Asia
Family ties? How Kim Jong‑un is going his own way
It is still August, yet for North Korea, 2024 has been a remarkable year.In January, Kim Jong-un declared that North Korea had abandoned a goal of unification with South…
Is Australia too late to claim its green economy share?
Australia’s economic future has long been intertwined with fossil fuels, which still make up 20 per cent of its export earnings. Yet the latest global data tells us a new economic…
Without money, the global biodiversity target is just an empty promise
Elephants, often romanticised as gentle giants roaming pristine wildernesses, are emblematic of biodiversity. Their portrayal in popular media has cultivated a strong public image…
Bangladesh: The economist turned saviour
What a wild ride 2024 has been for Mohammad Yunus. In June, he was indicted on charges of embezzlement, while on 1 January he was found guilty of labour law violations, for which…
Mission possible: Making the most of Australia-India cooperation on critical minerals
Critical minerals – lithium, cobalt, copper, and other rare earths – have rising importance worldwide as the building blocks of the digital age and the transition to renewable and…
A reckoning with empire
States are often prisoners of their pasts. History shapes how they interact and compete in the international arena. In the United Kingdom, where enthusiasm abounds after Keir…
China’s high-stakes diplomacy: Managing Middle Eastern turmoil
Chinese foreign policy faces an important test in the Middle East.China’s bilateral trade with the Gulf Cooperation Council and Iran totalled more than $300 billion in 2023,…
Bangladesh’s new military-led government has a tough job ahead
Autocratic regimes have a habit of ending quickly. On Monday, after weeks of violent protests, Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was ushered into an army helicopter and…
A respite for the Sierra Madre, but Philippines-China tensions remain
The failure of the US Navy and the American maritime industry to keep pace with China has created a disparity in naval capabilities in East Asia, which has allowed China to…
Marcos vs Duterte: Domestic politics meets grand strategy
It would be an understatement to say that Philippines President Marcos “Bongbong” Jnr has exceeded American expectations.Under Marcos, the Philippines has resumed patrols with…