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  • 13 Apr 2021
    • Australian Foreign Aid
    • Timor-Leste
    • Climate change

    Dili floods a costly consequence of poor urban planning

    Joao da Cruz Cardoso
    Reactive measures by the Timor-Leste government and aid from overseas won’t prevent the same disaster next time.
  • 12 Apr 2021
    • Defence & Security
    • United States
    • Australia
    • China
    • India
    • Japan

    The Quad (finally) delivers: Can it be sustained?

    Susan Thornton
    The future of the grouping might well be determined by China’s behaviour.
  • 12 Apr 2021
    • Global Economy
    • United States
    • International Economy
    • Australia's Economy
    • IMF
    • Coronavirus

    Covid recovery, in Australia and the world

    John Edwards
    Drawing from his new Lowy Institute Paper, John Edwards looks at the fallout of the pandemic and where things are going.
  • 9 Apr 2021
    • Australia
    • Vietnam

    Obstacles and opportunities in Vietnam-Australia ties

    Hanh Nguyen
    The two countries see the region from different vantage points. But the prospects for cooperation are growing.
  • 9 Apr 2021
    • United States
    • International Economy
    • China-Australia Relations
    • Australia's Economy
    • Australian Diplomacy
    • China
    • India
    • Indonesia

    Economic diplomacy: Global tax, education exports and Team Australia

    Greg Earl
    Levelling the field with a global minimum tax, rethinking student fee revenue, and getting APEC back in the room.
  • 8 Apr 2021
    • Japan
    • Human rights
    • Sex and Gender

    Legalising same-sex marriage in Japan

    Akimoto Daisuke
    A court ruling has thrown down the challenge to Japanese politicians to ensure equality before the law.
  • 8 Apr 2021
    • Trade
    • China-Australia Relations
    • Australia's Trade
    • Australia's Economy
    • Australia
    • China
    • Coronavirus

    The big bark but small bite of China’s trade coercion

    Roland Rajah
    Targeted sanctions on Australian exports have affected billions in trade, but the real damage has been limited.
  • 7 Apr 2021
    • Technology
    • Singapore
    • Coronavirus
    • Human rights

    In Singapore, Covid vs privacy is no contest

    Kirsten Han
    The pandemic has shown how easily most people accept surveillance, and the government’s enthusiasm for new forms of it.
  • 6 Apr 2021
    • Review

    Ordinary Nazis

    Marcus Colla
    A growing understanding of interwar German society helps explain the popular embrace of National Socialist ideology.
  • 2 Apr 2021
    • Trade
    • China
    • Human rights

    With Xinjiang cotton, Beijing is taking on the world

    Holmes Chan , Kris Cheng
    The latest “us-versus-them” drama shows China sees little chance of mending ties with the West, for now at least.
  • 2 Apr 2021
    • Administration

    Skipping off for a break

    The Interpreter
    With the holiday weekend upon us, we’ll be running light till we’re back next week.
  • 1 Apr 2021
    • China
    • Taiwan
    • United States

    Closer Taiwan-US ties are stabilising the region, not the opposite

    Natasha Kassam
    Displays of solidarity for Taiwan won’t contain Beijing’s ambition, but US support must factor in its thinking.
  • 1 Apr 2021
    • Diplomacy
    • Papua New Guinea
    • Coronavirus

    Why not try? What a Papua New Guinean team could bring to the NRL

    Leanne Jorari
    Covid-19 has sapped PNG of excitement. But in the years to come, people’s love of footy offers a common rally point.
  • 31 Mar 2021
    • Bangladesh

    Understanding Bangladesh’s most potent religious opposition

    Mubashar Hasan
    Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh has deep roots in the country. A careful approach is needed in response.
  • 31 Mar 2021
    • United States
    • China
    • Climate change

    Washington risks an unsustainable climate policy

    Kate Clayton
    Tense talks between the US and China in Alaska Summit showed that collaboration on global challenges is fraught.
  • 30 Mar 2021
    • Diplomacy
    • Australia
    • Sex and Gender

    Australia must walk the talk on women’s rights – globally and at home

    Leanne Smith
    It’s not just local politics. Australia’s credibility with a feminist foreign policy, in name or not, is on the line.
  • 30 Mar 2021
    • United States
    • Migration

