The needs of ordinary people must be placed at the centre of the world’s agenda

The main ingredient in dozens of supermarket products has been reduced, an ABC investigation has found, leading retail and marketing experts to call for more transparency around recipe changes.

Trials of vision-improving substances are showing good results, though so far only two have been authorized for use in the United States.

James Dobson is dead, leaving behind the legacy of poisoned politics he created, and countless children and adults who live with the pain of surviving the...

An epic analysis of 5,000 years of civilisation argues that a global collapse is coming unless inequality is vanquished

Almost 95% of Australia’s soft plastics are still headed for landfill and experts say the packaging industry must take responsibility for the mess Two years on from REDcycle’s collapse, 94% of Australia’s soft plastics are still headed for landfill. Collection has restarted at supermarkets, and 42 warehouses of plastics have been cleared, but experts say the packaging industry must take responsibility for the mess. By July, supermarkets had mostly cleared the stockpiles, which by November 2022 reached 11,000 tonnes of soft plastics at 44 sites across the country, hoards accumulated as collections outstripped available recycling capacity and export restrictions increased the amount of plastic waste in Australia. Continue reading...

Readers discuss a guest essay about birthrates and the world’s population. Also: A citizens’ celebration for America’s 250th anniversary.

In 2008, consumers were treated to dodgy operators and rubbish inverters during the solar boom. Don’t let history repeat itself this time around * Get Guardian Australia environment editor Adam Morton’s Clear Air column as an email This month the new federal battery rebate kicked off. It reminded me of 2008. I was working at the CSIRO and watching the solar boom take off thanks to the new $8,000 solar rebate for 1kW of panels. Consumers were excited, but most had no idea what they were buying or who to trust. Get Guardian Australia environment editor Adam Morton’s Clear Air column as an email Choose well-known brands. Be extremely wary of mystery batteries that popped up yesterday and cost half as much as anything else. Use a local installer with a solid track record – someone who has been around and will still be around when you need them. Read the 1-star reviews. They often reveal the stuff that really matters: ghosting customers, shoddy work, or warranty nightmares. Slow down. The rebate isn’t vanishing tomorrow. Yes, it reduces on Jan 1 but things are mad right now. You might get a better result waiting a few months. Think about sizing. A battery that’s too small will frustrate you, and one that’s too big may never fill. For most households (unless you’re planning to gamble on Amber), 15-20 kWh is the sweet spot. Check your solar capacity. There’s no point having a giant battery you can’t fill. If you want to reduce your reliance on your electricity retailer, ensure your solar is up to the job. Reward good installers. If the crew that did your original solar were great and they sell the battery you want, go back to them. If not, get multiple quotes. Finn Peacock is the founder of solarquotes.com.au Continue reading...

A subreddit tracking apocalyptic news in a calm, logical way comforts users who believe the end times are now

Germany is considering a 10% tax on large online platforms like Alphabet's Google and Meta's Facebook , its new culture minister told magazine Stern, in a move likely to heighten trade tensions with the Trump administration.

If everything feels broken but strangely normal, the Soviet-era concept of hypernormalization can help