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

Michaelia Cash urges Albanese to maintain ‘vital’ Pacific relations after Vanuatu dumped a key strategic pact
Shadow Foreign Minister Michaelia Cash has urged the Albanese Government to maintain Australia’s “vitally important” Pacific relations after Vanuatu dumped a key strategic pact. Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat has refused to ratify the...

Selina Tusitala Marsh becomes the first Poet Laureate for the Commonwealth
New Zealand poet and academic Selina Tusitala Marsh has been appointed as the first Poet Laureate of the Commonwealth. The prestigious role allows her to represent 56 nations and 2.7 billion people through her poetry. Known for her ability to use...

Ani-One Asia Streams
Image via Dr. Stone anime's X/Twitter account©米スタジオ・Boichi/集英社・Dr.STONE製作委員会Ani-One Asia announced on Thursday and Friday that it will stream the Dr. Stone: Science Future (second part), Hotel Inhumans, With You and the Rain, Onmyō Kaiten...

Palau welcomes the Pacific
Team PNG Flag Bearers Josh Tarere and Thelma Toua at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Pacific Mini Games with Team PNG Chef De Mission Kinivanagi Karo (left) (Image: Team PNG) In a spectacular opening ceremony of the 2025 Pacific Mini Games last...

Asean News Headlines at 10pm on Sunday (June 29, 2025)
Malaysia: * King grants audience to new IGP Mohd Khalid * No Malaysians recruited into Bangladeshi militant network, says Home Ministry * Travel agency, boat operator in Perhentian capsize incident violated several laws, says Tiong * Violent...

The neighbour market
I realised too late that the front door was open. I should have called out and let myself in. Instead, I rang the bell, forcing Kitione Waqanisau to labour his way up the hallway on crutches. Kiti, as he likes to be called, guided me to the lounge...

Palau signs Landmark Security MOU with 12 Pacific Nations for Pacific Mini Games
By: Eoghan Olkeriil Ngirudelsang KOROR, Palau — The Republic of Palau has signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with 12 Pacific Island nations to enhance regional security cooperation during the 2025 Pacific Mini Games (PMG), marking...

'Slow but sure' economic rise in most of Pacific - World Bank
Photo: AFP The Pacific regional economy is growing, slowly but surely, reports the World Bank. In their latest Pacific update, released 17 June, they argue for more employment of women to help the economy amidst global economic uncertainty,...

Reframing the French Indo-Pacific: Wallis and Futuna: Of Monarchies, Catholicism… and Rugby
As Emmanuel Macron wrapped up his visits to Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore – where he delivered the keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue at the end of May – the French president reaffirmed the Indo-Pacific’s strategic importance for both...

European ministers to hold talks with Iran as US says it is still deciding whether to join war | First Thing
Good morning. Foreign ministers from the UK, France and Germany will meet their Iranian counterpart in Geneva on Friday as they try to forge a path back to diplomacy amid Iran’s war with Israel. Their meeting with Abbas Araqchi comes a day after...

Building brand credibility and community through country code top level domains
To succeed in the digital age, businesses must not only establish a strong online presence but continuously adapt their digital strategy as the virtual landscape evolves. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution for rapid business expansion, a...

Is Trump planning an ‘Africa visa ban’?
United States President Donald Trump could significantly expand his travel ban list in the next few weeks to include 36 more countries, 26 of which are in Africa, US media reports say, citing internal government documents. With 10 countries...

Letters to the Editor | June 20, 2025
Strong finish! The historic first Women in Media (WiM) conference ended on a high note at the Grand Pacific Hotel (GPH) in Suva. A strong call was made for regional collaboration, inclusive partnerships, and sustainable funding support for...

PM Mitchell: Regional governments must be prepared to negotiate with Trump
by Linda Straker Story about travel ban list originally published by The Washington Post last weekend 36 countries identified in cable sent to US embassies on weekend 4 on list are OECS member states with Citizenship by Investment Programmes Prime...
Nigerian Foreign Minister Woos US Govt With Mineral Resources In Exchange For Visa Access For Government Officials, Businessmen
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has signalled a strategic offer to the United States: access to critical earth minerals in exchange for easing visa restrictions on government officials. Speaking during the 54th...

How A 48-Country Travel Ban Could Suppress U.S. Tourism In A World Cup Year
Topline As the Trump administration considers significantly expanding the travel ban to more than four dozen countries, World Cup host cities in the United States that were banking on filling half their stadiums and hotels with foreign visitors...

Somaliland, US Ally in the New Cold War
Somaliland officials, led by former President Muse Bihi, pose with US military and diplomatic officials after meeting at the Egal International Airport in Hargeisa. Somaliland aspires to be an “independent” US military enclave in the Horn of...

Travelers From These 36 Countries May Soon Be Banned From Entering the U.S.
And other travel news you may have missed. This week in travel, we’ve uncovered several stories that might have flown under your radar. Among them: locals fire squirt guns at tourists (again); a woman has an epic meltdown in Milan over excess...

What Was Achieved at the UN Ocean Conference in France?
From pledges to establish Marine Protected Areas to calls for a Global Plastic Treaty and to end deep-sea mining, Earth.Org recaps the key achievements at last week’s UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, France. — Some 15,000 people, including...

Trump considers expanding travel ban by 36 countries, including Syria and Egypt
The Trump administration is considering a dramatic expansion of its travel ban to include citizens by 36 countries, including Syria and Egypt, according to a US State Department cable seen by The Washington Post. The internal cable, signed by US...