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Tony Walker

Adjunct Professor, School of Communications, La Trobe University

The Australian Financial Review: International Editor (2010-2016), Washington correspondent (2004-2010), Political Editor (2000-2004), Financial Times: Middle East correspondent (1984-1993), Beijing bureau chief (1993-1998), North American correspondent 1998-2000. Publications include Arafat: The Biography (Virgin Books 2004) and The Thomson Five: A golfing legend's greatest triumphs (Melbourne University Press 2016). Graduate Australian National University BA.(1968) Dual Walkley award winner for commentary (2003 and 2007). Paul Lyneham Award Excellence Press Gallery journalism (2003).

Xi cements his power at Chinese Communist Party congress

Oct 24, 2022 17:29 pm UTC| Politics

Xi Jinpings clean sweep in elevating trusted allies to the commanding heights of the Chinese Communist Party is a political outcome that has implications beyond Chinas borders. Xi sits virtually unchallenged, for the...

Women-led protests in Iran gather momentum - but will they be enough to bring about change?

Oct 13, 2022 11:45 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

As protests in Iran drag on into their fourth week over the violent death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish woman, there are two central questions. The first is whether these protests involving women and girls...

China Crisis Series

Xi Jinping sends message to US on China's rising power in Boao address

Apr 23, 2021 12:11 pm UTC| Insights & Views

Chinese President Xi Jinpings muscular speech to the Boao Forum Asia annual conference was clearly designed to send a signal to the United States that China regarded the change of administration as an opportunity for a...

Global Geopolitics Series

Dan Tehan's daunting new role: restoring trade with China in a hostile political environment

Jan 19, 2021 04:42 am UTC| Politics

The new trade minister, Dan Tehan, has been handed one of the Morrison governments most demanding roles. Despite a lot of chest-thumping in government circles about the need to stand up to Chinese bullying, Tehans task...

Global Geopolitics Series

Israel's proposed annexation of the West Bank could bring a 'diplomatic tsunami'

Jul 02, 2020 15:56 pm UTC| Politics

In a deadly game of Middle East cat and mouse, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is continuing to weigh his options in pushing ahead with plans to extend Israeli sovereignty over territories occupied by Israel in...

Global Geopolitics Series

Beware the 'cauldron of paranoia' as China and the US slide towards a new kind of cold war

May 26, 2020 08:47 am UTC| Insights & Views

In September 2005, before an audience of some of the most powerful business figures in the United States, then US Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick unveiled his responsible stakeholder formula for Chinas global...

Netanyahu set to survive another knife-edge Israeli election

Mar 04, 2020 03:46 am UTC| Politics

Benjamin Netanyahu may well have survived to fight another day as Israels prime minister after a third knife-edge election in less than a year. However, it could be days, or even weeks, before a new Israeli government...

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Economy

China’s ‘Lipstick King’ Says AI Won’t Replace Livestream Hosts

Chinas livestream shopping industry is entering a slower phase, but Li Jiaqi, the influential presenter known as the Lipstick King, believes artificial intelligence will complement rather than replace human hosts. Li, who...

Oil Prices Ease as Iran Tensions Clash With Diplomacy Hopes

Oil prices fell during Asian trading on Thursday, giving back some of the previous sessions gains as investors assessed escalating U.S.-Iran tensions alongside signs that diplomatic efforts could still ease the conflict....

Japan Private-Sector Growth Slows as Domestic Demand Weakens

Japans private-sector growth lost momentum in September as weaker domestic demand slowed new orders across manufacturing and services, according to preliminary SP Global purchasing managers index data released Thursday....

South Korea, US Discuss Warship Building Cooperation

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung discussed expanding cooperation with the United States on warship construction during a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday, according to South Koreas presidential...

Russian Envoy Dmitriev Heads to US for Ukraine Talks

Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev is traveling to the United States for talks with Trump administration representatives, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, as Washington and Moscow continue diplomatic...

Politics

Ghana Says Western Support Growing for Slave Trade Reparations

Ghana says Western support is increasing for its campaign seeking reparations for the trans-Atlantic slave trade, with the initial effort focused on securing the return of African artifacts taken during the colonial era....

Sudan Rejects US Legitimacy Remarks, Defends Sovereignty

Sudan on Wednesday defended its national sovereignty and urged the United States to engage constructively with its government after Washington questioned the legitimacy of the countrys warring authorities. The dispute...

US Invites Putin to Miami G20, Opening Door to Trump Summit

The United States has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the G20 summit in Miami, Florida, in December, potentially creating an opportunity for another meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. U.S....

US Officials Split Over Response to Israeli West Bank Settlements

A proposed U.S. statement criticizing the UK, France and Canada over restrictions on imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank was ultimately shelved amid disagreements within the Trump administration,...

Europe Warns Russia Is Escalating Hybrid Attacks Across NATO

European officials have warned that Russia is intensifying hybrid attacks across Europe, including cyberattacks, sabotage and airspace violations, in an effort to weaken Western support for Ukraine. Speaking during the UN...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

Meta Unveils Muse Charm AI Device, Expands Smart Glasses Lineup

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) unveiled a palm-sized device designed specifically for its Muse artificial intelligence agent on Wednesday, alongside an expanded lineup of smart glasses and new AI capabilities. CEO Mark...

SoftBank Raises $11.1 Billion in Bond Sale to Fund OpenAI Investment

SoftBank Group has raised $11.1 billion through a major dollar- and euro-denominated bond offering as the Japanese technology investment giant builds up cash to finance its expanding artificial intelligence investments,...

Meta Connect Spotlights Camera-Free Smart Glasses Amid Privacy Concerns

Meta Platforms opened its annual Connect conference on Wednesday, with the technology giant expected to introduce new smart glasses as it seeks to expand its lead in AI-powered wearable devices while addressing mounting...

Anthropic’s Claude Discovers CRISPR-Like Enzyme System

Anthropic has launched a new life sciences research group and laboratory focused on fundamental biology, with its Claude AI model already contributing to the discovery of a previously unknown enzyme system that shares...

Microsoft Stock Upgraded as Stifel Sees Stronger Azure Growth

Stifel upgraded Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) to Buy from Hold and lifted its price target to $575 from $530, citing stronger confidence in the technology giants ability to maintain mid-to-upper-teens revenue growth. Analysts...