national Voice

'Infuriating': Aboriginal voters turned away, told to line-up again on SA election day

First Nations voters sent to back of queue for Voice election Thu 4 Jun 2026 at 6:38am In short: First Nations voters say they were forced to line-up twice — or even turned away — when trying to vote in this year's Voice to Parliament election. Documents obtained by the ABC show the Electoral Commission was aware more than a year before polling day that double queuing would be perceived as "discriminatory behaviour". The revelations have prompted more criticism of the Electoral Commission,...

Poor advertising, confused voters and underfunded candidates: SA Voice's problems revealed

SA Voice damaged by advertising failures and voter confusion, FOI documents show Wed 3 Jun 2026 at 6:03am In short: SA's inaugural Voice to Parliament election was criticised for low turnout among Aboriginal voters. New documents obtained by the ABC suggest there were several failures advertising the election, with many voters unaware it was taking place. First Nations voters say they gave the Electoral Commission clear feedback that more Voice signage was needed for the 2026 election — but...

Crackdown on culture: Israel censoring Palestinian voices

A United Nations commission, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have all separately concluded that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, where tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war in October 2023. The cultural life of the enclave is also profoundly threatened, with historic buildings destroyed and writers, poets and academics among that huge death toll.

Acting SA electoral commissioner calls for council election delay

Acting SA electoral commissioner calls for council elections to be delayed Tue 9 Jun 2026 at 4:50pm In short: There were a number of problems on the day of the SA state and First Nations Voice to Parliament elections, as well as during counting. Acting electoral commissioner Leah McLay has asked the Attorney-General Kyam Maher to consider delaying the November council elections. Mr Maher says a decision will be made in the coming days but would need to go through state parliament.

Ben Folds warns that National Symphony Orchestra ‘may not survive’ Kennedy Center chaos

The National Symphony Orchestra “is in real trouble” and “may not survive” ongoing Kennedy Center chaos, Grammy-nominated alt rock pianist Ben Folds warned on Tuesday. Folds, who resigned last year from his role as artistic advisor to the NSO, urged orchestra fans to fight back with their voices. “Our National Symphony Orchestra is in real trouble — it may not survive,” Folds told fans via an open letter posted to social media on Tuesday.

Ethiopia votes as ruling party eyes landslide win

Ethiopia votes as ruling party eyes landslide win June 1, 2026Polls opened in Ethiopia on Monday for elections that are widely expected to see Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's Prosperity Party (PP) extend its rule. Voting began at 6 a.m. local time (0300 GMT) with citizens forming long queues to make their voices heard at the ballot. In the national capital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopians voted amid a heavy military presence.

Safer maternity care requires learning from the full breadth of staff and family experiences

In 2001, my daughter (CB) died of hypoxia just minutes after her near term birth, due to events in labour. At the time, perinatal reviews to understand why babies died were ad hoc, lacking standardisation and parent perspectives. Today, the once marginalised voices of bereaved parents are being centred in the ongoing national maternity investigation in England1 and local maternity inquiries in Leeds and Sussex.23 Although amplifying bereaved and harmed parents' voices is welcome, the focus...

France’s Far Right Has 2 Leaders. They Don’t Always Have One Voice.

France’s Far Right Has 2 Leaders. They Don’t Always Have One Voice.

Indian women using internet doubled to 64% in 4 years

Manash Pratim Gohain is a seasoned journalist with over two decades at The Times of India, where he has built a rich body of work spanning education policy, politics, and governance. Renowned for his incisive coverage of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, accreditation reforms, and skilling initiatives, he has also reported on student politics, urban policy, and social movements. His political reportage—both reflective and news-driven—adds depth to his writing, bridging policy with...