Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles met with his Pacific counterparts in Viña del Mar, Chile, to discuss expanding the Pacific Response Group (PRG) — a multinational body originally focused on humanitarian disaster response — to include regional stability and security missions.

The PRG currently includes Australia, New Zealand, Chile, France, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and Tonga. During the meeting, ministers instructed their defence chiefs to explore the feasibility of broadening PRG’s mandate and establishing a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) to allow freer troop deployment and coordination among member nations. Officials said the group could evolve into a rapid-response force capable of handling regional crises.

However, the plan may prove controversial among Pacific nations with security ties to China. Analysts suggest that Australia’s move could be perceived as an attempt to exclude China from regional security affairs, heightening great-power competition and potentially straining Australia’s diplomatic relations with its neighbours.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that humanity has effectively missed the 1.5°C global warming target set under the Paris Agreement unless urgent and radical action is taken immediately. He cautioned that further delays in cutting emissions could accelerate the crossing of catastrophic “tipping points” in ecosystems such as the Amazon, the Arctic, and the world’s oceans.

Guterres noted that despite repeated scientific warnings, fewer than one-third of countries have submitted sufficient climate action plans. Existing commitments would only reduce emissions by around 10%, far short of the 60% reduction needed to stay within the 1.5°C limit. He urged world leaders to “change course” at the upcoming COP30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil, calling for the rapid phaseout of fossil fuels and greater inclusion of Indigenous communities in climate decision-making.

Brazil’s newly announced Tropical Forests Forever Facility aims to raise US$125 billion to protect existing rainforests, with one-fifth of the funds going directly to Indigenous communities.

Guterres also appealed for leaders to draw on Indigenous wisdom to achieve harmony with nature, warning that without a drastic shift, the world risks a future of “survival competition” in which only wealthy nations and corporations can shield themselves from climate disasters, deepening global inequality.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have confirmed that while Hamas released 20 surviving hostages on October 13, who have since been received by Israeli authorities. But 48 hostages remain unfreed, including the bodies of those who have died.

The Israeli government has stated that it will continue efforts to ensure the safe return of all hostages. Hamas, however, has said that due to Israel’s ongoing control of more than half of the Gaza Strip and the extensive destruction of its infrastructure, releasing the remaining hostages is becoming increasingly difficult.

Affected Israeli families are appealing to the international community for support, hoping to expedite the release process. They stress that regardless of whether their loved ones are alive, they wish to bring them home for proper burial and dignity. The international community continues to closely monitor developments and has urged all sides to exercise restraint to prevent further escalation.