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Read previewThe Australian government said Monday that a Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force fighter jet released flares dangerously close to an Australian Defence Force helicopter over the weekend. The PLAAF jet intercepted the Royal Australian Navy MH-60R helicopter attached to HMAS Hobart in the Yellow Sea and "released flares across the flight path of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) helicopter," the Australian government said in a statement. Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said a Chinese J-10 fighter aircraft popped flares about 300 meters in front of the helicopter and about 60 meters above it, per reporting from the AP. Related stories"This was an unsafe manoeuvre which posed a risk to the aircraft and personnel," the statement said. This isn't the first incident involving a Chinese jet engaging in troubling behavior in the vicinity of an Australian aircraft.
Persons: , Operation, Richard Marles Organizations: Service, Liberation Army Air Force, Australian Defence Force, Royal Australian Navy, ADF, Business, Australian Defense, China, of Defense, Military, Security, U.S Locations: Hobart, North Korea, Chinese, Canberra, Beijing, Australian, China, People's Republic of China
China's and Australia's flags are seen on the tables where China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong held their bilateral meeting at Parliament House in Canberra on March 20, 2024. Asia-Pacific markets tracked Wall Street gains on Monday as a softer-than-expected U.S. jobs report fueled hopes that the Federal Reserve could start cutting rates soon. Investors, meanwhile, awaited the Reserve Bank of Australia's rate decision on Tuesday and China's April trade data on Thursday. ING said in a note last week that the RBA meeting was "worth watching closely," adding that recent inflation data from Australia showed growth in prices was starting to accelerate. However, the analysts said Australia's inflation data was better than they had expected, and compared to the US, the country's economy had slowed more with the labor market softening substantially.
Persons: Wang Yi, Penny Wong Organizations: House, Wall, Federal Reserve, Investors, Reserve Bank, ING, Global Locations: Canberra, Asia, Pacific, Australia, Hong Kong, China, India, Japan, South
Late Monday, new figures showed a 28% jump in intimate partner homicide in 2022-23, compared to the previous year – ending what had been a decades-long trend of decline. Around 4,000 people marched through the streets of Brisbane on April 28 to call for action on gendered violence. The deaths took the toll to 27 women allegedly killed by a partner or former partner so far this year, according to the Counting Dead Women project. “We don’t have good programs for men with mental illness and personality disorders who use these types of violence. We don’t have a lot of really accessible drug and alcohol treatment programs for men who use violence.
Persons: Daniel McCormack, Daniel Sloss, , , McCormack, Samantha Bricknell, we’ve, Anthony Albanese, , Hilary Whiteman, wasn’t, Lukas Coch, Hayley Boxall, Albanese, , ” Albanese, ” Boxall, ” Bricknell, Emily Garnett, there’ll, ” McCormack, he’s, “ I’ve, ‘ That’s Organizations: Australia CNN, Australian, of Criminology, , Australia, CNN, New South, Australian National University, Wales, Nations, First Nations, Brisbane Locations: Brisbane, Australia, Scottish, Bondi, Sydney, New South Wales, Canberra, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Australian, Melbourne, England
A New Pacific Arsenal to Counter China
  + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( John Ismay | Edward Wong | Pablo Robles | ) www.nytimes.com   time to read: +15 min
They call it an encirclement of their nation and say the United States is trying to constrain its main economic and military rival. The United States also has a new security agreement with Papua New Guinea. On Wednesday, Mr. Biden signed a $95-billion supplemental military aid and spending bill that Congress had just passed and that includes $8.1 billion to counter China in the region. In addition, the United States continues to send weapons and Green Beret trainers to Taiwan, a de facto independent island and the biggest flashpoint between the United States and China. A swarm of Chinese militia and Coast Guard vessels chased a Philippine Coast Guard ship in the South China Sea last year.
