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These are some of the last pristine ocean ecosystems. Now, they're losing protections
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Troubled Waters The largest conservation areas in the U.S. are in the Pacific Ocean. President Trump is rolling back their protections. Reporting by Lauren Sommer Visuals by Claire Harbage This story was supported by the Pulitzer Center. Published Aug. 3, 2026 Autoplay video? Claire Harbage/NPR Some of the most pristine ecosystems left in the world are found in the Pacific. Claire Harbage/NPR These remote islands and atolls are biodiversity hot spots, home to thriving coral reefs … Claire Harbage/NPR … and bustling seabird colonies. More than a million square miles of the Pacific Ocean are safeguarded as U.S. marine national monuments and sanctuaries. Claire Harbage/NPR Now, the Trump administration is opening some of these waters to commercial fishing. Autoplay video? Thousands of miles from California, the Pacific marine monuments are centered on tiny islands and atolls. One of them is Palmyra Atoll, about as far from a continent as you can get on the planet. Claire Harbage/NPR No one lives here permanently, but it’s home to a field research station run by The Nature Conservancy, a conservation nonprofit. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff also rotate in, since the atoll’s land is protected as a national wildlife refuge. Claire Harbage/NPR For the researchers and staff stationed here, some days their closest neighbors are the astronauts passing overhead in the International Space Station. Claire Harbage/NPR For decades, scientists have studied Palmyra Atoll’s unique ecosystem, a window into the vital role that atolls play for marine life across the Pacific. Claire Harbage/NPR “Atolls are small when you look at them on the map, but they have an oversized impact on the ocean around them,” says Alex Wegmann, lead scientist of island resilience at The Nature Conservancy. “They are very important epicenters of biodiversity and of abundance.” Claire Harbage/NPR Atolls are formed by ancient volcanic islands surrounded by coral reefs. As the volcano erodes and disappears below the water, the reef continues to grow upward. Eventually a ring of low-lying islands forms, built from the skeletons of the reef that surrounds it. For millennia, Pacific atolls were important stopover and cultural sites for Polynesians who crossed the Pacific Ocean on seafaring voyages. Claire Harbage/NPR Colonial powers reshaped many atolls, removing native forests to plant fast-growing coconut palm plantations. Although many were abandoned, the palms continued to spread, crowding out native trees. Claire Harbage/NPR World War II brought even more changes. As fighting in the Pacific escalated, the U.S. military remade many atolls, building bunkers, air bases and refueling stations. Ship channels were dredged through coral reefs. Some atolls were used for nuclear and biological weapons testing. Claire Harbage/NPR Still, Pacific atolls remain among the wildest places on the planet. Claire Harbage/NPR Seabirds use them as nesting sites to raise their young, returning to the open ocean to hunt for fish. Sooty terns spend years at sea, flying thousands of miles before coming back to land to breed. Claire Harbage/NPR The reefs surrounding many atolls are still largely untouched, with coral colonies the size of city buses. At Palmyra Atoll, blacktip and grey reef sharks cruise the reefs’ edges. Scientists have found it has one of the highest densities of predators in the world, a rare example of a food chain that remains intact. Raffi Maghdessian/Cavan Images via Getty Images Pacific atolls also attract deep-water species that swim hundreds of miles, like tuna. In the warm, nutrient-poor waters of the central Pacific where food is sparse, atolls are like bustling cafés. Autoplay video? NPR Scientists put satellite tags on yellowfin tuna, tracking where they swam for months, and found they congregate around atolls. Caption: Tuna were tracked between August 2024 and March 2026 Claire Harbage/NPR Seabirds rely on those tun
Harare, Zimbabwe – Harare’s streets have been quieter than usual as residents wait to see whether a call for a nationwide shutdown against constitutional changes would lead to protests.The first thing that stood out was the traffic.Cars on the roads leading into the city centre on Friday were fewer than usual. The morning rush hour that normally fills the capital’s streets was missing, and the journey into Harare’s central business district was quicker than expected.For a normal working day in Zimbabwe, the difference was noticeable.Police were deployed across Harare as opposition groups and civil society activists called for a nationwide shutdown over constitutional changes. Critics said the amendments could extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s time in office until 2030.Across the city, the security presence was difficult to miss.Police blocked access to a popular park where people often gather, making it clear that no one would be allowed inside. Nearby, water cannon trucks were