14 Aug 2023
The Moon: The great game on new turf
India joins a powerplay with the United States, China and Russia in the hunt for lunar treasure and strategic superiority.
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14 Aug 2023
Thailand’s monarchy: Heirs and spares
A surprise visit to Thailand by two of King Vajiralongkorn’s sons after an absence of 27 years shows dynastical survival trumps personal animosity. -
14 Aug 2023
What does the new International Development Policy mean for the Pacific?
Australia has outlined its case for being the preferred regional partner, but the Pacific needs less talk and more action. -
11 Aug 2023
Learning Cold War lessons of espionage anew
The ever-present threat of spies can lead to the greater danger – ourselves. -
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11 Aug 2023
The constrained ambition of Australia’s new development policy
Aid “rebuild” focuses on quality and smarter geopolitics, but not dollars. -
10 Aug 2023
Fake news, propaganda, and the withering of commitment to truth
Joseph Stalin’s denial of access for Western journalists during the Second World War heralded the birth of disinformation. -
10 Aug 2023
Young voices on Fiji’s new political era
Six months after a democratic transformation, a new government strides ahead – with the biggest hurdles still to come. -
10 Aug 2023
Are Western intelligence agencies “fuelling an armed rebellion” in Myanmar?
Espionage by its nature is difficult to prove – big claims should be judged carefully before leaping to conclusions. -
9 Aug 2023
Overseas Filipino workers toil for the Marcos government’s bottom line
The Philippines relies on remittances to prop up the local economy. But the reports of abuses cannot be ignored. -
9 Aug 2023
The Fix: Tray tables up, window blinds open
Your weekly Interpreter feature about issues, resources or helpful distractions that might otherwise be missed. -
9 Aug 2023
Iran’s lithium lode: A potential strategic game-changer
Australia might find itself on a political and economic tightrope as China looks to diversify its options for the new oil of our times. -
8 Aug 2023
International development: Putting the heart back in Australian foreign policy
The government has taken a big step after listening to regional partners – now it has a chance to fill in the details. -
8 Aug 2023
Sri Lanka’s deep debt bind
Imposing losses on domestic creditors essentially imposes losses on the country itself. -
8 Aug 2023
Shadows of the state: How Wagner Group extends Russian reach in Africa
The mercenary operations sit at the heart of a complex web of geopolitical ambitions, covert operations, and influence peddling. -
7 Aug 2023
For America’s atomic bomb legacy, the past is present
The fallout of Hiroshima and Nagasaki – as well as nuclear testing in the Pacific – continues to hang over the US regional reputation. -
7 Aug 2023
Why the F word matters if we’re serious about gender equality in foreign policy
The problem with an implied rather than explicit feminist approach is that it is all too easy to ignore. -
7 Aug 2023
Why universities are still at risk for foreign interference
Australian universities are vulnerable as open and collaborative institutions. With more sensitive research underway, they are also part of the solution. -
4 Aug 2023
Women belong everywhere and this World Cup proves football can be the great equaliser
Respect for female athletes “tearing it up on the pitch” must translate into respect off the field, too. -
4 Aug 2023
What four upcoming elections in South Asia mean for Australia
With significant strategic equities at play, Canberra will need more regional engagement than ever before. -
4 Aug 2023
Archipelago angst: How Indonesia and the US differ on air routes over sea lanes
UNCLOS ambiguity, again. -
3 Aug 2023
Economic diplomacy: Hard labour managing geo-economic fragmentation
Australia faces tough choices from aid to energy in a new world of government intervention in trade and industry. -
3 Aug 2023
De-dollarisation: shifting power between the US and BRICS
Will a new global reserve currency threaten the greenback's supremacy? The short answer is yes. -
3 Aug 2023
The vanishing options for Julian Assange
Extradition for the WikiLeaks founder to the United States looks likely unless Anthony Albanese can persuade Joe Biden otherwise. -
2 Aug 2023
Moscow, we have a problem
Once useful mouthpieces, Russian military bloggers reporting from the front lines in Ukraine are now making the Kremlin nervous. -
2 Aug 2023
The Fix: Long road to inspiration
An Interpreter feature about issues, resources or helpful distractions that might otherwise be missed. -
2 Aug 2023
Can PNG afford more debt?