Persons: Xi Jinping, Biden, Antony J, Blinken, Yuri Gripas, ” Ely Ratner, Xi, ” Kurt Campbell, Joseph Wu, , , Samuel J, Paparo Jr, Mr, Paparo, Carl Vinson, Richard A, Brooks, Trump, Lloyd J, Austin III, Chen Jining, Jes Aznar, David H, Berger, Obama, Tony Mcdonough, United States —, Admiral Paparo, China’s “ revanchist, we’re Organizations: Australian, U.S, Marines, United, Pentagon, Corps, Mr, White House, White, The New York Times, American, Marine, Green, China’s, Liberation Army, Seoul SOUTH, Pacific Command, People’s Liberation Army, Agence France, Nuclear Forces Treaty, Defense, Communist Party, Tokyo Okinawa, U.S . Navy, Coast Guard, Philippine Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Army, Philippines Luzon Partner, Australia Darwin Potential, NATO, Tomahawk Locations: Beijing, United States, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Japan, Okinawa, Taiwan, Asia, Pacific, U.S, China, Shanghai, South China, South Korea, Guam, Washington, Manila, Taipei, People’s Republic of China, Palau, West Papua, Seoul, Tokyo JAPAN CHINA Taipei TAIWAN Hong Kong, GUAM philippines MALAYSIA INDONESIA JAPAN CHINA TAIWAN, philippines GUAM, INDONESIA Seoul, GUAM philippines, MALAYSIA INDONESIA, Philippine, Moscow, Tokyo, Ryukyu Islands, South, Philippines Luzon, Luzon, Spratly, Australia, Canberra, Singapore, Darwin, Australia’s, . North Carolina, Virginia, Perth, United Kingdom, Navy’s, America
These are the ten smartest cities in the world, according to IMD. This year's index was produced by the IMD World Competitiveness Center's Smart City Observatory in collaboration with the World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization (WeGO) that's based in Seoul, South Korea. Smart cities in Europe and Asia are gaining ground globally while North American cities have fallen down the ranks, according to the 2024 Smart City Index released April. Here are the top 10 smart cities, according to the 2024 Smart City Index. While European cities dominated the list, Asian cities are gaining ground too.
Persons: Bruno Lanvin, Lanvin Organizations: IMD, Smart, Smart Sustainable Cities Organization, United Arab Emirates, Washington DC, San, U.S, Boston, CNBC Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Europe, Smart, Asia, Zurich, Switzerland Oslo, Norway Canberra, Australia Geneva, Switzerland Singapore Copenhagen, Denmark Lausanne, Switzerland London, England Helsinki, Finland Abu Dhabi, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City, Chicago, Singapore, Beijing, Taipei City, Shanghai
After meticulously studying the video, Lee concluded that Higgins had consumed 11 drinks, and was seen on camera to have stumbled. Lee said Lehrmann “knew she was drinking excessively.”Lee also accepted the evidence of a colleague who saw Lehrmann and Higgins engage in a passionate kiss at the bar, though both Lehrmann and Higgins had denied kissing. Higgins left Parliament House alone after a couple of hours and didn’t immediately file a case with police. Videos posted by journalists online Monday showed Lehrmann leaving court and declining to answer multiple questions shouted at him by reporters. Outside the court, Network Ten journalist Wilkinson told reporters she sincerely hoped the judgment “gives strength to women around the country.”
Persons: Australia CNN —, Brittany Higgins, Bruce Lehrmann, “ Mr Lehrmann, Miss Higgins, , Michael Lee, Higgins, Lehrmann, Lisa Wilkinson, Wilkinson, Lee, “ I’m, , Mr Lehrmann, Don Arnold, ” Lee, Lehrmann “, Lehmann, Lee didn’t, Lee’s Organizations: Australia CNN, YouTube, Federal Court, CNN, Getty, House, Network Locations: Brisbane, Australia, Sydney, Lehrmann’s, Canberra
download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Before I share how I survived my 15-hour flight, I have to let you in on my personal Q2 challenge: I'm determined to eat less ultra-processed foods. Now the city has reimagined itself as a tourist destination, with a waterpark, an artificial beach, and a golf course. According to one estimate, Americans actually have about four to six hours of leisure time every day. AdvertisementSee the full listMore of this week's top reads:The Insider Today team: Joi-Marie McKenzie, editor-in-chief, in New York.
Persons: , you'll, Let's, Greta Gerwig's, Barbie, Jenny Chang, Rodriguez, Marielle, Marielle Descalsota, Daniel Chaney, Alexa Campbell, Henry Ammann, Alyssa Powell, Beyoncé, Carter, Buckle, Tanner Adell, who's, Javier Zayas, there's, Tyler Le, Ewan McGregor's, Lisa Frankenstein, Zelda Williams, Robin Williams, Joi, Marie McKenzie, Jordan Parker Erb, Dan DeFrancesco, Lisa Ryan Organizations: Service, Business, Canberra Airport, Getty, Art Basel, BI, Visa, Mastercard —, Mastercard Forest City, Paramount, Netflix Locations: Hong Kong, Australia, Johor, Malaysia's Forest, Forest City, Texas, Moscow, New York
China will lift anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs on Australian wine from March 29, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Thursday, ending three years of punitive levies and offering long-awaited relief to Australian wine producers. "We welcome this outcome, which comes at a critical time for the Australian wine industry," the Australian government said in a statement. "Since 2020, China's duties on Australian wine effectively made it unviable for Australian producers to export bottled wine to that market. When the tariffs on Australian wine were levied in 2021, Canberra urged the WTO to arbitrate in the dispute. "Today's announcement is a significant positive not only for Treasury Wine Estates, but also for the Australian wine industry and wine consumers in China," CEO Tim Ford said in a statement.
