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Pope Leo XIV waves to the crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square

‘Peace be with all of you’: how Pope Leo XIV embodies a living dialogue between tradition and modernity

Darius von Guttner Sporzynski, Australian Catholic University

Pope Leo XIV faces limits on changing the Catholic Church − but Francis made reforms that set the stage for larger changes
A man, dressed in brocaded vestments, stands with his arms folded and smiles gently.
The election of a new pope is announced with smoke: what do the colours mean, and how are they made?
A rooftop and black smoke.
Labor likely to gain 5 senators, cementing the left’s Senate dominance

Adrian Beaumont, The University of Melbourne

A crowd of senators stand in the chamber and applaud
View from The Hill: two ministers and the Nationals discover the limits of loyalty in politics

Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra

Anthony Albanese walking away from Ed Husic, who's sitting behind him
Glyn Davis to quit as the prime minister’s top public servant

Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra

The face of Glyn Davis up close
It’s almost winter. Why is Australia still so hot?
A hot sun shines down on the AFL Round 8 match between the Hawthorn Hawks and the Richmond Tigers at Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Sunday, May 4, 2025.
Google is rolling out its Gemini AI chatbot to kids under 13. It’s a risky move
A child lying in bed and using their phone.
Trump has reduced tariffs on British metals and cars, but how important is this trade deal?
keir starmer on a phone call to donald trump surrounded by workers from jaguar land rover
As Filipinos prepare to vote, ex-strongman Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest is dividing families – all the way to the president

As Filipinos prepare to vote, ex-strongman Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest is dividing families – all the way to the president

Greyscale painting, Justene seems to hover in mid-air.

The artist as creator of all things: Julie Fragar wins the Archibald for a portrait among the stars

Joanna Mendelssohn, The University of Melbourne

What will the Antichrist look like? According to Western thought, an authoritarian king – or the pope

Philip C. Almond, The University of Queensland

Trump as the Pope, and other images of historical popes.
How the word ‘incel’ got away from us
A young man stares into his phone in the dark
Feminist reformer Beatrice Faust was a sexual libertarian who did her homework, kept her cool and criticised ‘wimp feminism’
A woman speaks passionately with her eyes closed at a protest rally.
What’s the difference between probiotics and prebiotics? A dietitian explains
Row of bottles labelled healthy drink

Federal election 2025

People listen and talk in a group.

Labor has promised to tackle homelessness. Here’s what homeless people say they need

Greens’ election hubris – how the minor party lost its way and now its leader
Downcast Adam Bandt in dark suit and tie
Grattan on Friday: Bitter struggle in Liberals for likely poisoned chalice, as Jacinta Price defects from Nationals
Grattan on Friday: Bitter struggle in Liberals for likely poisoned chalice, as Jacinta Price defects from Nationals
Explore the new House of Representatives
Explore the new House of Representatives
In the age of the influencer, does the political backing of News Corp matter anymore?
In the age of the influencer, does the political backing of News Corp matter anymore?
New taxes on super didn’t get much attention in the election campaign. But they could be tricky to implement
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) logo signboard. i
While the Liberals haemorrhaged, the Nationals held their own. Is it time to break up the Coalition?
A man and a woman smile and clap
Australia is set to be a renewables nation. After Labor’s win, there’s no turning back
Wind turbines along a beach.
Labor has promised fast action to cut student debt, but arts students will have to wait for lower fees
Students walk on a bridge at Sydney University.
Policy tracker: what has Labor promised?
Full election coverage

More top stories

Feet on soil.

