Breaking News, Business, Financial and Economic News, World News from EconoTimes

Become a contributor

Bookmark Econotimes

Mon, Apr 27, 2026 08:38 AM All times are UTC

Follow Series

©Econometrics LLC . All Rights Reserved.

Sue Farran

Professor of Laws, Northumbria University, Newcastle
I am an academic lawyer with a particular interest in the Pacific islands. I have researched and published on a range of human rights, family and resource issues. Recent work has focused on environmental concerns including but not limited to Marine Protected Areas, indigenous rights, climate risks.

Having initially majored in English and Social Anthropology, I studied law in the mixed jurisdiction of South Africa before post-graduate studies in South Africa and at Cambridge. I have held posts at the University of KwaZulu Natal (Pietermaritizburg), the University of the West of England, the University of the South Pacific and at the University of Dundee, as well as teaching at universities in France and Malaysia. I am currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of the South Pacific and an Associate of the Centre for Pacific Studies at St Andrews University in Scotland.

Research interests are broadly human rights, particularly those of women and children, and the law that governs property, including but not limited to, land and intellectual property. My research often uses case studies from the island countries of the South Pacific region to focus on issues of human rights, legal pluralism, the challenges of development and sustainability, globalisation and legal colonialism. In particular I am interested in the interface between legal systems and normative frameworks within states and between states, and the relationship between national, regional and international players in shaping and developing legal responses to contemporary issues. I welcome interdisciplinary collaboration and research that escapes from the usual categorisation of legal topics.

Protecting marine areas seem a good idea – but they may have insidious political effects

Oct 09, 2018 13:00 pm UTC| Insights & Views Nature

Zones of ocean known as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are all the rage. They have no single or agreed definition, but essentially they are areas of sea in which human activity is restricted or prohibited in order to...

Economy

Bank of England Set to Hold Interest Rates as Inflation Risks and Iran War Impact Loom

The Bank of England (BoE) is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged this week as policymakers assess the growing economic risks tied to the ongoing Iran war and rising inflation pressures. After maintaining...

Chinese Chip Stocks Surge on AI Boom and Domestic Tech Push

Chinese semiconductor stocks rallied sharply on Monday, driven by continued optimism around the countrys artificial intelligence (AI) sector and renewed momentum from the launch of new AI models. Investors showed strong...

U.S. and EU Strengthen Critical Minerals Partnership to Reduce China Dependence

The United States and the European Union have taken a major step toward strengthening their supply chains for critical minerals, aiming to reduce reliance on China and boost advanced manufacturing capabilities. On Friday,...

Oil Price Forecasts Rise for 2026 as Middle East Supply Risks Persist

Global investment banks are raising their oil price forecasts for 2026 as ongoing supply disruptions in the Middle East continue to tighten the market. Goldman Sachs recently increased its outlook for crude oil, projecting...

Global PCB Prices Surge Amid Middle East Conflict and Supply Chain Disruptions

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is sending shockwaves through the global electronics industry, driving up prices of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and disrupting the supply of critical raw materials. PCBs are...

Politics

Russian Drone Strike on Odesa Injures Civilians and Damages Key Infrastructure

An overnight Russian drone strike on the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa injured at least 10 people, including two children, according to Ukrainian officials on Monday. The attack caused significant damage to residential...

Trump Urges Iran to Call for Talks as War Stalemate Disrupts Oil Markets

U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran can initiate negotiations to end the ongoing two-month conflict simply by making contact, even as diplomatic efforts show little progress. His remarks came as Irans Foreign Minister...

US Envoy Urges Taiwan to Approve Defense Budget Amid Rising China Tensions

The United States top diplomat in Taiwan has called on the islands opposition-led parliament to approve a comprehensive defense budget, emphasizing the urgent need for advanced military systems such as integrated air and...

Erdogan Condemns White House Correspondents’ Dinner Shooting, Voices Support for Trump

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed strong support for former U.S. President Donald Trump following a shocking shooting incident at the White House Correspondents Association dinner. According to an official...

Trump Gala Security Scare: Suspect Arrested After Attempted Attack on U.S. Officials

A dramatic security incident at a high-profile Washington gala has raised serious concerns about the safety of U.S. officials and the growing threat of political violence. Authorities arrested a 31-year-old suspect,...

Science

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

Technology

DeepSeek Slashes AI Model Pricing to Boost Adoption and Challenge Global Rivals

Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek has significantly reduced pricing for its latest AI models, signaling a more aggressive push in the rapidly evolving AI services market. The company announced that it has...

U.S. Demand for Alternative Satellite Providers Remains Strong Amid SpaceX Regulatory Push

Demand for alternative satellite services in the United States continues to grow, even as SpaceX pushes regulators to tighten market access for foreign competitors. According to Eutelsat CEO Jean-Francois Fallacher, U.S....

SMC Corp Stock Surges as Palliser Capital Pushes for Major Share Buyback

Shares of SMC Corp (TYO:6273) surged sharply on Monday following news that activist investor Palliser Capital has taken a significant stake in the Japanese industrial automation company and is urging aggressive shareholder...

Taiwan Court Fines Tokyo Electron Unit $4.78M in Major TSMC Trade Secrets Case

A Taiwan court has imposed a significant penalty on the local subsidiary of Japan-based Tokyo Electron, highlighting the islands strict stance on protecting critical semiconductor technologies. The court fined the company...

DeepSeek V4 Launch Signals China’s Growing AI Independence with Huawei Chips

DeepSeek, a fast-rising Chinese AI startup, has unveiled a preview of its highly anticipated V4 model, marking a major step toward Chinas technological independence. The new model, optimized for Huaweis Ascend chips,...