Persons: Australia's, Tim Ford Organizations: World Trade Organisation, WTO, Wine, Treasury Wine Estates Locations: Chirnside Park, Victoria, Australia, China, Canberra, Beijing
The decision scraps duties as high as 218% on Australian wine exports to China, its largest overseas market once worth more than 1 billion Australian dollars ($653 million). The Australian government said it welcomed Beijing’s decision “which comes at a critical time for the Australian wine industry.”“Since 2020, China’s duties on Australian wine effectively made it unviable for Australian producers to export bottled wine to that market,” the statement read. “There are a lot of people in the Australian wine industry who will be reaching out for a good glass of wine tonight and feeling a whole lot happier about their future,” Bruce Tyrrell, managing director of Tyrrell’s Wines in New South Wales, told CNN. Annual wine production hit its lowest point in more than 15 years during 2022-2023, Wine Australia said. Lee McLean, head of national association of grape and wine producers Australian Grape & Wine, said industry groups were working with the Australian government to “ensure a coordinated re-entry” into the market.
Persons: , , that’s, ” Bruce Tyrrell, Lee McLean, ” McLean, Anthony Albanese’s, Albanese, Wang Yi, Penny Wong, Yang Hengjun, Wong Organizations: Sydney CNN, China’s Ministry of Commerce, Canberra, World Trade Organization, Tyrrell’s, CNN, Wine Australia, Global, Wine, China’s Foreign, Anthony Albanese’s Labor, China’s, Ministry, Australian Locations: Hong Kong, Sydney, China, Australia, Beijing, New South Wales, Wine Australia, United Kingdom, Europe, China’s
The 2023 World Air Quality Report showed that only a few countries have acceptable air quality. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementHardly any countries have clean enough air to hit a global safety benchmark, according to new research. The only seven countries deemed acceptable were Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius, Australia, and New Zealand. Advertisement"The science is pretty clear about the impacts of air pollution and yet we are so accustomed to having a background level of pollution that's too high to be healthy.
Persons: , IQAir, Marco Bottigelli, Hammes, David Dee Delgado Organizations: Service, World Health Organization, Guardian, Chrysler, Getty, Las Locations: Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Canada, North America, Swiss, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius, Australia, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, French Polynesia, Southern Iceland, Northern America, West, New York City, Helinski, Tallinn, Hamilton, Bermuda, Reykjavik, Canberra, Wellington, San Juan ( Puerto Rico, Columbus , Ohio, Las Vegas
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — French defense industry heavyweight Naval Group has been chosen to build four new diesel-electric submarines for the Dutch navy, the government announced Friday, in a provisional deal to replace three ageing Walrus Class subs. The Dutch government did not immediately announce the price tag for the new submarines. “Our shipyards can build excellent surface ships themselves, but unfortunately we have not had any Dutch navy yards that can design and build submarines themselves for more than 25 years," Economic Affairs Minister Micky Adriaansens said in a statement. Instead, Australia had struck a deal with the United States and Britain to provide submarines powered with U.S. nuclear technology, which French leaders said was sealed behind their backs. In a move to heal relations with France, Canberra later agreed to pay Naval Group a 555-million-euro settlement for breaking the contract.
Persons: , Micky Adriaansens Organizations: Naval, Walrus, Ministry of Defense, Barracuda, ” Naval, Saab, Economic, , French Locations: HAGUE, Netherlands, ThyssenKrupp, Germany, French, Australia, United States, Britain, France, Canberra
China's top diplomat, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, will visit Australia next week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday, a sign of a further thaw in relations after years of tensions. China's top diplomat, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, will visit Australia next week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday, a sign of a further thaw in relations after years of tensions. "I look forward to meeting Wang Yi during his visit to Canberra next week," Albanese said during a televised media briefing. "It's a good thing that Wang Yi is visiting, it's a good thing to have dialogue." Albanese said "significant progress" had been made in recent months to remove trade impediments with China, Australia's largest trading partner.
