Trump signs executive order to extend TikTok ban deadline for third time
TikTok will receive another 90-day reprieve after Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday.
The US President granted the platform a third extension to allow more time to strike a deal with its Chinese owner, ByteDance.
The White House says it is seeking to ensure an agreement is made so the app's users can be assured their data is secure.
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The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Breaking up is hard to do but there comes a time
This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to The wedding, only weeks away, is off. Dreams have dissolved in a swirling fog of bitterness, betrayal and resentment. But it's a gut-wrenching sadness that will linger, not only for the couple involved but for friends and family grieving a future that will never arrive. When something you believe in falls apart, anger eventually turns to sorrow for all that is lost. These friends of ours spent a year planning their celebration. An apartment was bought. Rings and outfits purchased. Guests had paid for flights and accommodation. How to make sense of something when love abruptly turns to cold silence? You sift through the rubble looking for those tell-tale signs of cold feet and gnawing doubts that only the aftermath reveals; how one partner clung to the dream more than the other; how others saw worrying signs but looked the other way, choosing fantasy over reality. Then the hardest thing: moving on. Australia faces a similar dilemma over its alliance with the US. We now have a sullen and aloof partner who wants different things. Donald Trump is swinging a wrecking ball through a century's worth of carefully-crafted international diplomacy, treating historic loyalties as nothing more than leverage and Australia as a second-class ally whose phone calls are no longer returned. Trump's administration is actively reviewing AUKUS - the security pact promised to be the cornerstone of our future defence. He questions the value of NATO, blithely undermines long-standing commitments to the Pacific region and is openly cynical about the old world order. He not only flirts with dictators but courts them. The US is an old lover grown contemptuous of traditional values. Australia is the still-believing partner, too quick to forgive, desperately believing the relationship can still be retrieved. It's time to move on. The Australian public certainly thinks so. The latest annual survey by the US-based Pew Research Centre shows we rank behind only Sweden when it comes to anti-Trump sentiment, viewing him as dangerous and a threat to peace and the global economy. To alienate so many old friends in a few months is no mean achievement. Or an accident. Enter Anthony Albanese, his historic election victory all but forgotten in a world punch drunk from endless economic and military crises. His task - almost certainly the legacy-defining mission of his prime ministership - is to ease Australia from an increasingly unreliable relationship with the US and steer a new path for our nation. There is a blueprint of sorts for him to follow. Paul Keating saw this moment coming years ago. After decades of burying our dead in America's wars because we believed it would do the same for us, Keating said it was time for us to end our US dependency and embrace Asia, the dynamic, complex and rapidly emerging region in which we live. The former PM was ridiculed for saying we needed to grow up and stop acting like a deputy sheriff. At the time China was still a rising power. It has now risen. India is on the same path. Nations like Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan and South Korea are our neighbours, trading partners and should be our strategic peers. Yet we continue treating them like brief stopovers on our way to the glamour of old London and Washington. But nostalgia is not a strategy. Growing up and moving on means investing in regional alliances, not relying on a nation teetering on the brink of civil breakdown. Trust can only be established in southeast Asia by making decisions in the best interests of us and our region, not parroting US policy that these days is increasingly erratic and unhinged. No one says we should completely walk away from America. We've long had a close and co-dependent relationship - culturally and militarily. Completely severing ties would be foolish. But like the sudden relationship implosion and hastily cancelled wedding of my friends, Australia faces two choices: to wallow in the loss of an alliance growing increasingly distant, or accept that a once strong and mutually beneficial partnership has become too one-sided. The healthy alternative? Get out into the world and make some new friends. We stopped clinging to England's skirts a long time ago. Surely we are a nation with enough ingenuity, resilience and self-belief to walk away from another damaged relationship and preserve our sense of self-worth. It might be Donald Trump's lasting contribution to international diplomacy: follow America's lead and put yourself first. HAVE YOUR SAY: Should Australia distance itself from the US and forge greater military and economic partnerships in Asia? Do you still trust the US to support Australia in the event of a conflict? Do you find Trump's disdain for the old world order refreshing or a calamity causing greater instability? Have you or someone you know been left at the altar? