Tonga’s political crisis deepens, third minister guilty of election bribes
TONGAN Lands Minister, Dr Taniela Fusimalohi, has been found guilty of electoral bribery – the third cabinet member linked to misconduct in the 2025 general election.
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Fiji central bank cuts 2026 growth forecast as inflation climbs
FIJI’S central bank has sharply lowered its economic growth outlook for 2026, warning that higher fuel prices, rising inflation and softer consumer spending are slowing activity.
PNG tourism authority criticises Green Fee, warns it could hurt visitor arrivals
PAPUA New Guinea’s tourism authority has rejected the country’s new Green Fee on international travelers, saying it was introduced without consultation and risks weakening a sector still trying to recover and grow.
Chinese town development for Port Moresby
BAOSEN International Holdings Limited is pressing ahead with a proposed PGK4 billion mixed-use development in Port Moresby’s Five-Mile precinct in what could become one of the largest private property investments in
Bougainville independence debate enters parliament
PAPUA New Guinea’s Parliament has moved a step closer to setting out how it will handle Bougainville’s independence question.
Mobile internet prices in PNG: Stability amid infrastructure developments
IN December 2025, PNG's acting communication minister announced an early Christmas gift for the country: three new undersea cables to be delivered not by Santa's sleigh but as part of the Pukpuk Connectivity Initiative,
Taylor tells leaders to stop avoiding tough questions
A FORMER senior Pacific regional official has urged leaders to stop avoiding tough questions on self-determination and sovereignty, warning that security agendas overshadow issues that really matter most to islanders.
Wale pushes Australia reset, highlights $SBD200m aid
MATHEW Wale says Solomon Islands will continue to work closely with Australia on infrastructure financing while also engaging other partners, including the United States, as it pursues development priorities.
Tuvalu unveils first ocean policy
TUVALU has used World Oceans Day 2026 to put its ocean at the centre of national policy and national identity, soft launching the country’s first National Ocean Policy in a move that officials say could shape how the
Pacific family framing shapes security talks
TRUST and regional responsibility dominated discussion on security at the Canberra press conference, with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale framing future
Majuro’s deep sea draws President’s attention on World Oceans Day
MARSHALL Islands President Hilda Heine returned from the Island States Ocean Summit in Tokyo and, on World Oceans Day, descended into the deep waters off Majuro aboard a National Geographic Pristine Seas submersible,
Canberra visit signals fresh start in Australia–Solomon Islands ties
SOLOMON Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale used his first official visit to Canberra to signal a reset in relations with Australia, saying both countries were committed to rebuilding trust after recent strains.
Meg Taylor: Pacific must defend the ocean
FORMER Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Dame Meg Taylor has used a World Ocean Day address to call for Pacific unity.
Regional cybercrime handbook nears completion after Fiji talks
FIJI has moved to sharpen its cybercrime defences and push Pacific-wide coordination.
Young Fijians speak: Distrust, and a demand for accountability
A RECENT survey of young Fijians between 18 and 35 paints a revealing picture of how the next generation views governance. It
Tuvalu calls for “transformational change” at GEF Assembly
TUVALU’S Minister for Environment, Maina Vakafua Talia, has urged governments and partners at the 8th Assembly of the Global
Samoa presses for easier climate funding as 2030 deadline nears
SAMOA wants the Global Environment Facility Assembly to simplify and expand climate and environmental financing for small island
PALM workers unable to re-engage, encouraged to return home
THE Australian Department of Employment and Workplace Relations says it is aware of reports involving a disengaged Fijian worker in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility
Nadi-Nouméa flights to return in September
FIJI Airways has announced the resumption of direct flights between Nadi and Nadi Nouméa Back Online: Fiji Airways bringing back online a key regional link starting September
Kiribati wins historic UN gender body seat
KIRIBATI has secured a seat on the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women for the 2026–2030 term, marking a first for the atoll nation and a significant diplomatic moment for the wider Pacific.
Fiji presses donors for simpler, faster climate finance
FIJI has called for faster, simpler and more flexible climate finance for small island states, warning at the Global Environment Facility Assembly that the world is moving too slowly as climate risks
Pacific pressures hit women hardest : Solomons minister
ECONOMIC shocks, climate impacts and global instability are increasing hardship across the Pacific, Solomon Islands Minister for Women, Children, Youth and Family Affairs John Maneniaru said at the opening of the
New EU freezer rules put Pacific tuna exporters on notice
PACIFIC fisheries officials are moving to shore up compliance with new European Union food-safety rules that could affect 97 per cent of EU-listed Pacific Island-flagged freezer vessels authorised to export to the
