From Iraq to Iran – how international law has unravelled
In 2003, governments at least felt compelled to argue the legality of war. In 2026, a possible strike on Iran proceeds without even the pretence of legal justification.
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28 February 2026
‘Arsonist as Fire Chief’: Fed appoints Wall Street lobbyist to key bank oversight role
The Federal Reserve has appointed longtime Wall Street lawyer Randall Guynn as its new director of supervision and regulation – a move critics say risks entrenching industry influence at the heart of financial oversight.
27 February 2026
Pax Americana and the starvation siege of Cuba
For more than three decades the world has voted overwhelmingly to end the US embargo on Cuba. Washington ignores the law, the UN, and the humanitarian cost – and its allies look away.
27 February 2026
Five takeaways from Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address
How did our region see the US President's speech? Dewey Sim of South China Morning Post reports that in the 1 hour 47 minute address, Trump cast himself as a global peacemaker and touted his economic credentials.
26 February 2026
President Trump: Give back the money and stop grabbing more
The White House and Congress can and should provide relief to American families who bore the costs of illegal tariffs. The administration has the responsibility to design such relief.
26 February 2026
Iran on the brink
After decades of US-backed regime-change wars across the Middle East, Iran now stands alone. A new conflict would deepen regional instability and test Australia’s willingness to say no.
23 February 2026
Starlink, China and the governance of low Earth orbit
China’s massive satellite filings highlight how low Earth orbit has already been transformed by industrial-scale deployment – and how existing governance is struggling to keep pace.
23 February 2026
Countering bully, tyrant Trump’s intimidating expletives – it could work
Donald Trump’s rise and endurance rest on intimidation, repetition and media amplification – and on the long failure of opponents to confront those tactics directly.
21 February 2026
Prince Andrew arrested – why not King Trump?
If no one is above the law in the UK, not even royalty, presumably no one is above the law in the US, not even a president.
20 February 2026
Reverend Jesse Jackson's legacy on the Middle East
Tributes to Reverend Jesse Jackson rightly honour his civil rights leadership. Far fewer acknowledge his long, consistent support for Palestinian self-determination – and the political costs he paid for it.
18 February 2026
US attitude towards Vietnam remains imperialist, not capitalist
Vietnam’s Communist Party leader To Lam has consolidated power and set ambitious growth targets for the country’s future. While reforms have unlocked momentum, centralisation, debt, corruption and geopolitical pressure raise questions about sustainability.
18 February 2026
Judge pushes back on Trump-style ‘Ministry of Truth’
A Republican-appointed federal judge has ordered the restoration of slavery exhibits at an historic US site, rejecting claims that the executive can decide what historical truth should be.
17 February 2026
‘It’s my government’: Robert Reich's short note to Kristi Noem
To a current US cabinet secretary from a former one.
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26 January 2026
Trump, Greenland and Australia’s alliance reality check
