Training babies to sleep through the night using the popular “controlled crying” technique can be damaging to their development, according to a leading youth mental health group, directly contradicting information provided by a federal government website. Larissa Nicholson reports.
Articles by Crikey Intern 
Funding cuts force closure of ‘occasional’ child care centres
Funding to neighbourhood-based occasional child care was cut in the last federal budget. While most states have picked up the slack, Victorian centres are set to close. Mothers and support groups are unhappy, writes Iona Salter.
Media wrap: ailing president has Yemen holding its breath
Revelations that Yemen’s president Ali Abdullah Saleh was more gravely injured than previously reported have cast doubts over his ability to resume leadership in coming days. And protesters continue to exert pressure, writes Iona Salter.
Daily Proposition: Listen up, cool cats … just listen
The Melbourne International Jazz Festival kicked off on Saturday. Tonight’s highlights include New York’s hip-hop inspired Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, drummer Jim Black’s AlasNoAxis, and traffic. Yes, traffic. Iona Salter explains.
Parliamentary Privilege’s Greatest Hits
Parliamentarians have a long history of using parliamentary privilege to say whatever they desire, writes Crikey intern Esther Ooi.
Ratko Mladic: the rap sheet of the ‘butcher of Bosnia’
The 16-year manhunt for Ratko Mladic has finally ended following his arrest yesterday. Crikey looks back at key dates during the tyrannical rule of Mladic as a military commander.
The ugly price of kid beauty: inside the Oz-bound pageants
There’s outrage at parents pushing their daughters into US-style beauty pageants, but the sting for participants could be the bill for competing, writes Crikey intern Esther Ooi.
Daily Proposition: Let them eat (banana) cake
As the months become progressively colder, it’s time to rug up in your winter woollies and hibernate. That means cranking up the oven and baking a cake to Crikey intern Esther Ooi.
Daily Proposition: Afghani food, a world away from war
It’s a country we mainly hear about in bleak ABC news crosses to Sally Sara. But Afghani food in Australia is a wondrous world away from roadside bombs and terror groups, says Crikey intern Esther Ooi.
Crikey Clarifier: government’s visa changes v TPVs
The government’s proposed changes to reintroduce temporary visas for certain asylum seekers is worse than Howard-era TPVs, according to Julian Burnside. Crikey intern Anokhee Shah reports.
Why some businesses are lining up to support a carbon tax
The list of businesses, unions and lobby groups opposing the carbon tax seemingly grows longer every day. But what about the companies who support pricing carbon, asks Crikey intern Anokhee Shah?
Daily Proposition: Watch the battle of Kong
Seth Gordon’s 2007 debut documentary The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters? follows Steve Wiebe’s struggle to be recognised as the world Donkey Kong highest score holder. It’s a fascinating insight to men’s self-perception and self-worth, says Laura Griffin.
Crikey Clarifier: Crikey Clarifier: why don’t women serve on the front line?
In the wake of the latest Australian Defence Force Academy behaviour scandal, the federal government will eliminate discrimination on the front line by allowing female combat officers. So why did it take so long, what are the reasons against it, and which other countries successfully employ female front-line troops? Crikey sought some answers… Where do […]
Daily Proposition: Learn from Experience
Trawling through The Guardian’s website one afternoon, Laura Griffin found a series called “Experience”, where people are invited to share their unique (read: weird, and often wonderful) stories. It’s a kaleidescope of human experience.
Expanded shield laws are fair, but problems remain for journos
Journalism academics and the union have backed source protection for bloggers and other citizen journalists, rejecting concerns Labor’s shield laws legislation will weaken the policy objective they’re designed to serve, writes Crikey intern Rhiana Whitson.
Greenies hit out at secrecy over Victorian power plant
Green groups are alarmed details of a state and federal agreement to fund a new broad coal-fired power station in Victoria will remain secret after the new state government refused to release key documents, writes Rhiana Whitson.
Media wrap: Libya at war, as coalition attacks key targets
It’s been three days since the UN Security Council mandated a no-fly-zone across Libya. French fighter planes led the attack, with over 100 fighter jets attacking planes flouting the mandate.
Crikey Clarifier: What’s involved in a no-fly zone?
The global response to the crisis in Libya finally came this morning: a UN-imposed no-fly zone over the disputed country. So what is it, and how will it be enforced? Crikey asked military expert Dr Garth Pratten.
Daily Proposition: Join a laughing group
There’s not a lot to laugh about at the moment. So it might be a good time to force yourself to do just that. A cynical Grace Jennings-Edquist set off to a local laughing group and found just what she needed.
First Gatsby, now Miller … how American stories win Aussie film funds
How Australian is Arthur Miller’s 1955 classic A View From The Bridge? A new Australian film production is testing definitions and sparking renewed debate on funding, writes Grace Jennings-Edquist.
University staff cut under ‘rank and yank’ ratings scheme
Up to 15 staff face the chop from the University of Western Australia under a new performance benchmarking scheme dubbed “rank and yank” by staff and the education union. Grace Jennings-Edquist reports.
Libya latest: no force, says Gaddafi, but threatens to kill dissenters
Muammar Gaddafi defiantly declares he won’t step down in his first real televised speech since anti-government protests began across the country last week. Crikey intern Sophie Cousins wraps the latest from the Middle East.
Middle East on fire: the latest from Bahrain, Libya and Yemen
Bahrainis the latest country in the region to be engulfed in anti-government demonstrations, inspired by the recent uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia. Crikey covers the latest, including more violence in Libya and Yemen.
Wivenhoe release could’ve prevented floods? Nonsense, say experts
Claims the release of 25% of water stored in the Wivenhoe Dam is evidence the flooding of the Brisbane River was preventable has come under scrutiny, writes Sophie Cousins.