    America’s border crisis: Good intentions go south

    Mark Beeson
    A surge of migrants seeking to cross the border might be the moment noble ideals and political realities collide.
  • 30 Mar 2021
    • Public Opinion
    • United States
    • Australia
    • Coronavirus

    Taking the measure of prejudice in a pandemic

    Xiao Tan , Leah Ruppanner , Rennie Lee
    Has Covid-19 heightened anti-Asian bias in Australia? A new survey shows some worrying signs.
  • 29 Mar 2021
    • United States
    • Afghanistan War
    • Afghanistan

    An interim government would bring ruin to Afghanistan

    Nishank Motwani
    A US proposal to dissolve the Afghan administration risks a tragic repeat of the past.
  • 29 Mar 2021
    • United States
    • India

    Unresolved questions in US-India relations

    Anita Inder Singh
    Washington has signalled a desire for closer ties with New Delhi, but major challenges are yet to be answered.
  • 26 Mar 2021
    • India

    In India, a taste of political variety

    Aarti Betigeri
    State elections will test whether diversity in local politics can steer the country away from one-party dominance.
  • 26 Mar 2021
    • Pacific Islands
    • Australia
    • Australia and the Pacific
    • Technology

    Facebook’s monopoly danger in the Pacific

    Amanda Watson , Jemima Garrett
    The social media giant’s move to “unfriend” Australia highlighted complex threats to information security in the region.
  • 25 Mar 2021
    • Global Economy
    • Australia in the World
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • WTO

    Economic diplomacy: Deploying soft power and the future of trade

    Greg Earl
    Not-so-negative globalism, the not-so-predictable future of supply chains, and maybe not much change on China.
  • 25 Mar 2021
    • Afghanistan
    • Human rights
    • Sex and Gender

    Afghanistan: When a song is not just a song

    Susanne Schmeidl , Gillian Howell , Jawed Nader
    A move to prohibit girls singing was met with a big backlash on social media – a sign of the times, old and new.
  • 25 Mar 2021
    • Coronavirus
    • Human rights
    • Sex and Gender

    Female genital mutilation is still a risk – especially in a pandemic

    Kit Catterson
    Could lockdowns and travel restrictions have led the practice of female genital mutilation to increase in Australia?
  • 24 Mar 2021
    • Australia
    • Climate change

    The world sees the climate crisis in Australia’s floods. Do we?

    Edmond Roy
    Australia needs to lead in response to climate change or find itself become a global symbol for inaction.
  • 24 Mar 2021
    • Myanmar

    The upward spiral of violence in Myanmar

    Andrew Selth
    Past experience shows the protesters’ options are limited – fight back and the fight will only get harder.
  • 24 Mar 2021
    • Climate change
    • Technology
    • Review

    The greening of Bill Gates

    Christian Bennett
    The Microsoft founder has produced a solid primer for understanding the climate challenge. The next step is action.
  • 23 Mar 2021
    • Australia
    • Multiculturalism

    Australian politics should be as diverse as its people

    Osmond Chiu
    Strengthening the country’s global image requires true diversity in political representation.
  • 23 Mar 2021
    • Diplomacy
    • Australia
    • South Korea

    When a middle power is not caught in the middle

    Jeffrey Robertson
    Different understandings of the world where a middle power sits has led South Korea down a different path to Australia.
  • 22 Mar 2021
    • Philippines
    • Coronavirus

    Lockdown déjà vu in the Philippines

    Michael Beltran
    With Covid cases rising, the Duterte administration keeps doing the same thing but somehow expects a different result.
  • 22 Mar 2021
    • Diplomacy
    • United States
    • North Korea
    • Malaysia

    North Korea and Malaysia’s predictable diplomatic divorce

    James Chin
    Pyongyang is sending a message in typically overbearing style. But the target is as much the US as it is Malaysia.
  • 22 Mar 2021
    • Asean
    • Myanmar

    Myanmar coup: ASEAN’s quiet diplomacy is more constructive

    Hui Ying Lee
    Critics of the Southeast Asian organisation’s response miss the opportunity that is offered by trusted engagement.
  • 19 Mar 2021
    • Defence & Security
    • Terrorism
    • Africa

