Oceania

An aged-care facility in Melbourne in August 2020. Australia's government has come under pressure over the spread of the omicron variant in aged-care homes. 
Coronavirus

Australia may use defense forces to help COVID-hit aged-care sector

PM Morrison says about 560 aged-care residents have died since omicron hit

4 February 2022
Japan's first large-scale test facility for carbon capture and storage is located on the northern island of Hokkaido.
Climate Change

Mitsubishi, Mitsui eye carbon capture with BP and Woodside

Study for Australian project comes as Japan lags in efforts to store CO2

4 February 2022
Then-U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, left, shakes hands with then-Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel during a roundtable discussion in 2014. Emanuel also has served as President Barack Obama's chief of staff.
Biden's Asia policy

Biden's China hands: Trusted allies tapped as Quad envoys

Ambassadors to Japan, Australia and India entrusted to enhance Indo-Pacific alliance

4 February 2022
 Sydney Airport: Expensive stocks and low bond yields have left pension funds eager to invest in infrastructure assets, which offer stable long-term returns. 
Business deals

Sydney Airport shareholders vote on $16.8bn buyout offer

Deal would leave few Australian infrastructure assets trading on market

2 February 2022
Australian venture capital firm AirTree Ventures says investors are still eager to bet on tech startups. (Photo courtesy of AirTree Ventures)
Startups

AirTree raises $495m to back Australian startups

Hefty haul signals investors' risk appetite despite tech sell-off

1 February 2022
Qianhai business district in Shenzhen, pictured in May 2021: China has had the biggest expansion in its net worth,
Opinion

Asia-Pacific should use its increasing wealth more productively

More investment in intangible assets will help recalibrate the region's economy

30 January 2022
The EU launched a challenge at the WTO on Thursday accusing China of discriminatory trade practices against Lithuania that it says threaten the integrity of the single market.
Trade

Australia to seek part in China-EU trade row at WTO

Canberra 'opposes use of economic coercion' and 'discriminatory' trade practices

29 January 2022
Fumio Kishida and Scott Morrison attend a video signing ceremony of the Reciprocal Access Agreement on Jan. 6: Japan needs to adopt fresh thinking.
Opinion

Japan's Middle East policy needs fresh thinking

New Asian defense pacts can help set a new tone from the Indo-Pacific to the Gulf

28 January 2022
The Oyu Tolgoi mine in Mongolia's South Gobi region. Mongolia owns 34% of what is one of the world's largest-known copper and gold deposits, with Rio controlling the rest.
Materials

Rio Tinto and Mongolia settle feud over Oyu Tolgoi copper mine

Deal marks a positive development for Anglo-Australian mining giant

25 January 2022
Debris from the tsunami litters a coastline in the Tonga capital of Nuku'alofa. (Broadcom Broadcasting via AP)
Natural disasters

Tonga islands face food shortages a week after volcano eruption

Long-term aid to archipelago will be 'essential,' WHO official says

22 January 2022
Buildings damaged by the volcanic eruption and tsunami in Tonga. Much of the capital Nuku'alofa remains covered in ash. (Photo courtesy of Marian Kupu/Broadcom Broadcasting FM87.5/via Reuters)
Interview

Tonga volcano: An explosion, then a rain of ash and rocks

Local journalist describes moment of eruption, ongoing water shortage

21 January 2022
This photo from the window of a New Zealand Defence Force P-3K2 Orion surveillance flight shows heavy ash fall over Nomuka in Tonga.
International relations

Australia and New Zealand compete with China for Tonga influence

Neighboring countries send ships and aid to help nation after volcanic eruption

20 January 2022
An iron ore mine in Western Australia: The country's energy and mining companies are looking urgently for new sources of revenue amid the global push to decarbonize. 
Climate Change

Australia's energy and iron ore producers bet big on hydrogen

Woodside and Fortescue jump on global decarbonization bandwagon

19 January 2022
A New Zealand Defense Force flight shows heavy ash fallen over the Tongan island of Nomuka on Jan. 17. (New Zealand Defense Force via Reuters)
Natural disasters

Tonga to be cut off from world for weeks as volcano severs cable

Phone and internet service down while satellite links hampered by ash

19 January 2022
An eruption occurs at the underwater volcano Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai off Tonga on Jan.15. 
Natural disasters

Satellite images show explosive power of Tonga underwater volcano

Experts say 'once-in-a-century' eruption has unique seismic features

18 January 2022
Novak Djokovic practices at Melbourne Park on Jan. 13: the Serbian tennis player was in Australia only to play tennis, not to talk about vaccines and COVID.
Opinion

Djokovic deportation reveals Australia's authoritarian mindset

Personal views now reason enough do deny any high profile person entry

18 January 2022
A screen shows an image of Xi Jinping at the Museum of the Communist Party of China in Beijing: 2022 will be a year of recalibration for China's foreign policy.
Opinion

Retirement of China's chief provocateur signals course correction

Former Global Times editor Hu Xijin was equivalent to a three-star general

17 January 2022
The eruption of an underwater volcano off Tonga, which triggered a tsunami warning for several South Pacific island nations, is seen in an image from the NOAA GOES-West satellite taken at 05:10 a.m. GMT on Jan. 15. (Handout photo from CIRA/NOAA)
Natural disasters

Japan's eastern coast hit by tsunami triggered by Tonga eruption

Waves 1.2 meters high reported; agency warns of those up to 3 meters

16 January 2022
Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic practices at Melbourne Park on Jan. 13. 
Coronavirus

Djokovic back in Australia detention hotel before court hearing

Hearing on tennis star's appeal set for 9:30 a.m. local time on Sunday

15 January 2022
Fumio Kishida and Scott Morrison attend a video signing ceremony on Jan. 6: the Reciprocal Access Agreement only goes some way to mitigating the fact that Canberra and Tokyo have at times quite different instincts about how to deal with China.
Opinion

New wave of Asian defense pacts no magic template for countering China

U.S. will need to increase military presence to change Beijing's strategic calculations

12 January 2022
Joe Biden hosts a Quad leaders summit at the White House in September 2021: American, Australian, Indian and Japanese interests are not entirely congruent.
Opinion

The Quad needs an economic pillar to stand on

Four nation grouping needs to focus on more security to maintain relevance

10 January 2022
China is Zespri's biggest market, buying more than 100,000 tons of kiwis from the company every year and accounting for over 20% of its global sales.
Caixin

In depth: New Zealand fruit giant's kiwi battle in China

Zespri is taking aim at unauthorized plantations in its largest market

10 January 2022
Disinformation from some of Asia's ruling elites can thrive on Facebook, TikTok and Twitter due to inequality-driven distrust and democratic declines, new academic research says. (Source photo by AP and Reuters)
Politics

Viral lies spread democratic decay from Thailand to Nepal: report

Asia needs structural change, not just tech crackdown, USAID-backed scholars say

9 January 2022
Novak Djokovic waits at an Australian Border Force desk on his arrival at Melbourne Airport on Jan. 5: it is not just Djokovic who will pay the price.
Opinion

Djokovic saga highlights Australia's border obsession

Unsympathetic sporting himbo is an unlikely exposer of injustice

8 January 2022
Officers from Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force and the Australian Army coordinate plans during last summer's Talisman Sabre joint exercise in Australia. (Photo courtesy of Australian Department of Defense)
Indo-Pacific

Japan and Australia strengthen quasi-alliance with eye on China

Reciprocal Access Agreement paves way for more joint drills in Indo-Pacific

7 January 2022