Photo: 123rf / ©Carol Buchanan
Tuvalu - climate
Tuvalu's climate minister says Australia's decision to approve three coal mine expansions calls into question its claim to be a "member of the Pacific family" and undermines its case to co-host COP31.
The Guardian reported analysts saying last week's mine approvals could generate more than 1.3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide across their lifetime once the coal is shipped and burned overseas.
Dr Maina Talia, from Tuvalu, told Guardian Australia fossil fuels are killing all of us, and it is therefore immoral and unacceptable for any country to open new fossil fuel projects.
An Australian government spokesperson said the country is "getting on with the job of transforming Australia into a renewable energy superpower" and under the Labor government "renewables are now outstripping coal 10-to-one".
A decision on where Cop31 will be held is expected at the Cop29 summit in Azerbaijan next month, with Turkey also in the running.
French Polynesia - visit
New Zealand's foreign minister has stopped off in French Polynesia on the way home fom the United Nations General Assembly.
Winston Peters said talks in Papeete - with President Moetai Brotherson, French High Commissioner Dominique Sorain, former Presidents Édouard Fritch and Oscar Temaru, Members of Parliament, and business leaders - reinforced the warm and enduring relationships between New Zealand, French Polynesia and France.
While in New York, Peters also engaged in several high-level meetings and held talks with a range of counterparts, including from Kiribati.
Pacific - defence
South Pacific Defence Ministers are meeting in Auckland this week.
The annual event brings together Defence Ministers, Chiefs of Defence and Secretaries of Defence from New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, France (New Caledonia), Tonga, Chile and Papua New Guinea.
The meeting is in its 11th year and Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General Baron Waqa is attending as a guest for the first time.
New Zealand's Defence Minister Judith Collins said discussions will include security challenges, climate-induced disaster response, trans-national crime and the role of emerging technology in maritime security.
The three-day event, which wraps up on Thursday, happens against the backdrop of a recent test missile launch by China into the Pacific and US preparations to start missile testing in Guam.
Guam - environment
Guam has secured a federal grant to protects its coral reefs.
The US territory has received US$841,357 to help preserve and restore coral reefs and other marine environmental resources.
Senator William Parkinson authored a legislative resolution designating Guam's reefs as essential infrastructure.
He told the Pacific Island Times coral reefs serve as the first line of defence against storm surges and coastal erosion.
The funds will support a variety of projects, including reef restoration, conservation efforts, and community engagement.
Fiji - health
Fijians living on Vanua Levu in the northern division have been given life-changing surgery thanks to the charity of a New Zealand medical team led by a Fijian-born doctor.
The team provided 25 people surgery for kidney and prostate cancer at Labasa Divisional Hospital - saving each patient NZ$20,000 for each surgery.
Half a million dollars' worth of equipment was also donated to Labasa Hospital with support of the charity Friends of Fiji Health.
Auckland-based Fijian-born Dr Imran Ali said the charity has been doing missions for over 30 years but this was its first urology mission.
He said they will return to Fiji annually to teach local medical professionals and provide surgery for people who would otherwise have to go overseas for their procedures.