their way into our homes.
Gnat image from www.shutterstock.com
Research indicates that senior corporate leaders largely escape negative consequences when their companies are involved in environmental breaches.
The century since the first world war is littered with the broken promises of Muslim rulers to bring about a transition to more representative forms of government.
AAP/Asmaa Abdelatif
The rise of Islamic State and its declaration of the caliphate can be read as part of a wider story that has unfolded since the formation of modern nation states in the Muslim world.
Decriminalisation removes criminal penalties for drug use or possession.
Viacheslav Nikolaenko/Shutterstock
Some of the greatest harms from using illicit drugs are because they are illegal.
There are still concerns over the impact of upstream coalmines on water in the Warragamba Dam, a key part of Sydney’s water network.
AAP Image/Dean Lewins
The cutting of senior staff from WaterNSW, the body that oversees the safety of Sydney’s water supply, poses serious risks to Australia’s most complex water network.
Choosing one isn’t that easy.
Image sourced from Shutterstock.com
In the race to dominate the world’s digital economy, tech giants Apple, Google and Facebook are making multiple bets they hope will secure their future.
We find them at the beach, in every sound and light show, the miracle of wi-fi and now in the fabric of space-time itself. But what exactly is a wave?
Mark Mangini and David White react after winning Best Sound Editing for “Mad Max Fury Road”, backstage during the 88th Academy Awards .
Mike Blake/Reuters
Mad Max is Australia’s most successful Oscar winner, scooping six statues. This testament to Australian filmmaking will have a big impact on the domestic industry.
Government spending, in part, reflects the policy commitments and borrowings of previous governments.
AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts
Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen told journalists that since the last federal election, the government has had spending as a percentage of GDP at GFC levels. Is that right?
The Oscars ceremony might seem very far away, but Australia’s film industry is closely tied to Hollywood and it’s worth paying attention.
Mario Anzuoni/Reuters
The Oscars have become the focus point for a huge cultural conversation about Hollywood, race, gender, inclusiveness and diversity. Should Australians care? Well, yes.
Media owners are likely to be the biggest beneficiaries of changes announced by Communications Minister Mitch Fifield on Tuesday.
AAP/Mick Tsikas
Mitch Fifield has announced a shake-up of Australia’s media ownership laws. What rules are being scrapped? And what effect might their axing have on Australia’s media sector?