    The Mozambique Channel is the next security hotspot

    David Brewster
    An Islamist insurgency is spilling danger into a major shipping lane, and countries must decide who they want to fix it.
  • 18 Mar 2021
    • Terrorism
    • Australia
    • New Zealand

    Lessons from Christchurch

    Hannah Léser
    The findings of a New Zealand inquiry apply broadly: government leadership is needed to combat far-right extremism.
  • 17 Mar 2021
    • Defence & Security
    • India's Navy
    • India

    Aggressive sea control isn’t an option for India’s navy

    Abhijit Singh
    Be assertive close to home. But India should not shrink from distant waters, either.
  • 17 Mar 2021
    • United States
    • Iran's Nuclear Program

    The US and the Rules-Based Order: Testing the plan

    Ben Scott
    A frank new guidance document shows that in directing his foreign policy, Joe Biden still has to resolve means and ends.
  • 16 Mar 2021
    • Defence & Security
    • United States
    • Australia
    • India
    • Japan
    • Southeast Asia
    • Coronavirus

    The Quad gives a boost to India’s vaccine diplomacy

    Teesta Prakash
    Countering China’s influence is one thing. But fostering regional cooperation plays to the strengths of the grouping.
  • 16 Mar 2021
    • United States
    • North Korea
    • South Korea

    Troubles ahead for the US–South Korea alliance

    Khang Vu
    Biden’s efforts to nudge Seoul into the Quad may be self-defeating unless Moon Jae-in’s North Korea hopes are engaged.
  • 16 Mar 2021
    • Technology
    • Coronavirus

    Unpacking vaccine passports

    Dominic Meagher
    Proof of Covid vaccination for travel is a reasonable expectation, but is tech the only answer?
  • 15 Mar 2021
    • Defence & Security
    • Diplomacy
    • United States
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • Asean
    • Australia
    • China
    • India
    • Japan

    A new “concert” to govern the Indo-Pacific

    Pang Zhongying
    For Quad leaders emphasising an “inclusive” region, there may be a ready-made example for involving China.
  • 15 Mar 2021
    • Middle East Conflict
    • Iran
    • Israel

    An oil spill nobody owns

    Rodger Shanahan
    A clandestine operation? Environmental terrorism? Israel and Iran both deny responsibility for a mysterious event.
  • 15 Mar 2021
    • Defence & Security
    • Russia

    Russia wants to be a power to be reckoned with in the Indian Ocean

    Alexey Muraviev
    No public strategy is defined, but a list of Moscow’s military and paramilitary activity in the region is revealing.
  • 12 Mar 2021
    • Diplomacy
    • Australia
    • Iran

    Iran: Could Australia’s hostage diplomacy have been better?

    Ian Parmeter
    A public campaign by Australia’s government to try to shame Iran into freeing Kylie Moore-Gilbert would not have worked.
  • 12 Mar 2021
    • China
    • Review
    • China – Belt and Road Initiative

    The Belt and Road, and the pandemic detour

    Stephen Minas
    An important book illustrates the different hopes and dreams of partners to Beijing’s big infrastructure drive.
  • 12 Mar 2021
    • Global Issues
    • United States
    • US Elections
    • Institutions
    • Myanmar

    A smarter use of voting technology to stop election-related violence

    Iona Main
    Maybe in the search for efficiency we sometimes overcomplicate things, and the better solution is to get back to basics.
  • 11 Mar 2021
    • Asia
    • Global Economy
    • Myanmar
    • China

    Economic diplomacy: The business of coups and China’s Quad response

    Greg Earl
    Companies are finding themselves torn between conscience and keeping the lights on when it comes to Myanmar.
  • 11 Mar 2021
    • Papua New Guinea
    • Human rights
    • International law

    When will PNG establish a National Human Rights Commission?

    Moses Sakai
    Papua New Guinea has launched a commission to fight corruption. Now it needs to do the same to protect human rights.
  • 11 Mar 2021
    • Myanmar

    Myanmar’s personalised politics

    Andrew Selth
    It can be simplistic to reduce complex problems to two stubborn people, but we can wonder about what might have been.
  • 10 Mar 2021
    • Australia
    • European Union
    • Coronavirus

    Covid vaccines: Charity begins at home

    David Ritchie
    Italy’s block on a vaccine shipment to Australia looks suspiciously like Europe’s version of the “America first” policy.
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