Australia

27 May 2025
Peter Kenilorea Jr. speaks at the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China summit in Taiwan on July 30, 2024. (Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China)
The board of the Reserve Bank of Australia warned the global economic outlook remained volatile, amid U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war. 
Markets

Australia's central bank cuts interest rates by 25 basis points

Moderating inflation helps the country amid the global chaos of Trump's shifts

20 May 2025
National Party leader David Littleproud, pictured here in 2021, says his party will not re-enter a coalition agreement with the Liberal Party, citing disagreements over policy positions.
Politics

Australian opposition coalition splits after election

Liberal and National parties separate after 76 years, but door open for return

20 May 2025
Rio Tinto plans to invest in Salar de Maricunga, in Chile's lithium-rich Atacama Desert salt flats, as part of its strategy to be a leading supplier of materials for the clean energy transition.
Commodities

Rio Tinto ups its lithium bet with $900m investment in Chilean JV

Move comes despite protracted slump in prices for the battery ingredient

20 May 2025
Australia's Lynas, long known for light rare earths, is moving into the more difficult segment of heavy rare earths.
Commodities

Australia's Lynas makes heavy rare earths breakthrough in Malaysia

Company now first outside of China commercially separating key materials

16 May 2025
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto inspect guards of honor during a welcoming ceremony before their meeting at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta.
International relations

Indonesia upbeat on CPTPP and OECD bids with Australia backing

Albanese announces support for new wealth fund Danantara after Prabowo meeting

15 May 2025
Rio Tinto's Bell Bay aluminum smelter in Australia. A senior executive at the mining giant says it would take "many, many years" to build up U.S. production of the metal.
Commodities

Rio Tinto exec doubts tariffs will move aluminum production to US

Mining giant expects import levy to be largely passed on through higher prices

15 May 2025
A wheel loader operator fills a truck with ore at the MP Materials rare-earth mine in Mountain Pass, California, in 2020. 
Commodities

Rare earths race heats up with US-Saudi deal and Shenghe acquisition

MP Materials' agreement seeks to 'explore' development of industry in the kingdom

15 May 2025
Australia's Woodside Energy in April gave its final approval for a $17.5 billion Louisiana liquefied natural gas project, confident that a pro-fossil fuel U.S. administration and strong demand would give it competitive returns. 
Business deals

Australia's Woodside says Saudi Aramco may buy into its Louisiana LNG project

Shares in gas producer surge nearly 4% following announcement

14 May 2025
Colowide looks to expand overseas restaurant sales fivefold by the year ending March 2030. (Colowide)
Business deals

Gyu-Kaku barbecue chain owner to buy Aussie steakhouse operator

Japan's Colowide seeks stable beef supplies in purchase of Seagrass

13 May 2025
Sussan Ley arrives at a Liberal party room meeting for a leadership ballot at Parliament House in Canberra on May 13.
Politics

Australian opposition elects first female leader after poll drubbing

Sussan Ley tasked with crafting new message for beleaguered coalition

13 May 2025
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will meet this week with Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto. (Source photos by Reuters) 
International relations

Albanese to visit Indonesia in second term's first overseas trip

Bilateral relations seem gaining importance amid US-China regional competition

13 May 2025
Canada and Saudi Arabia have also emerged as candidates for exports of the new fighter. (GCAP) 
Defense

Japan eyes exports of next-gen fighter to Australia, India

Joint project with UK and Italy needs buyers to break even

10 May 2025
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reacts after local media projected his Labor Party's victory in the federal election, in Sydney on May 3, 2025. 
Opinion

Albanese's diplomatic skills will be fully tested in his second term

PM must expand Australia's influence while balancing ties with major powers

9 May 2025
Interface of the Butter app in Sydney on April 24 (Photo by Rurika Imahashi).
Technology

Young Australians develop apps to combat loneliness epidemic

Smaller platforms look to forge deeper connections between users

6 May 2025
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra on May 5. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch)
Australia election

