Read the latest news from regional and global sources, presenting different voices and perspectives.
Sunscreens protect us but also pose real planetary health concerns
Mongabay
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August 26, 2025
Sunscreens have become an important part of people’s sun management routine, protecting skin from harmful solar UV radiation. But many of these products contain chemicals that can be harmful to saltwater and freshwater ecosystems, while...
DoD awards 5 contracts for $88M amid tax cut debate; among them $34M for 2nd Andersen dorm that 'appalled' Navy secretary
Pacific Daily News
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While local senators were debating whether to exempt large military contractors from discounted business privilege tax in recent days, the Department of Defense announced at least five contract awards for projects on Guam totaling about $88...
Scientists Create New Magnetic State: The Magneto-Ionic Vortex (“Vortion”)
SciTechDaily
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August 17, 2025
A new magnetic state, the vortion, has been experimentally realized by manipulating ions with voltage at the nanoscale. This discovery opens the door to low-energy data storage and brain-inspired technologies with unprecedented control of...
Saifuddin Nasution says more than 113,000 foreign workers in Sabah registered under new digital system
Malay Mail
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August 15, 2025
KOTA KINABALU, Aug 15 — Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said a total of 113,282 foreigners in Sabah employed in the plantation sector have registered in the centralised digital data system developed so far. He said the state...
Global treaty talks crumble after nations remain divided on critical subject: 'Missed a historic opportunity'
The Cool Down - Oregon
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August 15, 2025
Once high hopes for an international treaty governing plastic production and waste have come crashing down as countries failed yet again to reach an agreement during recent talks in Geneva, Switzerland, the BBC reported. Despite extending...
Dredging part of the Peleliu South Dock improvement project
Dredging Today
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August 15, 2025
Representatives of the Palau Government along with the U.S. Department of Defense hosted two public meetings in Peleliu and Koror states, August 12 and 14 respectively, to share information about the proposed Peleliu South Dock rehabilitation and...
Sibanye-Stillwater appoints Dr Lindiwe Mthimunye to its board
Mining Review
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August 27, 2025
Sibanye-Stillwater has appointed Dr Lindiwe Mthimunye as an independent non-executive director, effective immediately. Mthimunye is a Chartered Accountant with more than two decades of experience and has worked across the oil and gas, property...
Chewing betel nut has deep Pacific roots, but health officials warn of cancer risk
Hawaii Public Radio
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August 25, 2025
At a small farmers market in downtown Hilo, several tables display rows of betel nut that hang from a line, attached to their original branches, or contained in sealed plastic bags. On Hawaiʻi Island, there is no shortage of buyers for the...
Holy cow! unexpected deep-sea predator comes to dine on unusual bait
AS
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August 27, 2025
Only 5% of the ocean floor has ever been explored. The vast majority remains a mystery, hidden by crushing pressure, freezing temperatures, and the absence of light. For marine biologists, discovering how life thrives in these extreme conditions...
Over 100,000 Foreigners In Sabah Have Registered In Centralised Digital Data System
Bernama
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August 14, 2025
KOTA KINABALU, Aug 14 (Bernama) -- Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said a total of 113,282 foreigners in Sabah employed in the plantation sector have registered in the centralised digital data system developed so far. He said...
Pacific news in brief for 27 August
RNZ
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August 26, 2025
Last week, the Nauru government announced it signed a project proposal of about $1 billion with a Chinese company. Photo: Facebook / The Government of the Republic of Nauru Nauru/Australia - security Australia is pushing to ratify a security...
US Marines eye new Pacific supply outposts
Taipei Times
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August 26, 2025
The US Marine Corps (USMC) is considering new sites for stockpiling equipment in the West Pacific to harden military supply chains and enhance mobility across the Indo-Pacific region, US-based Naval News reported on Saturday. The proposed sites in...
Fara Homidi: ‘I’ve always said all good things come from London’
Dazed & Confused
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August 27, 2025
All the cool girls love Fara Homidi. Look inside any Balenciaga City Bag or Chloé Boho Paddington and you’ll be sure to find the brand’s signature sky blue lip compact or the shiny red of the concealer, most likely with the companion make-up brush...
Chinese diplomacy wields Theravada Buddhism
Le Monde Diplomatique
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August 26, 2025
Temple of the Golden Mountain, a Theravada Buddhist temple in Thailand. Under President Xi Jinping, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been ramping up its use of the Buddhist faith as a tool of international diplomacy, particularly when it...
Beyond DemoCrazy: Why It’s Time to Abolish State Governments and Reimagine Local Leadership
Island Times
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August 15, 2025
Dear Editor, In Palau today, the ongoing power struggle between elected state leaders and traditional chiefs has become more than just a political inconvenience, it has become a costly distraction. Our courts are flooded with disputes about who...
Plastic pollution UN treaty talks collapse without agreement
Al Mayadeen
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August 15, 2025
This has exposed deep divisions between countries advocating bold action on plastic production and oil-producing states favoring a limited focus on waste. Efforts to forge a global treaty to combat plastic pollution ended on Friday without...
Pacific Water Ministers Meeting Concludes with Strong Regional Commitments
Tavuli News
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August 27, 2025
Wednesday 27 August 2025, Honiara – The Ninth Pacific Water and Wastewater Ministers (PWWM) Meeting concluded yesterday in Honiara, with ministers from 14 Pacific Island countries and territories committing to urgent action to strengthen water and...
The 8 best things to do in Sardinia
Lonely Planet
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Sparsely populated and naturally rich, Sardinia has long drawn interest for its collection of coves, white sand beaches and dramatic cliffs dropping into the ocean along the island's rugged perimeter. But you'd be wrong to think that coastal bliss...
Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative set for 2nd round
Taipei Times
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August 26, 2025
A government-funded program enabling young people from Taiwan’s diplomatic allies to participate in short-term training and cross-cultural exchanges in Taiwan would soon begin its second round after the first round ended last month, a Ministry of...
Sibanye-Stillwater appoints chartered accountant Dr Lindiwe Mthimunye to its board
IOL
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Sibanye-Stillwater has appointed Chartered Accountant, Dr Lindiwe Mthimunye, as an independent non-executive director, effective immediately. This move is anticipated to enhance the board’s expertise, particularly in financial governance and...