Illegal narcotics and meth use among youths a concern in Fiji

When Fiji’s Minister for Home Affairs Pio Tikoduadua pointed out last year that the use and distribution of hard drugs had spiraled out of control and was a far bigger disaster than climate change, he was not

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Opinion: The Pacific – Securing the Future

Submarine cables are a vital element of infrastructure for Pacific Island countries. Over the last five years, a focus on the Pacific region submarine cable development has demonstrated enormous growth in the number of

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$8M to support Kiribati’s drought relief efforts

An $8 million grant has been disbursed by the Asian Development Bank to the Government of Kiribati to help fund drought relief efforts. ADB says the support comes after a state of emergency was declared last month in

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Solomon Islands leader takes High Court action over election delay

Solomon Islands leader of the Independent Group, John Kuku has filed a legal suit challenging the legality of the extension of Parliament to 2024. Parliament September last year passed the extension of Parliament by

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Fukushima nuclear plant operator says equipment to release treated wastewater into sea is complete

All equipment needed for the release into the sea of treated radioactive wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant has been completed and will be ready for a safety inspection by Japanese regulators this week,

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PNG Stock Exchange adopts corporate governance code

The National Stock Exchange of PNG (PNGX) has adopted a new Corporate Governance code developed with characteristics of the PNG market in mind. Chairman David Lawrence said this initiative aimed to provide to the boards

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PNG logger fined K140million by Internal Revenue Commission

A major logging operator in Papua New Guinea has been charged a whopping K140 million (US$39 million) for tax evasion, Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) boss Sam Koim announced Monday. Koim said IRC has imposed a

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Solomon Islands optimistic to reduce electricity costs through reforms: Vehe

Solomon Islands Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification Dr Chris Vehe has highlighted the energy challenges facing Solomon Islands and reforms the Government is undertaking to

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Marshall Islands Compact held up by nuclear legacy

The lack of agreement on the nuclear legacy issues holds up the Marshall Islands’ Compact Review negotiations with the United States, according to Marshall Islands Speaker Kenneth Kedi during the Marshall Islands

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Pacific communities placed on El Niño alert

The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Programme has advised Pacific communities to prepare for the potential impacts of an El Niño. SPREP says there is approximately a 70 percent chance of El Niño forming in 2023,

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Lethal force to be used by PNG Police

Papua New Guinea police will be able to use lethal force to deal with crimes that come under Domestic Terrorism through the amendments to the Criminal Code Act. Police Commissioner David Manning said this as the

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World Bank to suspend debt repayments for disaster-hit countries

The World Bank will start offering a pause in loan repayments to the “most vulnerable” countries when they are hit by catastrophic events including climate-related disasters.  The bank’s new chief Ajay Banga

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