When Austrian singer Conchita Wurst headlined the Mardi Gras afterparty it seemed as though all of Sydney was celebrating. […]

Australia’s bid for the Human Rights Council has been in the news with the announcement of the Hon Philip Ruddock MP as Australia’s […]

Australia’s bid for the Human Rights Council has been in the news with the announcement of the Hon Philip Ruddock MP as Australia’s […]

Richard Haass describes himself as a “card-carrying member of the foreign policy establishment”. It would be hard to disagree. He is president of […]

Conflicts across the globe illustrate the devastating humanitarian consequences when urban areas become theatres of war. The use of explosive weapons in these environments carries numerous implications for civilians, including children. What is being done at the international level, and what further action can states take? 

The Syrian civil war, seemingly frozen in an uneasy deadlock for years, has been reignited with rebel forces wresting Aleppo, the country’s second biggest city, from President Bashar al-Assad ’s grasp. While what happens next is uncertain, the ongoing conflict is likely set to drag on with unpredictable consequences for years to come.

Despite their reliance on multilateralism when pushing for greater climate action, Pacific Island States have become less willing to recognise the right to self-determination of other vulnerable groups at the UN. This shift in voting erodes norms around global solidarity and may prove ultimately self-sabotaging.

This week in Australian foreign affairs: Albanese meets with President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel; a new agreement to collaborate on research on emerging missile threat defence between Australia and Canada; Wong announces a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, and more.

US State Department official Josh Paul resigned in October 2023, being morally opposed to the Biden administration’s provision of arms to Israel. Paul has received considerable attention for his principled resignation, and has now launched a new lobby group called “A New Policy.” But is departing the public service necessarily an act of public virtue?