What is grounding and could it improve my sleep? Here’s the science behind this TikTok trend

Ever wanted to ditch the 9-to-5 and teach snowsports? We followed people who did it for 10 years
Woman snowboarding
Kiwi kids once led the world in reading – this 1950s primary school syllabus still has lessons for today
Child's hands following words in a book while reading
A community-led health program in remote Arnhem land is showing promising results for First Nations locals
A road in northeast Arnhem land at dusk.
Hidden connections of more than 100 migratory marine species revealed in interactive map
A whale tail with the Sydney skyline in the background at sunset.
‘Everyone lives in fear’: trapped between two warring nuclear giants, the people of Kashmir continue to suffer
‘Everyone lives in fear’: trapped between two warring nuclear giants, the people of Kashmir continue to suffer
To split Moscow from Beijing, Trump is reviving Nixon’s ‘madman diplomacy’. It could backfire badly
Two men walk in silhouette.
Children in need of ‘rescuing’: challenging the myths at the heart of the global adoption industry
In this April 2, 2019, photo, people walk past a photo of guards unloading children from a truck at the Brothers Home in Busan, as it is displayed in front of National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea.
Some Reddit users just love to disagree, new AI-powered troll-spotting algorithm finds
A young man with a beard and glasses sitting on a couch gazing intently at the computer on his lap. His hands are steepled in front of his face.

Refugees and the law

Two people sit in a dimly lit room talking.

What mental health support do refugees and asylum seekers get in Australia?

Australia once had ‘immigration amnesties’ to grant legal status to undocumented people. Could we again?
Australia once had ‘immigration amnesties’ to grant legal status to undocumented people. Could we again?
‘I’m always afraid for the future of my family’: why it’s too hard for some refugees to reunite with loved ones
An Iranian woman living on a bridging visa is seen at a property in Melbourne
5 ways to tackle Australia’s backlog of asylum cases
People participate in a refugee solidarity rally outside the Victorian office of the Australian Labor Party in Docklands, Melbourne, Monday, August 12, 2024
More in this series

More news

Looking out on a green and leafy setting from inside an old railway tunnel in Paris.

Old drains and railways are full of life. Here’s how to make the most of these overlooked green spaces

Stepmums, alien mums, robot mums, vengeful mums: 7 films to watch this Mother’s Day
Stepmums, alien mums, robot mums, vengeful mums: 7 films to watch this Mother’s Day
Friday essay: I work as a sensitivity reader – and racism is harder to spot than you’d think
Friday essay: I work as a sensitivity reader – and racism is harder to spot than you’d think
Why it’s important to read aloud to your kids – even after they can read themselves
A man reads a book to a young boy.
India and Pakistan have fought many wars in the past. Are we on the precipice of a new one?
India and Pakistan have fought many wars in the past. Are we on the precipice of a new one?
Even as emissions level off, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is growing faster than ever. Here’s why
leaves and power station.
100 years of boom and bust: a potted history of Hollywood’s long relationship with Australia
Amber Heard, director James Wan and Jason Momoa filming a scene.
Why is hospital parking so expensive? Two economics researchers explain
Angry woman paying for street parking with credit card
Women’s sports are fighting an uphill battle against our social media algorithms
The Matildas celebrate a goal during the Women's World Cup in 2023.
What is a blood cholesterol ratio? And what should yours be?
Clinician checks for veins before drawing blood
How do you put a tariff on movies? Here’s what Trump’s plan could mean for Australia
The Hollywood sign
Inadmissable evidence: why a routine traffic stop and police photo went all the way to NZ’s Supreme Court
Cropped image of Lady Justice statue focused on scales.
Meta’s new AI chatbot is yet another tool for harvesting data to potentially sell you stuff
Woman by a window with dark city lights on her phone engaged in something.
More top stories

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New research

‘I got sent something of people shooting themselves’ – research shows young people can’t avoid harmful content online
teen looking at laptop in the dark
What are the key risk factors for developing knee osteoarthritis? We reviewed the evidence
Four knee joint models.
Australia and North America have long fought fires together – but new research reveals that has to change
A firefighter battling a blaze with a helicopter nearby.
Newly discovered tropical oyster reefs are thriving across northern Australia – they deserve protection
Aerial view of tropical oyster reefs at Turkey Beach in Queensland.
More new research

