16 Apr 2020
How much is too much? Covid loans for the Pacific
Not all regional nations are overloaded by debt. There is some scope to lend sustainably.
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16 Apr 2020
A decisive month for Covid-19 in Myanmar – and region beyond
Nestled between giants comprising half the global population, control or contagion in Myanmar has huge ramifications. -
16 Apr 2020
What price privacy? Contact tracing apps to combat Covid
Smartphone technology hold the greatest promises in outpacing the virus, but surrendering to surveillance has a price. -
16 Apr 2020
In the US, a campaign with no trail
Trump is agitating like the virus is a made for TV drama, while the real job of responding falls to state governors. -
15 Apr 2020
Covid-19: Why did global health governance fail?
Despite the existence of a “World Health Organization”, very limited collective capacity had developed previously. -
15 Apr 2020
Australia should offer Indonesia crisis insurance – quickly
With little to no cost at home, a multi-billion “standby” loan will help restore economic confidence in a big neighbour. -
15 Apr 2020
Covid-19 and Pacific labour
Visa extensions keep an essential financial lifeline open – but the challenge to help seasonal workers has only begun. -
15 Apr 2020
As Africa prepares to fight Covid-19, China steps up
In a fast and very visible way, China has sought to assume a role as a global humanitarian leader – and is succeeding. -
14 Apr 2020
Trading our way out of the Covid-19 lockdown
Protectionism, either within or between countries, is a sure way of achieving a prolonged recession. -
14 Apr 2020
Covid-19 ceasefire unlikely to hasten peace in Thailand’s south
The tempo of violence in the long-running insurgency has slowed for years, yet the virus may not stop it altogether. -
14 Apr 2020
Why 15 countries still haven’t reported any cases of Covid-19
Pacific Islands nations are isolated, so that helps. But Tajikistan and Turkmenistan? North Korea? Lesotho? Really? -
13 Apr 2020
Coronavirus will not dominate elections in South Korea this week
If only the US could also control its outbreak, the virus need not take over the agenda or make the vote treacherous. -
10 Apr 2020
Vietnam, North Korea, politics and Covid-19: The numbers tell a story
The two Communist nations boast low or even zero cases of the virus. What message does this send? -
10 Apr 2020
Why South Asia may come out of Covid-19 crisis better than many expect
A younger demographic and less social reliance on the state could see local nations seeking advantage amid the changes. -
9 Apr 2020
Covid-19: A war of words
In the battle against the coronavirus, the first casualty is untruth. -
9 Apr 2020
COVIDcast Episode 6: Geopolitics and the pandemic
The latest episode in a podcast to discuss the implications of coronavirus for Australia, the region, and the world. -
9 Apr 2020
Economic diplomacy: foreign investment under Covid, supply chain kinks
Australia might worry about opportunistic takeover bids at home, but investment restrictions will hit the region more. -
9 Apr 2020
Cry the beloved world
As the next wave of Covid-19 bears down on developing nations, is there a chance they can avoid the worst? -
9 Apr 2020
WHO and China: Compounding politics and policy
The World Health Organization has been heavily criticised for appeasing China instead of leading the Covid-19 fight. -
9 Apr 2020
We’re all socialists now
With a spectre haunting the world, governments unite, with unimaginably radical solutions to save capitalism. -
8 Apr 2020
Asia after the pandemic
The stabilising force of shared economic interests could be lost after the crisis, leaving the region more dangerous. -
8 Apr 2020
Coronavirus in conflict: The fight has hardly begun
Covid-19 has brought wealthy nations to their knees. What will happen when the virus breaks out in a war zone? -
8 Apr 2020
Fighting corona will strain US military capacity in the Indo-Pacific
With outbreaks in the ranks and resources directed home, America’s commitments abroad will be challenged. -
8 Apr 2020
Indonesia: A health and economic crisis also threatens national unity
Jokowi fears his legitimacy and hold on power may be at risk with provinces defying the central government’s authority. -
8 Apr 2020
Covid forces Singapore to confront conditions for its migrant workers
Infections have seen several crowded dormitories locked down and put a spotlight on the treatment of city’s builders. -