Persons: Wang Yi, Anthony Albanese, " Albanese, it's Organizations: Huawei, Labor Locations: Australia, Canberra, China
Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his wife Tran (R) stand with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (2nd L) and his fiancee Jodie Haydon (L) during an official welcoming ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra on March 7, 2024. "Elevating our ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership today places Australia and Vietnam among each other's significant partners," Albanese told a news conference in Canberra. Albanese and Chinh on Thursday also witnessed the exchanges of 12 cooperation documents on areas including energy, minerals, agriculture, banking and finance, according to the Vietnamese government. Australia is a major producer of critical minerals that are used in everything from smartphones to automobiles, while Vietnam has some of the largest untapped deposits in the world. "An annual ministerial dialogue on energy and minerals will drive cooperation in our energy and resources sectors, including critical minerals supply chains," the statement said.
Persons: Pham Minh Chinh, Tran, Anthony Albanese, Jodie Haydon, Albanese, Chinh Organizations: Vietnam, Australian, House, Communist, Mutual, Vietnam News Agency Locations: Canberra, Vietnam, China, Australia
CNN —When Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. addressed the Australian Parliament last week there was no mistaking the fighting talk. The Philippines accused China's coast guard of setting up the barrier at the mouth of the disputed fishing ground. That meeting will also be attended by several other nations with territorial disagreements with China – including Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia. Collin Koh, research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, said Australia was unlikely to back any tough language at the summit pertaining to the South China Sea or any other hot-button issue. As Bisley put it, “We don’t like what China does, but we’re not going to put ourselves in harm’s way.”
Persons: Ferdinand Marcos Jr, , Marcos, Rodrigo Duterte, , Thomas Shoal, David, China’s, Marcos ’, China –, Scott Morrison, Collin Koh, Penny Wong annouced, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Lukas Coch, Susannah Patton, it’s, ” Patton, China’s aggressions, Wang Wenbin, Nick Bisley, Bisley, we’re Organizations: CNN, Maxar, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, China, Rajaratnam, of International Studies, Australia, Australian, Partners, Reuters, South China, Southeast Asia, Lowy Institute, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, La Trobe University Locations: Philippines, China, South China, Manila, China’s, Philippine, Scarborough, Scarborough Shoal, Hague, United States, Canberra, Australia, Melbourne, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, Beijing, Singapore, South, Penny Wong annouced Canberra, Southeast Asia, Japan, India
CNN —Australia on Tuesday announced plans to build its largest navy since World War II, allocating more than $35 billion for the defense project over the next 10 years, in a move analysts said pointed to heightened tensions with China in the Indo-Pacific. The independent review noted Australia had “the oldest fleet Navy has operated in its history,” according to the government statement. John Bradford, Council on Foreign Relations international affairs fellow, said Australia would need to be steadfast in sticking with the plan. “This investment provides a clear pathway for the shipbuilding industry and workforce in South Australia and Western Australia,” the release said. However, the opposition Greens party called the plan a “multi-billion-dollar mistake” driven by local political concerns to protect shipbuilding jobs – and political ones.
Persons: , Mark Hammond, Collin Koh, ” Jennifer Parker, Parker, John Bradford, Bradford, Andrew Hastie, ” Hastie, that’s, ” Koh, Pat Conroy, Sen, David Shoebridge, CNN’s Angus Watson, Hilary Whiteman Organizations: CNN, Australia, Royal Australian Navy, US Navy, Navy, Rajaratnam, of International Studies, UNSW Canberra, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABC, Hobart, Foreign Relations, Greens, ” Greens Locations: China, Australia, United States, United Kingdom, Singapore, South, Northeast Asia, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Spain, Australian, South Australia, Western Australia
CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australia experienced its eighth-warmest year in 2023, with the influence of climate change pushing average temperatures almost 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) above the 1961-1990 average, the weather bureau said on Thursday. Forecasters warn that climate change will make Australia hotter and increase the severity of weather extremes. "Climate change continues to influence Australia's climate," the Bureau of Meteorology said. The national mean temperature was 0.98 C warmer than the 1961–1990 average, with the winter average 1.53 C above the 1961–1990 average, the bureau said. Forecasters expect El Nino to fade and perhaps swing later this year into its opposite, La Nina, which makes wetter weather more likely in Australia.
