Here is a look at what is making news around the country today.
Today’s national news includes Australia worried over China-Solomon Islands’ new Pacific deal, EU-Australia trade deal fails, Coca-Cola to change Sprite bottles in Australia, and Qantas announces U.S. to Australia flight sale.
Politics
Worries over China-Solomon Islands’ new Pacific deal
Australia has urged China to release the details of a new policing pact with the Solomon Islands, saying Beijing’s latest push for influence threatens to inflame tensions in the South Pacific, The Manila Standard has reported. Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare inked a raft of deals, including an agreement allowing China to maintain a police presence in the Solomon Islands until 2025. China has lavished attention on the Solomon Islands since it severed ties with Taiwan in 2019, pledging large amounts of aid and bankrolling a series of critical infrastructure projects.
https://manilastandard.net/news/314349151/australia-fears-chinas-latest-pacific-deal.html
International trade
EU-Australia trade deal fails
Australia and the European Union failed to reach an agreement on a free trade deal after talks in Brussels this week with both sides saying further negotiations were needed to bridge differences. The European Commission on Tuesday expressed “regret” there was still no conclusion to the talks, which have been going on for five years. Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell told reporters in Brussels that both sides would speak again in August. “Our officials will continue to narrow down the issues that currently divide us,” Mr Farrell said, the Manila Times reported.
Lifestyle
Coca-Cola to change Sprite bottles in Australia
After nearly 60 years, Sprite’s plastic bottles will switch from green to clear, in hopes it will make it easier to recycle them locally and increase the likelihood of them being repurposed into new bottles, News.com has reported. The current bottles feature green Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) – which is remade into single-use items such as clothes. Because of its colour, it can’t be recycled into new bottles. The company said the initiative will help “support recycling systems and give our bottles the best chance of being recycled and processed into new bottles locally”.
Travel
Qantas announces U.S. to Australia flight sale
Qantas is making it easier to get down under with a flight sale that has discounts on travel to both Australia and New Zealand, Travel+Liesure.com reported. The North American Red Tail sale is valid until July 16 and is available for travel from the United States to several cities including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Auckland. The sale is also available from Los Angeles, Dallas, San Francisco, and New York. The airline will also increase flights frequency from Los Angeles to Melbourne in late October from daily to nine per week, and increase the frequency of flights from New York to Sydney from three to four per week.
https://www.travelandleisure.com/qantas-us-australia-sale-7559783
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