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

At UN ocean summit, 95 countries back ‘wake-up call’ to cap ...
Ministers from 95 countries – including France – on Tuesday backed calls for a global treaty to restrict plastic production, on the sidelines of the 2025 UN Ocean Conference in Nice. Talks on the treaty held in Busan, South Korea, in late 2024...

China downplayed missile test: NZ papers
China tried to mislead foreign governments last year by playing down the importance of a nuclear-capable missile test over the Pacific Ocean, New Zealand diplomats privately warned in documents obtained by Agence France-Presse (AFP). Beijing sent...

Rare 65-Night Cruise Revealed: Japan to Patagonia, with 10 Days in Australia
Costa Cruises is turning some heads with this one. The Italian cruise line just released details about a 65-night repositioning sailing that departs from Tokyo, Japan and crosses the Pacific to end in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In between these two...
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Reveals First-Ever Polynesia Itineraries
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has opened its winter 2026/27 itineraries for booking, including the line’s first-ever sailings in Polynesia, as well as new ports in the Asia-Pacific region. Sailing from October 2026 to April 2027, the season...
What was decided at the UN Oceans Conference? | Explained
The logo of the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC). | Photo Credit: REUTERS The story so far: The United Nations Oceans Conference (UNOC) concluded last week in France, with 56 of the necessary 60 countries ratifying the Biodiversity...

Full list of the countries where rabies is 'high risk' after UK tourist dies
A woman has tragically died in the UK after becoming infected with rabies in Morocco. She is said to have contracted the fatal viral disease while coming into contact with a stray dog during a visit to Morocco, the UK Health and Security Agency...

Raising a family at sea
A Penticton mother has turned a life-changing experience into a new book, chronicling the two years she, her husband, and their three young children spent living aboard a 45-foot sailboat in the Caribbean. Seeking relief from the stress and grind...

Ocean Diplomacy at the Third UN Ocean Conference
Few international observers expected much from the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) which closed in Nice on 13 June 2025. This was probably just as well as so many other ocean and climate initiatives have come and gone in past decades....

New Zealand's role in international half-tonne cocaine seizure
New Zealand Customs has played an important role in an international operation which led to the seizure of more than half a tonne of cocaine destined for Australian shores, officials confirmed this week. The operation, which ran across April and...

China Downplayed Nuclear-Capable Missile Test; Tried To Hoodwink The World By Calling It ‘Routine’; Classified NZ Govt Papers
Beijing sent shivers through the South Pacific in September 2024, when its elite Rocket Force fired a dummy warhead into the high seas near French Polynesia. A tranche of classified government briefing notes obtained by AFP shows deep concern...

Full list of countries where drivers need a permit to take a road trip
UK holidaymakers planning to drive while on holiday abroad may not be aware that some countries require tourists to be in possession of a international driving permit (IDP) to drive. If you fail to apply for a permit, you could land yourself in...

Ocean’s Future Secured? 170 Nations Pledge Bold Conservation
NICE, (IANS)- The 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference concluded with more than 170 countries adopting an intergovernmental agreed declaration committing to urgent action to conserve and sustainably use the world’s oceans. The political...
Demi Lovato shares stunning honeymoon snapshots from Bora Bora
Tropical island destinations continue to capture the hearts of newlyweds, and singer Demi Lovato has just proven why with her enchanting escapade to Bora Bora. Recently, Lovato took to Instagram to share a delightful ‘photo dump’ showcasing her...

Miss Tahiti 2025 Candidates Test Their Knowledge Before Election
Pirae, French Polynesia – Ten contestants for the Miss Tahiti 2025 title participated in a general knowledge test on June 11, 2025, ahead of the upcoming pageant later this month. The event is a crucial part of the competition as participants...

Finafinau represents American Samoa at United Nations Ocean Conference
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — From June 2– 13, 2025, the city of Nice, France, hosted the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), a global summit dedicated to the sustainable management and protection of the world’s oceans. Representing...

Finishing What the World Started at the UN Ocean Conference
Against a backdrop of global uncertainty and questions about whether multilateral processes can still deliver, the countries represented at the latest UN Ocean Conference were largely united on the need for a more ambitious response to the...
China Downplayed Nuclear-capable Missile Test: Classified NZ Govt Papers
China tried to mislead foreign governments in 2024 by playing down the importance of a nuclear-capable missile test over the Pacific Ocean, New Zealand diplomats privately warned in documents obtained by AFP. Beijing sent shivers through the South...

Is the ocean ‘having a moment’? This was the UN summit where the world woke up to the decline of the seas
The sea, the great unifier, is man’s only hope … and we are all in the same boat.” So said Jacques Cousteau, the French explorer, oceanographer and pioneering film-maker, who notably pivoted from merely sharing his underwater world to sounding the...

Congratulations, you’ve won the lottery – now you’re screwed
A good reminder (Picture: Getty/Reuters) Assassination, abduction or substance abuse – all part of a curse following lottery winners. Players may see the lottery as a lucky ticket that will make all their dreams come true. This may be the case for...

170 nations commit to expand marine protected areas, combat pollution
The 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference concluded with more than 170 countries adopting an inter-governmentally agreed declaration committing to urgent action to conserve and sustainably use the world’s oceans. The political declaration titled...