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Seabed issue turning into hotbedSeabed mining continues to divide the region as the International Seabed Authority prepares to meet in Jamaica at the end of July. Hawai‘i has just passed a law banning seabed mining in
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Against independence – and each other As French President Macron flew into Noumea for 18 hours, there were sharp divisions between political leaders – and that’s just on the anti-independence side! Even though
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Quiet diplomacy While all the China watchers and US/Australian/NZ journos were focused on the Solomon Islands elections in mid-April, PRC Foreign Minister Wang Yi made a quick visit to Papua New Guinea. Despite renewed
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Nauru-Fiji-TuvaluWhen Nauru did the flip on Taiwan in February, it sent the temperature soaring in Canberra as all eyes turned towards the upcoming election in Tuvalu, to see whether a pro- or anti-Taiwan candidate
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Is Tuvalu next? Is Australia heading for another major embarrassment with Tuvalu in its geopolitical strategy in the South Pacific? There were strong indications in the hours before this edition of Islands Business went
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Which way after Tuvalu?So, what’s next for Australia’s strategy in the region, after the Falepili agreement with Tuvalu? There are noises there could be another such agreement in the works with Fiji, while the
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Uni’s rough start The news on the newest regional university is not good. Launched at an ecumenical gathering in New Caledonia early this month, its application for funding has been rejected by two banks. The
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DJ Albo On his recent trip to the United States, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was hosted at a state dinner in the White House. Some bright spark proposed that the 1970s band, The B-52s, perform at the
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Confused, changing tunes So, in boycotting US President Joe Biden's annual summit with Pacific leaders in Washington DC late September, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare wasn't the only one hitting the headlines after
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WHO will be next regional health leader? Why is the Pacific Islands region fielding two candidates for the position of World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for the Western Pacific? Tonga has
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Trouble in the air (1) A Pacific airline is flying through a rough patch with its CEO receiving orders to leave by the end of the month. Earlier this year he dismissed two Fijian executives who promptly sued the