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - An election promise to implement a 2030 greenhouse gas emissions target has been abandoned by the Northern Territory as it vigorously pushes for more mining and energy projects. - New Zealand has suspended millions of dollars in budget funding to the Cook Islands, as the relationship between the two constitutionally linked countries continues to deteriorate amid the island group's deepening ties with China. - Up to 105 cases of land clearing, mainly for farming, could soon be under investigation by authorities after a citizen science project uncovered 90,000 hectares of bush bulldozed over the past five years. THEY SAID IT: "The view here (in Australia) is that the US will rescue us if we ever really have a problem. And I don't think that's true ... I think you're unwise for believing it's true." - Tucker Carlson YOU SAID IT: There's nothing like curling your toes in front of a roaring fire. But if you can smell the smoke it's most likely doing you harm. David thinks wood heaters should be banned: "I've had a gutful and a lung full of the smoke seeping into my house on winter evenings and filling my lungs in the backyard, not to mention polluting my freshly hung washing. I have several friends who are 'green' in many respects, but will not give up their beloved wood-fired heaters. The science is uber clear; in the ACT these heaters contribute to between 11 and 63 deaths each year. The ACT government needs to step up and fulfil its duty of care obligation to Canberrans." "I live in Hadspen near Launceston and both towns are surrounded by hills which trap smoke in still conditions," writes Rowan. "Launceston has the worst air quality of any city in Australia - beating Sydney. The love of wood fires in Tasmania is immutable. Despite new housing being built with reverse-cycle heating (called heat-pumps down here) and electricity at 15c per kWh, people still install these stink-heaters. I feel sorry for the wildlife that cannot escape and for their habitat which is often illegally logged to feed these heaters." Murray writes: "I have a bit of lung disease caused by smoking, back in the day when everyone smoked. So when we bought our cottage in the country the first thing we did was pull out the log burner. It was out of the ark anyway. When I go out on a still, cold morning and smoke is in the air, my breathing is awful. Does that mean our neighbours must get rid of their fires? Of course not." "I loved my wood fire back in the day, but I've bowed to the knowledge it was bad for me, my neighbours and the environment," writes Keith. "However, I can't wean myself off the comfort of the bouncing flame in the living room so I've installed an electric fire. It's not quite the same but it can still generate a feeling of wellbeing on a cold morning or evening." This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to The wedding, only weeks away, is off. Dreams have dissolved in a swirling fog of bitterness, betrayal and resentment. But it's a gut-wrenching sadness that will linger, not only for the couple involved but for friends and family grieving a future that will never arrive. When something you believe in falls apart, anger eventually turns to sorrow for all that is lost. These friends of ours spent a year planning their celebration. An apartment was bought. Rings and outfits purchased. Guests had paid for flights and accommodation. How to make sense of something when love abruptly turns to cold silence? You sift through the rubble looking for those tell-tale signs of cold feet and gnawing doubts that only the aftermath reveals; how one partner clung to the dream more than the other; how others saw worrying signs but looked the other way, choosing fantasy over reality. Then the hardest thing: moving on. Australia faces a similar dilemma over its alliance with the US. We now have a sullen and aloof partner who wants different things. Donald Trump is swinging a wrecking ball through a century's worth of carefully-crafted international diplomacy, treating historic loyalties as nothing more than leverage and Australia as a second-class ally whose phone calls are no longer returned. Trump's administration is actively reviewing AUKUS - the security pact promised to be the cornerstone of our future defence. He questions the value of NATO, blithely undermines long-standing commitments to the Pacific region and is openly cynical about the old world order. He not only flirts with dictators but courts them. The US is an old lover grown contemptuous of traditional values. Australia is the still-believing partner, too quick to forgive, desperately believing the relationship can still be retrieved. It's time to move on. The Australian public certainly thinks so. The latest annual survey by the US-based Pew Research Centre shows we rank behind only Sweden when it comes to anti-Trump sentiment, viewing him as dangerous and a threat to peace and the global economy. To alienate so many old friends in a few months is no mean achievement. Or an accident. Enter Anthony Albanese, his historic election victory all but forgotten in a world punch drunk from endless economic and military crises. His task - almost certainly the legacy-defining mission of his prime ministership - is to ease Australia from an increasingly unreliable relationship with the US and steer a new path for our nation. There is a blueprint of sorts for him to follow. Paul Keating saw this moment coming years ago. After decades of burying our dead in America's wars because we believed it would do the same for us, Keating said it was time for us to end our US dependency and embrace Asia, the dynamic, complex and rapidly emerging region in which we live. The former PM was ridiculed for saying we