PNG Govt position on Bougainville

Bougainville’s push for independence has hit a constitutional snag with top legal advisors telling the National Government that nothing can usurp the power and authority of the Constitution. The PNG Government’s

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Nauru Airlines to resume north Pacific service

Nauru Airlines is expected this month to resume air service linking Brisbane with islands in the central and north Pacific halted two-and-a-half-years ago due to COVID border closures. Nauru Airlines was the successful

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Governments miss UN deadline to improve climate plans

Almost all the world’s governments have failed to improve their climate plans this year, breaking a promise made at last year’s climate summit in Glasgow, UK. At Cop26, all countries agreed to “revisit and

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PNG win Melanesia Cup

PNG came out on top of the MSG Prime Ministers Cup 2022. The tournament, previously known as the Melanesia Cup and reborn this year, was held in Vanuatu and finished in an exciting final on Friday, September 30. To make

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Captains ready for Rugby World Cup in New Zealand

Captains of all 12 nations competing at Rugby World Cup 2021 gathered at the world-famous Eden Park in Auckland on Sunday as anticipation reaches fever pitch ahead of kick-off on October 8. Eden Park has twice hosted

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Expanding financial inclusion in Fiji

To make everyday bank transactions easier, Fiji has published its National Payment System Act 2021 and Regulations 2022 in the National Gazette, becoming effective September 30.  This marks a critical milestone in

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Full text: Declaration on U.S.- Pacific partnership

Full text of U.S.-Pacific summit: We—the governments of Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa,

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Nauru cabinet sworn into office

Nauru’s newly-elected cabinet ministers have been sworn into office for the next three years. Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony today, Russ Joseph Kun, Nauru’s new president who gained his seat unopposed,

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Pacific Community’s Agricultural Gene Bank wins Global Award

The Pacific region, where most people depend on agriculture and fisheries for sustenance and income, is now one step ahead in food security, Inter Press Service reports. The region’s agricultural gene bank,

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Tonga lifts most COVID health restrictions

After two-years and six-months, Tonga has lifted most of its COVID-19 health restrictions, including that for international travel and the national curfew, effective from September 27. The border has now fully

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Telikom PNG makes K28million profit

Telikom PNG Limited, in which the two major superannuation funds are planning to own more than 50 per cent shares, has recorded a K28 million (US$7.9 million) profit in the last financial year. Telikom paid shareholder

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Climate finance, economic recovery features on day one of US-Pacific leaders summit

Pacific Islands leaders have completed their first day of meetings with the U.S. administration of President Joe Biden, with economic issues, health and COVID-19 vaccine distribution, and climate change on the agenda.

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The Pacific at the UN: climate and Japan wastewater

Now it’s time for U.S. talks The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Secretary General, Henry Puna, says Pacific leaders stood strong at the 77th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA77) in New York, raising issues

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Russ Kun elected unopposed as Nauru president

Russ Kun is the newly elected president of Nauru, nominated unopposed in the inaugural sitting of the 24th Parliament, Wednesday. Marcus Stephen was re-elected as the Speaker of Parliament and former president Lionel

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Samoa economy in ‘historical-high’ recession

Samoa has recorded a historical-high recession in the FY2021 with the country’s border closure resulting in a sharp contraction of tourism, says the World Bank. In its 2022 Economic Update for the Pacific Islands

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PNG offers gas field priority to Japan for energy security

Papua New Guinea offered Japanese companies favoured access to new gas field development opportunities and liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing projects in trade talks on Tuesday that focused on energy security, PNG

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Samoa name powerful World Cup squad

Toa Samoa‘s World Cup credentials have been underlined by the inclusion of eight players from the Penrith and Parramatta grand final teams in a powerful squad announced on Tuesday. Samoa are the first Pacific

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PNG ‘extremely frustrated’ over extradition request for Samson Jubi

A Papua New Guinea government minister and top justice officials say they are “extremely frustrated” with Australia for harbouring a Cairns resident wanted for one of the biggest alleged frauds in the

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Over 70 seats disputed in PNG Election

A massive 74 out of 118 seats that were contested in the Papua New Guinea 2022 General Election (NGE) have been disputed and are now before the National Court to determine the results. This is the second highest number

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217 applicants for Vanuatu snap election

At least 217 individuals have applied to contest the upcoming Vanuatu snap election. Deputy Principal Electoral Officer (PEO), Gary Tavoa, confirmed this was the total number of applications they received out from over

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22 WW2 bombs found in Tuvalu lagoon

Twenty two 500lb WWII-era bombs have been located underwater at Nanumea in Tuvalu, by a naval team from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. The Tuvalu government had asked the Australian Defence Force

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WESPAC opposes Pacific monument expansion

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (WESPAC) has again made clear its position against further expansion of monuments in the Pacific Ocean and the possible consequences to the Pacific island fishing

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Santos gets US$1.1billion offer for five percent stake in PNG LNG

Santos Ltd has received a US$1.1 billion binding offer from Papua New Guinea’s state-owned Kumul Petroleum for a five stake in PNG liquefied natural gas (PNG LNG) project, the country’s biggest resources

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New island discovered after Tonga volcano eruption

The Home Reef volcano – found in the Central Tonga Islands – erupted this month and within hours, the Earth’s newest land mass had formed. Lava from the volcano was cooled by the ocean water, forming the

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