World

NADI (Pacific Specialist Healthcare/Pacnews) — While New Zealand’s easing of visa laws has been welcomed with open arms by Pacific islanders, the management of Fiji’s largest state-of-the-art 130-bed specialty private hospital is thinking of returning the favor with medical tourism ince…

State flags fly at the Federated States of Micronesia Consulate Office May 7, 2023, in Harmon. From left, the flags of Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae. Photo by David Castro/The Guam Daily Post HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — A state of emergency to quell potential election violence has been declare…

ANCHORAGE (Alaska News/Pacnews) —Ten members of an American Samoan family residing in Whittier, Alaska, have been charged with voter misconduct and perjury, among other charges. One of the men charged, Michael Pese, told Alaska’s News Source that each individual is related by blood or by marriage. …

HAGÅTÑA (Pacific Island Times/Pacnews) — Amid a significant measles outbreak in the U.S., Guam’s Department of Public Health and Social Services has ramped up its immunization campaign, reassuring parents that measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is “93% effective.” “Residents should ensure that thei…

Elon Musk WASHINGTON (Island Times/Pacnews) — The United States Department of Government Efficiency, led by billionaire Elon Musk, has terminated a consulting contract with the State Department for the Republic of Palau. In a statement posted on its X account last week, DOGE described the $1.9 mill…

KOROR (Island Times/Pacnews) — Palau welcomed 5,135 visitors in February, reflecting a mixed picture of growth and decline across key tourism markets. Compared to the same month last year, arrivals surged from several countries. Australia led with a 120% increase, marking the most significant year-…

SUVA (FBC News/Pacnews) — Direct flights between Fiji and mainland China are on the horizon, with potential commencement by the end of the year. Deputy Prime Minister Viliame Gavoka confirmed that Fiji Airways is in talks to establish the Shanghai route, a move designed to strengthen tourism and bu…

MAJURO/TEXAS (PHYS.ORG/Pacnews) — Biologists from The University of Texas at Arlington are the first to discover an invasive frog — the greenhouse frog — in the Marshall Islands, a sprawling Pacific nation of volcanic islands and coral atolls located roughly halfway between Hawaii and Australia. “O…

Surangel Whipps Jr. KOROR — In the last three months, the Pacific island country of Palau has executed a master-class in how to quietly, professionally and effectively rid itself of serious national security threats — including striking a powerful blow against some major Chinese bad guys (and gals)…

HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Guam’s current military population of 22,890 is projected to reach 35,062 by 2037, according to estimates presented by U.S. Department of Defense representatives at an informational briefing before the legislative Committee on Military Buildup on Monday. The number o…