We’ve all seen the photos this week of skeletal children in Gaza, cradled by their desperate mothers. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has declared it a humanitarian catastrophe that’s gone “beyond the world’s worst fears”. According to the United Nations, more than 100 people have now died of starvation, most of them children, while one in five children in Gaza City are malnourished because of Israel’s ongoing aid blockade.
France has become the first major Western power to officially recognise Palestine statehood, a move condemned by Israel as “rewarding terrorism”.
But despite mounting international pressure for an end to the siege of Gaza, Israel and the United States have walked away from peace talks in Qatar.
How will this bleak situation unfold? As Middle East expert Ali Mamouri explains, there is now almost no immediate prospect of a fresh ceasefire and instead the US and Israel appear to be progressing another more crippling plan.
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Alison Carabine
Public Policy Editor
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Ali Mamouri, Deakin University
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the situation in Gaza has gone beyond the world’s worst fears as hopes of a truce between Israel and Hamas have been dashed.
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Best reads this week
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Andrew Dodd, The University of Melbourne; Matthew Ricketson, Deakin University
The President is suing the mogul for billions of dollars over an article about Jeffrey Epstein. The friendship of convenience is over, so what happens now?
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Pandanus Petter, Australian National University; Blair Williams, Monash University; Faith Gordon, Australian National University; Intifar Chowdhury, Flinders University; Jill Sheppard, Australian National University
The UK wants to allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in the next general election in 2029. 5 experts give their verdicts on if Australia should do the same.
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Jennifer Power, La Trobe University
Using cells from a donor egg doesn’t create three ‘parents’. And while DNA is important, it’s not the defining feature of rainbow families.
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Lachlan Goold, University of the Sunshine Coast
Just weeks after a farewell tribute concert, one of the true originals of rock and heavy metal has died.
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Catherine Strong, RMIT University; Ben Green, RMIT University
This year’s list will likley not just reflect what we consider “Aussie” music – but also challenge it. And that’s a good thing.
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TC Weekly podcast
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
We’re joined on this podcast by the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen who outlines Australia’s ongoing energy transition.
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Gemma Ware, The Conversation
Israeli nuclear expert Avner Cohen talks to The Conversation Weekly podcast about how Israel has been allowed to continue with its nuclear ambiguity.
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Our most-read article this week
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Jesse Kearse, Kyoto University
Earthquake scientists rely on distant seismic instruments to infer how faults rupture during large earthquakes. This video provides the first direct evidence.
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In case you missed this week's big stories
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Felicity Deane, Queensland University of Technology
Has Australia’s beef industry been sold out for the benefit of a trade deal with the United States? Or is this just a poorly timed announcement?
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Andrew Norton, Monash University
The debt changes will deliver major benefits to recent graduates, but much less to current students and nothing to future students.
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Adrian Beaumont, The University of Melbourne
While the final results in Tasmania’s second election in 16 months won’t be known for days, the Liberals are well ahead – but will fall short of a clear majority.
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Wesley Morgan, UNSW Sydney; Gillian Moon, UNSW Sydney
The landmark ruling means Australia must reduce emissions in line with the best science, and regulate the fossil fuel industry to prevent further harm.
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Yvonne Breitwieser-Faria, Curtin University
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants against Taliban leaders it holds criminally responsible for the persecution of Afghan women and girls.
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Shannon Bosch, Edith Cowan University; Philip Glover, Edith Cowan University
Dozens of people – many elderly – have been arrested in the United Kingdom after protest group Palestine Action was proscribed as a terrorist organisation.
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Petra Alderman, London School of Economics and Political Science
Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia over a disputed border area have flared, with a quick diplomatic resolution looking unlikely.
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Lyndall Strazdins, Australian National University; Liana Leach, Australian National University; Tinh Doan, Australian National University
A new study of heterosexual couples in Australia and Germany reveals the economic costs to women when their partners work long hours.
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Rowena Maguire, Queensland University of Technology
Ultra-fast fashion comes with a host of environmental problems. Australia’s response to the deluge of cheap low quality clothes hasn’t led to change.
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Joseph Steinberg, The University of Western Australia
Siang Lu has won the Miles Franklin Literary Award for his absurdist, ‘strikingly new’ novel about dictators in parallel cities – which dials the satire up to 11.
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Charlotte Gupta, CQUniversity Australia; Gabrielle Rigney, CQUniversity Australia
Studies have shown people who sleep more than average have a higher risk of health problems and death. But is sleeping a lot a symptom or a cause?
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Student debts
"Andrew Norton makes some good points regarding the repayment of student debts, but there are two alternatives that he doesn’t discuss. Australia would benefit if university fees were reduced to a level that ordinary people could pay. This would allow the nation to have a well educated population who can contribute in multiple ways. Another option would be for state and the commonwealth governments to fund universities properly so they can offer robust and productive teaching and research to Australians."
Heather Douglas
Childcare funding stripped
"As a childcare worker who has worked in the industry since 2005 I have witnessed many changes to the childcare industry largely brought on by the sudden growth of the profit sector. This was partly due to increased work force participation and government funding of child care fees. I don’t think the government's proposed stripping of funding will make much of a dent in improving the compliance issues that we are currently witnessing in centres. Profit always seems to come before quality care in childcare and it needs to be addressed before anything else."
Elizabeth Ross 
No beef
"Notwithstanding any trade deals, surely we as the shopping public have the power to choose Australian beef rather than imported, from the US or anywhere else. Let's buy Australian made and grown. Food miles cost the planet too much."
Hilary Ash
We'd love to hear from you. You can email us with your thoughts on our stories and each day we'll publish an edited selection.
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The University of Sydney
Camperdown NSW, Australia
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Full Time
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Auckland University of Technology
Auckland, New Zealand
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Contract
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Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
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