Decades of conflict has made Iraq a hotbed for trafficking. From weapons to drugs, Iraq has dominated headlines. However, less attention has been focused on the trafficking of wild animals. In fact, the Middle East is considered one of the hubs of animal trafficking. Our correspondent in Iraq, Lucile Wassermann, went to meet the players in the trading of wildlife to understand the drivers behind it.

At least six people have died in floods that were sparked by heavy rainfall in the eastern state of Queensland.Scores of others have been evacuated, with authorities scrambling to respond to calls for help.

Local authorities say large parts of the Great Barrier Reef show signs of minor to severe bleaching ahead of a visit by UN officials. Their findings will impact whether the World Heritage Site status will be downgraded.

The government must commit resources to fight the most pressing "danger" of climate change, former defense officials said in an open letter. "Australia has failed when it comes to climate threats," the letter read.

Australia is caught in the middle of the US-China trade dispute, which is dominating Davos this year. Meanwhile, Australia has just booked its 27th consecutive year of growth, says Finance Minister Mathias Cormann.

The prime ministers of both countries witnessed the signing of the deal in a virtual ceremony. Australia wants to curb dependence on China as its largest trading partner.

Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that a Chinese intelligence ship was not in Australia's territorial waters but its presence off the northwestern coast was "concerning."

Australia is counting down to its next federal election on May 21. The environmental crisis is high on voters' minds and smaller parties and independents are gaining momentum by riding a wave of disillusionment over the conservative coalition's lack of climate action. With a hung parliament looking likely, these minor players could force the traditional parties to do more to tackle global warming. Climate change is an increasingly hot-button issue since the country's devastating bushfires of 2019-20. Our correspondents Richelle Harrison Plesse and Gregory Plesse report.

Australia could become a "renewable energy superpower," said incoming Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. He is due to be sworn in just a day before a Quad summit in Tokyo.

"Everyone has the right to education." This phrase is part of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It refers to education in all countries, for girls and boys as well for all adults. In Perspective, we spoke to David Atchoarena, head of UNESCO's Institute for Lifelong Learning. He told us why adult education is not just a right, but also essential to tackling the world's social, economic and environmental uncertainty. He also explained why some groups, such as migrants and prisoners, are still struggling to access education.

As experts gather at a UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that the world is facing an "ocean emergency". In Australia, the Great Barrier Reef recently suffered another mass bleaching event, just months after a UNESCO committee recommended the World Heritage Site be listed as "in danger". The country's new left-leaning Labor government has promised to tackle global warming, but the reef's future hangs in the balance as long as Australia remains one of the world's largest exporters of fossil fuels.

In Western Tanzania, chimpanzee’s habitats are under pressure from human encroachment and the clearing of wild areas. It is a conflict about space.