Australian personnel aboard a US nuclear submarine during an attack on an Iranian vessel highlight the deeper implications of AUKUS – and the risk of Australia being drawn into American wars.
Category: Politics
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Pacific economies exposed as war in Iran drives oil shock risk
An oil price spike triggered by war in the Middle East could hit Pacific economies hard. Heavy reliance on imported fuel and limited storage leave island nations highly exposed. (more…)
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Rising seas could menace a billion people this century
Accelerating sea level rise driven by warming oceans and melting ice threatens coastal cities worldwide, placing up to a billion people at risk before the end of the century. (more…)
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Diplomacy as cover – how the road to war with Iran was paved
Negotiations with Iran appeared to promise a diplomatic breakthrough, but the launch of Operation Epic Fury suggests the talks served mainly to mask a pre-planned path to war driven by political and strategic pressure. (more…)
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A growing Jewish challenge to Israel’s war narrative
Jewish organisations using social media are challenging dominant narratives about Israel’s actions in Gaza, framing the conflict through human rights, international law and Jewish ethical traditions. (more…)
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Settler colonialism: what it can tell you about the Israel/Palestine conflict
In spite of a last minute venue cancellation by Adelaide University, a sold-out Adelaide crowd heard from Chris Sidoti, Francesca Albanese, Henry Reynolds and Lana Tatour on lessons and links for Australia on settler colonialism and the Israel/Palestine conflict.
The event was hosted by Association for the Promotion of International Law (APIL).
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The human side of AI in childhood cancer: children as the stress test for “good” technology
Artificial intelligence is transforming cancer care, but paediatric oncology shows why technology must be guided by transparency, ethics and the needs of children and families.
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An invitation to dance: How Bad Bunny builds a movement
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show didn’t rely on argument or translation. By leading with joy, culture and curiosity, it quietly broadened ideas about belonging in the United States.
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Under blockade – Cuba warns of the global precedent of economic coercion
As the United States tightens economic pressure on Cuba, the island’s ambassador to New Zealand warns that the issue is larger than one nation – it is a test of whether international trade and sovereignty will be governed by law or coercion. (more…)
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When is an illegal war morally defensible?
Some illegal uses of force have been judged morally defensible, as in Kosovo in 1999. But the US–Israel war on Iran fails that test – lacking lawful authority, credible motives and a plausible path to a better outcome. (more…)
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China waits and watches as the US fights all its tigers at once
The US–Israeli war with Iran has shattered Washington’s hope of concentrating its power on containing China. Instead, the United States is entangled in multiple conflicts while Beijing gains strategic time. (more…)
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Environment: warming oceans, sinking coasts and Covid’s impact on birds
New research shows oceans warming to depths of 2,000 metres, human-driven land subsidence intensifying sea level risks in China, and pandemic lockdowns altering bird evolution in Los Angeles.
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Jimpa lovingly follows in the tradition of artwork about fathers who came out of the closet
Sophie Hyde’s film Jimpa explores the personal and generational impact of a father coming out, situating one family’s story within the wider history of gay liberation and changing identities.
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Taking back the Southern Cross
Once a symbol of unity, equality and democratic rights, the Eureka flag is increasingly being appropriated by extremist groups seeking to legitimise racism and exclusion. Reclaiming its precious original meaning may now require protecting it from misuse.
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Canada and Australia: working together – without the US
Mark Carney’s blunt declaration that the rules-based international order has ruptured challenges countries like Australia to rethink their alliances and consider new coalitions among middle powers. (more…)
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Message from the Editor
When I stared in newspapers it was often said that today’s paper is tomorrow’s fish and chip wrapper. It is a relief to know that some are not so casual about the press. John Menadue and Paul Keating both have long memories, and mark a special anniversary today. It is exactly three years to the day since The Age and SMH ran a series called ‘Red Alert – warning war with China would come within three years, making that deadline today.
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Three years on, where is the China war we were warned of?
Three years after dire warnings that Australia must prepare for war with China, no such conflict has eventuated. Instead, the United States has continued its long pattern of military interventions. (more…)
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Herald, Age news abuse shamefully exposed
Three years ago today, the editorial leadership of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age wilfully and dangerously misled the communities of Sydney and Melbourne into believing that at or by today, 7 March 2026, Australia would face the prospect of a direct attack by China and its military on the mainland of Australia.
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Why Albert Camus still matters in an age of authoritarianism
Albert Camus wrote in the shadow of fascism, war and ideological violence. His defence of truth, democratic dialogue and human limits remains strikingly relevant in today’s era of authoritarian politics and “post-truth” public debate. (more…)
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The $175 billion question: will the US Supreme Court stop the war fund?
A US court order forcing the refund of $175 billion in tariff taxes has triggered a constitutional confrontation over whether a president can bypass Congress to fund global conflict.
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For 27 years, the Kyle and Jackie O Show indulged Australia’s most vulgar, sexist impulses
The collapse of the Kyle and Jackie O radio partnership highlights a contradiction in Australian media culture – a society that condemns misogyny yet rewarded a program built on vulgarity, sexism and humiliation. (more…)
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Where are Iran’s allies? Why Moscow and Beijing are keeping their distance
Russia and China have condemned the US–Israeli attack on Iran as illegal, but both powers have drawn clear limits on their support, stopping well short of military intervention.
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‘Rude, arrogant and entitled’: ex-Prince Andrew’s arrest is the inevitable conclusion to a sordid royal tale of privilege and protection
The arrest of ex-Prince Andrew over alleged misconduct is not an isolated scandal but the product of a system that shields the royal family from scrutiny. Without transparency and accountability, privilege can become a pathway to abuse of power. (more…)
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How long can Israel sustain a military conflict with Iran?
Public support for Israel’s war effort contrasts with doubts over its long-term military and economic sustainability. (more…)
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International law or ‘might is right’? Australia’s choice on Iran
The US and Israeli strikes on Iran have not been legally justified under international law. As the Trump administration pushes an increasingly unilateral approach to global power, Australia faces a choice – defend the UN Charter or remain silent.
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As the planet warms, more girls are being born
New research suggests rising temperatures may be skewing birth ratios towards females in overheated regions. At the same time, declining fertility and male-dominated industries driving climate change raise deeper questions about leadership and humanity’s future. (more…)
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Prabowo’s Middle East peace gambit is long on theatre, short on strategy
The weapons are fast and devastating, driven by big bucks and high tech. They’re being used in a war of religions that’s almost 14 centuries old. Both sides have recruited God. A man of war from Southeast Asia thinks he can bring reason to bear. He can’t. (more…)
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Australia’s politics of consensus is stifling dissent and compassion
Governments sustain power by repeating stories about themselves. In Australia’s federal parliament, a narrow political consensus – marked by conformity, cruelty and evasion – is weakening democratic debate and eroding the principles of human rights and international law.
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Australia needs to read its own geography
As Australia deepens its alignment with Washington through AUKUS and expanded military integration, it risks compromising the regional trust and autonomy that underpin its long-term prosperity and security. (more…)
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We have been here before – and we never learn
From Afghanistan to Iraq and Libya, repeated military interventions have weakened rather than strengthened US power. With new strikes on Iran launched without congressional authorisation, the pattern of executive overreach and strategic miscalculation deepens.
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