Persons: El, Nina, Peter Hobson, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: CANBERRA, Meteorology Locations: Australia, 473.70mm, Western Australia, El Nino, South America, Southeast Asia
Australia and the United States have been alarmed by China's security ambitions in the Pacific Islands region since Beijing struck a security and policing deal with Solomon Islands. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma urged PNG to reject a security deal with China, in comments reported by the Sydney Morning Herald on Monday. PNG would not strike a security agreement with China, he said in an interview with the ABC broadcast on Wednesday. China "understand clearly where we stand on security in the region and that is with our close traditional partners, Australia, U.S., New Zealand", he added. Even before the riots, he had pointed to law-and-order concerns and said boosting security would help to attract foreign investment in PNG's burgeoning resources sector.
Persons: James Marape, Marape, Justin Tkachenko, Tkachenko, Richard Verma, Tkatchenko, Penny Wong, Kirsty Needham, Michael Perry Organizations: SYDNEY, Papua New Guinea, Reuters, U.S, Sydney Morning Herald, Australian, ABC Locations: Papua New, Canberra, Australia, China, United States, Beijing, Solomon Islands, Port Moresby, U.S, , New Zealand
China's then ambassador to Australia says that in response to the call, the Chinese public would boycott Australian wine, beef and tourism. Nov. 27, 2020 - China will impose temporary anti-dumping tariffs on Australian wine, China announces. Jan. 3, 2023 - China allows three government-backed utilities and its top steelmaker to resume coal imports from Australia. Oct. 11, 2023 - China releases Australian journalist Cheng Lei after three years in a Beijing prison on national security charges. Oct. 22, 2023 - China agrees to review dumping tariffs of 218% on Australian wine, potentially clearing way for the resumption of imports.
Persons: Yang Hengjun, Anthony Albanese, China's, Cheng Lei, Albanese, Xi Jinping, Jan, Li, Kirsty Needham, Antoni Slodkowski, Gerry Doyle Organizations: SYDNEY, South China, Huawei Technologies Co, Australia's Labor Party Locations: Beijing, Canberra, China, South, Australia, Indonesia, Japan
Ship Carrying 16,000 Sheep and Cattle Stranded off Australia
  + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com   time to read: +3 min
"It's very hard to imagine that that is consistent with the animal welfare standards that Australians expect to be applied to Australian animals." ROUGH WEATHERAustralia is a major exporter of live animals, shipping more than half a million sheep and half a million cattle last year. Most cattle go to Asian markets such as Indonesia and Vietnam but the Middle East is by far the biggest destination for Australian sheep. Israel is a key market, receiving 86,100 sheep worth $6.5 million and 10,848 cattle worth $14 million from Australia in the first three months of last year, trade data show. Australia's Labor government has pledged to outlaw exports of live sheep in coming years but faces angry pushback from farm groups who say this would put people out of work and destroy farming communities.
Persons: Peter Hobson CANBERRA, Yemen's, Josh Wilson, Bassem, Geoff Pearson, Canberra, Peter Hobson, Stephen Coates Organizations: Fremantle, WA Farmers, Reuters, Korkyra Shipping, Labor Locations: Australia, Israel, Africa, Red, Europe, Asia, Indonesia, Vietnam, New Zealand
As China's electric vehicle market goes from strength to strength, investors worldwide are showing a growing interest in getting involved. The chief investment officer singled out BYD , which recently beat Tesla to become the top global EV maker, as a "favorite" car maker, and battery-making giant Contemporary Amperex Technology ( CATL ). But significant hurdles remain for retail investors before they can be part of China's EV growth story. However, the veteran investor pointed out that ETFs with concentrated positions remain viable options for those seeking exposure to the Chinese EV growth potential. The fund also has a 5% position in Chinese EV maker BYD, according to FactSet data.
Persons: Kingsley Jones, Jevons, CNBC's, BYD, Tesla, Kingsley, Li Auto, BATT, Jones, BATT CGRO Organizations: Jevons Global, Technology, BMW, Hyundai, Honda, China EV, Battery Technology, China Growth, BATT, BYD, CNBC, Alpha, CGRO Locations: Hong Kong, China, U.S, Europe, BYD, Australia, Canberra, Xiaomi
CNN —Voting began on Friday in the tiny Pacific island nation of Tuvalu in a national election that is being closely watched by China, Taiwan, the United States and its ally Australia, amid a tussle for influence in the region. Most of Tuvalu is forecast to be flooded by high tides by 2100, says the United Nations Development Programme, which is working with Tuvalu to bolster its coastline. Tuvalu is one of three remaining Pacific allies of Taiwan, after Nauru cut ties this month and switched to Beijing, which pledged more development support. The new government should decide whether Taiwan or China can best respond to Tuvalu’s development needs, he said. Prime Minister Kausea Natano has told Taiwan he continues to support ties, Taiwan said.
