Jetstar launches Sydney-Vanuatu service, and Qantas now flying to Palau
Jetstar has launched its first direct flights from Sydney to Port Vila, Vanuatu, offering up to four weekly services and connecting travellers to the South Pacific Island nation with more than 80,000 seats annually.
Solomon Islands PM Manele to face no confidence vote next Monday
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele is set to face a vote of no confidence in Parliament next Monday, December 16th, Clerk to the National Parliament, Jefferson Hallu has confirmed to SIBC news. Hallu said
PNG’s Bougainville leader sees Independence by 2027
Papua New Guinea’s copper- and gold-rich Bougainville region is set to declare independence by 2027, eight years after a landslide vote to secede, its leader said Wednesday. The region – home to about
Lucrative tax breaks will be ‘vital’ in PNG team’s bid to attract top NRL players
Tax concessions and safe accommodation loom as non-negotiables for players as an NRL team in Papua New Guinea plans its entry the competition 2028, but the opportunity to have a social impact has emerged as a potential
Opinion: Tonga’s PM Hu’akavameiliku throws in the towel
In a highly anticipated session of the Tongan parliament to debate and vote on the second vote of no confidence (VONC) scheduled for Monday 9th December, Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni Hu’akavameiliku surprised
Growing from strength to strength: The Fijian Cup Championship
The recently completed Fijian Cup Championship is a sports festival that blends top-quality competition with authentic Fijian travel experiences. Established by tourism experience and travel company TourismHQ, this
‘Red wave’ will secure more wins for Guam: Moylan
James Moylan, a Republican, is upbeat about continuing his unfinished work in Washington, DC, and looks forward to more smooth-sailing work to benefit Guam. He is about to start his second two-year term as Guam’s
What’s in store for Pacific Island nations under Trump 2
Depending on who you ask, Donald Trump’s impending return to the White House holds a promise or poses a threat. Trump is one of the world’s most polarizing figures. He can bring excitement; he can trigger anxiety.
Australia gains effective veto over Nauru security pact
Australia will get an effective veto right over Nauru entering a security agreement with another country under a pact that will prop up the Pacific nation’s budget. AAP reports that the two countries will have to
Tonga to name new PM on Christmas eve after Sovaleni’s resignation
Tonga will select a new Prime Minister on Christmas eve, 24 December following the resignation of Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni, which was accepted by King Tupou VI Monday. During Monday’s Parliament session,
Fiji Defence Minister reassures nation on Golan Heights peacekeepers’ safety
Fiji’s Defence Minister, Pio Tikoduadua has assured the nation that Fijian peacekeepers stationed in the Golan heights remain safe amidst escalating tensions in Syria and its surrounding regions. “I wish to reassure
PNG to turn pipeline NRL dream into bona fide reality
Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister has confirmed he expects his nation’s entry to the NRL to get the green light on Thursday, as officials prepare to turn a pipeline dream into a bona fide rugby league club.
Fiji-Canada Business Council to launch, strengthening economic ties
The newly-established Fiji-Canada Business Council hopes to tap into the opportunities presented by the 100,000 plus diaspora in Canada. “We are here to help Canadian businesses and investors navigate the
Panguna human rights report fuels Bougainville demands for Rio Tinto-funded mine clean-up
The first large-scale environmental impact assessment of Rio Tinto’s abandoned Panguna mine in Papua New Guinea has found local communities face life-threatening risks from its legacy. The independent study was
Kiribati Court of Appeal hears deported Judge Lambourne’s appeal
The Kiribati Court of Appeal on Friday heard an appeal from High Court Judge David Lambourne, who was forced out of the country earlier this year following a dispute with the government. RNZ Pacific reports that
Collapse of government in Paris sends shockwaves to Noumea
by Nic Maclellan A no-confidence motion in the French National Assembly has ousted the government led by Prime Minister Michel Barnier. But for New Caledonians, still reeling from the economic, cultural and social
Lilo moves to dethrone Solomon Islands PM Manele with no-confidence vote
After weeks of speculation, it’s now confirmed that Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele will face a no-confidence vote in the current sitting of parliament. Notice of the motion, which will be moved by
Taiwan president, in Guam, says: We won’t bow to totalitarianism
Taiwan will not bow down to totalitarianism, President Lai Ching-Te said on Thursday in the U.S territory of Guam, calling Taiwan and the United States “brothers”. Lai arrived in Guam, a major U.S military base,
Opinion: Trusted partner to the Pacific, or giant fossil fuel exporter? This week, Australia chose the latter
Australia has long tried to be two things at once – a trusted friend to Pacific nations in a bid to reduce China’s influence, and a giant exporter of fossil fuels. This diplomatic tightrope has become increasingly
Vanuatu’s Climate Change envoy blasts major emitters Australia, US at ICJ Climate case
Vanuatu’s Special Envoy for Climate Change, Ralph Regenvanu, has slammed Australia, the United States, and other major polluters for their stance during the International Court of Justice (ICJ) climate hearings in The
NRL’s PNG team expected to be confirmed next week
The NRL is expected to confirm as early as next week a team from Papua New Guinea will enter the competition later this decade. The PNG bid, propped up by $600 million (US$386 million) of Australian government
Australian Federal Police incinerates 500kg of cocaine seized after alleged PNG import attempt
Senior police officers from Australia and Papua New Guinea have monitored the destruction of 500kg of cocaine, which was seized by authorities in 2020 after the black flight believed to have been transporting it to
CIVICUS Monitor upgrades the condition of basic freedoms in Fiji to “narrowed” from “obstructed”
The CIVICUS Monitor has announced in a new report Wednesday that it has upgraded Fiji’s civic space to “Narrowed” from “Obstructed” in its annual ratings, with the expansion of space for civil society and the
Massive $1.8b project to build 600km road in PNG linked to businessman criticised in ‘land grab’ scandal
An ABC investigation has linked the Australian businessmen behind Papua New Guinea’s largest agroforestry project to key figures in a massive Indigenous land grab scandal in the country’s Western Province
