Rogue states, danger zones and hotspots. We explain
Journey with us to these far-flung regions – from China and North Korea to Iran and the Arctic – to understand the tensions shaping our world.
Explainer
‘Grave provocation’: What does North Korea’s Kim Jong-un want?
K-pop is blasting into North Korea once more as bizarre tactics ratchet up tensions on the peninsula. We explore what’s behind this “tit-for-tat” in an Explainer updated from earlier this year.
- by Angus Holland and Jackson Graham
Explainer
Houthis, Hezbollah and Hamas: Who they are and what they want
As Israeli troops raid Lebanon, conflict spreads in the Middle East. What gave rise to these militant groups? What is the Axis of Resistance?
- by Jackson Graham, Angus Holland and Cindy Yin
Explainer
Despot, radical … peacemaker? The millennial prince and the Middle East ‘moonshot’
Reformer, tyrant or both? Saudi Arabia’s crown prince is reshaping his kingdom. What does it mean for the world? And how might he be key to a ‘moonshot’ Israel-Palestine peace deal?
- by Sherryn Groch
Explainer
The Arctic ice between Russia and the US is melting. What’s at stake at the top of the world?
Russia’s northern fleet is on high alert and NATO is stepping up its presence in the Arctic. Why is it a hot spot? And how could this Very Cold ‘War’ play out?
- by Sherryn Groch
Explainer
‘Cat and mouse’: What we know about Iran’s secretive nuclear program
It’s shadowy, underground and back on the world’s radar. Could Tehran one day have nuclear weapons?
- by Jackson Graham and Angus Holland
Explainer
‘They want this, all of it’: The global arms race you can’t see – and China wants the edge
Microchips are key to powering the world. What will it take to win in this vital (and secretive) multi-billion-dollar world?
- by Eryk Bagshaw, Jackson Graham and Daniel Ceng
Explainer
Pirates, hotspots and choke points: inside the perilous world of shipping
Most of the world’s traded goods come to us on huge vessels by sea. We don’t give it much thought – until they run into trouble.
- by Matt Wade
Explainer
A dozen undersea cables connect Australia to the internet. What happens if they get hacked – or cut?
Hundreds of undersea cables link up the worldwide web, with about a dozen connected to Australia. How does this little-known network work – and what happens if it’s sabotaged?
- by Sherryn Groch and Felicity Lewis
Explainer
‘Arrogant powers’: How Iran takes aim at its sworn enemies
In April, when Iran launched its first direct attack on Israel, we explored how Tehran projects power in the region – and why it regards the United States as ‘the great Satan’.
- by Angus Holland
Explainer
How a ‘housewife’ stood up to an autocrat in Belarus
In this Explainer from 2020, as protests in Belarus reached boiling point, reporter Sherryn Groch wrote about the rebellion’s leaders and what was at stake in this country between Russia and the West.
- by Sherryn Groch
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It’s the coldest, windiest place on Earth. But who actually runs Antarctica?
In 1959, a dozen nations signed up to look after Antarctica for the good of all mankind. Today, the polar club is still growing. What do nations want in Antarctica? What rules must they play by?
- by Felicity Lewis
Explainer
The secret agents had a message: Take down the app or go to jail. How is the internet splintering?
Cracking down on the net was like nailing jelly to a wall, Bill Clinton said in 2000. But governments have found myriad ways to filter, block or slow it. And now some nations want nets of their own. Why?
- by Sherryn Groch and Nick Bonyhady
Explainer
The planet’s population will get to 10.3 billion – then drop. Why?
India overtook China as the world’s most populous nation in 2023 but far bigger population shifts are transforming the world. Where will all the people be in 2100?
- by Matt Wade and Angus Holland
Explainer
Miniskirts and mujahideen: How did Afghanistan come to be defined by war?
It was once a stop on the hippie trail and inspiration for the Lonely Planet guidebooks. So how did Afghanistan come to be defined by war and terrorism?
- by Maher Mughrabi
Explainer
Can Israel’s Iron Dome withstand Hezbollah’s rockets?
What is the Iron Dome? Could Hezbollah overwhelm it? And what is David’s Sling?
- by Jackson Graham and Angus Holland
Explainer
Why is there so much tension over Taiwan?
Taiwan has lived under a cloud for more than half a century. Now that China has set its sights firmly on it, tensions are high and rising.
- by Eryk Bagshaw
Explainer
Trump jokes he will be dictator for a day. But could it happen?
They can pardon a turkey and order a nuclear strike – but can a sitting US president sweep away all checks and balances on power?
- by Jackson Graham and Angus Holland
Explainer
What’s life like on the International Space Station – and why is it closing?
The age of international space stations is ending. China has its own base off-Earth; India wants one too. What are nations up to in space?
- by Sherryn Groch
Explainer
Famed for polar bears and midnight sun, Svalbard is a potential hotspot. Why?
The cluster of islands in the icy high north is a visa-free zone – but that doesn’t make it trouble free. What’s so special about Svalbard?
- by Felicity Lewis
Explainer
‘A battery in a rock’: The ancient treasures kilometres under the sea
As scientists find wonders on the deepest seabeds, miners and governments are looking at other riches. What’s at stake way beneath the waves?
- by Sherryn Groch
Explainer
The Gaza Strip explained: A brief history
Once a trading hub, Gaza has been controlled by various powers in the past century. Who lives there now? And what is the history of the Gaza Strip?
- by Jackson Graham, Angus Holland and Matt Wade
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‘Follow the Party forever’: How to get into the Communist Party of China
The CCP is integral to life in China but getting in isn’t easy, and staying a member is a life’s work. What are the benefits? And who’s really in charge?
- by Eryk Bagshaw
Explainer
Who is Xi Jinping, the world’s most powerful politician?
Once a princeling, Xi spent his teenage years living in a cave. Now he is the longest-serving leader of China since the ’70s. How did he do it? And what are his plans for China?
- by Eryk Bagshaw
Explainer
Is Havana syndrome a new method of covert sabotage – or all in our heads?
A mystery illness has been hitting diplomats and spies around the world. But is it an attack or something else?
- by Sherryn Groch
Explainer
How a Bollywood backdrop became the highest battleground on Earth
High in the Himalayas, soldiers have fought hand-to-hand at a border hotly contested by two nuclear-armed giants. Why are they fighting and what is the fallout?
- by Matt Wade
Explainer
Why didn’t Israel see the October 7 attacks coming?
Israel has sophisticated defence networks that include one of the world’s strongest militaries and a renowned intelligence service. How did Hamas breach them?
- by Angus Holland, Matt Wade and Jackson Graham
Explainer
Hackers can stop the trains and the lights. But could they start a war?
Total meltdown or death by a thousand hacks – how bad could a cyberwar get? And where is the line between espionage and all-out attack?
- by Sherryn Groch
Explainer
‘It’s mine, it’s mine’: How do you find a Dalai Lama?
Smoke, oracles, a drum and a walking stick helped monks discover the Dalai Lama. But superpowers will one day wrangle over his successor.
- by Matt Wade
Explainer
‘Like the Wild West’: Who owns the moon and what’s up there?
Missions are blasting off again for the moon as the new space industry hits its stride. Why go back? And what will be the rules of conduct?
- by Sherryn Groch and Felicity Lewis
Explainer
‘It’s mayhem’: Can all-out war in Lebanon be prevented?
Why has the conflict over the Israel-Lebanon border escalated? How bad is it looking? And what do Iran and the US want to happen?
- by Gemma Grant, Angus Holland and Jackson Graham