needed to grow up and stop acting like a deputy sheriff. At the time China was still a rising power. It has now risen. India is on the same path. Nations like Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan and South Korea are our neighbours, trading partners and should be our strategic peers. Yet we continue treating them like brief stopovers on our way to the glamour of old London and Washington. But nostalgia is not a strategy. Growing up and moving on means investing in regional alliances, not relying on a nation teetering on the brink of civil breakdown. Trust can only be established in southeast Asia by making decisions in the best interests of us and our region, not parroting US policy that these days is increasingly erratic and unhinged. No one says we should completely walk away from America. We've long had a close and co-dependent relationship - culturally and militarily. Completely severing ties would be foolish. But like the sudden relationship implosion and hastily cancelled wedding of my friends, Australia faces two choices: to wallow in the loss of an alliance growing increasingly distant, or accept that a once strong and mutually beneficial partnership has become too one-sided. The healthy alternative? Get out into the world and make some new friends. We stopped clinging to England's skirts a long time ago. Surely we are a nation with enough ingenuity, resilience and self-belief to walk away from another damaged relationship and preserve our sense of self-worth. It might be Donald Trump's lasting contribution to international diplomacy: follow America's lead and put yourself first. HAVE YOUR SAY: Should Australia distance itself from the US and forge greater military and economic partnerships in Asia? Do you still trust the US to support Australia in the event of a conflict? Do you find Trump's disdain for the old world order refreshing or a calamity causing greater instability? Have you or someone you know been left at the altar? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - An election promise to implement a 2030 greenhouse gas emissions target has been abandoned by the Northern Territory as it vigorously pushes for more mining and energy projects. - New Zealand has suspended millions of dollars in budget funding to the Cook Islands, as the relationship between the two constitutionally linked countries continues to deteriorate amid the island group's deepening ties with China. - Up to 105 cases of land clearing, mainly for farming, could soon be under investigation by authorities after a citizen science project uncovered 90,000 hectares of bush bulldozed over the past five years. THEY SAID IT: "The view here (in Australia) is that the US will rescue us if we ever really have a problem. And I don't think that's true ... I think you're unwise for believing it's true." - Tucker Carlson YOU SAID IT: There's nothing like curling your toes in front of a roaring fire. But if you can smell the smoke it's most likely doing you harm. David thinks wood heaters should be banned: "I've had a gutful and a lung full of the smoke seeping into my house on winter evenings and filling my lungs in the backyard, not to mention polluting my freshly hung washing. I have several friends who are 'green' in many respects, but will not give up their beloved wood-fired heaters. The science is uber clear; in the ACT these heaters contribute to between 11 and 63 deaths each year. The ACT government needs to step up and fulfil its duty of care obligation to Canberrans." "I live in Hadspen near Launceston and both towns are surrounded by hills which trap smoke in still conditions," writes Rowan. "Launceston has the worst air quality of any city in Australia - beating Sydney. The love of wood fires in Tasmania is immutable. Despite new housing being built with reverse-cycle heating (called heat-pumps down here) and electricity at 15c per kWh, people still install these stink-heaters. I feel sorry for the wildlife that cannot escape and for their habitat which is often illegally logged to feed these heaters." Murray writes: "I have a bit of lung disease caused by smoking, back in the day when everyone smoked. So when we bought our cottage in the country the first thing we did was pull out the log burner. It was out of the ark anyway. When I go out on a still, cold morning and smoke is in the air, my breathing is awful. Does that mean our neighbours must get rid of their fires? Of course not." "I loved my wood fire back in the day, but I've bowed to the knowledge it was bad for me, my neighbours and the environment," writes Keith. "However, I can't wean myself off the comfort of the bouncing flame in the living room so I've installed an electric fire. It's not quite the same but it can still generate a feeling of wellbeing on a cold morning or evening." This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to The wedding, only weeks away, is off. Dreams have dissolved in a swirling fog of bitterness, betrayal and resentment. But it's a gut-wrenching sadness that will linger, not only for the couple involved but for friends and family grieving a future that will never arrive. When something you believe in falls apart, anger eventually turns to sorrow for all that is lost. These friends of ours spent a year planning their celebration. An apartment was bought. Rings and outfits purchased. Guests had paid for flights and accommodation. How to make sense of something when love abruptly turns to cold silence? You sift through the rubble looking for those tell-tale signs of cold feet and gnawing doubts that only the aftermath reveals; how one partner clung to the