CCTV network launched in Samoa
Criminals beware, you are now being watched as the Samoa Police and Australian Federal Police (AFP) launched the Safer CCTV Network that will keep an eye on hotspots around Apia. It comprises 30 CCTV cameras, a
Samoa Observer/ Pacnews
Solomon Islands Caretaker PM Manasseh Sogavare bows out, won’t keep his job following elections
Solomon Islands Caretaker Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, has passed on the leadership of the Parliamentary Wing of OUR Party to Prime Ministerial candidate, Jeremiah Manele. Speaking at a press briefing Monday
‘Tongan Pablo’ identified in corrupt Air NZ baggage crew smuggling drugs from Los Angeles into Auckland
A Tongan man has been named as the senior baggage handler at Auckland Airport who had arranged for his criminal colleagues to import methamphetamine into Aotearoa during the Covid-19 lockdown. A New Zealand Herald
Palau tourism rebounds, aims for Pre-Pandemic levels by year’s end
Palau’s tourism industry is experiencing a significant comeback, with visitor arrivals steadily increasing throughout 2023 and into 2024. Total arrivals in 2023 surpassed 42,000, reaching nearly 45 percent of
Opinion: Pacific elder excoriates Australia on AUKUS panel with Bob Carr
Former foreign minister Bob Carr recently described AUKUS as “fragrant, methane-wrapped bullshit”. This remark — tailor-made for the headlines — was covered by media outlets on both sides of the Tasman Sea.
Fijian Drua rebound with tense win over Moana Pasifika
The Fijian Drua have hung on for a 24-17 win over Moana Pasifika in Lautoka. It was a pair of returning stars for Mick Byrne’s side that proved the difference and Taniela Rakuro and Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula secured
NSW Waratahs complete perfect season with commanding win over Fijian Drua
The NSW Waratahs have claimed their fifth Super Rugby Women’s title with a 50-14 win over the Fijian Drua at Ballymore. Winger Desiree Miller finished the game with a hat-trick as they built an early lead in the
HK Airlines resumes Saipan service; hotel group ‘ecstatic’ about the return of Chinese tourists
After a four-year hiatus, Hong Kong Airlines will resume direct flights between Hong Kong and Saipan this weekend, foretelling the resurgence of the China market in the Northern Marianas. The Hotel Association of
Australian-born judge David Lambourne closer to deportation as Kiribati parliament votes for High Court removal, ‘major setback for justice’ – UN
An Australian judge is a step closer to being deported from Kiribati after the country’s parliament voted in favour of his removal from the High Court. David Lambourne’s suspension from office two
Capsizing of Tuvalu boat carrying vaccines highlights climate change challenges, UNICEF says
The capsizing of a boat carrying childhood vaccines and health workers in Tuvalu underscored the challenges of healthcare in remote Pacific Islands as they battle extreme weather caused by climate change, the UN
Pacific job market shows resilience amidst challenges, ILO report shows
The International Labour Organisation (ILO), reports ongoing challenges within the Pacific job market, despite resilient growth. The Pacific Tripartite High-Level Dialogue on Decent Work and the 2050 Strategy for the
Nambawan Super planning new Port Moresby suburb
Papua New Guinea superannuation operator Nambawan Super Ltd says about 1000 families will have to move from the Bush Wara settlement in Port Moresby by mid-July. Managing director Paul Sayer said in total about 5000
Ni-Vanuatu workers in Australian prisons: Minister
Vanuatu’s Minister for Internal Affairs, Johnny Koanapo, has revealed that many Ni-Vanuatu citizens are currently in prisons in Australia for a wide range of offences, varying from what he described as “very
ADB calls for more sports, retirement and medical tourism in Fiji
Continued recovery in Fiji’s tourism sector boosted the country’s overall economic growth last year, according to the Asian Development Bank. In its annual Asian Development Outlook report released this month, the
No records for 80 percent of names on 2021 electoral roll
Samoa’s Electoral Commissioner Tuiafelolo John Stanley says the biggest problem his office is facing is reconciling information from voters to office records. He told TV1Samoa News that they cannot find records
Election results for Gao-Bugotu Constituency in disarray after pre-polling ballots were left uncounted
Election results for Gao-Bugotu Constituency in Isabel Province has been thrown into disarray after officials found pre-polling ballots for the constituency have not been counted. Independent candidate Trevor Hedley
Opinion: The Climate Crises & High Debt-Levels in the Pacific: Who will pay?
As Fiji and neighbouring Pacific Island Countries face the daunting prospect of dealing with unprecedented national debt levels and the effects of climate change, the issue of how climate action will be financed becomes
IAEA team inspects treated radioactive water release from Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant
A team of experts from the UN nuclear agency inspected the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant Wednesday for a review of its discharge of treated radioactive wastewater into the Pacific. The
Samoa, as Chair of AOSIS, flags special circumstances of SIDS at plastic treaty talks. Pacific SIDS calls for global solidarity in addressing the plastics crisis, asks for high ambition
Samoa, as Chair of AOSIS, flags special circumstances of SIDS at plastic treaty talks As officials and negotiators sift through the revised draft text of the international legally binding instrument on plastic
Solomon Islands election counting complete, as negotiation process to find a prime minister kicks off, Sogavare says he runs security amid tense wait for new government
An intense period of political horse-trading is underway in Solomon Islands after no political party won enough seats in last week’s election to form government on its own. In what one expert labelled an
Jo Nata’s journey from the dark
'We let the genie out of the bottle' Emerging out of 24 years in prison, Josefa Nata is now convinced that the George Speight-led takeover of Fiji’s Parliament in 2000 was not justified and that all it did was let the
Opening Fiji’s can of worms
Josefa Nata knows he’s expected to tell all, having featured prominently in the George Speight-led takeover of Fiji’s Parliament in 2000. In the long history of Fiji’s coups since 1987, this was not only the
Prison ‘dark culture’
Josefa Nata claims Fiji’s prison system is perpetuating what he describes as a “dark culture” of cover ups of the abuse of prisoners’ rights, including uninvestigated deaths, and has met with Prime Minister
