The World Today

The Coopers Brewery has publicly stated its support for same sex marriage in the face of a consumer boycott. The company was slammed on social media over a promotional video released on the weekend by the Bible Society, which claimed Coopers as a sponsor. In it, two conservative MPs debate the issue of gay marriage while drinking Coopers beers. In response to a tide of online criticism, Coopers has apologised and stated its support for a change to the Marriage Act.

This week marks six years since protests broke out in Syria against the regime of President Bashar Assad and sparked one of the bloodiest wars in recent memory. Around half a million Syrians have been killed, while hundreds of thousands remain missing. Eleven-million people, nearly half the population of Syria, have been displaced, spurring the worst refugee crisis since WWII. It began in the small southern city of Deraa when school children inspired by the revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia scrawled slogans on their school walls.

The World today has located two young Syrians who participated in those early protests that began 6 years ago in the southern city of Deraa. While both were there at the start they now have very different views about whether they would protest again. We'll hear from Abu Bakah al hajali, a journalist and film-maker in Jordan and who was there at those first Deraa protests and Rami, an aid worker in Turkey and doesn't want to use his full name for fear his family in Syria will be endangered.

The Dutch Prime Minister is warning his country not to give in to what he describes as the 'domino effect' of populism that fuelled Brexit and Donald Trump's election. On the eve of the election, opinion polls have Mark Rutte's ruling VVD party just ahead of its main rival, the anti-Islam PVV. The PVV is headed by the controversial populist Geert Wilders who wants to take the Netherlands out of the EU, close all mosques and ban the Koran. Meanwhile, tensions between the Netherlands and Turkey have escalated with the Turkish President accusing Dutch troops of carrying out a massacre of Muslim men during the Bosnian War.

The US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson will arrive in Japan today on his first overseas mission to Asia since taking office. His three-country tour will also take in South Korea and China. Secretary Tillerson has been somewhat of an enigma in the Trump administration - he's kept his head down and hasn't given any clues about his foreign policy strategy for the years ahead.

The European Union's highest court has determined that employers do have the right to sack staff who refuse to observe bans on wearing headscarves and other items of clothing or jewellery identifying their beliefs. The European Court of Justice ruled that would not constitute 'direct discrimination' against the employee, provided that the business has an 'internal policy' banning the wearing of 'any political, philosophical or religious signs'. Critics say the decision will effectively force many Muslim women out of Europe's labour market.

The South Australian government has revealed what it's calling a 21st century energy plan that's intended to reduce the risk of further blackouts in the state. The Premier and Energy Minister outlined a half a billion dollar policy that will involve building Australia's largest battery and state ownership of a new gas fired power plant.

Giles Parkinson is the founder and editor of Renew Economy, a newsite that reports on clean technology, energy, and climate change. He is in South Australia for the announcement and joins us on The World Today.

Energy storage is getting a boost in Victoria today too with the state Government this morning announcing another $20 million for large-scale energy storage. The money is in addition to $5 million already pledged, and is expected to boost energy storage capacity for the state by up to 100 megawatts by the end of next year. It comes as a new state Government energy taskforce will meet for the first time this afternoon to discuss Victoria's energy security.

Australia's 'worst fears are being realised' when it comes to gas supply, and the market is in crisis with residents most likely to bear the costs, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims has warned. Mr Sims says without energy security, companies operating in Australia could move offshore and might never return.