EU–Vanuatu Partnership: EU Ambassador Barbara Plinkert wrapped up a five-day visit to mark Vanuatu’s 46th Independence Day, meeting senior ministers and discussing EU support for agriculture, infrastructure, climate resilience, governance and investment. India–Vanuatu Health & Tech Link: India’s EAM S Jaishankar sent Independence Day greetings and highlighted an India-backed Centre of Excellence in IT in Vanuatu, alongside broader partnership plans that include healthcare cooperation. Maternal & Child Health: A regional council in Victoria handed maternal and child health services back to the state government, raising worries about whether families will keep getting the same community-based breastfeeding and weight-check support. Pacific Waste & Pollution: SPREP’s SWAP2 project is pushing cleaner waste management across nine Pacific countries including Vanuatu, using beach and marine-litter surveys to target pollution hotspots. Ocean Protection Push: Melanesian nations are moving toward a massive transboundary marine reserve corridor (MOCOR), with Vanuatu among the key partners—aiming to protect biodiversity while stressing the need for real enforcement. Kava Safety Research: New study work is unpacking kava’s complex chemistry and why only a small number of liver injury cases have been reported, adding to the debate on how extracts may affect risk. Health System Strain (Australia): Reports of long ambulance response times and critical injuries are renewing calls for stronger safeguards and faster care access.