Regional

Pacific leaders congratulate Labor’s Albanese on election result

SYDNEY (Reuters) – The Solomon Islands has congratulated Australia’s Labor leader, Anthony Albanese, on his election victory, saying much “remains to be done” in the bilateral relationship, as Pacific islands neighbour Fiji welcomed the party’s...

22nd May

Incoming Australian Prime Minister says he wants to unite country

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Labor Party leader Anthony Albanese said he wanted to bring Australians together as he made his first comments after leading his party to an election victory on Saturday after nine years in opposition. “I want to unite the country,” Albanese told reporters as he left his home late on Saturday night to...

Australian prime minister concedes defeat in election

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he had conceded defeat in a national election on Saturday, saying that while vote counting was incomplete the opposition Labor party looked likely to form a government. “Tonight I have spoken to the Leader of the Opposition and the incoming Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, and I’ve...

Australian voters head to polls in close-run election

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australians were voting in a national election on Saturday, with opinion polls showing the opposition Labor Party narrowly ahead of the ruling conservative coalition although a strong showing by climate-focussed independents could mean a hung parliament. Centre-left Labor held a decent lead going into the campaign after nine years in opposition, but...

21st May

SPC’s CePaCT wins award for innovative island research

The Pacific Community’s (SPC) Centre for Pacific Crops and Trees (CePaCT) has won the 2022 Island Innovation award for Innovative Island Research. The award – given by Island Innovation, a global network that connects island stakeholders through digital communication and events – was presented to CePaCT in a ceremony held in April. CePaCT is managed...

19th May

Australian leaders focus on undecided voters in final campaign push

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s political leaders raced to get their message out to undecided voters in marginal seats on Thursday, two days before a general election, with economic problems dominating the last stretch of a tough campaign. The election has become too close to call, polls issued on Wednesday showed, as the ruling conservative coalition...

Oceans are hotter, higher and more acidic, climate report warns

(Reuters) – The world’s oceans in 2021 grew to their warmest and most acidic levels on record, while melting ice sheets helped push sea levels to new heights, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Wednesday. Oceans saw the most striking extremes as the WMO detailed a range of turmoil wrought by climate change in...

18th May

Australian PM touts fiscal discipline in final election campaign lap

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s ruling coalition on Tuesday pledged to fund A$2.3 billion ($1.60 billion) worth of its election promises by curbing public sector spending over the next four years, which it said would also further reduce the budget deficit. With the national election just four days away on Saturday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said...