7 Apr 2020
Japan and coronavirus: Abe needs to make bold decisions
A tradition of limited touching may slow the virus spread but political missteps leave the country vulnerable. -
7 Apr 2020
Covid-19: Refugees at risk
Cash payments and mobilising asylum seekers with medical training are measures to help refugees survive the pandemic. -
7 Apr 2020
US regional leadership: A shot across the bow
China had already been gaining in Southeast Asia before the pandemic began. Now Beijing is looking to press ahead. -
7 Apr 2020
A French perspective on Australia’s role in the Indian Ocean
Looking towards a post–Covid-19 world, France views Australia as a key strategic partner in the region. -
6 Apr 2020
Presenting The Interpreter self-isolation cooking special
A round-the-world tour of culinary tips to give your quarantined kitchen a truly international flavour. -
6 Apr 2020
A post-Covid world and the limits of “America first”
Strong US global leadership would be in Washington’s interests, and would counter China’s “face-mask diplomacy”. -
6 Apr 2020
Xi Jinping emerges stronger from Covid-19 outbreak
Far from undermining his standing, both the President and Party have consolidated an authoritarian approach to power. -
6 Apr 2020
A global call to arms
For poorer nations, stopping a pandemic might lead to starvation. The world must be ready to help the neighbours. -
3 Apr 2020
Covid-19: Averting economic disaster in the Pacific
Australia should urgently switch is infrastructure lending facility to a broader fund to help keep the region solvent. -
3 Apr 2020
COVIDcast Episode 5: Pandemic in the Pacific
The latest episode in a podcast to discuss the implications of coronavirus for Australia, the region, and the world. -
3 Apr 2020
Timor-Leste: The consequences of Covid-19
A coronavirus outbreak would not only overwhelm the health system, but would deepen the country’s poverty as well. -
2 Apr 2020
Covid-19 is not only a health crisis, it’s a migration crisis
Temporary migration is integral to Australia’s economic success story. And many of those migrants are now at risk. -
2 Apr 2020
Covid-19: Jokowi must win back his people’s trust after early missteps
This is a fight for the long haul, but it can only be won if Indonesians have faith in their government. -
2 Apr 2020
China-US geopolitics in the age of corona
Beijing seeks to capitalise and claim global leadership in fighting the virus, while Trump shows no interest at all. -
2 Apr 2020
What if the realists are right?
The fraying of the liberal international order, seemingly hastened by Covid-19, validates a more grim school of thought. -
1 Apr 2020
Coping with crisis: How much “resilience” is on display?
Covid-19 shows the idea people triumph alone over adversity is a myth – it takes the support and resources of a society. -
1 Apr 2020
Double disaster: Emergency preparedness in the era of Covid-19
A new humanitarian crisis in the current global environment would be a shock. Now is the time to get ready. -
1 Apr 2020
Covid-19: New Zealand, isolated, yet far from alone
The government acted swiftly to lockdown, leaving the economy reeling. People are supportive – so far. -
31 Mar 2020
A political impasse in Timor-Leste as coronavirus looms
A government of national unity might be desirable right now, but such a prospect seems remote. -
31 Mar 2020
From books to cooks: What readers recommend to cope in quarantine
We’ve heard your books recommendations. Now for an isolated weekend, how about your favourite national dish? -
31 Mar 2020
Covid-19 responses: Why feminist leadership matters in a crisis
Too often gender equality is jettisoned when “real problems” arise. Not only is this mistaken, it can cost lives. -
30 Mar 2020
Indonesia: The rally of a community facing a coronavirus threat
A pluck of courage, the brashness of youth, and a little ingenuity – when authorities are slow to act, people step up. -
30 Mar 2020
BBC Dad has learned a thing or two about working from home
A famous video of madcap mayhem in a home office suddenly has new resonance. Yet with the laughs, expect a long grind. -
30 Mar 2020
Doom surfing and fact checkers prosper in Covid-19 infodemic
With so much information swirling around, especially on social media, just what should we believe? -
27 Mar 2020
Coronavirus and the threat to South Asian democracy
With the lockdowns imposed to limit the spread of Covid‑19, the authoritarian grip on South Asia will likely strengthen.