People smugglers branded evil, arrivals sent to Nauru
Recent boat arrivals have prompted calls for a rethink of Australia’s immigration measures as the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader trade barbs on border security, A group of 39 people from Pakistan and
Solomon Islands caretaker PM Sogavare says government needs to secure more loans
Solomon Islands needs to secure more loans to fully deliver projects in the National Infrastructure Priority Pipeline 2023 (NIPP 2023), caretaker Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare stated. In his keynote address at the
China lures Palau with economic incentives to break ties with Taiwan
China has promised Palau economic benefits in exchange for the latter severing diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a letter the Palauan president wrote to an unnamed United States senator revealed. President Surangel Whipps
PNG Meth ‘Black Flight’ Suspect Paid Account in Name of Migration Chief: Court Files
A China-born businesswoman accused of taking part in an audacious plot to fly a light plane packed with drugs from Papua New Guinea to Australia allegedly ordered a co-conspirator to pay into a bank account in the name
Fiji Business Briefs: Visa pilot, Rosie goes electric, more hotels, FHL results
Fiji to pilot outsourcing of some passport and visa services Fiji’s Cabinet has given green light for the piloting of outsourcing of some passport and visa services. The initiative will establish application centres
Solomon Islands Caretaker PM calls on Australia for a more serious dialogue on reciprocal visa waiver
Solomon Islands caretaker Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has re-emphasised Solomon Islands’ call to Australia for a serious and genuine dialogue on a visa reciprocal arrangement beyond the Pacific Engagement
Albert Nicholas appointed Cook Islands Deputy PM
Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown has confirmed the appointment of Albert Nicholas as the country’s Deputy Prime Minister (DPM). The Avatiu–Ruatonga–Palmerston MP holds the Infrastructure Cook Islands,
At least 53 men killed in PNG tribal fighting
Papua New Guinea police say at least 53 people have died in a massacre in the country’s Highlands. A ghastly sight as a picture of bodies piled high on top each other on a police vehicle was shared on online platforms
Asylum seekers taken to Nauru amid renewed political stoush over border arrivals
More than 40 asylum seekers have been taken to Nauru after they were found in a remote part of Western Australia. Guardian Australia has confirmed a second group of 13 asylum seekers was found at an Indigenous campsite
Puma scales down operations, a fuel crisis is imminent in PNG
A fuel crisis is imminent with fuel and liquid gas supplier Puma Energy reducing its Papua New Guinea operation. Effective last Thursday, Puma Energy started to issue termination of contract notices to customers. Early
Australian PM reaffirms backing for PNG NRL side
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has doubled down on his support for ARLC chairman Peter V’landys’ National Rugby League (NRL) expansion bid, calling for a 20-team competition. V’landys is reportedly
ANT Bicycles Tonga: The first bicycle rental shop in the Kingdom
Visitors to Tonga have a new way of exploring Tongatapu thanks to Alamoni and Taniela Takeifanga. They are the proud owners of ANT Bicycles Tonga, the first family-owned bicycle rental business in the heart of
Samoa dealing with ‘taro trouble’
Taro, a Samoan staple food, has been on the decline for the last few years and as a result the prices have soared and supply to the local markets has dropped. This has also seen many Samoans consume less of the healthy
Plastics producers deceived public about recycling, report reveals
Plastic producers have known for more than 30 years that recycling is not an economically or technically feasible plastic waste management solution. That has not stopped them from promoting it, according to a new
Stop fuel supply notice to affect PNG Air flight
The stop fuel supply notice by Puma Energy has now posed an imposition to business and communities traveling on the PNG Air Network. PNG Air in a statement said that under the circumstances PNG Air has assessed that the
Bank boss paints positive picture of PNG prospects
Kina Bank plans to invest over K30 million (US$7.9 million) this year to expand and refine its services with a focus on improving Papua New Guinea customer service, says Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer,
Call for King to ‘urgently’ refine Tonga democracy
Tongan Democrats in New Zealand have called on the King to urgently refine what they describe as the country’s fragile democracy. They said the memorandum King Tupou VI sent withdrawing his consent to the appointment
Country must never face repeat of civil unrest: PNG Business Council
Papua New Guinea Business Council President, Susil Nelson-Kongoi says there should not be a repeat of the 10 January civil unrest in Port Moresby and around the country. She told the Prime Minister’s back-to-business
Australian Defence Chief unaware of Commander Naliva’s torture allegation
Australia’s Defence Force Chief was unaware a Fijian officer who became a Deputy Commander of 3000 troops was alleged to have committed torture. Colonel Penioni Naliva was appointed the Deputy Commander of the 7th
U.S. Senate fails to add Compact Funds to aid package
A last-minute bipartisan effort to add key funding aimed at countering China in the Pacific has failed in the U.S. Senate even as a US$95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan moved forward. A renewal of
O.U.R. Party unveils five key policy priorities: Solomon Islands Caretaker PM Sogavare
Solomon Islands Parliamentary leader of O.U.R. Party and caretaker Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare has unveiled the five key policy priorities of the party during the launching of the party’s manifesto. The
PNG PM Marape addresses Opposition’s vote of no confidence motion with confidence
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister, James Marape has openly welcomed the Opposition’s motion for a vote-of-no-confidence against him. This announcement came after the Acting Speaker, Konie Iguan, briefed Parliament
Complaints mount at PNG ‘care centers’ for volcano displaced
Several thousand people remain in limbo three months after the eruption of Papua New Guinea’s Mt Ulawun, living at muddy camps euphemistically named “care centres” by authorities, and increasingly unhappy about