Read the latest news from regional and global sources, presenting different voices and perspectives.

Pacific Islands focus: health, environmental, security and geopolitical updates
Calls to tackle violence against women in the Pacific region, efforts to alleviate the impacts of extreme heat, new guidelines to assist in protection of whales, and concerns about deep sea mining are among the topics covered in the latest edition...

Kosrae-Nauru-Kiribati subsea cable set to start operating by November
U.S. Embassy’s Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Amy Gradin, second from left, with international and community leaders celebrate the landing of the East Micronesia Cable System in in Kosrae on Aug. 18, 2025. The ceremony marked the floating of the...

To graduate, or not to graduate till 2032: LDC graduation of Bangladesh
The issue has again been raised and is now being discussed. The issue is nothing other than the graduation of Bangladesh from a least developed country (LDC) to a developing country. The discussion is now moving around the question whether the...

Pacific Islands race to contain 'largest dengue fever outbreak in a decade', as disease kills 18 people
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Dengue fever has struck countries across the Pacific, where health authorities have recorded 23,500 suspected cases and 16,000 laboratory confirmed cases this year. The mosquito-borne illness has killed 18 people,...
Kiribati drought at critical stage says UN body
Fears of malnutrition and other illnesses are mounting in Kiribati as the country grapples with an ongoing drought. The Kiribati government in June declared a state of disaster after the discovery of high salinity levels in monitoring wells and...

Leave no-one behind: Social protection reducing poverty in Kiribati
“Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life.” Nelson Mandela’s powerful words resonate deeply and underscore the significance...

Dan Carter’s ‘life-changing’ visit to remote Kiribati with Unicef
“One of the challenges with supporting a country like Kiribati is just how remote it is. It’s right on the equator, it’s almost as wide as America but just filled with a whole lot of islands. “It was really important for me to get to Kiribati and...

Global, Regional, and National Burden Trends in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Attributable to Particulate Matter Pollution: 1990–2021 and Projections to 2036
Introduction Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a common respiratory disease, is a major healthcare burden and a cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.1 The most recent Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study...
Pacific calls for bold climate-health action in Belem Plan
The Pacific has emphasised the urgent need for the Belem Health Action Plan to address climate change challenges in Western Asia and the Pacific. Speaking on behalf of the region at the 2025 Global Conference on Climate and Health, the Minister...

Kazakhstan’s Legacy, Global Voices Mark International Day Against Nuclear Tests
ASTANA — Aug. 29, designated as the International Day Against Nuclear Tests, carries special weight in Kazakhstan, where the Soviet Union once detonated more than 450 bombs at the Semipalatinsk test site. Born from Kazakhstan’s initiative at the...

Pacific Islands News Roundup – August 22 – August 28, 2025
Editor’s Note: We are undergoing a web host migration process and may need to make necessary modifications to our format and frequency over the next several weeks. Thank you in advance for your understanding. Political Leadership and Regionalism,...

The LDC graduation conundrum
The least developed countries (LDCs) have been struggling to graduate to developing nations for years. But at the same time, these countries fear losing preferential trade, exports, and employment. So, they hesitate and step back even after...
Take Control of Your Cash Flow: Proven Strategies for AR Leaders
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The third world’s LDC conundrum
The least developed countries (LDCs) have been struggling to graduate to developing nations for years. But at the same time, these countries fear losing preferential trade, exports, and employment. So, they hesitate and step back even after...

Fifteen new local projects launched under the Kiwa Initiative to…
The newly awarded projects are spread across ten Pacific Island countries and territories; New Caledonia, Fiji, Kiribati, Palau, Papua New Guinea, French Polynesia, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Vanuatu, and Wallis & Futuna. Together, they reflect...

What do you do after your student project has gone to the ICJ?
Solomon Yeo grew up in the Solomon Islands. At university, he became inspired by the possibility of international law to spur climate action. Now the International Court of Justice has made a ruling, what comes next? In 2019, Solomon Yeo was in...

PM Rabuka’s Visit Adds New Momentum to India-Fiji Relations
India and Fiji’s bilateral relations are deeply rooted in shared history, cultural ties, and a strong diaspora presence. Overlapping strategic concerns, shared economic interests, and efforts to integrate with the Indo-Pacific economic...

Three children return to Samoa after life-saving heart surgeries in Fiji
Source: Samoa High Commission in Suva. Three children have returned to Samoa after undergoing life-saving heart surgeries in Suva, Fiji. Supported by Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Hospital Gift of Life surgical mission, the children all...
The Digital Shift: Redefining Insurance with Smarter Payments
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Ninth Pacific Water and Wastewater Ministers Meeting concludes in Honiara with strong regional commitments
Ministers to the PWWA Ministers Forum- Photo credit: Solomon Islands Government The Ninth Pacific Water and Wastewater Ministers (PWWM) Meeting concluded yesterday in Honiara, with Ministers from 14 Pacific Island countries and territories...