Nauru reboots passport sale scheme to fund climate fight

The tiny central Pacific nation of Nauru is selling off its citizenship to help fight the effects of climate change. Since it launched the Nauru Economic and Climate Resilience Citizenship Program late last year, it has had a small but steady flow...

Fossil fuel expansion or Pacific security? Albanese is learning Australia can’t have both

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese sought to strengthen security ties with Pacific island nations and counter China’s growing influence during a trip to the region this week. If he walks away with one lesson, it’s that Australia’s climate...

UNICEF Reports Worldwide Surge In Overweight And Obesity

While undernutrition remains a significant concern among children under 5 in most low- and middle-income countries, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing among school-aged children and adolescents. A major culprit: widespread...

Tongan PM hails PRF Treaty as historic step for Pacific Climate...

By Pita Ligaiula in Honiara, Solomon Islands Tonga’s Prime Minister, Dr ‘Aisake Eke, says the signing of the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) treaty in Honiara will be remembered as a turning point in the region’s fight against climate change....

North West Shelf: Albanese rejects Vanuatu criticism that major gas project will jeopardise Pacific relations

Anthony Albanese has rejected suggestions approving a major gas project off WA will jeopardise Pacific relations and declared he will “act in Australia’s interests” despite criticism from Vanuatu. At the pointy-end of the Pacific Island Forum in...

Obesity surpasses underweight in children for the first time

Obesity has overtaken underweight as the most common form of malnutrition among children and adolescents, affecting 1 in 10 (188 million) school-aged children worldwide, according to a new UNICEF report. The report, “Feeding Profit: How Food...

Nauru warmly welcomes Global Governance Initiative proposed by China

SYDNEY, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Nauru said on Friday it "warmly welcomes" the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) proposed by China early this month during the "Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Plus" Meeting. The Pacific island country said it...

Obesity surpasses undernourishment among world's young population for the first time; What this means for children

Imagine a world where being overweight is now more common in kids than being underfed. Seems pretty impossible, right? But that’s today’s reality.For the first time in history, more children and teens around the world are facing obesity than...

What’s next for sugar taxes?

Chris Stokel-Walker, freelance journalist Newcastle upon Tyne stokel{at}gmail.com Chris Stokel-Walker explores where the world has got to with sugar taxes, whether they’re working, and related controversies When the UN General Assembly meets in...

15 Pacific leaders sign PRF treaty

FIFTEEN (15) members of the Pacific Islands Forum have signed the historical Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) Treaty at the margin of the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting at Heritage Park Hotel on Wednesday night. However, only Tonga...

Unicef warns 188 million children and adolescents are obese

One in ten children worldwide are now obese, with the number of extremely overweight children exceeds the amount of underweight children for the first time. A report from Unicef has found that 188 million school-aged children and adolescents...

Pacific Islands News Roundup – August 29 – September 4, 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,...

Leaders back Australia’s COP31 bid as a “Pacific COP”

AS Pacific leaders meet in Honiara at the Pacific Islands Forum, the Pacific Conference of Churches—the region’s main ecumenical organisation—has called on Pacific governments to recognise Palestinian statehood. This echoes last month’s...

Obesity Exceeds Underweight 1st Time for Children Worldwide. UNICEF Report Affirms MAHA Report

Obesity exceeds underweight for the first time among school-age children and adolescents globally – UNICEF One in 10 children worldwide living with obesity. Exposure to the marketing of ultra-processed foods found to be widespread Obesity...

Nauru Airlines announces network expansion with flights to Clark, Philippines

Nauru Airlines will launch flights to Clark International Airport in the Philippines from 5 September 2025, marking a major step in the carrier’s Asian expansion. “Adding the Republic of the Philippines to our network is a key development for us,”...

Obesity exceeds underweight for the first time among school-age children and adolescents globally – UNICEF

One in 10 children worldwide living with obesity. Exposure to the marketing of ultra-processed foods found to be widespread Obesity surpassed underweight as the more prevalent form of malnutrition this year, affecting 1 in 10 – or 188 million –...

Junk food warning: More children are obese than underweight for the first time; alarming reasons and simple precautions

For the first time in history, more children worldwide are obese than underweight, according to a major Unicef report. Around 188 million children and teenagers aged five to 19—roughly one in 10—are now considered obese, a sharp rise from just 3%...

Bahrain sponsors deep-sea mining firm Impossible Metals for international permit

Bahrain has sponsored deep-sea mining firm Impossible Metals' application for a mining permit with the International Seabed Authority, becoming the first Middle Eastern country to support the fledgling industry as part of an economic...

Albanese hints at softer 2035 climate target as Pacific Islands leaders demand urgent action

Anthony Albanese has used the sidelines of the Pacific Islands Forum to hint his Government may pursue less ambitious reductions in his soon-to-be released 2035 climate target. The Prime Minister said he would take action on climate change...

Hawaii’s Case aims to further strengthen US-Pacific Islands partnerships

Ed Case WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Ed Case of Hawaii announced that the U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bipartisan foreign policy measure that included a provision of his Pacific Partnership Act to strengthen ties between the United...