The Policy File

Each fortnight on the Policy File we round-up some essential weekend policy reading from around the web. This week we look at the attempted coup in Turkey, the death of a political activist in Cambodia, and privacy and Pokemon Go. 

Last month, a group within the Turkish Army attempted a coup in the country. On Policy Forum, Murat Yurtbilir looks at the putsch, the plotters and the post-coup power grabs, as well as the rising tensions developing within the country. On the Boston Globe, Evan Horowitz asks which is the bigger threat, the coup attempt or President Erdoğan’s reaction to it.

The BBC looks at how Europe responded to the coup, while on Russia Direct Volkan Ozdemir breaks down three myths surrounding the Turkish coup attempt and analyses the implications.

In Australian issues Ramesh Thakur on Policy Forum looks at Kevin Rudd’s quest to become the next United Nations Secretary-General, while Bob McMullan questions the democratic system following the recent election.

John Hewson asks whether the Reserve Bank of Australia has misread the economic signs following last week’s inflation number – a 17-year low, while Sharon Bessell looks at the horrifying footage of Australian youths in a detention centre in North Australia and says it’s part of a long history of mistreating children.

The murder of Cambodia’s political activist Kem Ley has shocked the nation and international observers. On New Mandala, Ana McKenzie looks at how this murder raises questions about freedom of expression and the silencing of opposition voices. While on The Wire, Charlie Rumsby says the death could plant a seed of democracy in Cambodia.

On The New York Times, Mu Sochua says the Cambodian people believe Kem Ley died for his political beliefs, and because of this the fracture between the people and the government may now be irrevocable. On Policy Forum Pod Gareth Evans and Simon Springer take a look at the human rights violations on homeless people in Cambodia and discuss whether sanctions are needed against the country.

China’s annual Yulin Dog Meat Festival has sparked outrage in the international community and within China itself. On Policy Forum this week, Amanda Whitfort looks at China’s new animal protection laws and examines whether they will do a better job of safeguarding the nation’s animals, while Peter Li looks at the cultural conflict behind the Yulin festival and canine cruelty. On Forbes, Casey Hall asks whether animal rights activists in the United States are unintentionally keeping the Yulin festival alive.

Pokémon Go has taken the world by storm with millions of players around the world signing up to catch wild Pokémon. On Today, James Crabtree looks at privacy and safety concerns surrounding the app, while on Bloomberg Law, Jimmy H Koo says players of Pokémon Go may be missing real life threats to their private information. On Brookings, Jack Karsten and Darrel M West analyse the technology behind the app and say it’s no fad.

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