Since the end of the US Civil War, concerted efforts have been made to constrain enfranchisement in the name of “free and fair” elections. In the midst of a pandemic, these measures now go far beyond subtle discrimination in endangering public health.

After 30 years of deep-seated sectarian differences and corruption, the Lebanese took to the streets on 17 October 2019 to reject the spread of nepotism and to reclaim their rights as citizens of a state. Such unity reflects a new conception of a Lebanese identity.

The Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh are overcrowded, cramped, and unhygienic. They provide a sobering look into how the COVID-19 pandemic will hit the world’s most vulnerable.

The US and its allies have engaged in multiple conflicts over the past three decades. This has given adversaries plenty of opportunities to learn how to fight back.

Professor Mark Beeson discusses how the rapid spread of the coronavirus is bringing about an equally rapid transformation in domestic and international politics. The preparedness of national health systems and the responses of political leaders around the world are being thrown into sharp and often unflattering relief.

Establishing links with a sister city in a distant part of the world opens up valuable new trade opportunities. These relationships break down barriers that make initial contact with a foreign partner so difficult.

Countries facing the biggest development challenges are the most vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19.  It is hard to imagine how they will cope with a pandemic of this scale when the healthcare systems and economies of the world’s wealthiest countries are struggling.

Unprecedented stimulus packages and interventions are being deployed to mitigate the effects of the pandemic.  COVID-19 has generated the requisite conditions for a fundamental transformation in the social and economic role of the state sector.

China seems poised to emerge from the current crises stronger than before.  This will test the Sino-Australian relationship that has been characterised by mutual strategic interest and mutual distrust.

The condition created by the rapid spread of the Coronavirus is more than just the disease itself. Rapid spread of the coronavirus could push the world into recession this year as the outbreak increasingly disrupts the economy.