Large drone spotted near border with PNG as Chinese warships passed nearby
Papua New Guinea’s Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko says he was not notified about a sophisticated drone that flew into the country’s air space around the time a Chinese naval vessel navigated the border
Australian Museum repatriates human remains to Papua New Guinea
16 human skulls were repatriated to Papua New Guinea by the Chau Chak Wing Museum in Sydney, Australia last week. The ancestral remains were returned to six village communities, including Gorendu and Bilibil, in
Cook Islands seeking New Zealand expertise for Sovereign Wealth Fund
The Cook Islands government has taken further steps towards establishing a Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), with officials currently in New Zealand holding discussions with financial experts, Prime Minister Mark Brown told
24 teams express interest in joining OFC Professional League
The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) has received an impressive 24 expressions of interest for the highly anticipated OFC Professional League, due to kick off in January 2026. With the deadline for submissions
Air Niugini to refleet, expect reduced airfares
The Papua New Guinea Government has made available a total of over K5 billion (US$1.24 billion) to purchase a new Air Niugini fleet. Air Niugini board chairman Kagl Yalo announced this at the opening of the second
Solomon Islands, Tuvalu discuss international shipping registry
Solomon Islands Minister for Infrastructure Development (MID), Manasseh Maelanga, held a dialogue last week at the margins of the Honiara Ocean Summit with Tuvalu’s Minister for Natural Resources Development, Sa’aga
Marshall Islands changes Ukraine vote
The Marshall Islands and Palau joined Russia and the United States in voting Monday last week against a resolution in the United Nations General Assembly about Ukraine, which called for the withdrawal of Russian troops
Steps forward in New Caledonia political talks
For the first time since 2019, there have been tripartite talks on the political status of New Caledonia, during an eight-day visit by France’s Overseas Minister Manuel Valls. After six months of conflict that began
Guam port seeking tariff rate hike
The Port Authority of Guam is seeking to raise tariffs by up to 17 percent this year as part of the agency’s revenue enhancement strategy. The port’s board of directors on Wednesday approved a resolution
Tongan airline Lulutai seeking $7 million subsidy
The Tongan government is assessing the possibility of ceasing Lulutai Airlines services due to its inability to meet financial obligations, the Minister for Public Enterprises says. The news follows serious
Australia tallies Pacific impact of U.S foreign aid cuts
Australia is racing to identify the South Pacific’s most pressing funding needs as the United States moves to slash its foreign aid budget, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Thursday. Crucial food, climate
847 Samoans receive New Zealand citizenship in three months
New Zealand Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says 847 Samoans have been granted New Zealand citizenship since the Citizenship [Western Samoa – Restoration] Amendment Bill passed into law three months
Crucial 2023 PG documents ‘missing’
Supporting documents to complete a full audit into the 2023 Pacific Games expenditures have reportedly gone missing and may have been destroyed, sources have revealed. These documents include receipts, authorisation of
Paradise Lost: Eight years later, Freesoul site still a mess
A company found guilty of destruction on Malolo Island is still to rehabilitate the site, years after the judgement. While the case against Freesoul Real Estate Development (Fiji) over destruction on Malolo Island was
Kangava community demands justice for 2019 oil spill
The customary landowners of Kangava Bay in the Solomon Islands have filed a claim with the Solomon Islands High Court for damages caused by a 2019 oil spill, the worst of its kind in the nation. The claim was filed
Cook Islands PM’s challenges go beyond China
It’s a cold weekend in one of the coldest cities in Northeast China. Just before heading back to Rarotonga from a controversial mission to China, Prime Minister Mark Brown stepped outside to film one of his regular
New Zealand’s strange diplomatic stoush with Kiribati
The squabbles between New Zealand’s Foreign Minister, Winston Peters and heads of government in Kiribati and the Cook Islands have been denounced by some as neo-colonial grandstanding but welcomed by others as
We say: It’s time to stop the rot
Five years ago, Pacific leaders recognised the worrying levels of corruption which existed throughout the region. To manifest their concern, the Teieniwa Vision was signed as a commitment towards rooting out systemic
Whispers
Kava questionsFiji is taking the battle for the kava market to the United States, of all places. A large delegation led by Assistant Minister Tomasi Tunabuna visited the US, apparently in response to the growing of kava
Providing stability and school
When a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Vanuatu in December 2024, it left a trail of destruction, damaging schools, disrupting learning, and adding another layer of trauma to children already vulnerable to the impacts of
The tide turns: Fresh approach to regional education
On a bush track in the interior of Fiji’s mani island, Viti Levu, three weary colleagues trudge toward a village, barely visible through the mist. The team from the Regional Institute for Leadership Development is on
Envisioning ocean literacy across the Pacific
Students at the International School Suva (ISS) learn about the ocean from the moment they step through the school gates. Under the leadership of the Whole School Ocean Coordinator Hannah Nanovu, the school is not just
Trump’s foreign aid freeze: Who will step in for the Pacific
Programs addressing domestic violence, renewable energy, literacy, hospital infrastructure, fisheries management, media capacity building, transport and infrastructure, and health procurement are amongst the many