Morning Mail: Nauru asylum seekers ‘going hungry’, ATO hunt for old debts, UK synagogue attack

Morning everyone. It seems the vast cost of holding refugees and asylum seekers on Nauru – about $1.5m paid out per year to an American prisons operator for every detainee – is not enough to keep hunger at bay, with many telling us they can’t...

Pacific islands bound by climate change, divided by deep-sea mining: Nauru swimming against the tide

Deep-sea mining equipment. Photo courtesy of Impossible Metals “The climate crisis is not up for debate,” Micronesian President Wesley Simina said. “The only question is whether we will act with the urgency it demands.” Pacific island leaders...

SHIPPING TIMES | Silk Road Ark visit

THE Chinese naval hospital ship, Silk Road Ark arrives today in Fiji. The ship will be in the country for its humanitarian medical mission. Silk Road Ark, according to the People’s Republic of China’s Ministry of National Defense, set sail on...

Commonwealth takes Nauru bank service

THE University of the South Pacific (USP) is proud to announce that five of its academics have been recognised among the world’s Top 2% scientists by Stanford University for 2025. This prestigious ranking identifies researchers whose work is among...

Australian government extends use of Nauru as a refugee prison

Without any prior public notification or scrutiny, the Australian Labor government has just extended a contract for the running of an asylum seeker prison on the tiny Pacific island of Nauru until at least 2027. Accommodation in the Nauru offshore...

Trust in the sea-bed mining authority is fragile — here’s how to change that

The sea bed holds vast reserves of cobalt, nickel and other minerals, yet no international rules govern how such extraction might proceed or how its impacts should be contained. The International Seabed Authority (ISA) is mandated to set those...

Whipps on Deep Sea Mining: “Not a Silver Bullet”

Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. used his address at the United Nations General Assembly to call for a global moratorium on deep-sea mining, warning that it poses severe risks to biodiversity, fisheries, and climate stability. He stressed that...

‘We had to be bold and innovative to save our economy’: Nauru president

YAREN (Nauru Government/Pacnews) — Nauru President David Adeang has revealed for the first time that when he was elected president three years ago, he received advice from the government’s finance department that the nation was in “serious...

Nauru ‘peddling dangerous fallacies’ at UNGA: Greenpeace

Greenpeace Australia Pacific FIJI/SYDNEY – Friday, 26 September 2025 — In response to Nauru’s statement on deep sea mining at the UN General Assembly, where it falsely claimed deep sea minerals were ‘essential’ for the green energy transition, the...

Nauru President defends seabed mining in UNGA speech

Nauru's President David Adeang has defended moves to open his country's waters to deep sea mining. He called on the International Seabed Authority to speed up its drafting of regulations for Nauru to adopt...so it could have global approval on...

Phosphate mining ruined Nauru. Can it find its way again?

Imagine being one of the world’s richest countries – but amassing all of that wealth by exploiting a single resource that’s soon to run out. That was the conundrum facing the Pacific island nation of Nauru in the 1970s. Once the world’s top...

Palau Hosts Pacific Power Association Conference, Spotlighting Energy Transformation

⚡ Hosting the 32nd Pacific Power Association Conference, Palau is bringing together utilities, donors, and innovators to tackle shared challenges under the theme “Smart Grids and Digital Transformation in Energy.” 🌍✨ By: Summer Kennard KOROR,...

IMF EXECUTIVE BOARD CONCLUDES 2025 ARTICLE IV CONSULTATION WITH THE REPUBLIC OF NAURU

The following information was released by the International Monetary Fund (IMF): On September 17, 2025, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV Consultation with the Republic of Nauru.[1] The...

Four Key Takeaways for Deep Sea Mining from the ICJ Advisory Opinion

Established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the International Seabed Authority (ISA) is responsible for administering resources in the Area, including regulating Deep Sea Mining (DSM) activities (art. 156 UNCLOS)....

‘Agriculture sector provides job opportunities’

By RODRICK DESURI AUKI The agricultural sector can create employment opportunities, provide food, and serve as a source of income for grassroots-level youth in the country. Member of Parliament for Kiritimati and Kanton in Kiribati, Teriba Tabe,...

SHIPPING TIMES | Marine protection symposium

A five-day regional symposium focused on strengthening marine pollution emergency response and environmental resilience is being held in Suva this week. The symposium has brought regional and international partners to Fiji to look at best...

French Polynesia calls for moratorium on deep sea mining

French Polynesia's President Moetai Brotherson in Honiara for the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting from 8-12 September 2025. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Caleb Fotheringham French Polynesia's president wants Pacific countries to agree to a...

Construction delays in Nauru push Micronesian Games to January 2028

Micronesian Games 2024. (file image) Photo: Hilary Hosia The Micronesia Games, initially set for 2026 in Nauru, have been moved to January 2028. This was approved at the Micronesian Games Council (MGC) annual general meeting in Nauru on Sunday....

Nauru charts bold path toward 2028 Micronesia Games

Micronesian Games Council officials and members pose for a photo with Nauru government and sports officials during a meeting to discuss the 2028 Micronesian Games. Contributed photo YAREN, Nauru — On Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, the Republic of Nauru...

Nauru Airlines starts flights to Clark in Philippines

Nauru Airlines has announced a further network expansion with the addition of services to Clark in the Philippines. “Adding the Republic of the Philippines to our network is a key development for us,” said Robert Eoe, CEO of Nauru Airlines. “Clark...