Blogs and blogging

Danielle Rajendram is a Research Associate in the Lowy Institute's International Security Program whose work focuses on India and China-India relations. 'A woman who was raped on a bus by several men on Sunday found an unlikely supporter: everyone.' The BBC looks at the history of sexual

Even before the polls closed in Japan, China's state-run media was airing its dissatisfaction. Will the LDP's sweeping victory mean a swing to the right for Japan's foreign and security policies? Don't believe the hype. If the Mayan apocalypse happens, US decision-makers will be safe on their '

The Kokoda Foundation's journal, Security Challenges, has gone open-access. The current edition is focused on the South Pacific. (Thanks Andrew.) Every four or five years, the futurists at the US National Intelligence Council take a stab at forecasting what the globe will be like two decades

The Guardian's environment blog is carrying regular updates from the Doha climate conference. Anyone want to suggest some good Doha reading? The internet was meant to make governments more responsive to citizens, but a statistical study in seven countries shows parties and candidates aren't

The transcript of PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill's address to the Lowy Institute yesterday on 'Papua New Guinea in the Asian Century'. Is commercial spaceflight about to have its 'Netscape moment' (ie. the start of a long boom)? The latest issue of The Atlantic is out, with a cover story

Taiwan didn't get much attention in the Asian Century White Paper, despite its importance to Australia. How to build a better think tank ranking system (thanks Danielle). And here's a thoughtful response. '...the best clues to Chinese foreign policy under Xi Jinping may be found in the lengthy

The failed merger of two European defence giants, BAE and EADS, and what it says about the surprising resilience of 'political Europe'. 'The orthodox view says making cities more compact is essential to improve sustainability significantly. However research suggests the environmental pay-off is

The US and Japan are revising their defence cooperation guidelines, and 'there is little doubt as to the nature of the new antagonist.' Fiji's Attorney-General heckled by protesters in Brussels. (Thanks Danielle.) The unnerving atmosphere in Beijing during Party Congress week. That atmosphere

I missed this yesterday, but still worth noting: a rather, ahem, assertive speech by a senior Chinese military figure in Melbourne yesterday. Also on the China military theme, its second stealth fighter had its maiden flight yesterday. Qatar is setting up a €50 million fund to revitalise poor

Education is at the centre of the Asian Century White Paper. But do nations that invest more in education grow faster? It seems not. We the sheeple: a Freakonomics guide to the US elections. (Thanks Theo.) A long neglected subject: the role of Chinese 'experts' advising the Pol Pot regime. (

Isidor's Fugue: a photo-heavy blog on daily life in China. (H/t Fallows.) Foreign Policy lists the world geography mistakes of the presidential candidates. (Thanks Rodger.) From 2006, a RAND Corp war game which looked at the economic consequences of a nuclear terrorist attack. (H/t Small

A transcript of Prime Minister Gillard's speech to the UN General Assembly. More on this later in the day.Self-driving cars again: one observer predicts a huge boost in productivity. 'It would be, from an economist's point of view, the Pennsylvania oil fields of man-hours...' (H/t WRM.) 

Don't forget our 'Ask James Fallows' competition. Send us your question and you could attend Friday's Fallows event for free. A TVNZ interview with Leon Panetta, who visited New Zealand recently. (Thanks Andrew.) The Opposition 'aspires' to lift the defence budget by 3% per year. Barack Obama,

Danielle Rajendram is a Research Associate in the Lowy Institute's International Security Program whose work focuses on India and China-India relations. India has passed crucial economic reforms, the most contentious of which allows foreign investment in supermarkets, media and airlines. Does

Via the Nautilus Institute, a 1966 US State Department study of Australia's role in the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia. (Thanks Graeme.) Another new stealth fighter prototype unveiled in China. Anti-Japan sentiment in China is pretty ugly. (H/t Fallows.) The US Marine Corps suffered its

Real change: CSIS experts have some interesting observations about Burma following their recent visit. (Thanks Milton.) Chris Kenny is right. The \'super trawler\' decision sends a dreadful message to foreign businesses looking to invest in Australia. ChinaFile, a new online magazine from

US airport security: \'As far as I know, the vast airport apparatus has not stopped a single incident of mayhem; the foiling of plots comes from other forces, such as advance intelligence or actions on board.\' Interview with a photographer who spent two years with Japan\'s yakusa organised

3 Quarks Daily is hosting an online symposium on humanitarian intervention, with contributions from David Petrasek, Kenneth Roth and Gareth Evans. More from the ABC\'s Mark Corcoran on drones, with news that Australia is reviving its plans to buy a fleet of Global Hawks. More from Corcoran

The end of growth? A new paper argues that \'the rapid progress made over the past 250 years could well turn out to be a unique episode in human history.\' VS Naipul\'s account of the 1984 Republican Convention: strangely comforting to know so little has changed. Conciliation as a counter-

What, no philosophy? Stephen Walt list ten things aspiring foreign policy wonks should study. As trade grows in Asia, so does investment in seaports. Should Malaysia tilt towards Beijing, New Delhi or Tokyo? Thanks to AFR columnist Christopher Joye for his kind words about The Interpreter.

Michael Fullilove has started work as the Lowy Institute\'s new Executive Director. He\'s also finishing a book on FDR and in October will publish the third in a series of analyses he\'s written comparing the foreign policies of the two presidential candidates (here\'s the Obama-McCain paper, and

Asia\'s emerging economies are among the most exposed to financial risks from natural disasters, says a new study. (Thanks Malcolm.) China\'s cities may be unlivable, but some people are getting around the crush (if not the smog) by building their McMansions on top of a shopping mall. The

Australian troops are set to come home from the Solomon Islands next year. Is the mission accomplished? (Thanks Danielle.) The era of growth miracles is over, says Dani Rodrik, because manufacturing is changing. The Economist collects opinion on this controversial op-ed. Why China\'s

A Chinese path: Those huge, highly choreographed North Korean stadium displays could be telling us something about North Korea\'s future. Andrew Mack says peace agreements succeed, even when they fail: \'Wars that restart when peace agreements fall apart almost always experience a