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

China's visa-free policy to extend to Micronesia amid expanding 'circle of friends'
Foreign tourists pose for photos at Temple of Heaven in Beijing, capital of China on May 3, 2025. The Temple of Heaven became a popular tourist spot for foreign visitors during the Labor Day holiday. Photo: VCG China continues to expand its...

Micronesian Island Forum or Second Island Chain Alliance?
These Islands By Robert Underwood Pacific island nations and territories like to discuss the Blue Continent and give dramatic visions about a Pacific future based on island wisdom, traditions and connections. Despite the diversity of island forms,...

Pacific leaders address US deportation distress and regional unity at Micronesian meeting
The latest wave of deportations of Pacific people from the United States was among a range of issues discussed at the recent Micronesian Islands Forum in the Marshall Islands. The three-day summit brought together leaders from Kiribati, Nauru, the...

OPINION Tydingco: Micronesia must become a global destination to revitalize tourism
The COVID-19 pandemic delivered a devastating blow to the tourism industry in Micronesia, decimating visitor arrivals and crippling economies that rely heavily on this sector. Now, as the global travel industry regains momentum, Micronesia must...

Keeping the Sea Clean: Japanese Efforts to Recover Oil from Wartime Wreck in Chuuk, Micronesia
Japanese vessels sunk more than eight decades ago in Micronesia continue to pose an environmental threat in the waters off of Chuuk. Japanese and other specialists are working to capture and remove the polluting oil. Pristine Waters with a...
In our 50s, we moved to a remote Pacific island. We know we'll need better healthcare someday, but for now, it's paradise.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Buz Moffett, 63, who moved from Hawaii to Pohnpei, an island in the Pacific Ocean that's part of the Federated States of Micronesia, with his wife in 2018. It has been edited for length and...

Micronesian Summit in Majuro this week aims to be ‘one step ahead’
By Giff Johnson, editor, Marshall Islands Journal/RNZ Pacific correspondent in Majuro The Micronesian Islands Forum cranks up with officials meetings this week in Majuro, with the official opening for top leadership from the islands tomorrow...

Pacific airlines team up for pilot cadetships, four countries sign new trade and healthy food deal
The airlines said the programme would include “rigorous training, structured mentorship, and professional development to produce a pilot workforce trained to operate in complex and remote Pacific environments”. The two airlines said they would...

Micronesian Summit in Majuro this week
Flags from most of the Micronesian islands participating in the regional summit this week fly outside the International Conference Center in Majuro on Monday. Photo by Giff Johnson MAJURO — The Micronesian Islands Forum cranks up with officials...
The Federated States of Micronesia is tackling rising climate-related diseases with a major health resilience programme backed by the Green Climate Fund and SPC.
Shiprwreck in Chuuk Lagoon As sea levels rise and storms intensify, communities across the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) are facing a surge in climate-sensitive diseases. From dengue fever to diarrhoea, illnesses once considered seasonal...

Pacific Islands News Roundup – July 4 – July 10, 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,...
They need to listen and act now: Pacific countries ramp up…
Pacific countries have taken a critical step to finalise their priorities as they ramp up the call for a high-ambition treaty that addresses the full life cycle of plastic. Ahead of the second part of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental...

ICE is now hunting for clergy members willing to work in Guantánamo Bay
Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our...

Pacific islands push back against growing climate threats
The Cook Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia are separated by around 6,000 kilometres of Pacific Ocean. Despite the vast stretch of water between them, the two small island nations share a common challenge: how to protect their people...

CHCC hosts immunization program regional meeting
(CHCC) — The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation, Division of Public Health Services proudly hosted the first in a series of regional meetings for immunization programs across the nation, in collaboration with the Association of Immunization...
China's Economy Spirals With No End In Sight, Says Kyle Bass
Authored by Frank Fang and Jan Jekielek via The Epoch Times, Communist China is grappling with the most severe economic crisis in its history, a downturn that the regime will not recover from, according to Kyle Bass, founder and chief investment...

World Bank: Conflict, instability driving extreme poverty in Nigeria and 38 other economies
The World Bank has raised alarm over the growing impact of conflict and instability on 39 developing economies, including Nigeria, warning that these states are being left behind on key development indicators, with extreme poverty, hunger, and...

Building Pacific capacities to support trade and market access
To strengthen the skills of Pacific biosecurity, border control, exporter representatives and relevant stakeholders in using Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards (SPS) databases and platforms, a regional capacity-building workshop is underway in...

Micronesia Mall’s Mall Ball 3x3 Summer Circuit high school tournament tips off June 20
The Micronesia Mall and Clutch Guam have partnered for Mall Ball ’25: 3x3 Summer Circuit series, a basketball tournament featuring 20 high school teams that will take place Friday through Sunday at the Micronesia Mall Center Court. Championship...

Worsening global economic conditions expect to slow economic growth in the Pacific
By: Bernadette Carreon According to the June Pacific Economic Update by the World Bank, economic growth in the Pacific Islands is projected to decelerate in 2025. This slowdown is primarily due to worsening global financial conditions and slower...