parked in an open space that has been used for previous demonstrations.An uneasy morningBy about 8:30am (06:30 GMT), parts of Harare’s central business district were slowly coming to life.In areas where taxis operate and small businesses line the streets, some shops had opened while others remained closed.The heavy police presence showed that authorities were prepared for possible demonstrations, which police have banned.In Zimbabwe, public gatherings require police approval, and opposition groups have repeatedly criticised restrictions on protests.As the day continued, Harare remained calm.The dispute behind the shutdownThe shutdown call followed constitutional amendments approved by Zimbabwe’s Parliament and signed into law in July.The changes move the next presidential election from 2028 to 2030 and extend presidential and parliamentary terms from five years to seven.They also change how future presidents are chosen, replacing a direct presidential election by voters with a system in which the president would be elected by parliament.Mnangagwa came to power in 2017 after longtime leader Robert Mugabe was removed from office.He won elections in 2018 and 2023 and was previously expected to leave office at the end of his second term in 2028.The amendments have drawn criticism from opposition groups and civil society organisations that argue they could allow Mnangagwa to remain in office beyond 2028.The government has defended the changes, saying they are aimed at reducing political tensions and creating greater stability.A fight over the liberation legacyFor Godfrey Gurira, who fought in Zimbabwe’s liberation war, the constitutional changes represent a betrayal of the ideals he fought for.“When we went to war, we were fighting for the people,” he told Al Jazeera.“We were fighting for one man, one vote. That’s what we want to see happening. We were not fighting for a dynasty or anything along those lines.”The ruling ZANU-PF party has governed Zimbabwe since independence in 1980. The party has rejected accusations that the amendments are designed to extend Mnangagwa’s time in office.The government’s defenceFarai Marapira, the ZANU-PF’s information and publicity director, told Al Jazeera that the constitutional changes were intended to address political tensions linked to Zimbabwe’s electoral cycle.“We have noted that there is a sequence which follows a five-year electoral cycle,” he said.“Within the first two years, there is contestation of the previous election. In the third year, there is mobilisation for the next election.”Marapira said the changes would reduce periods of heightened political tension before elections.Opposition groups disagreed, saying the amendments weaken democratic accountability.A quiet day, but the dispute continuesThe shutdown call did not lead to widespread disruptions in Harare.As the day continued, the city gradually returned to its normal rhythm.More shops opened. Taxis returned to the streets. Traffic increased.But the c
The switch honours a name lost to colonial rule more than a century ago.The Pacific island nation of Nauru has officially reclaimed its traditional name, becoming the Republic of Naoero.Nauru’s parliament passed a constitutional amendment in May to change the name, and President David Adeang confirmed in a social media post late on Wednesday that plans for a national referendum on the change had been dropped. He said the shift reflected an identity the people already held rather than a new one seeking approval.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Trump administration appeals to never-before-used court for deportationlist 2 of 3Pathirage challenges Chopra-Nadeem javelin rivalry in Commonwealth finallist 3 of 3UK left-wing MP Diane Abbott reinstated by Labour Party after suspensionend of list“The decision not to pursue a referendum was reached after thoughtful deliberation that Naoero is not a new name seeking acceptance by the people,” Adeang said. “It is already the identity of the people, is on the national coat of arms, and spoken in the community; and importantly is allowed by the constitution.”The country’s short-form name will now be “Naoero”, while its citizens will be referred to as “dei-Naoero”. The government has notified international organisations and other countries of the change, and the transition process is already under way.The name Nauru dates back to European colonisation, when the island’s native name, Naoero, was altered because colonisers found it difficult to pronounce. Nauru is the world’s third-smallest nation, after Vatican City and Monaco, with a population of roughly 12,000.Adeang said the renaming was not a political move, but one centred on heritage, describing it as an effort to preserve “the legacy of our ancestors” while strengthening “the future of our children”.The Nauruan language, known locally as dorerin Naoero, is classified by UNESCO as “severely endangered”. While it is still spoken among the community, it is not taught in schools, although the government passed a bill last year that will incorporate it into the curriculum in the future.
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