dream more than the other; how others saw worrying signs but looked the other way, choosing fantasy over reality. Then the hardest thing: moving on. Australia faces a similar dilemma over its alliance with the US. We now have a sullen and aloof partner who wants different things. Donald Trump is swinging a wrecking ball through a century's worth of carefully-crafted international diplomacy, treating historic loyalties as nothing more than leverage and Australia as a second-class ally whose phone calls are no longer returned. Trump's administration is actively reviewing AUKUS - the security pact promised to be the cornerstone of our future defence. He questions the value of NATO, blithely undermines long-standing commitments to the Pacific region and is openly cynical about the old world order. He not only flirts with dictators but courts them. The US is an old lover grown contemptuous of traditional values. Australia is the still-believing partner, too quick to forgive, desperately believing the relationship can still be retrieved. It's time to move on. The Australian public certainly thinks so. The latest annual survey by the US-based Pew Research Centre shows we rank behind only Sweden when it comes to anti-Trump sentiment, viewing him as dangerous and a threat to peace and the global economy. To alienate so many old friends in a few months is no mean achievement. Or an accident. Enter Anthony Albanese, his historic election victory all but forgotten in a world punch drunk from endless economic and military crises. His task - almost certainly the legacy-defining mission of his prime ministership - is to ease Australia from an increasingly unreliable relationship with the US and steer a new path for our nation. There is a blueprint of sorts for him to follow. Paul Keating saw this moment coming years ago. After decades of burying our dead in America's wars because we believed it would do the same for us, Keating said it was time for us to end our US dependency and embrace Asia, the dynamic, complex and rapidly emerging region in which we live. The former PM was ridiculed for saying we needed to grow up and stop acting like a deputy sheriff. At the time China was still a rising power. It has now risen. India is on the same path. Nations like Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan and South Korea are our neighbours, trading partners and should be our strategic peers. Yet we continue treating them like brief stopovers on our way to the glamour of old London and Washington. But nostalgia is not a strategy. Growing up and moving on means investing in regional alliances, not relying on a nation teetering on the brink of civil breakdown. Trust can only be established in southeast Asia by making decisions in the best interests of us and our region, not parroting US policy that these days is increasingly erratic and unhinged. No one says we should completely walk away from America. We've long had a close and co-dependent relationship - culturally and militarily. Completely severing ties would be foolish. But like the sudden relationship implosion and hastily cancelled wedding of my friends, Australia faces two choices: to wallow in the loss of an alliance growing increasingly distant, or accept that a once strong and mutually beneficial partnership has become too one-sided. The healthy alternative? Get out into the world and make some new friends. We stopped clinging to England's skirts a long time ago. Surely we are a nation with enough ingenuity, resilience and self-belief to walk away from another damaged relationship and preserve our sense of self-worth. It might be Donald Trump's lasting contribution to international diplomacy: follow America's lead and put yourself first. HAVE YOUR SAY: Should Australia distance itself from the US and forge greater military and economic partnerships in Asia? Do you still trust the US to support Australia in the event of a conflict? Do you find Trump's disdain for the old world order refreshing or a calamity causing greater instability? Have you or someone you know been left at the altar? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - An election promise to implement a 2030 greenhouse gas emissions target has been abandoned by the Northern Territory as it vigorously pushes for more mining and energy projects. - New Zealand has suspended millions of dollars in budget funding to the Cook Islands, as the relationship between the two constitutionally linked countries continues to deteriorate amid the island group's deepening ties with China. - Up to 105 cases of land clearing, mainly for farming, could soon be under investigation by authorities after a citizen science project uncovered 90,000 hectares of bush bulldozed over the past five years. THEY SAID IT: "The view here (in Australia) is that the US will rescue us if we ever really have a problem. And I don't think that's true ... I think you're unwise for believing it's true." - Tucker Carlson YOU SAID IT: There's nothing like curling your toes in front of a roaring fire. But if you can smell the smoke it's most likely doing you harm. David thinks wood heaters should be banned: "I've had a gutful and a lung full of the smoke seeping into my house on winter evenings and filling my lungs in the backyard, not to mention polluting my freshly hung washing. I have several friends who are 'green' in many respects, but will not give up their beloved wood-fired heaters. The science is uber clear; in the ACT these heaters contribute to between 11 and 63 deaths each year. The ACT government needs to step up and fulfil its duty of care obligation to Canberrans." "I