Regional

Australia’s new PM shifts focus to domestic woes after Quad trip

SYDNEY (Reuters) – New prime minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday Australia faces significant economic headwinds, turning his attention to domestic affairs after a first few days in office dominated by international security. “I want...

26th May

Tedros re-elected as head of World Health Organization

GENEVA (Reuters) – The World Health Organization’s (WHO) members re-elected Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as Director General by a strong majority for another five years, the president of the World Health Assembly said on Tuesday. The vote by secret ballot, announced by Ahmed Robleh Abdilleh from Djibouti at a major annual meeting, was seen as a...

New Zealand extends troop deployments to Solomon Islands

WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand on Wednesday said it would extend the New Zealand Defence Force’s deployment to the Solomon Islands until at least May next year, amid concerns among Western allies about China’s growing presence in the South Pacific. New Zealand deployed troops to the Solomon Islands at the request of the nation’s government...

25th May

French health authority recommends targeted monkeypox vaccinations

PARIS (Reuters) -France’s health authority said on Tuesday it recommended starting a targeted vaccination campaign against monkeypox. The health authority said it recommended that at-risk adults who have been in contact with a patient with confirmed monkeypox should be vaccinated. Health staff who have been exposed to a monkeypox patient should also receive the vaccine,...

24th May

Rabuka notes Australia’s call for change

People’s Alliance Party leader Sitiveni Rabuka congratulated Australian Prime Minister-elect Anthony Albanese on the Labor Party’s victory at the polls in a statement where he also noted how Australian voters responded to calls for change. “Australia has been an enduring friend of Fiji and it is our wish that this warm relation will continue in...

23rd May

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 climate policies. Albanese said he would be sworn in as the 31st prime minister on Monday along with four senior...

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...