Brexit for the US: Trump’s tariffs are the sign of a nation in decline
Waleed Aly

Brexit for the US: Trump’s tariffs are the sign of a nation in decline

economy politics usa world

Pop quiz: which country is the world’s leading producer of soybeans? Instinct might say China, or perhaps Japan, given the traditional centrality of soy to East Asian cuisine.

Asia battered by Trump’s harsh tariffs – Asian Media Report
David Armstrong

Asia battered by Trump’s harsh tariffs – Asian Media Report

In Asian media this week: “Reciprocal” tariffs savage poor nations. Plus: Auto levies hand “keys to the future” to China; Myanmar military declares ceasefire but continues fighting; Black carbon pollution a threat to glaciers; US, India in nuclear power deal; Bitter times for Darjeeling tea industry.

Trump's absurd trade policies will impoverish Americans and harm the world
Jeffrey D. Sachs

Trump's absurd trade policies will impoverish Americans and harm the world

US President Donald Trump is trashing the world trade system over a basic economic fallacy. He wrongly claims that America’s trade deficit is caused by the rest of the world ripping off the US, repeatedly stating things such as, Over the decades, they ripped us off like no country has never been ripped off in history…”

AUKUS – the bucktooth cousin hidden in election blather
Kym Davey

AUKUS – the bucktooth cousin hidden in election blather

In French, buck teeth are called dents à l'anglaise, literally English teeth. Stay with me. The connection to the old dart, France, and the dishonourable origins of AUKUS will be revealed.

Palestine is the issue to consider when you enter the voting booth
Jepke Goudsmit

Palestine is the issue to consider when you enter the voting booth

On the day Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the election date, Jews Against the Occupation '48 issued an open statement addressing the current government in the hope that Labor would shift its policies on Israel/Palestine.

How Xi woos world business leaders as Trump intensifies trade war
Zichen Wang

How Xi woos world business leaders as Trump intensifies trade war

On the morning of Friday, 28 March, Xi Jinping met representatives of the international business community at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Keating says Trump’s tariffs mean death knell for NATO and ANZUS
Paul Keating

Keating says Trump’s tariffs mean death knell for NATO and ANZUS

Former Australian prime minister Paul Keating says Donald Trump’s neo-Monroeism has made it clear that America now calls only the Western hemisphere home.

‘It's back to the (fossil fuel) future for Peter Dutton’
Jenny Hocking

‘It's back to the (fossil fuel) future for Peter Dutton’

It’s only the first week – and if you thought Peter Dutton’s election campaign looks chaotic, dishevelled, and thin on policy substance, you’re right.

In every China-US war game scenario I've seen, America has lost
Chris Barrie

In every China-US war game scenario I've seen, America has lost

Global security alliances are in turmoil, and Australia needs to critically rethink its defence and foreign affairs policies.

Dutton wants to know if you’re better off now. It’s a trick question
Ross Gittins

Dutton wants to know if you’re better off now. It’s a trick question

For most people, the simple answer to Peter Dutton’s repeated question — are you better off today than you were three years ago? — is “no, I’m not”.

Medicare's much-needed reform held hostage by vested interests: Michael Lester in conversation with John Menadue, AO
Michael Lester

Medicare's much-needed reform held hostage by vested interests: Michael Lester in conversation with John Menadue, AO

Access to affordable primary healthcare through GPs has collapsed, forcing more people to rely on overcrowded and understaffed public hospitals. These hospitals, meant to be a last resort, have instead become the costly default option.


John Menadue

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Latest on Palestine and Israel

United Nations General Assembly votes to demand Israel end Palestinian occupation, Australia abstains
Brad Ryan

United Nations General Assembly votes to demand Israel end Palestinian occupation, Australia abstains

The United Nations General Assembly has overwhelmingly voted in favour of a Palestinian resolution demanding Israel end its unlawful presence in Gaza and the occupied West Bank within a year.

The Melbourne synagogue fire: Antisemitism, political meddling and exceptional victimhood
Binoy Kampmark

The Melbourne synagogue fire: Antisemitism, political meddling and exceptional victimhood

In his ongoing campaign to pad and shield criticism of Israel in the conduct of its war of gross bloodletting in Gaza, Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rarely misses a beat to attack critics. It has become clear that even mere disagreement from long standing allies suggests wobbliness and tilting in the direction of antisemitism.

Trump's plan for Gaza heralds an age of naked fascism
Sawsan Madina

Trump's plan for Gaza heralds an age of naked fascism

I watched Trump's joint press conference with Netanyahu, in utter disbelief. Not that the idea, or indeed the practice, of ethnic cleansing of Palestine is new. But at that press conference the mask has fallen. Recently, fascism has been on the march everywhere, but that press conference seemed to herald an age of naked fascism.