Betting on the potential of future resource wealth has proved a risky strategy. History holds valuable economic lessons. -
1 Aug 2023
In a meaningless gesture, Myanmar’s junta cuts Aung San Suu Kyi’s sentence
The leaders of the deposed democratic government shouldn’t be in jail at all. -
1 Aug 2023
China’s big gamble in Pakistan: A 10-year scorecard for CPEC
The monster project for the Belt and Road Initiative has a deeply troubled beginning. -
1 Aug 2023
Friedrich Merz and the fall of the “Berlin firewall”
To remain mainstream, Germany’s centre-right has employed all manner of tactics. Will it resort to cooperation with the populist far-right? -
1 Aug 2023
Something fishy about China’s anger over the Quad’s open ocean plans
Even illegal fishing is politicised amid growing China-US tensions. -
31 Jul 2023
“Solidarity with Russia”: North Korea cements an anti-US bloc
With friends like these, you can stand against the pressure of enemies. -
31 Jul 2023
A call for medical détente in the Pacific Islands
Pooling the expertise and resources of development partners is a win not only for regional healthcare but soft diplomacy. -
31 Jul 2023
Berlin’s economic “de-risking” model could be Europe's answer to the Taiwan question
Germany's aim is not to “decouple” from China, but to reduce its exposure to risk. And the potential winner is Taipei. -
28 Jul 2023
Solomon Islands: Invest in people and police before military
Australia and foreign partners should work with existing institutions. A new military capability could make matters worse. -
28 Jul 2023
Exploring an end game in Ukraine? Not yet
Moves towards negotiations are risky and could be interpreted by Putin as a sign of weakening Western resolve. -
28 Jul 2023
Far from the limelight, forgotten Afghans continue the fight
Accounts from Kabul hold lessons on how easily the world moves on, and some takeaways for Ukraine. -
27 Jul 2023
Is Hun Sen really stepping down?
After dominating Cambodia for so long, he will continue to dictate politics even after a handover to son Hun Manet. -
27 Jul 2023
Qin Gang has come and gone, but US-China drama is stuck on repeat
The sudden and surprising demise of China’s foreign minister won’t change the systemic tensions in the relationship. -
27 Jul 2023
An agenda for the AUSMIN talks
Australia should spend less time worrying about American strength – and more time thinking about its resolve. -
27 Jul 2023
Nuclear weapons: “Oppenheimer” won’t make a difference, but Australia can
The movie missed a chance to galvanise a renewed campaign, to better protect against existential danger than rely on sheer dumb luck. -
26 Jul 2023
Why the Australian Voice referendum matters globally
Close friends will be watching for an outcome that lives up to the values for which the country professes to stand. -
26 Jul 2023
It’s no surprise Australia shrugged off China’s campaign of trade coercion
New modelling confirms an early Lowy Institute conclusion that Beijing’s bluster would cause minimal economic damage. -
26 Jul 2023
The Fix: Chipping in
In this new Interpreter feature, we’re inviting short observations about issues or resources that might otherwise be missed. -
26 Jul 2023
A return to old-school mercantilism?
Suspicion and economic competition are forcing states back in time, with protectionism and self-sufficiency the new norm. -
25 Jul 2023
Cluster munitions: A necessary defensive strategy for Ukraine
It is Russia, not Ukraine, abusing international principles. The law must not obstruct Ukraine to fight back. -
25 Jul 2023
Beyond “the Brisbane Line”: Why Queensland is crucial to Australia’s national security
The state-federal divisions can’t stand in the way of a unified approach. -
25 Jul 2023
What is Australia’s role in supporting Timor-Leste?
Health and education are where Canberra can help Dili the most. But language barriers require thinking outside the box. -
24 Jul 2023
Understanding “loss and damage” from climate change across the Indo-Pacific
A concept that will become ever more familiar – in the courts, too – with more action needed to avoid irreversible consequences of climate change. -
24 Jul 2023
Opportunity lost with the Commonwealth Games
With alternative cities jumping at the chance to host the orphaned Games, has Victoria scored an own goal?