Albanese faces Trump test with Australia's minerals as potential tool

Leaders exchange pleasantries; PM picks Indonesia for first trip of second term

5 May 2025
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addresses a crowd in Sydney following his victory in the federal election on May 3. 
Australia election

Australia's Labor vows to protect economy from trade war's 'dark shadow'

After landslide, PM Albanese faces questions over new growth engines, cost-of-living

4 May 2025
Young lifesavers in training -- known as Nippers -- are a common sight on Australian beaches.
Life

Nippers are the future of Australia's beach culture

From age 5, young swimmers learn lifesaving skills at local surf clubs

4 May 2025
Supporters of Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese react at a Labor party election night event, after local media projected a Labor Party's victory, on the day of the Australian federal election, in Sydney, May 3
Australia election

Australia's Albanese rides voters' anti-Trump sentiment to election win

PM's Labor Party projected to secure majority in stinging defeat for opposition Coalition

3 May 2025
Voters gather near a voting station on May 3 at Bondi Beach in Sydney. (Photo by Rurika Imahashi)
Australia election

Australians seek cost-of-living answers as election polls close

Local media report record early turnout as voters show up on a sunny Saturday

3 May 2025
People wait to vote outside a pre-polling center in Sydney on April 29.
Australia election

Australia kicks off pivotal election: 5 things to know

Incumbent has made late surge in campaign dominated by cost-of-living pressures

3 May 2025
Monique Ryan, center, an independent member of the Australian parliament, visits an early-voting center in Melbourne on May 1. (AAP Image/Joel Carrett)
Australia election

China-linked group accused of meddling in Australia election

Canberra's election watchdog has pledged to investigate online video

2 May 2025
Australia's federal election features a faceoff between incumbent Anthony Albanese (left) and Peter Dutton of the opposition. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by AP and Getty Images) 
Policy Asia

Australia election rivals pledge spending surge even as budget chasm beckons

Fiscal soundness seen hostage to spending as cost of living crisis dominates campaign

2 May 2025
Michael Holz poses in the commercial core of Singleton, a town in Australia's Hunter Valley. (Photo by Steven Borowiec)
Australia election

Australia election highlights burning questions over energy future

Hunter Valley still relies on jobs in coal as leaders scramble for alternatives

1 May 2025
Candidate signs are displayed outside a polling station in Ballina, Australia on the first day of pre-poll voting on April 22. (Photo by Sophie Mak).
Australia election

Young Australians lead push toward potential minority government

Support for major parties is at historic lows as voters hope for durable change

30 April 2025
Singaporeans will vote in a parliamentary election in the city-state on May 3 in a test of voter support for Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. (Photo by Suzu Takahashi)
Your Week in Asia

Singapore, Australia head to polls, Ishiba visits Philippines

Your weekly lineup of Asia's biggest business and political events

27 April 2025
A worker picks up a handful of rare-earth concentrate that has been left to dry in the sun before it is packed in Australia.
Commodities

Australia's Albanese proposes critical minerals strategic reserve

Government says stockpiles and off-take deals would address market volatility

24 April 2025
U.S. Vice President JD Vance is heading to India for the first time. (File photo by Reuters)
Your Week in Asia

Vance in India, South Korea's post-Yoon economy, election milestones

Your weekly lineup of Asia's biggest business and political events

20 April 2025
Solitude and bliss on the water in Bali: With its perennially calm waters, the Indonesian island's north coast is an ideal destination for kayakers. (Courtesy of Ian Neubauer)
Life

Asia-Pacific's best adventure kayaking spots

From beginner to advanced, explore the region's most epic waterways

19 April 2025
Australian opposition leader Peter Dutton speaks during the Liberal Party campaign launch in Western Sydney, Australia, on April 13. 
Opinion

Will Australia go nuclear? Voters will soon decide

Unclear whether energy source is needed for country to reach net zero

18 April 2025