By Sanjeshni Kumar SUVA, 13 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS)—A landmark treaty to protect biodiversity on the high seas has entered into force, but scientists warn that much of the deep-sea life it seeks to conserve remains unknown. The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, which entered into force earlier this year after being ratified by more […]
Tag: Pacific Islands
Posted inPacific News
Australia joins U.S-led rebuke of Chinese missile launch
CANBERRA/WASHINGTON, 12 AUGUST 2026 (AAP)—Australia has joined a US-led push for nations to provide advance notice of missile launches, in a direct rebuke of China’s test firing in the South Pacific. Within hours of Australia’s signing of a mutual-defence pact with Fiji in July, China confirmed a nuclear-capable missile had been launched from a submarine […]
Posted inTop Stories
Merar Begins Mission as Palau’s First Resident Ambassador to Australia
CANBERRA, Australia — Palau’s diplomatic presence in Australia has entered a new chapter with the formal presentation of credentials by Ambassador Roland Merar, the country’s first resident ambassador to Australia since the two nations established diplomatic relations in 1994. Merar presented his Letter of Credence to Australia’s Governor-General, Sam Mostyn, on Wednesday, Aug. 5, formally […]
Posted inWorld News
Fresh concerns over radioactive risks from deep sea mining near American Sāmoa
PAGOPAGO, 22 JULY 2026 (PMN) — A new scientific warning is adding to growing Pacific opposition as the United States moves ahead with plans to auction offshore deep-sea mining leases near American Sāmoa later this year. Researchers and environmental groups say mining could release naturally occurring radioactive materials into the ocean, raising fresh questions about […]
Posted inTop Stories
Palau condemns China’s ballistic missile test in the Pacific
KOROR, 09 JULY 2026 (PACNEWS) — The Government of Palau has condemned China’s recent ballistic missile launch in the Pacific, describing it as a serious threat to regional peace and security. In a statement, the Office of the President said the missile test undermines the Pacific’s long-standing commitment to peace and runs counter to the […]
Posted inTop Stories
Taiwan VP Hsiao says U.S.-China engagement should not come at expense of regional security
By: L.N. Reklai KOROR, Palau — “We have the same belief as the United States — that peace is maintained through strength,” Taiwan Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao said, emphasizing that continued U.S. engagement with China does not signal a weakening of support for Taiwan, Palau or other partners in the Indo-Pacific. Speaking to Island Times […]