Robuta

A reported pivot by special forces to the region raises questions about the role expected of Australia and New Zealand.

In its current print edition, the Economist has a fascinating chart that deserves much greater attention than the small section devoted to it. It matches the...

By Jonathan Pryke, Research Fellow and Director of the Aus-PNG Network, Melanesia Program, and Anna Kirk, Research Associate, Melanesia Program. Although the...

Just under eighteen months ago, Kashmir looked to be at a turning point. State elections in 2014 produced an unlikely coalition of hawks from the ruling BJP...

The seafood you bought from your local market could have been caught by a slave.

The US Embassy in Pakistan has just cracked a diplomatic milestone, becoming the first mission in the world to pass 1 million fans on Facebook.

Trump’s attacks and some big absences steal the spotlight from what would be South Africa’s moment.

Copenhagen and Oslo drone sightings, Russian airspace violations and European airport cyber attacks will loom large over a meeting of EU leaders in the Danish...

Immigration, climate, trade and China are fracturing the conservative side of politics into rival camps with competing worldviews.

The echoes of history are evident – only this time, trust may not be as important as the context.

This issue of the Monitor contains reflections on Think20 2014. The Think20 involves think tanks and academics from G20 countries, and aims to feed policy...

A boost to the ties that bind Australia and the Indo-Pacific is essential to humanising public diplomacy and building life-long connections.

Volatile geopolitics creates risks for business. A new industry is emerging in Australia to meet the demand for intelligence and advice.

Even without a co-hosting arrangement, Canberra can still push outcomes that matter for the region.

In news that may help Laos successfully compete for the world's attention in a week cram full of colourful leaders' meetings, the US has announced it will...

Humanitarian workers face danger abroad – and legal uncertainty at home under Australia’s current laws.

A partial retreat in the region could backfire, flaming tensions and emboldening China’s aggression.

Australians feel far more distrustful, pessimistic and less secure than they have in years. And our souring relations with China are central to our problems....

How societies adapt to technological change will be an important marker of national power.

Today marks the drawing down of the G20 Studies Centre at the Lowy Institute. The Centre was established to provide high quality public analysis of...

More than geography, the coordinates of a state are borne of ideology, history and power perceptions.

The Lowy Medical Research Institute

Since 2010, Boko Haram has acquired increasingly sophisticated weaponry, grown its ranks, and expanded its capacity to attack a variety of targets, primarily...

Last Wednesday, Libya's UN-backed unity government (GNA) arrived in Tripoli by boat in an attempt to establish its authority in the country. Since its...

These elections are a barometer for the ruling party and will provide a sense of the public's satisfaction with it.

South Korea is no longer merely buying American security; it is building in interdependence.

The potential for conflict in the region should have Canberra and Wellington thinking about shared strategic risks.

In Afghanistan, there is increasing dissatisfaction with the suspension of female higher education, even within the Taliban.

The Syrian Arab Armed Forces (SAAF) are fighting ISIS in eastern Syria. Australia is planning to bomb ISIS targets in eastern Syria. But Australia will not be...

Technology advances give ASEAN the opportunity to enhance tobacco controls and encourage a healthy way.

The Greenland dispute threatens to revive a question NATO prefers to avoid.

The arrival of hundreds of Yemeni asylum seekers in South Korea has produced a strange alliance in opposition.

After her startling three-day rise from Tory leadership contender to Prime Minister, many are wondering what sort of leader Theresa May will be. We already...

A US YouTuber shows how soft power is done.

The Interpreter features daily commentary and analysis on international issues. The site is edited by Daniel Flitton and research editor Clare Caldwell, along...

Middle powers can act now to reform the UN – before financial crisis turns it into an empty shell.

We should encourage defectors from Chinese intelligence services, even if the bona fides in this case are not yet clear.

When it comes to Australia, Trump’s focus is elsewhere, and that’s not all bad.

Despite years of policy efforts from G20 nations, fees for remitting to Pacific Islands are still among the most expensive in the world.

Restricting national symbols targets the wrong actors and risks being counterproductive.

A major shipping route, yes, but vital? False claims about the value of these waters only make diplomacy harder.