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Vanuatu urges World Court to recognise climate change harms

The Hague, The Netherlands Reuters Vanuatu on Monday urged the top United Nations court to recognise the harm caused by climate change in its judgment on the legal obligation of countries to fight it and address the consequences of them contributing to global warming. Vanuatu, one of the small island states that has spearheaded the […]

Solomon Islands picks China-friendly Manele as new Prime Minister

Reuters Solomon Islands lawmakers selected a new prime minister on Thursday, choosing foreign minister Jeremiah Manele, who has pledged to continue the Pacific Island nation’s foreign policy that drew it closer to China. Governor General Sir David Vunagi announced outside parliament house that Manele had won 31 votes, to Opposition leader Matthew Wales’ 18 votes. […]

Pollution killing nine million people a year, Africa hardest hit – study

Nigeria Niger delta pollution

Reuters Worsening outdoor air pollution and toxic lead poisoning have kept global deaths from environmental contamination at an estimated nine million per year since 2015 – countering modest progress made in tackling pollution elsewhere, a team of scientists reported Tuesday. Air pollution from industry processes along with urbanisation drove a seven per cent increase in […]

Tuvalu, sinking in the Pacific, fears becoming a superpower “pawn”

Tuvalu Foreign Minister Simon Kofe COP26

Sydney, Australia Reuters Tuvalu fears that climate change, an existential threat to the Pacific nation, is being forgotten and it worries that fellow island nations could become “pawns” in a global competition between China and the United States, its foreign minister said. Simon Kofe told Reuters the superpower competition was a concern, distracting attention from […]

Australia wants calm in ties with Solomon Islands after “invasion” claim

Sydney, Australia Reuters Australia will respond calmly to the Solomon Islands after it signed a security pact with China, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said, dismissing a furious response by the leader of the Pacific nation to Western criticism of the deal. In a fiery speech to parliament on Tuesday, Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said […]

US ambassador to Solomons warns of aid that goes to “one bank account”

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare

Sydney, Australia  Reuters The US ambassador to the Solomon Islands has warned Pacific Islands against “aid that benefits one person, one party and one bank account” – remarks that come after the Solomons were beset with riots last month blamed in part on discontent with China. Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare was accused last […]

Updated: Solomon Islands Prime Minister survives no-confidence vote after riots

Solomon Islands police checkpoint

Updated 6.15pm (AEDT) Sydney, Australia Reuters Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare on Monday survived a no confidence motion in parliament, after accusing the Pacific island nation’s most populous province of being “Taiwan’s agent”, and anti-government protesters of attempting a coup. Dozens of buildings were burnt and shops looted in the capital of the Pacific […]

Explainer: What is behind unrest in the Solomon Islands?

Solomon Islands Honiara burnt buildings

Sydney, Australia Reuters Four people were killed during violent anti-government protests in the Solomon Islands that prompted Australia to send police and soldiers to help keep order. In three days of unrest last week, buildings were set ablaze and shops looted by protesters angered by problems such as high unemployment and crowded housing, witnesses said. […]

Calm returns as clean-up begins in Solomon Islands – media

Solomon Islands Honiara destroyed building

Melbourne, Australia Reuters Soldiers and police from Australia and Papua New Guinea were helping to restore calm in the Solomon Islands as clean-up operations started, after several days of rioting left three dead and led to dozens of arrests, local media reported.  The Solomon Star newspaper said Australian soldiers and police and troops from Papua […]