China, U.S. pledge funds for Pacific Islands ahead of meet they are barred from
The Solomon Islands, which hosts an annual leaders meeting for the region blocked 21 donor countries from attending after pressure from Beijing to exclude Taiwan.
The hidden cost of prosperity: The country that became too rich for its own good
Fueled by massive oil and gas profits, the world’s largest wealth fund turned Norway into a financial powerhouse—but critics now warn that lavish welfare, poor productivity and declining student performance are signs of deeper rot