At least five leaders to skip annual Pacific Islands summit

At least five leaders will skip the Pacific Island region's annual summit, officials said Monday, hours before the opening of talks overshadowed by Taiwan-China tensions. The gathering aims to grapple with thorny regional issues including climate change, drug crime, and the Chinese test-firing of a ballistic missile that landed in the Pacific Ocean in July. China's security and economic influence has added resonance this year, because the 18-member Pacific Islands Forum is being hosted by Palau,