Ocean Health Funding: Jeff Bezos’ Earth Fund announced over $25 million in new grants to protect more than 625,000 square miles of ocean across the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, and Vanuatu, aiming to sustainably manage waters and protect at least 30% by 2030. Sea Rescue & Care: Three Bougainvilleans survived 69 days at sea before being rescued and medically checked in Kiribati, while another incident saw 11 passengers rescued after drifting for 19 hours. Kiribati Health-Relevant Climate Risk: Pacific life expectancy gains are uneven, with Naoero falling furthest behind, underscoring ongoing health pressures across the region. Local Health & Water Governance: Pacific advocates say women are being excluded from water decision-making, despite holding key knowledge on household needs—an issue highlighted in research involving Kiribati and other Pacific countries. Kiribati in the Spotlight: Kiribati President Maamau told the UN General Assembly that even small countries must push for climate action and ocean protection, linking healthy seas to food security and community wellbeing. Upcoming Nikumaroro Expedition: A Purdue-led team plans to investigate a lagoon anomaly near Nikumaroro, Kiribati in a search tied to aviation history—while the broader focus remains on safe operations and local coordination.