World

Mark Carney tells Donald Trump ‘Canada is not for sale’ in a high-stakes Oval Office meeting
Reporters and microphones surround two men in an ornate office with historical art work on the walls behind them.
Friedrich Merz confirmed as Germany’s chancellor – but betrayal by MPs in a secret ballot means he starts from a position of weakness
Friedrich Merz in parliament, surrounded by his MPs.
Vietnam is poised to become a top 20 economy, so why is Australia taking so long to make trade and investment links?
Two flags, side by side
More than 50 years after trying to reach Venus, a failed Soviet spacecraft is about to return to Earth
A memorial postage stamp featuring a spacecraft.
More world

Sport

The Premier League champions have already been crowned but there’s still a lot on the line – mainly money
Liverpool fans celebrate their title victory.
How did sport become so popular? The ancient history of a modern obsession
Roman mosaics discovered in Sicily show women playing different sports.
Why can’t I keep still after intense exercise?
Young woman holding soccer ball pours water bottle on head.
How to tackle the ‘gender play gap’: 4 ways to encourage young women back into sport
A young woman stands in goal during a soccer game
More sport

Gambling in Australia

‘Do something about it before it gets worse’: young people want government action on gambling reform
A young child at a racetrack looks at betting odds on a big screen.
Pokies line the coffers of governments and venues – but there are ways to tame this gambling gorilla
An elderly man plays a poker machine alone
The biggest losers: how Australians became the world’s most enthusiastic gamblers
Punters line up to bet with bookies during a race day
The gambling industry has women in its sights. Why aren’t policymakers paying attention?
A woman gambles on her phone
More in this series

Climate

Moving towns: 4 stories of communities facing relocation show the complex realities of managed retreat
Flooded rural road
Rather than short-term fixes, communities need flexible plans to prepare for a range of likely climate impacts
A traffic cone and a "road closed" sign on a flooded road
What would change your mind about climate change? We asked 5,000 Australians – here’s what they told us
person holding climate protest sign.
Allowing forests to regrow and regenerate is a great way to restore habitat
Two koalas sleeping in a gum tree, with young trees in the background
More climate

Podcasts

Politics with Michelle Grattan: David Pocock wants us to aim for up to 90% reduction in emissions by 2035
Listen
Politics with Michelle Grattan: David Pocock wants us to aim for up to 90% reduction in emissions by 2035
Three scientists speak about what it’s like to have research funding cut by the Trump administration
Listen
A sign saying science helps you held up by a protestor.
Fake cures and vaccine passports for sale: the conspiracy communities in Brazil monetising the anti-vax movement
Listen
Two protestors holding anti-vaccination signs in Brazil.
Scares and stunts in the home stretch: election special podcast
Listen
Two men walking down a church aisle, with lit with candles in the background.
All episodes of Politics with Michelle Grattan
All episodes of The Conversation Weekly

Reviews

Europe’s worst mass murder since World War II happened at Srebrenica. Gretchen Shirm’s novel witnesses the war crimes trial
Review
Europe’s worst mass murder since World War II happened at Srebrenica. Gretchen Shirm’s novel witnesses the war crimes trial
Labour is still gendered – and women are still getting a raw deal in the workplace
Labour is still gendered – and women are still getting a raw deal in the workplace
Archibald Packing Room Prize goes to Abdul Abdullah for Jason Phu portrait, among broader set of bold and deeply personal works
Archibald Packing Room Prize goes to Abdul Abdullah for Jason Phu portrait, among broader set of bold and deeply personal works
Unexpected humour and reflections on a complex past: my top 5 films from the 2025 German Film Festival
Unexpected humour and reflections on a complex past: my top 5 films from the 2025 German Film Festival

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AI can’t do your Christmas shopping just yet – but next year might be different

Jon Whittle, Data61

AI can’t do your Christmas shopping just yet – but next year might be different

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An Introduction to Egyptian Hieroglyphs

WEA Sydney

An Introduction to Egyptian Hieroglyphs

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