Feb. 16, 2026
Pacific news in brief for 17 February
Public Broadcaster
RNZ
Owner: New Zealand Government
Feb. 16, 2026
Nicaragua doesn’t want anyone there, eliminates visa-free access for citizens of 128 countries
Neutral
Q Costa Rica
Owner: Enrico Cacciatore
Feb. 16, 2026
Afghanistan retains status as world’s weakest passport in February 2026 Henley Index
Center-right
India Blooms
Owner: India Blooms News Service
Feb. 16, 2026
Why location matters for the Pacific Pre-COP
Indeterminate
The Interpreter
Owner: Lowy Family
Feb. 16, 2026
Pakistan passport climbs in Feb: Updated visa-free list
Gov't Propaganda
Gulf News
Owner: Obaid Al Tayer
Feb. 16, 2026
YouTuber visits diplomatic allies to see Taiwan's lesser-known friends
Neutral
Focus Taiwan
Owner: Taiwanese Government
Feb. 13, 2026
Solomon Islands ratifies Pacific Resilience Facility as region pushes toward 2026…
Neutral
Pacific News Service
Owner: The Pacific Islands News Association Ltd
Feb. 15, 2026
Feb update: List of 56 visa-free countries for Indians
Gov't Propaganda
Gulf News
Owner: Obaid Al Tayer
Feb. 13, 2026
These 3 vaccines could save lives across the Pacific, but they would blow vaccine budgets by up to 775%
Indeterminate
Scimex Newsfeed
Owner: Australian Science Media Centre Inc & Science Media Centre of New Zealand
Feb. 14, 2026
The only passport offering access to 190+ destinations in the latest Henley index — Full list inside
Indeterminate
The Times of India
Owner: Sahu Jain Family
Feb. 14, 2026
Henley Passport Index: India rises to 75th, loses one visa-free destination
Center-left
The Hindu
Owner: The Kasturi Family
Feb. 10, 2026
Pacific’s remittance dependence:Labour out and cash in
Indeterminate
The National
Owner: Tiong Hiew King
Feb. 13, 2026
India jumps 10 spots in global passport index. It ranks...
Neutral
India Today
Owner: Purie Family
Feb. 13, 2026
Henley Passport Index 2026: Which countries can Indians visit visa-free?
Neutral
Mathrubhumi
Owner: Kumar Family
Feb. 13, 2026
Cambodia Joins Thailand, Indonesia, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Philippines and More in Enhancing Indian Travelers’ Visa-Free Access to Global Destinations
Neutral
Ghana MMA
Owner: Non-transparent
Feb. 9, 2026
US Congress tries to link Chinese Pacific projects to military threat
Indeterminate
Islands Business
Owner: Front Page PTE Ltd
Feb. 12, 2026
Mapped: Birth Rates Around the World in 2025
Neutral
Visual Capitalist
Owner: Jeff Desjardins
Feb. 12, 2026
New analysis confirms 2025 ranks among hottest years for Western Pacific region
Public Broadcaster
RNZ
Owner: New Zealand Government
Jan. 29, 2026
Agents Are the New Buyers: How Agentic AI Is Changing Commerce
Indeterminate
CFO Dive
Owner: Informa PLC
Feb. 11, 2026
How Taiwan Sees the World
Neutral
Foreign Policy
Owner: Donald Graham