Could Japan, India and North Korea become buffer states between the US and China?

Andrew Leigh has written a clear and compelling reminder of the challenges in remaining open.

How can Australia, New Zealand and other democracies defend against foreign influence activities?

The Bougainville independence referendum, due in 2019, may not go ahead.

There is clearly a need to for the ADB consider new approaches. But the huge amount of unfinished work across Asia should remain a priority as well.

The news media has reported casualty claims later found to be spurious but paid little attention to the sources of these claims.

Hobbyist drones have moved air power away from government control and passed it to the people.

Abe will be counting on uncertainty from North Korea to make Bill English-style conservative familiarity more attractive to the Japanese electorate.

Only the EU is in a position to pick up the banner of the Western world.

When Theresa May appointed Boris Johnson Foreign Secretary it was viewed by some as unexpected proof that she had a sense of humour.

For Merkel, this was a hollow victory. The results will prompt introspection among the old parties.

"Intelligent disagreement is the lifeblood of any thriving society."

Duncan Green reviews Naomi Hossain’s new book, the Gates’ advocacy for US development assistance continues, and more.

The allure of a referendum on Kurdish independence has overridden the practical implications and very real risks.

It is difficult to see how the Administration can renege on JCPOA, but the damage may already have been done.

The people of Beijing are the embodiment of flexibility and adaptiveness.

The Lowy Institute Media Award, Kim Jong-un's statement, lessons from PNG's elections and more.

North Korea has apparently reached the limit of what it can achieve with underground nuclear testing. 

Kim Jong Un’s statement reinforces my fear that Kim believes North Korea needs to go on the offensive.

This week's links also include Myanmar tensions online, Cyber Week in Singapore, trolls in Korea, and WeChat's big admission.

Forgotten amid the protests is that the substance of the US-Malaysia relationship has been of significant value to both countries.

The UNHCR assisting the voluntary return of Somali refugees from Yemen, the relationship between migration and sustainable development, and more.

In much of the recent commentary, the ratio of fact to indignation appears unreasonably small.

This week's column also looks at the APEC sunshine effect in PNG and the future for Australia's services exports.

Not all of PNG’s electoral problems could be solved before 2022, but a thorough examination of the lessons learned from 2017 is the way to start.

Whoever ends up Prime Minister after Saturday’s contest will occupy the apex of a different New Zealand political landscape.

This week's links also include updates on the asylum seekers and refugees on Manus and a possible revival of the ABC's shortwave radio services.

Myanmar's de facto leader has made it clear she is a politician, not a democratic icon.

It is nothing short of outrageous that so many of our media outlets dedicate little serious treatment to the world.

In language and in tone, Trump's debut speech at the UN General Assembly felt like the international affairs equivalent of his inaugural address.

Much more active capital-flow management would reduce the likelihood of crisis.

To Deakin, The fault line in Australia’s relations with Great Britain was apparent as early as the 1880s.

Helping to address the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar is pivotal to maintaining the credibility of India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘Act East’ policies.

Diplomats and journalists aim to speak truth to power. We are often like-minded souls.

Winston Peters, leader of New Zealand First, is the politician most likely to decide the outcome.

President Trump’s first visit to the UN General Assembly this week will indicate whether he intends to promote America’s global engagement or double down on America first.

This week's links also include warnings of a 'human catastrophe' in Myanmar and tracking progress against sustainable development goals.

As the Chinese state and its emanations extends its reach beyond its traditional powerbases in the Sino-Myanmar hills, it pays to be aware of the motif of strategic Chinese infiltration.

The IMF will remain important, particularly for dealing with deeper crises. But it risks becoming less central and an increasingly last resort.

After the failure of grand bargains in the past six years, small, interim steps could be more likely to lead to a stable Libya.

This week we continued our delightful new series on foreign correspondents to mark the imminent awarding of the annual Lowy Institute Media Award.

With this change in leadership, Timor Leste meets a key measure of democratic consolidation.

Turnbull's rhetoric fails to take into account the fact that North Korea now probably has an operational ICBM.

The atmosphere was grim and tense but a hard-man from the IRA greeted me with: 'So, you must be a fan of Neighbours?'

While the security architecture of Asia in some flux, the future of the India-Japan relationship is looking very healthy indeed.

The Asian Development Bank was once an indispensible institution and should seek to be so again.

This week's links also include discussion of a private sponsorship model for refugees and the economics of migration.

War reporters do an important job but the toll can be high – everyone I met had broken relationships and an unhealthy addiction to the adrenalin of battle.

Uncertainty in Australian federal politics has spawned narrowly-focused political interests and an anti-free trade sentiment is also manifest.

Australia’s role in Mindanao post-Marawi is a litmus test of its willingness and ability to do more in the neighbourhood to safeguard its interests.