Sean Mantesso

Experts say Beijing and New Delhi are sending millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccinations abroad in the hopes of shoring up their international reputations and securing some political goodwill in return.

At a time of heightened political tensions between China and the West, space is emerging as an important front in the geopolitical struggle brewing between the world's great powers. 

Videos of Uyghurs dancing happily, praising the Chinese government, and denying human rights abuses are flooding Chinese English-language media. For those with family still in Xinjiang, stories like this can be infuriating. 

Remember when Facebook planned to launch its own digital currency Libra? Well, its plans have stalled but China has raced ahead building a digital yuan controlled by its central bank – and it's already being used in some cities.

Increasingly defensive about accusations it is committing atrocities against Uyghurs in Xinjiang, China hits back, accusing Western nations including Australia of having poor human rights records.

America's military adventurism has long been a lightning rod for criticism from Beijing, but the hasty US withdrawal from Afghanistan has Beijing changing its tune.

Italian is on the decline in Australia, but experts say younger generations of Australian Italians who are showing increased interest in the language and embracing their culture could reverse that trend.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is transforming India to improve the lives of the “common people” and especially the poor, but critics say he is steering the nation down an illiberal path, stoking religious tensions and undermining democratic institutions.

Pandemic measures are only part of the reason foreigners are leaving China in droves. Many believe the spirit of openness that underpinned China’s economic rise could be in terminal decline.

The Pacific Island of Guam sits at the centre of a struggle between the world's most powerful military and the right of its people to determine their own future.