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There will be much talk this May about the so-called “strategic triangle” of Russia, China and the United States. · US President Donald Trump is expected in Beijing first, followed by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. Whenever the leaders of the three most influential powers meet, speculation inevitably follows. What if they strike some grand bargain? What if the world suddenly becomes more orderly?

In early 2013, a young traveller arrived in Los Angeles with a camera, a blog, and a plan to see the West Coast. · Her name was Elisa Lam. · What followed would become one of the most dissected and unsettling cases of the modern internet era. · The hotel with a history · Lam checked into the Cecil Hotel, a building already known for its troubled past. Located in the city’s Skid Row district, the hotel had long been associated with crime,…

The US countdown for Iran to make a deal continues amid the Hormuz Strait blockade, while Donald Trump claims hostilities have ended as he looks to bypass congressional approval needed to wage his war. Despite the crippling US embargo on Cuba, Washington imposes new sanctions on key industries of the island nation while the US president says he could position an aircraft carrier off its shores and force it to surrender. Russia's Africa Corps…

Last week, elocal published Kiwibank’s latest economic update. On paper, the outlook suggested a fragile but emerging recovery. But for many New Zealanders reading it, that assessment landed very differently. · The reaction was immediate and, in many cases, blunt. “Fragile? It’s fked… I don’t know where they get recovery underway with all the closures and job losses. It’s horrendous.” · That response, while raw, reflects something increasingly…

Some observers will inevitably ask whether New Zealand could be experiencing similar trends beneath the surface. While no direct comparison has been established, the question is likely to gain traction given New Zealand followed a broadly similar vaccination timeline and public health approach. If comparable data patterns were emerging locally, it would raise serious questions about monitoring, transparency, and whether long-term outcomes are…

It is hard to convince anyone they need to change when they think nothing is broken. The story of the emperor’s new clothes captures it. The whole court agreed the emperor was splendidly dressed. A child had to say he was naked. New Zealand’s public service has the same problem. My recent report Who runs the country? argues that ministers should appoint their chief executives, with statutory protections for the career service below. · The…

A former senior National Party minister has launched a scathing attack on New Zealand First, calling on his former party to “extricate themselves from this grisly coalition and declare war on New Zealand First”. Chris Finlayson also cast doubt on whether the current coalition government will last through to the next election, pointing to growing tensions between National and NZ First. · Those tensions have intensified following the release of…

New Zealand has been approached by the United States to join a potential multinational effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy shipping routes. · The passage has been largely shut since the escalation of the Middle East conflict, sending shockwaves through global oil markets and raising concerns over energy security. · According to reporting, the Trump administration has instructed US embassies to lobby…

Russian journalist Vladimir Solovyov has accused Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of betraying the interests of her own voters by following the EU line on Ukraine and Russia in an interview with Il Fatto Quotidiano published on Wednesday. “I don’t have any problem with Signora Meloni,” Solovyov said. “Italian people, they have problem with Signora Meloni. Donald Trump, he has problems with Signora Meloni.” · The TV host claimed Meloni had…

Andrew Korybko · Absent a deal with Trump, which Putin could be further induced to agree to if Trump promises to reduce US pressure on some but not all of these countries, Russia might lose all 15 of these partners and possibly even more with time. · It was assessed shortly after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s capture that “The ‘Trump Doctrine’ Is Shaped By Elbridge Colby’s ‘Strategy Of Denial’”, which argues that the US now prioritizes…