World desk · Perth
Global news, close to home
Sharp reporting on the decisions shaping Australia's place in the region.
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Lead story · Singapore
ASEAN ministers close in on a digital economy pact
Trade officials are working through data rules and cross-border payments. The agreement could reshape how Australian firms sell across South-East Asia.
A regional view with Perth in frame
S&C Freelance Reporter follows the policy choices that reach Australian homes, farms, ports, and markets. Our reporters check the source, name the stakes, and keep the language plain. The World Desk is based in Perth, with attention fixed on Asia-Pacific diplomacy and the people affected by it.
The useful detail matters.
ECB holds rates as inflation stays sticky
The decision keeps borrowing costs steady while officials wait for clearer price data.
Pacific leaders back a climate fund
A joint adaptation fund will target coastal protection and resilient public infrastructure.
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World in frames
Life along the Mekong
Six scenes show how river communities work with a changing waterway.
2.4%
ASX futures move after the overnight US rate decision
Policy lands somewhere real
“I read the World Desk before our morning planning meeting. The stories connect a headline in Jakarta or Washington to freight costs, customer demand, and the choices our team has to make in Western Australia. The writing is direct, and the source details let us follow the issue ourselves.”
Xinlin Vajifdar, Perth agribusiness adviser
Australian dollar slips
Soft CPI data pushed the dollar lower against the greenback during Asian trading.
Iron ore volatility reaches WA revenue
A change in benchmark prices can alter royalty forecasts, public budgets, and confidence across the state's resources towns. We track the numbers without dressing them up.
Follow market analysisWheat exports meet a new test
Fresh geopolitical pressure is changing routes, insurance costs, and the outlook for Australian growers.
Maritime ties enter a new phase
Australia and Indonesia are revisiting sensitive boundary talks with trade and fisheries in view.
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Share a document, lead, or regional detail. Our editors review every useful tip.
Contact the newsroomThe access gap grows
Papua New Guinea's infrastructure shortfall is making market access harder for Pacific exporters.
A hub for Australian produce
Cold-chain links and trusted buyers keep the Lion City central to agribusiness trade.
Follow the reporting as it develops
The desk posts quick context and source links between major editions.
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