live in Hadspen near Launceston and both towns are surrounded by hills which trap smoke in still conditions," writes Rowan. "Launceston has the worst air quality of any city in Australia - beating Sydney. The love of wood fires in Tasmania is immutable. Despite new housing being built with reverse-cycle heating (called heat-pumps down here) and electricity at 15c per kWh, people still install these stink-heaters. I feel sorry for the wildlife that cannot escape and for their habitat which is often illegally logged to feed these heaters." Murray writes: "I have a bit of lung disease caused by smoking, back in the day when everyone smoked. So when we bought our cottage in the country the first thing we did was pull out the log burner. It was out of the ark anyway. When I go out on a still, cold morning and smoke is in the air, my breathing is awful. Does that mean our neighbours must get rid of their fires? Of course not." "I loved my wood fire back in the day, but I've bowed to the knowledge it was bad for me, my neighbours and the environment," writes Keith. "However, I can't wean myself off the comfort of the bouncing flame in the living room so I've installed an electric fire. It's not quite the same but it can still generate a feeling of wellbeing on a cold morning or evening." This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to The wedding, only weeks away, is off. Dreams have dissolved in a swirling fog of bitterness, betrayal and resentment. But it's a gut-wrenching sadness that will linger, not only for the couple involved but for friends and family grieving a future that will never arrive. When something you believe in falls apart, anger eventually turns to sorrow for all that is lost. These friends of ours spent a year planning their celebration. An apartment was bought. Rings and outfits purchased. Guests had paid for flights and accommodation. How to make sense of something when love abruptly turns to cold silence? You sift through the rubble looking for those tell-tale signs of cold feet and gnawing doubts that only the aftermath reveals; how one partner clung to the dream more than the other; how others saw worrying signs but looked the other way, choosing fantasy over reality. Then the hardest thing: moving on. Australia faces a similar dilemma over its alliance with the US. We now have a sullen and aloof partner who wants different things. Donald Trump is swinging a wrecking ball through a century's worth of carefully-crafted international diplomacy, treating historic loyalties as nothing more than leverage and Australia as a second-class ally whose phone calls are no longer returned. Trump's administration is actively reviewing AUKUS - the security pact promised to be the cornerstone of our future defence. He questions the value of NATO, blithely undermines long-standing commitments to the Pacific region and is openly cynical about the old world order. He not only flirts with dictators but courts them. The US is an old lover grown contemptuous of traditional values. Australia is the still-believing partner, too quick to forgive, desperately believing the relationship can still be retrieved. It's time to move on. The Australian public certainly thinks so. The latest annual survey by the US-based Pew Research Centre shows we rank behind only Sweden when it comes to anti-Trump sentiment, viewing him as dangerous and a threat to peace and the global economy. To alienate so many old friends in a few months is no mean achievement. Or an accident. Enter Anthony Albanese, his historic election victory all but forgotten in a world punch drunk from endless economic and military crises. His task - almost certainly the legacy-defining mission of his prime ministership - is to ease Australia from an increasingly unreliable relationship with the US and steer a new path for our nation. There is a blueprint of sorts for him to follow. Paul Keating saw this moment coming years ago. After decades of burying our dead in America's wars because we believed it would do the same for us, Keating said it was time for us to end our US dependency and embrace Asia, the dynamic, complex and rapidly emerging region in which we live. The former PM was ridiculed for saying we needed to grow up and stop acting like a deputy sheriff. At the time China was still a rising power. It has now risen. India is on the same path. Nations like Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan and South Korea are our neighbours, trading partners and should be our strategic peers. Yet we continue treating them like brief stopovers on our way to the glamour of old London and Washington. But nostalgia is not a strategy. Growing up and moving on means investing in regional alliances, not relying on a nation teetering on the brink of civil breakdown. Trust can only be established in southeast Asia by making decisions in the best interests of us and our region, not parroting US policy that these days is increasingly erratic and unhinged. No one says we should completely walk away from America. We've long had a close and co-dependent relationship - culturally and militarily. Completely severing ties would be foolish. But like the sudden relationship implosion and hastily cancelled wedding of my friends, Australia faces two choices: to wallow in the loss of an alliance growing increasingly distant, or accept that a once strong and mutually beneficial partnership has become too one-sided. The healthy alternative? Get out into the world and make some new friends. We stopped clinging to England's skirts a long time ago. Surely we are a nation with enough ingenuity, resilience and self-belief to walk away from another damaged relationship and preserve our sense of self-worth. It might be Donald Trump's lasting contribution to international diplomacy: follow America's lead and put yourself first. HAVE YOUR SAY: Should Australia distance itself from the US and forge greater military and economic partnerships in Asia? Do you still trust the US to support Australia in the event of a conflict? Do you find Trump's disdain for the old world order refreshing or a calamity causing greater instability? Have you or someone you know been left at the altar? