Between the Lines

Six months after losing the unlosable election, what now for the Australian Labor Party?

Some believe that Bill Shorten took the right mix of policies to the May 18 election. Others say there should have been a shift towards the centre.

One thing was clear. The voting public did not want either.

Nick Dyrenfurth, executive director of the John Curtin Research Centre and author of Getting the blues: the future of Australian Labor.

Emma Dawson, executive director of Per Capita.

Also

Britain is heading towards the most unpredictable and important general election in living memory.

Will it be enough to solve the Brexit crisis?

Isabel Oakeshott, former political editor at the Sunday Times and Sunday Mail and co-author of Call me Dave, a biography of former British prime minister David Cameron.

Mary Dejevsky, columnist with The Guardian and The Independent and former correspondent in Washington and Moscow.

Islamic State mastermind Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead. Now what?

After five years of his Sunni jihadist movement's caliphate across parts of Syria and Iraq, and widespread barbarism, video-recorded beheadings, mass executions and the enslavement and raping of women, what should we expect? Will the jihadists bounce back?

Jessica Stern, research professor at Boston University’s Pardee School of Global Studies and co-author of ISIS: The State of Terror.

Also

Recently the Liberal Party of Australia celebrated its 75 year anniversary. Two thirds of this time was spent in federal power. Historians Gerard Henderson and Troy Bramston look back at 'Menzie's Child': the good, the bad and the ugly.

Gerard Henderson, former chief of staff to Liberal leader John Howard, now executive director of the Sydney Institute and author of Menzies Child: the Liberal Party of Australia, 1944 - 1994

Troy Bramston, former speech writer to Labor leader Kevin Rudd, now a senior columnist with The Australian and author of Robert Menzies: The art of politics.

Islamic State mastermind Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead. Now what?

After five years of his Sunni jihadist movement's caliphate across parts of Syria and Iraq, and widespread barbarism, video-recorded beheadings, mass executions and the enslavement and raping of women, what should we expect? Will the jihadists bounce back?

Jessica Stern, research professor at Boston University’s Pardee School of Global Studies and co-author of ISIS: The State of Terror.

Also

Recently the Liberal Party of Australia celebrated its 75 year anniversary. Two thirds of this time was spent in federal power. Historians Gerard Henderson and Troy Bramston look back at 'Menzie's Child': the good, the bad and the ugly.

Gerard Henderson, former chief of staff to Liberal leader John Howard, now executive director of the Sydney Institute and author of Menzies Child: the Liberal Party of Australia, 1944 - 1994

Troy Bramston, former speech writer to Labor leader Kevin Rudd, now a senior columnist with The Australian and author of Robert Menzies: The art of politics.

Joe Biden's advisor, Nicholas Burns, blames China for the 'theft of American intellectual property.'

He says they have 'ripped off part of the natural wealth of the US' and that President Trump used this sentiment in his 2016 campaign.

Burns was a recent guest of the Lowy Institute in Australia.

He would like to see Australia step up to help ease the anguish around China's place in the world.

Nicholas Burns, advisor to Joe Biden and professor of the practice of diplomacy and international relations at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Joe Biden's advisor, Nicholas Burns, blames China for the 'theft of American intellectual property.'

He says they have 'ripped off part of the natural wealth of the US' and that President Trump used this sentiment in his 2016 campaign.

Burns was a recent guest of the Lowy Institute in Australia.

He would like to see Australia step up to help ease the anguish around China's place in the world.

Nicholas Burns, advisor to Joe Biden and professor of the practice of diplomacy and international relations at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Winston Churchill inspired his fellow Britons to resist the rise of the Nazis and led them to victory in World War Two.

All this in the face of a complex childhood, a love for alcohol and a self-described long battle with the 'black dog' of depression. Andrew Roberts is the author of Churchill: Walking with Destiny, the most recent and highly-regarded biography of the man who was the twice-prime minister of Britain.

Winston Churchill inspired his fellow Britons to resist the rise of the Nazis and led them to victory in World War Two.

All this in the face of a complex childhood, a love for alcohol and a self-described long battle with the 'black dog' of depression. Andrew Roberts is the author of Churchill: Walking with Destiny, the most recent and highly-regarded biography of the man who was the twice-prime minister of Britain.

What did this beauty queen do to be banned from entering China?

It is the 70th anniversary of China's Communist Revolution but when it comes to human rights, how far has the regime come? Activist Anastasia Lin has learned that if you speak ill of the communist regime you quickly become a 'persona non gratis' in the eyes of the Chinese government.

Also

Can any one sector solve the myriad issues of any one society? Sevaun Palvetzian says no, they can't. She explains why action needs to come from all corners of society to address the real challenges of housing affordability, sex trafficking, the future of work and extreme weather.

Sevaun Palvetzian, chief executive of CivicAction in Toronto, Canada.

What did this beauty queen do to be banned from entering China?

It is the 70th anniversary of China's Communist Revolution but when it comes to human rights, how far has the regime come? Activist Anastasia Lin has learned that if you speak ill of the communist regime you quickly become a 'persona non gratis' in the eyes of the Chinese government.

Also

Can any one sector solve the myriad issues of any one society? Sevaun Palvetzian says no, they can't. She explains why action needs to come from all corners of society to address the real challenges of housing affordability, sex trafficking, the future of work and extreme weather.

Sevaun Palvetzian, chief executive of CivicAction in Toronto, Canada.

If Trump is impeached, can American politics regain the trust of the voting public? Either way, there is no guarantee that the Democrats will win the 2020 election. Pat Buchanan, author and former adviser to presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. Eleanor Clift, columnist with The Daily Beast and a contributor to MSNBC.

Also, with the benefit of hindsight: Jacques Chirac had one of the longest political careers in Europe, but he may best be remembered internationally for leading France's strong opposition to the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.