2024 joint ballot papers arrived safely in Solomon Islands
The Solomon Islands official ballot papers for the 2024 Joint Election are printed and have now arrived in the country on Tuesday this week. The ballot papers totaling a record of 1 million, cater to voter numbers in a
Small Singapore company to monopolise all gold trading in PNG, says industry
The proposed National Gold Corporation Bill 2022 will effectively create a Gold Monopoly which will be disastrous for PNG’s mining sector and the economy of Papua New Guinea. That’s the stern implications
Samoan broadcaster and social advocate Tofilau Yolande Ah Chong dies
Samoan broadcaster, TV personality and MC Tofilau Yolande Ah Chong is being remembered as a vibrant voice in the Pacific community. Tofilau died last week after a long battle with cancer. She was laid to rest yesterday
“We’re used to it” – Fa’alogo Tana Umaga on Moana Pasifika’s struggles to find a new home
Moana Pasifika are no strangers to when it comes to hiccups in the start of the season. In 2022 – their maiden year – the newly established club went through four match postponements, resulting in them having to
Opinion: Uncharted waters II: an update on politics in Tonga
Tonga’s Crown Prince Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala recently led a government delegation to the second Japan-Pacific Islands Defence Dialogue. Members of his delegation included the current Prime Minister’s defence
Pope’s visit to PNG deferred to September
Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church visit to Papua New Guinea is now pushed back to September this year. According to Cardinal Sir John Ribat, Archbishop of Port Moresby, the Pope’s visit previously proposed for
Maōri king and other indigenous Pacific leaders sign up to granting whales legal personhood
Pacific indigenous leaders, including the Māori King, has urged the legal recognition of whales as persons with inherent rights. Māori leaders spearheading the Hinemoana Halo Ocean Initiative joined forces with Kīngi
PNG Women cricket make history, beat Zimbabwe
In a historic T20I showdown, Papua New Guinea’s women secured their maiden victory against a Full Member team, triumphing over Zimbabwe in a thrilling Super Over clash held in Harare. The heroics of all-rounder Sibona
Opinion: How to enter the Pacific Engagement Visa ballot
Australia is about to launch a new visa that will for the first time create a Pacific quota in Australia’s permanent migration regime. 3,000 visas will be issued every year for the Pacific Islands and Timor-Leste.
Palau scrambles after cyberattack cripples financial systems
Palau’s financial management system was crippled last week after a cyberattack, forcing the Ministry of Finance to temporarily revert to manual payroll processing. This marked the first major cyberattack and the
Palau receives Ancestral remains in repatriation ceremony
In a ceremony on 25 March the University of Göttingen and the State Ethnographic Collections of Saxony in Germany repatriated human remains of 10 individuals to Palau. The remains originated from the Hamburg South
Fijian Drua brave the elements for strong win over Western Force, Blues thump Moana Pasifika at Eden Park
Fijian Drua brave the elements for strong win over Western Force The Fijian Drua have managed the horrific conditions to take a 31-13 victory over the Western Force in Laukota. There were puddles aplenty as
Fiji Business Briefs: RBF on Fiji’s outlook, Aviation school to expand
RBF says inflation, job vacancies up The Reserve Bank of Fiji says indications are Fiji’s economy will grow in 2024. In a recent statement, RBF Governor, Ariff Ali said while consumption spending was positive—due to
Opinion: Squaring a vicious circle: political party laws in Vanuatu
Vanuatu will witness a referendum on two constitutional amendments designed to strengthen the party system on 29 May 2024. The proposed reforms, passed by parliament in December 2023, seek to tie MPs to political
Opinion: Where did that Chinese police video come from?
Last night’s 60 Minutes broadcast in Australia featured extraordinary footage of 2017 Chinese police raids in Fiji, followed by the extraction of 77 People’s Republic of China citizens, hooded
Australian-born judge challenges deportation from Kiribati amid long-running judicial crisis
David Lambourne, an Australian-born high court judge whose attempted deportation two years ago from Kiribati sparked a judicial crisis in the Pacific nation, appeared in court in a case closely watched by the United
Australia and Tuvalu deal back on track, as Falepili Union gets ratification green light
Australia’s Pacific Minister Pat Conroy says Tuvalu’s new government has formally agreed to begin ratifying the landmark Falepili Union with Australia, delivering the federal government a significant foreign policy
Reports Tonga PM has resigned from Defence to ‘appease’ king says government source
The Tongan Independent has reported that Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni and Minister Utoikamanu of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had resigned from the portfolios. Senior sources within the Tongan
Opinion: Yes, there are Chinese police in Fiji. But that’s none of Australia’s business
Sunday’s episode of 60 Minutes revealed a fascinating tension within the Fijian government about whether to embrace a 2011 agreement signed with the Chinese government that allows Fijian police officers to receive
State of Emergency declared in East Sepik Province
Papua New Guinea’s East Sepik Provincial Administration has declared a state of emergency, effective Monday, until further notice. Mother nature in the last few days had caused flooding and destruction in Middle-Sepik
Marshall Islands launches public engagement on new Compact deal
While both Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) have endorsed their new Compacts of Free Association with Washington, the Marshall Islands just launched its review process Thursday with the first of a
Three dead, 93 houses collapsed after 7.0 magnitude earthquake strikes East Sepik
East Sepik province in Papua New Guinea, which has been struggling with heavy flooding for the past weeks, was hit by a huge earthquake Sunday morning, doubling the pain for the Sepik River and wetland people. The 7.0
U.S., FSM begin exploring military training opportunities in Yap
Washington and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) have reaffirmed their defence and security ties, toasting a fresh economic package under the newly signed Compact of Free Association that cemented the United