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - An election promise to implement a 2030 greenhouse gas emissions target has been abandoned by the Northern Territory as it vigorously pushes for more mining and energy projects. - New Zealand has suspended millions of dollars in budget funding to the Cook Islands, as the relationship between the two constitutionally linked countries continues to deteriorate amid the island group's deepening ties with China. - Up to 105 cases of land clearing, mainly for farming, could soon be under investigation by authorities after a citizen science project uncovered 90,000 hectares of bush bulldozed over the past five years. THEY SAID IT: "The view here (in Australia) is that the US will rescue us if we ever really have a problem. And I don't think that's true ... I think you're unwise for believing it's true." - Tucker Carlson YOU SAID IT: There's nothing like curling your toes in front of a roaring fire. But if you can smell the smoke it's most likely doing you harm. David thinks wood heaters should be banned: "I've had a gutful and a lung full of the smoke seeping into my house on winter evenings and filling my lungs in the backyard, not to mention polluting my freshly hung washing. I have several friends who are 'green' in many respects, but will not give up their beloved wood-fired heaters. The science is uber clear; in the ACT these heaters contribute to between 11 and 63 deaths each year. The ACT government needs to step up and fulfil its duty of care obligation to Canberrans." "I live in Hadspen near Launceston and both towns are surrounded by hills which trap smoke in still conditions," writes Rowan. "Launceston has the worst air quality of any city in Australia - beating Sydney. The love of wood fires in Tasmania is immutable. Despite new housing being built with reverse-cycle heating (called heat-pumps down here) and electricity at 15c per kWh, people still install these stink-heaters. I feel sorry for the wildlife that cannot escape and for their habitat which is often illegally logged to feed these heaters." Murray writes: "I have a bit of lung disease caused by smoking, back in the day when everyone smoked. So when we bought our cottage in the country the first thing we did was pull out the log burner. It was out of the ark anyway. When I go out on a still, cold morning and smoke is in the air, my breathing is awful. Does that mean our neighbours must get rid of their fires? Of course not." "I loved my wood fire back in the day, but I've bowed to the knowledge it was bad for me, my neighbours and the environment," writes Keith. "However, I can't wean myself off the comfort of the bouncing flame in the living room so I've installed an electric fire. It's not quite the same but it can still generate a feeling of wellbeing on a cold morning or evening."
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
China could win from Cook Islands-New Zealand spat
Confusion and concern is mounting over a growing spat between New Zealand and Cook Islands, which analysts believe could result in stronger ties between the Pacific island nation and China. New Zealand is withholding key aid, worth $A16.8 million, to its former colony after Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown signed a pair of secretly negotiated agreements with Beijing earlier this year. Kiwi Foreign Minister Winston Peters has defended the move as necessary after Mr Brown broke agreements it had with New Zealand. "Trust and meaningful engagement are fundamental to free association," a spokesperson for Mr Peters said. Mr Brown argues that New Zealand is acting cruelly, given that funding is worth more than four per cent of his country's budget. "It is targeted, and has always been targeted, towards the sectors of health, education, and tourism," he told parliament this week. Cook Islands is only semi-independent, governing in "free association" with Wellington after breaking away in 1965, with its citizens afforded Kiwi passports and the benefits of New Zealand citizenship. However, those perks come courtesy of a promise to consult with New Zealand on defence and security matters. Both sides agree there has been a breakdown in the interpretation of the key pact - the 2001 Joint Centenary Declaration - which underpins relations. The rift is causing ructions both internally and in the region. Locals have rallied alongside the Cook Islands opposition parties in support of keeping ties to New Zealand, given its deep historical ties, which extend to a majority of Cook Islanders living in New Zealand. Pacific analysts, including Massey University associate professor Anna Powles, believe Mr Peters' call to withhold aid could deepen Mr Brown's ties with Beijing. "(It) opens the door for increased Chinese engagement with the Cook Islands," she told Radio NZ. "This could be a very good news story for China, and it certainly puts New Zealand in a weaker position, as a consequence." Dr Powles described the situation as "pretty messy", which threatened to boil over at