21 Dec 2023
Australia must work with Bangladesh to stop the Rohingya boats
Extra aid is welcome. The next task is to build Bangladesh’s capabilities.
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20 Dec 2023
Albanese’s foreign policy speech: “Boring” sounds just right
Regular updates about Australia’s position in the world do the public a great service. -
20 Dec 2023
The great offshore decommissioning
More than 70 per cent of the world’s oil and gas production comes via ageing infrastructure rapidly approaching an economic limit. -
20 Dec 2023
US-India relations are shaken but not shattered
An alleged plot by an Indian official to assassinate an American is a gut punch – but strategic choices will prevail. -
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19 Dec 2023
Australia–PNG security agreement: A revamp for Pacific partnerships
A technical perspective into the intended operation of the bilateral security deal between the close neighbours. -
19 Dec 2023
Decoding good intelligence
Transparency – in the sense of a good public understanding of the role and value of intelligence – is essential to support. -
19 Dec 2023
Putin’s confidence heading into 2024
In the Russian leader’s world, friends are returning and with it the whiff of success. -
18 Dec 2023
How Central Asia became a key region for the West
An crucial artery for trade also holds many of the natural resources coveted in the modern age. -
18 Dec 2023
Ukraine’s game of thrones
It’s not surprising that political tensions are playing out at home amid frustration over progress in the war. -
18 Dec 2023
Postcard from Mayotte
A French Indian Ocean territory that desperately wants to stay that way. -
15 Dec 2023
Germany’s digital dilemma
The European powerhouse is struggling to embrace all the opportunities of the information age. -
15 Dec 2023
The limits of Thailand’s populist politics
The new government is treading a well-worn path with cash hand-outs and other appeals to voters – only many wanted a different approach. -
15 Dec 2023
Gains, pains, and dubious claims from the Pacific Labour Mobility Survey
The large-scale survey produced limited data on complex issues and is no substitute for culturally appropriate social research. -
14 Dec 2023
Not doom, but get used to a world economy with extended gloom
The drivers of global economic growth have changed markedly from the experience over the past 30-40 years. -
14 Dec 2023
Shifting Quad relief operations from theory to practice
A relief operation exercise would allow the Quad partners to draw in other countries and showcase a regional good. -
14 Dec 2023
Australia needs an open-source intelligence agency
Done right, this reform could also disrupt the culture of excessive secrecy. -
13 Dec 2023
Beijing digs in for the Central Asia-China gas pipeline
Construction challenges aside, a geopolitical interest is obvious. -
13 Dec 2023
The Fix: Nationalist theatre, with a twist
An action film where the climax features a gritty anti-hero urging the importance of an informed vote? Watch and learn. -
13 Dec 2023
Crunch time on Rohingya refugees
By bolstering assistance to Bangladesh, Australia can avoid a new source of maritime arrivals. -
12 Dec 2023
The redemption of Bashar al-Assad?
Syria has been readmitted to the Arab League but faces ongoing challenges and a population bedevilled by conflict. -
12 Dec 2023
Down or out: The future of fossil fuels at COP28
Record attendance by oil, coal and gas lobbyists shows how seriously the industry is taking this conference – and the gap remaining to any deal. -
12 Dec 2023
India indicted? Unravelling an alleged assassination plot in America
Legal documents can send a diplomatic message. But the questions raised might lead to unexpected turns. -
11 Dec 2023
The Beijing blowback should Australia get closer to Taiwan
Bilateral initiatives are not the only way for Australia to bolster Taiwan and signal its support. -
11 Dec 2023
Don’t let China veto Australia’s ties with Taiwan
Canberra should not let increased trade and political engagement with Taipei be held hostage to Beijing’s sensitivities. -
11 Dec 2023
Espionage top ten
From George Smiley to Jackson Lamb, the best spy fiction relies not on heroes but masters of the plot. -
8 Dec 2023
Half time at COP28: Reflections from Dubai
A new loss and damage fund is real progress – but on its own is far from enough. -
8 Dec 2023
University challenge: Caption contest winners
A pair of students win tickets to see Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the 2023 Lowy Lecture and Dinner. -
8 Dec 2023
America's re-balance to Asia delayed … again
Whisperings of Chinese military facilities in the Gulf combine with Gaza War to further complicate US efforts at strategic re-prioritisation. -
7 Dec 2023
Does the world have any energy left to cope with another war?
Talk of conflict between South American countries Venezuela and Guyana has suddenly flared over a longstanding border dispute. -
7 Dec 2023
Economic diplomacy: Pulling the right global value chain
Australia is now a big exporter of “bottleneck products” in a deglobalising world, just as it tries to rebuild manufacturing. -
7 Dec 2023
China’s view of Henry Kissinger: A political nostalgia
The outpouring in China stems from dissatisfaction with the current US policy towards Beijing and change from Kissinger’s framework. -
6 Dec 2023
The geopolitics of Argentina’s lithium trade
Will the new government redefine its trade ties with China – and at what cost? -
6 Dec 2023
The Fix: A death in Malta
Uncovering the murky business of corruption and graft too often puts journalists’ lives at risk. -
6 Dec 2023
Tales from the magic circle
A new book explores how post-war Europe’s waves of counterculture and activism transformed the notion of revolution. -
5 Dec 2023
Indonesia ratifies nuclear weapons ban treaty. Australia should too.
Why does the government remain at odds with the vast majority of its neighbours? -
5 Dec 2023
“Egregious stupidity”: The story of when Australia split with Kissinger over South Asia
On Kissinger’s final report card, his handling of India, Pakistan and the emergence of Bangladesh scores badly. -
5 Dec 2023
Should Trump win, will Kim Jong-un pick up the phone?
Circumstances have greatly changed since the “bromance” that captivated the world. -
4 Dec 2023
Myanmar: The last days of the junta?
The rebels appear to hold all the initiative on the battlefield. -
4 Dec 2023
Learning to live in a world without progress
Optimistic about the trajectory of human society? That’s brave. -
4 Dec 2023
How to stop any repeat of the Australia-China sonar incident
A regional deal to close a loophole relating to the use of sonar in international law could be a good place to start. -
1 Dec 2023
France as a convening power in the Pacific: The Nouméa SPDMM
A little known regional dialogue offers France and other countries a chance to contribute to the “Pacific way”. -
1 Dec 2023
COP28: A better climate for US-China relations?
As rivalry dominates cooperation, shared concern on the environment is still held out as a chance to stabilise ties. -
1 Dec 2023
Ignoring those forgotten
There is more shared history between China and Australia than many realise. -
30 Nov 2023
Henry Kissinger: A man for the times
Driven by a European-style statecraft, one of America’s most controversial figures shaped modern US foreign policy. -
30 Nov 2023
Inside the tangled negotiations for a global plastic treaty
Countries want to end plastic pollution by 2040 but haven’t yet found agreement on a path to the goal. -
30 Nov 2023
Indonesia: The high cost of high-speed rail
A first for Southeast Asia is worth celebrating. But infrastructure spending still must prove itself effective. -
30 Nov 2023
Argentina: From beggar to chooser
Voters backed the promise of a functional economy with fewer restrictions, but the new administration will now need to convince the world. -
29 Nov 2023
Southeast Asia's minerals: Opportunity knocks
Australia should make better use of its regional leadership in minerals technology, skills and governance. -
29 Nov 2023
The Fix: Simple history is never simplistic
Your weekly Interpreter feature about issues, resources and helpful distractions that might otherwise be missed.