Persons: , , Seve Paeniu, Kausea Natano, Enele Sopoaga, Natano, Simon Kofe, Sopoaga, Kofe Organizations: CNN, United Nations Development, Washington, Tuvalu’s Finance, Reuters, Australia Locations: Tuvalu, China, Taiwan, United States, Australia, Funafuti, Pacific, Nauru, Beijing, Nukulaelae, Kofe, United Nations, Canberra
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Thousand's marked Australia's national day on Friday with "Invasion Day" rallies in support of the country's Indigenous community, many of whom oppose celebrating the day a British fleet sailed into Sydney Harbour in 1788. Australia Day commemorates the day Britain established the state of New South Wales a penal colony, arriving in what is now the state capital Sydney with a "First Fleet" bringing colonists and convicts. Many people celebrate the holiday with barbecues and trips to the beach, and it is also a popular date for immigrants to receive their Australian citizenship. In Sydney, thousands of protesters, many waving Indigenous flags, gathered in the city centre at an "Invasion Day" rally before a march that closed nearby city streets. Two statues of colonial figures were vandalised in Melbourne earlier this week ahead of the contentious national holiday.
Persons: Browne, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Sam McKeith, Lincoln Organizations: SYDNEY, Sydney Harbour, Australian Broadcasting Corp, Labor Party Locations: British, Sydney, Britain, New South Wales, Victoria's Melbourne, Canberra, Melbourne
By Kirsty NeedhamSYDNEY (Reuters) -Voting began on Friday in the tiny Pacific Island nation of Tuvalu in a national election that is being closely watched by China, Taiwan, the US and its ally Australia, amid a tussle for influence in the region. Most of Tuvalu is forecast to be flooded by high tides by 2100, says the United Nations Development Programme, which is working with Tuvalu to bolster its coastline. Taiwan on Thursday said China was trying to influence the Tuvalu election and "seize our diplomatic allies". The new government should decide whether Taiwan or China can best respond to Tuvalu's development needs, he said. Prime Minister Kausea Natano has told Taiwan he continues to support ties, Taiwan said.
Persons: Kirsty Needham SYDNEY, Seve Paeniu, Kausea Natano, Enele Sopoaga, Natano, Simon Kofe, Sopoaga, Kofe, Kirsty Needham, Ben Blanchard, Michael Perry Organizations: United Nations Development, Washington, Tuvalu's Finance, Reuters, Australia Locations: Tuvalu, China, Taiwan, Australia, Funafuti, Pacific, United States, Nauru, Beijing, Nukulaelae, Kofe, United Nations, Canberra, Sydney, Taipei
Despite being separated by oceans and years, my great-uncle became a dear friendMy great-uncle was born in 1921, meaning we had an age gap of over 70 years. As someone who also loves languages, writing, and talking to many different people, his undimmed intellectual curiosity proved inspiring to me. An additional ongoing gift from my friendship with my great-uncle is that of writing letters. Since writing to him and realizing how differently — and beautifully — people sometimes express themselves in long-form handwriting, I began writing letters to friends and receiving letters in turn. Some of my friendships now have a precious quality they potentially wouldn't otherwise have were it not for letters.
Persons: , hadn't, Tolstoy Locations: Cornwall, England, Canberra, Australia, Italy, Europe, Cambridge
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape will travel to Canberra on Thursday to sign the security agreement, his office said. "The security arrangement is in the best interest of Papua New Guinea and also for Australia and its regional security interests," Marape said in a statement on Tuesday. The Australian Federal Police and the defence minister's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the security agreement. "Its a big issue and Australia can help us out considerably," said Tkatchenko, who began negotiations with Australia on the deal last year. They will be contracted officers reporting directly to the police commissioner of Papua New Guinea and they will be under all the laws of PNG.
Persons: James Marape, Lillian Suwanrumpha, Marape, Justin Tkatchenko, Tkatchenko, Kirsty Needham, Edmund Klamann Organizations: Guinea's, APEC, APEC Business, Economic Cooperation, Rights, Papua New Guinea, Australia, U.S, Reuters, Defence, Australian Federal Police, PNG Royal Constabulary, CID, Australian, Thomson Locations: Papua, Asia, Bangkok, Thailand, Papua New Guinea, biosecurity, Papua New, Canberra, United States, China, Solomon Islands, Australia, France
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