September's Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Solomon Islands. While the aid cut was made clear to the Cook Islands a fortnight ago, it has been made public this week as New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon undertakes a state visit to China. Speaking from Shanghai, Mr Luxon affirmed his support for the decision - but said it would not cloud his talks with the superpower. "Our issue is really with the Cook Islands. It's between Cook Islands and New Zealand," he said. "We were unhappy and dissatisfied with the fact that the Cook Islands government wasn't open and transparent about its international agreements." Confusion and concern is mounting over a growing spat between New Zealand and Cook Islands, which analysts believe could result in stronger ties between the Pacific island nation and China. New Zealand is withholding key aid, worth $A16.8 million, to its former colony after Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown signed a pair of secretly negotiated agreements with Beijing earlier this year. Kiwi Foreign Minister Winston Peters has defended the move as necessary after Mr Brown broke agreements it had with New Zealand. "Trust and meaningful engagement are fundamental to free association," a spokesperson for Mr Peters said. Mr Brown argues that New Zealand is acting cruelly, given that funding is worth more than four per cent of his country's budget. "It is targeted, and has always been targeted, towards the sectors of health, education, and tourism," he told parliament this week. Cook Islands is only semi-independent, governing in "free association" with Wellington after breaking away in 1965, with its citizens afforded Kiwi passports and the benefits of New Zealand citizenship. However, those perks come courtesy of a promise to consult with New Zealand on defence and security matters. Both sides agree there has been a breakdown in the interpretation of the key pact - the 2001 Joint Centenary Declaration - which underpins relations. The rift is causing ructions both internally and in the region. Locals have rallied alongside the Cook Islands opposition parties in support of keeping ties to New Zealand, given its deep historical ties, which extend to a majority of Cook Islanders living in New Zealand. Pacific analysts, including Massey University associate professor Anna Powles, believe Mr Peters' call to withhold aid could deepen Mr Brown's ties with Beijing. "(It) opens the door for increased Chinese engagement with the Cook Islands," she told Radio NZ. "This could be a very good news story for China, and it certainly puts New Zealand in a weaker position, as a consequence." Dr Powles described the situation as "pretty messy", which threatened to boil over at September's Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Solomon Islands. While the aid cut was made clear to the Cook Islands a fortnight ago, it has been made public this week as New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon undertakes a state visit to China. Speaking from Shanghai, Mr Luxon affirmed his support for the decision - but said it would not cloud his talks with the superpower. "Our issue is really with the Cook Islands. It's between Cook Islands and New Zealand," he said. "We were unhappy and dissatisfied with the fact that the Cook Islands government wasn't open and transparent about its international agreements." Confusion and concern is mounting over a growing spat between New Zealand and Cook Islands, which analysts believe could result in stronger ties between the Pacific island nation and China. New Zealand is withholding key aid, worth $A16.8 million, to its former colony after Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown signed a pair of secretly negotiated agreements with Beijing earlier this year. Kiwi Foreign Minister Winston Peters has defended the move as necessary after Mr Brown broke agreements it had with New Zealand. "Trust and meaningful engagement are fundamental to free association," a spokesperson for Mr Peters said. Mr Brown argues that New Zealand is acting cruelly, given that funding is worth more than four per cent of his country's budget. "It is targeted, and has always been targeted, towards the sectors of health, education, and tourism," he told parliament this week. Cook Islands is only semi-independent, governing in "free association" with Wellington after breaking away in 1965, with its citizens afforded Kiwi passports and the benefits of New Zealand citizenship. However, those perks come courtesy of a promise to consult with New Zealand on defence and security matters. Both sides agree there has been a breakdown in the interpretation of the key pact - the 2001 Joint Centenary Declaration - which underpins relations. The rift is causing ructions both internally and in the region. Locals have rallied alongside the Cook Islands opposition parties in support of keeping ties to New Zealand, given its deep historical ties, which extend to a majority of Cook Islanders living in New Zealand. Pacific analysts, including Massey University associate professor Anna Powles, believe Mr Peters' call to withhold aid could deepen Mr Brown's ties with Beijing. "(It) opens the door for increased Chinese engagement with the Cook Islands," she told Radio NZ. "This could be a very good news story for China, and it certainly puts New Zealand in a weaker position, as a consequence." Dr Powles described the situation as "pretty messy", which threatened to boil over at September's Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Solomon Islands. While the aid cut was made clear to the Cook Islands a