South Africa asks ICJ to order halt to Rafah massacre as 110,000 Gazans flee advancing Israeli troops
Pearls and Irritations

South Africa asks ICJ to order halt to Rafah massacre as 110,000 Gazans flee advancing Israeli troops

The move comes as Australia, in a significant break from Israeli and US policy, voted yes in the UN General Assembly to upgrading Palestines UN membership status. The resolution passed with 143 countries voting in favour, nine voting against, and 25 abstentions.

UN vote: Newspaper raises irrelevant questions about an ICJ decision
Paul Heywood-Smith

UN vote: Newspaper raises irrelevant questions about an ICJ decision

The exclusive 'US urges Australia over UNs Israel vote, published in Tuesdays The Australian by Ben Packham, demands a response.

ICC applies for arrest warrants against Netanyahu, Sinwar
The Cradle News Desk

ICC applies for arrest warrants against Netanyahu, Sinwar

The ICC chief prosecutor accused Israeli and Hamas leaders of war crimes while repeating false claims against Hamas and downplaying Israeli violence against Palestinians, writes The Cradle news desk.

Resilience amongst ruin: 12 months of genocide and resistance in Gaza
Ramia Abdo-Sultan

Resilience amongst ruin: 12 months of genocide and resistance in Gaza

Just weeks into Israels current genocide in Gaza, I spoke with my cousin as she watched the violence unfold from her home in Khan Yunis. She declared, We are used to this; it is temporary and will pass.

How Israel relies on up to 1,000 Australians and other foreign fighters  to carry out its war crimes
Ali Bakir

How Israel relies on up to 1,000 Australians and other foreign fighters to carry out its war crimes

Thousands of people from countries around the world have joined the war against Palestinians.


Latest on China

How Xi woos world business leaders as Trump intensifies trade war
Zichen Wang

How Xi woos world business leaders as Trump intensifies trade war

china economy politics world

On the morning of Friday, 28 March, Xi Jinping met representatives of the international business community at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

In every China-US war game scenario I've seen, America has lost
Chris Barrie

In every China-US war game scenario I've seen, America has lost

Global security alliances are in turmoil, and Australia needs to critically rethink its defence and foreign affairs policies.

China’s spies are here to help Albo: Anti-China Media Watch
Marcus Reubenstein

China’s spies are here to help Albo: Anti-China Media Watch

The Australian reliably informs as that in Beijing it’s “all the way with Albo for PM”; the latest Chinese ship in the proximity of Australia’s waters is both an act of aggression and proof positive that New Zealand’s scientists are among the most “clueless” creatures on earth; and Confucius Institutes have to go from Australian university campuses.


More from Pearls and Irritations


Latest letters to the editor

Peter Henning gets Gaza & Labor right

Tony Kevin — Canberra

Thank you Peter Henning. We needed such a detailed timeline of how the Labor elite is trying to destroy Senator Fatima Paymans determined drive to recall Labor to its principles on Gaza. This has been a sad and disillusioning week. Labour is doing itself immense damage and losing its voter base in seats with large immigrant-based populations. The power over the Labor Party of the alliance of Australian Zionism and the old white political power elites has been challenged by Paymans idealism and courage. The result will be very damaging to Labor at the next election: it will face...
What the nurses said

Hans Rijsdijk — Albion Park Rail

This article by Tony Kevin brings again into focus the unsavoury practices of the Zionist movement. However, I would like to hear from the two nurses at the centre of this affair. Maybe I've missed it, but I have seen no comments whatsoever from the two nurses themselves. Have they been silenced? Are they silent by choice? Why did they agree to the interview? What do they think now about their comments? Surely, their comments would be of great public interest?
A witty take on US-China Summit

WANG XIANGWEI — Hong Kong

Heard a witty take on the US-China summit concluded in San Francisco, leveraging a popular Chinese idiom: both sides admitted that they may not pee in the same pot but vowed to ensure they will not pee on each other. Thanks for reading Wang Xiangwei's Thought of the Day on China
Chinese naval codes

Geoff Taylor — Perth

Peter Cronau raises the key question: Why wouldnt Defence have been monitoring transmissions from the ships from when they were first off Queensland? Of course, the warning to aircraft would have been in plain language. But if you think of the cracking of the German Enigma code and of the Nazi high command code during WWII, how good is Defence at reading encrypted codes from other navies? After all, right now Russia, Iran and China are conducting joint naval exercises in the northwest Indian Ocean (yes, thats the one that touches Australia for thousands of kilometres), according to Al...



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Beijing says it will impose additional 34 percent tax on US goods from next week in retaliation to Washington's tariffs.