New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks during a news conference on July 8, 2022 in Sydney.
Politics

Ardern's departure shakes New Zealand election landscape

Likely that remote nation will have three prime ministers this year

20 January 2023
A researcher counts fish swimming around a coral reef at Palmyra Atoll in the central Pacific: Half of all marine life is at risk from acidification.
Opinion

Carbon dioxide is poisoning the seas, not just the atmosphere

More action needed to stop acidification from wrecking food chain

20 January 2023
A bucket wheel reclaimer collects iron ore at a BHP loading facility in Western Australia.
Commodities

BHP logs record iron ore output, expects China to be 'stabilizing' force

2023 demand to have help from Beijing's pro-growth measures, company says

20 January 2023
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern grimaces as she announces her resignation at a press conference in Napier, New Zealand on Jan. 19. 
Politics

New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern to step down in February

Prime minister also announces general election set for October

19 January 2023
Left: Bilums from the author's collection made of traditional bark and sisal fibers, with the odd daub or strip of modern color in two cases. Right: A bilum trader at Port Moresby's Four Mile handicraft market makes a bilum out of modern materials while waiting for customers. (All photos by Hamish McDonald)
Tea Leaves

Papua New Guinea's 'bilums' weave together function, fashion

Traditional string bags find buyers in Sydney and New York

18 January 2023
SKA-Low prototype antennas on-site at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory in Western Australia. The SKA project has been compared in importance to NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. (Courtesy of the International Center for Radio Astronomy Research)
Life

Australia and partners ramp up search for alien life

Giant radio telescopes aim to probe secrets of the universe

13 January 2023
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been accused ignoring the science in his decision to impose restrictions on travelers from China. (Nikkei montage/Getty Images/Reuters)
Coronavirus

Australia's curbs on travel from China slammed as unscientific

Critics claim Canberra's move was hasty, motivated by geopolitics

6 January 2023
Anthony Albanese in Bangkok on Nov. 18: Poll leads can turn around quickly for even the most popular governments.
Opinion

Albanese has let Australian voters down on COVID-19

Labor won kudos for states' virus management, but now is 'letting it rip'

5 January 2023
The Confetti furniture series ranges from planters to umbrella stands, from sofas to kitchen tables. (Photo by Fumi Matsumoto)
Climate Change

Australians clamor to sit around and eat off recycled plastic

Sydney company's recycled materials furniture combines design and durability

2 January 2023
An aerial view of the Art Gallery of New South Wales’ new building, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architects SANAA. (© Iwan Baan)
Arts

Sydney Modern bursts on art scene with daunting challenges

Visually dazzling, the city's new gallery leans heavily on inclusive sloganizing

30 December 2022
Mitsui & Co. and Rio Tinto team up to accelerate decarbonization across the raw material supply chain.
Commodities

Mitsui & Co., Rio Tinto team to clean up raw material supply chain

With EU carbon tax on way, partners go to work in emission-intensive sectors

28 December 2022
Kevin Rudd, Australia's new ambassador to the U.S., speaks to Nikkei Asia in Tokyo in early December. (Photo by Konosuke Urata) 
Politics

Kevin Rudd, Australia's new U.S. envoy, seen bringing change to China playbook

Sinologist seeks to 'engage and hedge' against 'ideological man' Xi

27 December 2022
People's Alliance Party leader Sitiveni Rabuka speaks to the press after Fiji's election in Suva on Dec. 17. He struck a coalition deal with two smaller parties to dislodge incumbent Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama.
Politics

Fiji's army deployed after uncertain election in coup-prone nation

After promising to respect democratic outcome, role of army suddenly unclear

22 December 2022
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong meets Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing on Dec. 21.
International relations

Australia's Penny Wong raises trade curbs, detainees on China visit

Two sides agree to keep talking after marking 50 years of ties

21 December 2022
High-tide flooding in the Marshall Islands capital of Majuro in this Dec. 6, 2021 photo.
Climate Change

Pacific islands see China-West tussle as chance for climate action

Geopolitics in area 'more and more intertwined' with global warming concerns

21 December 2022
Jacinda Ardern and Xi Jinping shake hands in Beijing in April 2019: New Zealand is finally waking up to the reality of the potential geostrategic threat posed by China.
Opinion

New Zealand is done with speaking softly to China

Wellington's shift to a firmer stance on Chinese abuses unlikely to go further

21 December 2022
Julian Assange outside the Ecuadorian embassy in London in May 2017: The British authorities do not really know what to do with him.
Opinion

Albanese is right: It is time to close the case of Julian Assange

Australian prime minister's move may signal end is near for WikiLeaks legal saga

20 December 2022
A ship carrying liquefied hydrogen docks at an experimental terminal in Kobe, Japan. (Photo by Atsushi Ooka)
Environment

Green hydrogen booms in Asia as companies rush into projects

Denmark's Orsted in talks with POSCO, BP invests in Australian project

18 December 2022
Heal has invested in assets across North America, Australia and Asia.
DealStreetAsia

Australia's Heal Partners seeks up to $500m for new fund

Investment firm specializes in health care, education and lifestyle sectors

16 December 2022
Solar panels are installed on the roof of a factory in Indonesia.
Climate Change

Japan hosts 1st meeting for Asia zero-emissions initiative in March

Indonesia deal offers model to boost renewable energy and carbon-neutral fuel

15 December 2022
Singapore Airlines and India's Tata Sons announced the merger of Air India and Vistara, with the city-state's flagship carrier investing $250 million in Air India.
Transportation

From Singapore to Japan, Asian airlines rush to ramp up routes

SIA inks deals as rivals like JAL and AirAsia expand flights despite risks

13 December 2022
A coastal Sydney suburb. Australia's AU$9.4 trillion housing stock is worth more than four times the size of its gross domestic product.
Economy

Australia's huge housing market keeps central bank on knife edge

Test awaits in 2023 as inflation-fighting rate hikes put focus on mortgage servicing

12 December 2022
A firefighter works to extinguish flames after a bushfire burnt through Bredbo, New South Wales, Australia, in 2020.
Climate Change

Climate change stokes new norm of extreme Australia weather

New report increases pressure on the Albanese government to take stronger action

11 December 2022
ShopBack offers cashback, other rewards for a variety of brands. (Screenshot from ShopBack website)
DealStreetAsia

Singapore's ShopBack bags $30m from Australia's Westpac

Cashback platform has been bolstering its leadership team

9 December 2022
From left, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles, Foreign Minister Penny Wong, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin speak to reporters Tuesday.
International relations

U.S. to expand Australia military footprint with eye on Taiwan

Canberra will propose more trilateral exercises at 2-plus-2 meeting with Japan

8 December 2022