The Aukus security pact will “contribute to peace, stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region”, the Australian prime minister has said.
Scott Morrison said his government wants to maintain an “open rules-based international system that allows all nations to flourish free from coercion.”
He praised the trilateral partnership between his country, the UK and the US during an online speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, saying it was “benefiting all who live” in the Indo-Pacific region.
He said the Canberra government’s interests are “inextricably linked to an open, inclusive, resilient and prosperous Indo-Pacific” in which the rights and sovereignty of all nations are respected.
“Rules that foster international trade, create wealth, bring nations together and enable them to co-operate and collaborate and trade,” he continued. “This will be vital not only for our recovery from the pandemic but for nations all around the world but particularly in this region.”
He said Australia is working to build a “web of alignment” to support its vision, which includes strengthening ties with Pacific countries and those further afield.
Aukus, a three-year strategic defence alliance, was announced last September.
The pact lets Australia build nuclear-powered submarines for the first time.
It caused anger in Paris because in signing the deal Australia pulled out of a major contract with France in the process.
The deal was seen as an attempt by Australia and its British and American partners to counter the rise of China.
In his wide-ranging speech, Mr Morrison also touched on the global climate fight, the economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, the acceleration of the digital economy and emerging pressures on global supply chains.
He said the global strategic environment has changed rapidly and the world, particularly the Indo Pacific region, was becoming increasingly fragmented and contested.
He said when Covid-19 hit in early 2020 Australia’s digital economy “went gangbusters”, with nine in 10 firms adopting new technology to cope with demands following to the coronavirus crisis.
Mr Morrison said governments need to hold social media giants to account to ensure they are taking steps to stamp out misleading information on their platforms.
He also touched on cyber security, saying it is the single most important aspect needed for a successful digital economy. Without effective protections, he said the digital world is vulnerable to cyber attacks by rogue groups and state-backed actors.
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
US tops drug cost charts
The study of 13 essential drugs showed costs in the United States were about 300 per cent higher than the global average, followed by Germany at 126 per cent and 122 per cent in the UAE.
Thailand, Kenya and Malaysia were rated as nations with the lowest costs, about 90 per cent cheaper.
In the case of insulin, diabetic patients in the US paid five and a half times the global average, while in the UAE the costs are about 50 per cent higher than the median price of branded and generic drugs.
Some of the costliest drugs worldwide include Lipitor for high cholesterol.
The study’s price index placed the US at an exorbitant 2,170 per cent higher for Lipitor than the average global price and the UAE at the eighth spot globally with costs 252 per cent higher.
High blood pressure medication Zestril was also more than 2,680 per cent higher in the US and the UAE price was 187 per cent higher than the global price.
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The specs
Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: seven-speed PDK dual clutch automatic
Power: 375bhp
Torque: 520Nm
Price: Dh332,800
On sale: now
States of Passion by Nihad Sirees,
Pushkin Press
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 0
Liverpool 2 (Mane 50', 54')
Red card: Andreas Christensen (Chelsea)
Man of the match: Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
The Comeback: Elvis And The Story Of The 68 Special
Simon Goddard
Omnibus Press
