Monthly Archives

March 2026

In another Pyongyang on the Potomac moment, Republicans at a party fundraiser this week awarded Donald Trump the first annual “America First Award”. House Speaker Mike Johnson described the prize as a “beautiful golden statue … appropriate for the new golden era in America.” Even in the midst of an unpopular war, there’s a cult-like feel to Trumpworld.

Nick Bryant

One Nation’s voters are people who in Andrew Hastie’s words, don’t recognise Australia as the country they grew up in. Like Tony Abbott, they are nostalgic for the days of the White Australia policy, when such anti-migrant prejudice as existed was directed against Italians and Greeks. And Hastie’s comment reveals the fact that there is now no significant policy gap, between One Nation and the now-dominant right wing of the Liberal-National coalition. Both want (mostly unspecified) cuts in immigration, oppose any kind of action on climate, and trade in anti-Islamic rhetoric. But One Nation is loud and offensive, while the LNP tends to trade in euphemisms.

John Quiggin

The American Empire is not going to be defeated on the battlefield. It is going to be defeated by the spreadsheet. It is going to drown in the compounding interest of its own military addiction. And when the history books are written, they will note that the richest country in the history of the world could not afford to feed its children, could not afford to treat its sick, could not afford to house its poor... but could always, ALWAYS, find another few trillion dollars to blow something up on the other side of the planet. That is not strength. That is a sickness.

GMan

FIFA and UEFA suspended Russia 4 days after the start of the conflict in Ukraine. It has now been 716 days since what Amnesty International described as genocide began and Israel is still allowed to compete. Why are there double standards? FIFA and UEFA should suspend Israel. Clubs and active players around the world should refuse to play against Israeli teams.

Eric Cantona