fortnight ago, it has been made public this week as New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon undertakes a state visit to China. Speaking from Shanghai, Mr Luxon affirmed his support for the decision - but said it would not cloud his talks with the superpower. "Our issue is really with the Cook Islands. It's between Cook Islands and New Zealand," he said. "We were unhappy and dissatisfied with the fact that the Cook Islands government wasn't open and transparent about its international agreements." Confusion and concern is mounting over a growing spat between New Zealand and Cook Islands, which analysts believe could result in stronger ties between the Pacific island nation and China. New Zealand is withholding key aid, worth $A16.8 million, to its former colony after Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown signed a pair of secretly negotiated agreements with Beijing earlier this year. Kiwi Foreign Minister Winston Peters has defended the move as necessary after Mr Brown broke agreements it had with New Zealand. "Trust and meaningful engagement are fundamental to free association," a spokesperson for Mr Peters said. Mr Brown argues that New Zealand is acting cruelly, given that funding is worth more than four per cent of his country's budget. "It is targeted, and has always been targeted, towards the sectors of health, education, and tourism," he told parliament this week. Cook Islands is only semi-independent, governing in "free association" with Wellington after breaking away in 1965, with its citizens afforded Kiwi passports and the benefits of New Zealand citizenship. However, those perks come courtesy of a promise to consult with New Zealand on defence and security matters. Both sides agree there has been a breakdown in the interpretation of the key pact - the 2001 Joint Centenary Declaration - which underpins relations. The rift is causing ructions both internally and in the region. Locals have rallied alongside the Cook Islands opposition parties in support of keeping ties to New Zealand, given its deep historical ties, which extend to a majority of Cook Islanders living in New Zealand. Pacific analysts, including Massey University associate professor Anna Powles, believe Mr Peters' call to withhold aid could deepen Mr Brown's ties with Beijing. "(It) opens the door for increased Chinese engagement with the Cook Islands," she told Radio NZ. "This could be a very good news story for China, and it certainly puts New Zealand in a weaker position, as a consequence." Dr Powles described the situation as "pretty messy", which threatened to boil over at September's Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Solomon Islands. While the aid cut was made clear to the Cook Islands a fortnight ago, it has been made public this week as New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon undertakes a state visit to China. Speaking from Shanghai, Mr Luxon affirmed his support for the decision - but said it would not cloud his talks with the superpower. "Our issue is really with the Cook Islands. It's between Cook Islands and New Zealand," he said. "We were unhappy and dissatisfied with the fact that the Cook Islands government wasn't open and transparent about its international agreements."
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
Australian shares dip as Trump floats Iran deadline
The Australian share market is trading lower as Middle East strive continues and amid Donald Trump's two-week window to decide whether the US will join Israel's conflict with Iran. The S&P/ASX200 fell 56.2 points, or 0.67 per cent, to 8,466.9, as the broader All Ordinaries slipped 53.9 points, or 0.62 per cent, to 8,687.5. The slump came as the Middle East conflict weighed on investor sentiment and as thin trading conditions due to a US bank holiday sent European equities and US futures lower, market analyst Kyle Rodda said. All signs pointed to a weak finish for the ASX this week. "Like last week where hostilities were boiling over, market participants may be reluctant to hold onto risk exposure over the weekend when a historic US strike on Iran nuclear facilities is an uncomfortably high possibility," Mr Rodda said. Only two of 11 local sectors were trading higher by lunchtime, with both energy and IT stocks up 0.2 per cent. Financials weighed heavily on the bourse, down 1.3 per cent and wiping out Thursday's gains as the big four each lost between 1.2 per cent and 2.2 per cent. The slip came as expectations for a Reserve Bank interest rate cut in July fell from 86 per cent to 78 per cent. Likewise, rate-sensitive consumer-facing stocks were the next worst performing sectors, with discretionaries down 0.9 per cent and staples sinking 0.7 per cent. As attacks in Israel and Iran escalated overnight, oil prices spiked almost three per cent to $US77.50 a barrel, their highest level since January, before settling $US75.83 a barrel after Trump's deadline eased fears of an imminent US attack. Woodside was up a modest 0.5 per cent to $25.77 a share by midday. Materials stocks edged 0.1 per cent lower, as iron ore prices edged higher to take some pressure off large cap miners BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue. Gold continues to consolidate tightly to trade at around $US3,380 ($A5,125) an ounce. Australian gold miners were mixed, but larger players Northern Star and Newmont edged higher, while Evolution slipped 0.2 per cent days after multiple UBS downgrades indicated the sector's easy gains could be behind it. The Australian dollar is buying 64.76 US cents, up slightly from 64.71 US cents on Thursday at 5pm.
