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Author: Binoy Kampmark

  • AUSTRALIA

    Can a ban save kids from social media’s harms?

    • Binoy Kampmark
    • 04 December 2024

    In a move that’s been both lauded as necessary and criticized as overreaching, Australia has enacted legislation banning social media for users under 16, placing enforcement squarely on Big Tech. But behind the legislation lies a contentious debate: does prohibition protect, or does it merely shift the harm?

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  • INTERNATIONAL

    How the Democrats relived Clinton's nightmare

    • Binoy Kampmark
    • 11 November 2024
    2 Comments

    As election night unfolded, pundits and pollsters braced for a nail-biter. But within hours, the predicted deadlock vanished, with Trump surging past Harris in key battlegrounds, defying expectations. The Democrats’ reliance on identity politics and celebrity endorsements missed the mark with Middle America, leaving them to confront the hard lessons of a stunning defeat.

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Demonic youths and sacred children

    • Binoy Kampmark
    • 31 October 2024
    3 Comments

    Two narratives dominate Australia’s view of children. The first casts them as dangerous, irredeemable offenders. The second, as vulnerable innocents threatened by risks online. Both anxieties reveal deep-seated tensions over safety, innocence, and societal responsibility.

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  • INTERNATIONAL

    Bitter harvests: The killing of Yahya Sinwar

    • Binoy Kampmark
    • 23 October 2024
    2 Comments

    The death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, architect of the October 7 attacks on Israel, has been hailed by Israeli and U.S. leaders as a significant victory and a turning point in the Gaza conflict. But as strikes continue, history suggests such assassinations often fuel further conflict, not lasting peace.

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  • INTERNATIONAL

    The unbearable lightness of presidential debates

    • Binoy Kampmark
    • 30 September 2024

    Last month, Kamala Harris faced off with Trump in what may be the only debate of the 2024 race for the White House. As we revisit the event, it’s clear that the real takeaway isn’t found in the limited substance offered to voters. Rather, it’s a stark reminder of how far the standards for such political showdowns have fallen, leaving us to question the usefulness of this once-crucial platform for democratic discourse.

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  • AUSTRALIA

    International student caps: The end of the education gold rush?

    • Binoy Kampmark
    • 03 September 2024

    The government has imposed a cap on enrolments, sparking controversy among universities. Critics argue this will harm the education sector and exploit foreign students, while supporters believe it will protect the integrity of Australia's education system and address concerns about over-reliance on international student fees.

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  • INTERNATIONAL

    AUKUS 2.0: The US garrisoning of Australia

    • Binoy Kampmark
    • 15 August 2024
    1 Comment

    The AUSMIN talks in Annapolis herald a new era of defense cooperation between Australia and the United States, but at what cost? Critics warn of eroded sovereignty and nuclear proliferation risks as Australia embraces its role in America's strategic chess game against China.

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  • INTERNATIONAL

    Costly pageantry: The Olympics and the blank cheque syndrome

    • Binoy Kampmark
    • 05 August 2024

    The pain cities endure while hosting large sporting events like the Olympics has proved considerable. They exert a remarkable strain on budgets, disrupt commerce, compromise valuable real estate, inflict environmental harm, and often result in evictions and displacements of vulnerable residents. 

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Does 'social cohesion' mask religious political influence?

    • Binoy Kampmark
    • 16 July 2024
    2 Comments

    Senator Fatima Payman's departure from Labor over a pro-Palestine vote and the emergence of 'The Muslim Vote' have reignited debates about faith in Australian politics. While PM Albanese cautions against religious influence, his stance overlooks the nation's history of faith shaping governance, raising questions about the feasibility of separating belief from policy-making.

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  • INTERNATIONAL

    Globalizing the US Espionage Act: The Assange plea deal

    • Binoy Kampmark
    • 01 July 2024

    Julian Assange, once confined to Britain’s most forbidding maximum-security prison, is now free after pleading guilty to a single conspiracy charge. This unexpected twist in the WikiLeaks saga, involving complex negotiations and political maneuvering, could have profound implications for press freedom and the future of journalism worldwide.

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  • AUSTRALIA

    The Sentencing of David McBride

    • Binoy Kampmark
    • 11 June 2024
    2 Comments

    Former Australian military lawyer David McBride was convicted for leaking documents to the ABC which exposed war crimes in Afghanistan. He is the sole individual to be convicted in exposing alleged atrocities in the Afghanistan campaign by Australian special forces. 

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  • INTERNATIONAL

    An indelicate balance: Israel and Iran exchange blows

    • Binoy Kampmark
    • 01 May 2024
    1 Comment

    For decades, the major powers of Israel, Iran and Saudi Arabia have kept a restraint on their hostile engagements, with preference given to battle waged via proxies. A recent Israeli air strike on Iranian offices in Syria and Iran's subsequent attack on Israel with 185 drones, 110 ballistic missiles and 36 cruise missiles suggested that calculated restraint had been finally abandoned.

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