UN votes to ask world court to rule on national climate obligations
Washington DC, US Reuters The United Nations General Assembly voted on Wednesday to pass a resolution asking the world’s top court to define the obligations of states to combat climate change, a legal opinion that could drive countries to take stronger measures and clarify international law. The historic resolution seeking an advisory opinion from the […]
Exodus of healthcare workers from poor countries worsening, WHO says
Geneva, Switzerland Reuters Poorer countries are increasingly losing healthcare workers to wealthier ones as the latter seek to shore up their own staff losses from the COVID-19 pandemic, sometimes through active recruitment, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday. The trend for nurses and other staff to leave parts of Africa or South-East Asia for […]
From Pacific to Red Sea: climate court action gathers wave of support
Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt Reuters A campaign by the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu for the world’s top court to take a stance on protecting people from climate change gained momentum on Friday, winning the support of almost half the nearly 200 countries at a global summit. In total 86 countries, including core nations that […]
COP27: Polluters must pay for climate change, poor nations tell rich
Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt Reuters Leaders from poor countries criticised wealthy governments and oil companies for driving global warming, using their speeches on Tuesday at the COP27 climate summit in Egypt to demand that they pay up for damages being inflicted on their economies. Small island states already buffeted by increasingly violent ocean storms and sea-level […]
“Time is up”: Countries trapped in climate crisis raise alarm at UN
United NationsReuters Countries on the front lines of the climate crisis are fed up. During the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations this week, low-lying island nation Vanuatu stepped up a fight to get the world to focus on combating global warming by calling for a fossil fuel nonproliferation treaty. “The time […]
Vanuatu breaks ground with ‘loss and damage’ costing in new climate plan
Thomson Reuters Foundation Pacific island state Vanuatu has submitted a “groundbreaking” update to its commitments under the Paris climate accord to include phasing out fossil fuels and a costing of how it aims to tackle destruction caused by rising seas and wild weather. Climate experts said that while most national contributions focus on cutting planet-heating […]
Anglican convert and Pacific Island deity: Five faith facts about Prince Philip
RNS Prince Philip, who died Friday at age 99, was married for 73 years to the head of the Church of England, and it’s no surprise he identified for most of his life as an Anglican. But his religious profile was somewhat more complicated. Here are five faith facts to know about Britain’s longest-serving consort. […]
Vanuatu’s citizenships-for-sale scheme keeps economy afloat
Sydney, AustraliaReuters Soaring demand for Vanuatu’s controversial passport scheme has kept the South Pacific island nation’s budget in surplus despite the COVID-19 pandemic and a damaging cyclone crippling its dominant tourism sector, budget papers show. Vanuatu late on Thursday reported a budget surplus for the first six months of 2020 of 3.8 billion vatu ($US34.16 […]
Pacific nations stay vigilant against coronavirus in cyclone’s aftermath
Reuters A powerful cyclone that hit the Pacific Island nations this week bringing death, injuries and destruction cannot be allowed to disrupt containment efforts against the spread of the coronavirus, officials in the region said. Cyclone Harold, a Category 5 storm with winds in excess of 251 kph passed through the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji […]
South Pacific cyclone and coronavirus create “perfect storm” of worry
London, UKThomson Reuters Foundation As deadly Cyclone Harold churns through the South Pacific, small island nations in its path are struggling to balance responses to the disaster with maintaining efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, officials warned Wednesday. Cyclone Harold ripped through Vanuatu and Fiji as a deadly top-strength storm this week, […]