February
German election winner Merz vows ‘independence from US’
In blunt remarks after his victory, the chancellor-in-waiting criticised the “ultimately outrageous” comments flowing from Washington during the campaign.
Chemist Warehouse scores $34b pay day in ASX debut
The founders were on hand as the retailer made its sharemarket debut on Thursday via Sigma, with plans to expand in Australia and globally.
January
110,000 shoes, 3800 suitcases, 2 tonnes of hair: the pain of Auschwitz
On the 80th anniversary of the camp’s liberation, a dwindling band of survivors was asked to keep the flame of memory burning in these dark times.
Eighty years later, ‘never again’ falls short
Holocaust memorial day is more than an annual commemoration. It is an urgent reminder of what happens when the world turns its back on the quest to murder Jews.
Stop ‘grotesque’ politicising of antisemitism: Dreyfus at Auschwitz
In Poland for a Holocaust remembrance service, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus took aim at those he says are politicising attacks on the Jewish community.
Japan’s enduring fascination with kamikaze pilots
Japanese tourists still flock to memorial sites to remember the young men who crashed their planes into Allied warships.
December 2024
Six surprising things I learnt from a Gen X gap year in London
We expected this to be a memorable time, but it was the workarounds and unknown unknowns that made it even better than we hoped.
The magic of Marseille exists if you know where to find it
The French city’s gritty, colourful past is exemplified in the Panier district. Here’s a guide to where to stay and dine – away from the tourist traps.
November 2024
Musk rings alarm bells for business of government
Why the appointment of the world’s richest man to a cost-cutting role in the Trumpiverse challenges Labor’s approach to government in Australia.
Why Brits can’t buy new Jaguars for more than a year
The storied British brand is going dormant until 2026, when it will re-emerge selling only higher-end electric vehicles.
October 2024
Musk wants a $3 trillion cut from the US budget. It’d be difficult
His target, mentioned at Donald Trump’s Sunday rally in Madison Square Garden, exceeds the amount Congress spends annually on government agency operations.
The map that Canberra doesn’t want you to see
Australia’s military integration with the US proceeds apace, but is the Albanese government coming clean on the risks?
How Australia can help save rules-based trade
The global trading system of trade rules faces its gravest crisis since its inception. There is a way out and Australia can help.
Was Oppenheimer a communist? The debate has exploded again
The evidence suggests to some that the father of the atom bomb joined Stalin’s party, others contend he was merely a sympathiser and a wavering one at that.
Leaders depart UN empty-handed, facing wider Middle East war
There was no expectation of major breakthroughs at the annual gathering of presidents, premiers and other leaders. There rarely is. But this year was especially grim.
September 2024
Austrian far right wins vote, but won’t form government
Despite the Freedom Party winning the most votes for the first time in a national election, its leader, Herbert Kickl, appears unlikely to play a role in the next cabinet.
Japan’s new ambassador has high hopes for closer ties
In an interview, Kazuhiro Suzuki says the two countries are “indispensable” to achieving peace and prosperity in a region where the shadow of China looms large.
Japan and Australia face a turning point in world history
Tokyo and Canberra back a free and open international order against unilateral attempts to coerce, says a contender in Japan’s prime ministerial race.
Why the Philippines is the new China flashpoint
Most people have never heard of the Sabina Shoal, but it’s become the latest global testing ground for confrontation with China. Will it trigger broader conflict?
Scholz alliance humbled as populists surge in regional votes
With a year to go until Germany’s national election, the results are punishing for Olaf Scholz’s federal coalition.