‘Tongan Pablo’ identified in corrupt Air NZ baggage crew smuggling drugs from Los Angeles into Auckland
A Tongan man has been named as the senior baggage handler at Auckland Airport who had arranged for his criminal colleagues to import methamphetamine into Aotearoa during the Covid-19 lockdown. A New Zealand Herald
Palau tourism rebounds, aims for Pre-Pandemic levels by year’s end
Palau’s tourism industry is experiencing a significant comeback, with visitor arrivals steadily increasing throughout 2023 and into 2024. Total arrivals in 2023 surpassed 42,000, reaching nearly 45 percent of
Fijian Drua rebound with tense win over Moana Pasifika
The Fijian Drua have hung on for a 24-17 win over Moana Pasifika in Lautoka. It was a pair of returning stars for Mick Byrne’s side that proved the difference and Taniela Rakuro and Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula secured
NSW Waratahs complete perfect season with commanding win over Fijian Drua
The NSW Waratahs have claimed their fifth Super Rugby Women’s title with a 50-14 win over the Fijian Drua at Ballymore. Winger Desiree Miller finished the game with a hat-trick as they built an early lead in the
HK Airlines resumes Saipan service; hotel group ‘ecstatic’ about the return of Chinese tourists
After a four-year hiatus, Hong Kong Airlines will resume direct flights between Hong Kong and Saipan this weekend, foretelling the resurgence of the China market in the Northern Marianas. The Hotel Association of
Australian-born judge David Lambourne closer to deportation as Kiribati parliament votes for High Court removal, ‘major setback for justice’ – UN
An Australian judge is a step closer to being deported from Kiribati after the country’s parliament voted in favour of his removal from the High Court. David Lambourne’s suspension from office two
Capsizing of Tuvalu boat carrying vaccines highlights climate change challenges, UNICEF says
The capsizing of a boat carrying childhood vaccines and health workers in Tuvalu underscored the challenges of healthcare in remote Pacific Islands as they battle extreme weather caused by climate change, the UN
Pacific job market shows resilience amidst challenges, ILO report shows
The International Labour Organisation (ILO), reports ongoing challenges within the Pacific job market, despite resilient growth. The Pacific Tripartite High-Level Dialogue on Decent Work and the 2050 Strategy for the
Fiji Business Briefs
Fiji Cabinet approves review of national minimum wage Fiji’s Cabinet has given the greenlight to a review of the national minimum wage and will also assess job classifications. The review will include a number of
Nambawan Super planning new Port Moresby suburb
Papua New Guinea superannuation operator Nambawan Super Ltd says about 1000 families will have to move from the Bush Wara settlement in Port Moresby by mid-July. Managing director Paul Sayer said in total about 5000
Ni-Vanuatu workers in Australian prisons: Minister
Vanuatu’s Minister for Internal Affairs, Johnny Koanapo, has revealed that many Ni-Vanuatu citizens are currently in prisons in Australia for a wide range of offences, varying from what he described as “very
ADB calls for more sports, retirement and medical tourism in Fiji
Continued recovery in Fiji’s tourism sector boosted the country’s overall economic growth last year, according to the Asian Development Bank. In its annual Asian Development Outlook report released this month, the
No records for 80 percent of names on 2021 electoral roll
Samoa’s Electoral Commissioner Tuiafelolo John Stanley says the biggest problem his office is facing is reconciling information from voters to office records. He told TV1Samoa News that they cannot find records
Election results for Gao-Bugotu Constituency in disarray after pre-polling ballots were left uncounted
Election results for Gao-Bugotu Constituency in Isabel Province has been thrown into disarray after officials found pre-polling ballots for the constituency have not been counted. Independent candidate Trevor Hedley
IAEA team inspects treated radioactive water release from Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant
A team of experts from the UN nuclear agency inspected the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant Wednesday for a review of its discharge of treated radioactive wastewater into the Pacific. The
Samoa, as Chair of AOSIS, flags special circumstances of SIDS at plastic treaty talks. Pacific SIDS calls for global solidarity in addressing the plastics crisis, asks for high ambition
Samoa, as Chair of AOSIS, flags special circumstances of SIDS at plastic treaty talks As officials and negotiators sift through the revised draft text of the international legally binding instrument on plastic
Solomon Islands election counting complete, as negotiation process to find a prime minister kicks off, Sogavare says he runs security amid tense wait for new government
An intense period of political horse-trading is underway in Solomon Islands after no political party won enough seats in last week’s election to form government on its own. In what one expert labelled an
Australia pays controversial Chinese company millions for Nauru’s new port
Amid intensifying competition in the region, Australia is bankrolling a Chinese government-backed construction company with a chequered history to build Nauru’s new port. In January, the Chinese Communist Party’s
Solomon Islands: No clear winner as lobbying to form next government intensifies
Lobbying to form Solomon Islands’ next government is intensifying. With only four more seats in the 50-member parliament yet to be officially declared, there is no outright winner. As of Monday, the two
Saipan casino buried in $165m debt but hoping to regroup and resume business
Succumbing to the pressures from its creditors, Imperial Pacific International has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S District Court for the CNMI, reporting debts totaling of US$165.8 million. Before the
Former PNG PM O’Neill cleared of UBS loan allegations
The Papua New Guinea National Court in Waigani on Friday closed criminal proceedings against Ialibu-Pangia MP and former prime minister Peter O’Neill regarding the K3billion (US$790 million) UBS loan saga for lack of
Baron Waqa negotiating – No start date for incoming Pacific Islands Forum boss yet
The incoming head of the Pacific region’s main political body is yet to sign his contract, almost six months after the 2023 Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders meeting in Rarotonga. Former Nauru president, Baron
Sogavare returns for his 7th term
Caretaker Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has been re-elected for his seventh tenure as the Member of Parliament for East Choiseul. The four-time Prime Minister secured his seventh parliamentary election by a total
