Pacific Islands Forum in Palau: Leaders from across the region are heading to Palau for the 55th Pacific Islands Forum with a tough agenda shaped by geopolitics, transnational crime, economic pressure and the push for stronger regional unity. U.S.-Pacific messaging: A U.S. deputy secretary of state says Washington will focus on security ties, disaster resilience, trade and private-sector investment ahead of the summit. Palau summit logistics: Palau expects about 2,000 attendees and is already ramping up security with help from a multinational Pacific police support group. Marshall Islands finance spotlight: Virtu, Tradeweb and M1X completed a fast onchain repo using the Republic of the Marshall Islands’ digital sovereign bond as collateral, pointing to growing interest in tokenized capital markets. Maritime climate policy: A Majuro-based maritime research centre says Japan’s IMO shipping decarbonisation proposal is too weak, warning it could shift decisions toward flexible offsetting. Taiwan diplomacy in the Pacific: The Marshall Islands foreign minister reaffirmed support for Taiwan’s participation in the UN and condemned intimidation, while Taiwan is set to return to Pacific Islands Forum events in Palau. Kiribati-China/Taiwan debate: Kiribati is considering a constitutional change that could make it harder for future governments to switch diplomatic recognition back to Taiwan. Health mission in the Marshalls: Canvasback is running dental and eye care in Ebeye and cataract services in Majuro, including hundreds of prescription glasses. Shipping and security watch: Iran-linked claims of turning back tankers and broader Strait of Hormuz tensions continue to ripple through maritime routes.