USP boss sacks union leader for speaking out
The University of the South Pacific (USP) has terminated the work contract of union leader, Dr Tamara Osborne-Naikatini. The President of AUSPS (Association of the University of the South Pacific Staff), Dr
First Vanuatu female weightlifter to compete in Olympic Games
21-year-old Ajah Pritchard Lolo will be Vanuatu’s first female weightlifting athlete to compete at the Olympic Games in Paris this month. Last month was a momentous one for Vanuatu as the nation celebrated World
PNG oil and LNG shipments face ban on foreign waters if waste oil issue not addressed
Papua New Guinea will face a grim reality of a ban on its shipping or oil and hydrocarbons into international waters if it continues to ignore the implementation of a domestic waste oil policy that is 28 years
Niue Premier Dalton Tagelagi opens first honorary Consul office in Japan
The Pacific nation of Niue has opened its first honorary consul in Japan. The announcement was made by Niue Premier, Dalton Tagelagi in Tokyo. “I am currently in Japan to attend the PALM 10 meeting and to open
Regulator disrupts Starlink services during Tonga’s ongoing communications crisis
The Tonga government considers that Starlink‘s roaming network services linked to personal satellite antennas, to be illegal in Tonga, even when they are on ships and yachts passing through Tongan waters and on
PALM preview: fisheries research vessels and Fukushima
The government plans to provide one fisheries research vessel free of charge to each of the four Pacific Island nations of Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu, it has been learned. Prime
‘No place for political violence in the U.S.’
Guam leaders today joined the nation in condemning the shooting at former president Donald Trump at his rally in Pennsylvania. “There is no room for violence in politics–no matter where you stand on the
U.S Interior’s Assistant Secretary Cantor announces $372 million in Compact funding for Marshall Islands
The United States Department of the Interior’s Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs Carmen G. Cantor has announced US$372 million in Compact of Free Association funding for the Republic of the
Lawmaker says Guam, CNMI must ‘look after each other’ amid rising tensions in the region
In the face of escalating threats in the region, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas (CNMI) House Floor Leader Edwin Propst said Guam and the Northern Marianas must join hands in preparing the island communities for
Spain makes Manu Samoa work for 34-30 win, Italy wins on its first visit to Tonga to end drought in Pacific islands
Spain makes Manu Samoa work for 34-30 win Manu Samoa beat a spirited Spain 34-30 in rainy and muddy conditions at Apia Park on Saturday. Spain made Manu Samoa work for the win and while the wet conditions made things
PNG’s Economic Outlook remains positive, says IMF report
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape has welcomed an International Monetary Fund (IMF) report indicating that Papua New Guinea’s economic outlook remains positive. The IMF report, released Saturday,
Palau’s President proposes $3.4M Supplemental Budget to address healthcare shortfall
Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr has submitted a US$3.4 million supplemental budget proposal to Olbiil era Kelulau for consideration. The proposal allocates US$3.4 million and appropriates US$2.7 million. In his
Hawaii Aloha: Honouring the “Hawaii Nation”
How do we assess the success of a cultural event? What metrics apply when you’re talking about dancers, artists and a host of creatives? That’s the challenge facing anyone who wants to determine whether the 13th
A meeting of culture, commerce and solidarity
At the halfway of the recent Festival for Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC), its operations director Makanani Sali described it as a “beautiful, chaotic mess” in an interview with local media. And that is how it
Eyes wide shut
Eighteen months after the end of 16 years of Fiji’s notorious two-man rule, the country’s political landscape is in the middle of another seismic shift. The former ruling FijiFirst Party (FFP), relegated to the
Whispers
Seabed issue turning into hotbedSeabed mining continues to divide the region as the International Seabed Authority prepares to meet in Jamaica at the end of July. Hawai‘i has just passed a law banning seabed mining in
Pacific nations stand firm on fisheries and oceans protection
For Pacific Island nations, marine conservation and sustainable fisheries management are crucial because the health of ocean resources deeply influences their economies and livelihoods. In recent times, contrasting
Tackling the Pacific’s plastics crisis
The Pacific Ocean Litter Project (POLP), an initiative under the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), is fighting the threat of single-use plastics to the Pacific coastal environment. With
Waqa takes the wheel at the Forum
Nearing the end of his term as Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Henry Puna travelled to Rarotonga in May and was feted by Mark Brown, Prime Minister of Cook Islands and the current Forum Chair. As the
Fiji positioned for growth in Asia Pacific real estate market
Fiji is on the brink of significant growth in the Asia Pacific real estate market, according to Nick Thompson, Hotels and Hospitality Director at JLL New Zealand. Speaking at a recent tourism investment conference,
Luxury tourism operator Vanua Ranch aims for 2026 opening
Vanua Ranch has revealed plans to open Fiji’s first boutique villa resort, blending farm-based experiences with high-end luxury, by 2026. Located in Uciwai, Vanua Ranch will feature 17 exclusive boutique villas
Wokbaot Wetem Kalja: Culture and Disaster Management in Vanuatu
“Climate displacement of populations is the main feature of our future. We have to be ready for it and plan for it now.” So said Vanuatu’s Minister for Climate Change, Ralph Regenvanu, when he took office in2022.
The perils of underinsurance
Underinsurance and the unawareness of insurance remain significant challenges say insurance providers in Fiji and the Pacific. Chief Executive Officer of Capital Insurance in Fiji, Tonga, and Vanuatu, David Ariff Chan,