There are five major and hundreds of minor religions in the world. But don’t worry – yours is the right one. – Anon After Christianity the second biggest global faith is Islam. The nation next door has a quarter of a billion followers; that’s more than any other international state. This fact sets Australia’s xenophobic Continue reading »
Asia
Forty-nine years ago, the Australian Prime Minister and the President of Indonesia met in a tiny sugar town in North Queensland and tried to convince the world they were discussing beef cattle exports, and not the invasion of East Timor. They never fooled the locals who didn’t see much action on the cattle front, just Continue reading »
In Asian media this week: Resistance has regime capital in its sights. Plus: Japan, US, boost Tokyo’s anti-Beijing role; International law ‘backs China’ in islands’ disputes; Tech giants will not solve climate change, social injustice; South Korea voters deliver rebuff to president; Given a chance, Chinese and American folk like each other. Anti-junta forces in Continue reading »
A tip to take a wee shot at understanding the way of doing politics in Indonesia: Suspend rationality. Now imagine PM Anthony Albanese offering Scott Morrison a ministry – choice from five. Not such a smart move for Down Under but OK for next door. Come May, the Indonesian Constitutional Court should respond to challenges Continue reading »
This former leader of PNG’s state energy supplier says we should take a leaf from the China playbook by using a “tied aid” model. The leadership turnstile at Papua New Guinea’s state energy provider, PNG Power (PPL), is spinning once again as the search is on for another chief executive. This latest shift at one Continue reading »
On March 19, the Hong Kong legislature passed the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance and reached a historic milestone in the implementation of “one country, two systems”. Legislation to implement Article 23, which requires Hong Kong to legislate on its own to prohibit seven national security offences, has been outstanding since 1997, and the inadequacy of Continue reading »
Does Australia really want to become entangled in a war (Cold or Hot) between the US and China motivated by the clash of the world’s two super cloud fiefs?
The post Does Australia know what it is getting into viz. the US-China New Cold War? GUARDIAN AUSTRALIA podcast appeared first on Yanis Varoufakis.
People in Hong Kong, particularly the media, should still be allowed to voice diverse opinions and criticism without fear of retribution – as long as it is fair and fact-based. This will help mitigate the concern of people considering a move to the city and show ‘one country, two systems’ is still alive and well. Continue reading »
In Asian media this week: Tokyo ready to export ‘lethal weapons par excellence’. Plus: Failed Evergrande in massive accounting fraud; Thailand leads ASEAN on same-sex marriage; American naval dominance is waning; Big-brand carmakers planning EV utes; Not-so-Huggie – low birth rate ends baby-nappy production. The Japanese Government has approved a plan to sell to other Continue reading »