You are currently browsing the archives for China.
The recent elections in Sweden and Italy, which went towards extremist parties campaigning against immigrants, and the Brazil election where they were narrowly knocked back, are a warning for democracy. Lee Duffield sets about finding psychological causes for what he calls the crop of “off-balance” players, “demagogues” on the right wing. … Read More »
The third independence referendum set for New Caledonia on 12 December was set to be like the last two referendums in some of its main features — but this time had worrying differences. … Read More »
Lee Duffield
The Australian Defence Minister, Melissa Price, on 9 November told the Submarine Association conference in Adelaide that the country’s nuclear-powered submarines would be built in South Australia.
It was one more ingredient thrown into a brewing of questions and contention since the sudden announcement of the nuclear plan, and immediate cancellation of the French contract for conventional submarines on 16 September. … Read More »
The change in America came inconveniently for Australians, but handily for journalists preparing peak-hour morning newscasts.
By 5 am Sydney and Melbourne time on Sunday the traditional chief outlet for verified results, Associated Press (AP), after giving the Democratic Party candidates, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, the state of Pennsylvania, posted their electoral college vote to 290 – clear of the 270 needed to win. … Read More »
Two expectations marked the lead-up to the independence referendum in New Caledonia on Sunday (4.10.20): that it was likely to be another ‘no’, and bad feeling was set to follow.
In the event the ‘no’ vote against independence won with 53.26%, down on the result in 2018, when it was 56.7%. … Read More »
Two expectations have marked the lead-up to the independence referendum in New Caledonia on Sunday (4.10.20): that it is likely to be another no, and that bad feeling is set to follow.
The two sides have dramatised their differences, political and cultural, in the kinds of events they have put on in the last week to finalise their referendum campaigns. … Read More »
The European Union’s move to get CORVID-19 investigated through the World Health Organisation (WHO) has been made difficult by Chinese-American squabbling –and Australia trying to get into the fight.
The EU focus has been to try and discover more about the virus and its origins, and draw lessons about managing both the particular disease and others that may follow.
But first they have had to manage, coax and bring into the process, unreasoning parties on two sides: on one hand American and Australian governments picking a fight with the Chinese, on the other, Chinese communists indulging their accustomed habits of coercion and abuse. It’s a picture of maturity from Brussels and something much less from these other partners. … Read More »