Indonesia President Joko’s Papua visit sparks fresh hope in hostage saga of NZ pilot
Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo will visit the far-eastern province of Papua this week after flagging his government is working to secure the release of a New Zealand pilot detained for five months. Philip Mark
Governments set to fail to plot shipping industry course for 1.5C
A campaign by climate-vulnerable Pacific islands to raise governments’ ambition on emissions-cutting for the global shipping industry looks set to fail at talks in London. With just over a day of negotiations left at
Australian diplomats convinced ICAC to censor Pacific nations where Maguire schemed. It didn’t work.
Federal Australian officials successfully persuaded the NSW corruption watchdog to “de-identify” a group of Pacific countries mentioned in last week’s report on Gladys Berejiklian’s and Daryl Maguire’s
New Zealand pushes back on Pacific-wide free movement
New Zealand cabinet ministers have considered, but dismissed for now, a Pacific proposal for easier movement of people around the region. Pacific Islanders are subject to tougher entry conditions when they try to visit
Fukushima plan to release water into ocean approved by UN watchdog IAEA
The UN’s nuclear watchdog has approved plans by Japan to release more than 1m tonnes of water from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean, despite objections from local fishing
PNG Kina overvalued
Papua New Guinea foreign exchange (FX) shortages have repeatedly been identified by business leaders in PNG as the most serious impediment to private sector development in the country, according to the International
Samoa Supreme Court voids former PM Tuilaepa and Lealailepule suspension
The Samoa Supreme Court today ruled that the suspension of former Prime Minister the leader of the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) Tuilaepa Sailele Malilegaoi and party secretary Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi for two
Niue’s only newspaper turns 30
Last month marks the 30th anniversary since the first issue of Niue Star was published on the 11th of June 1993. The family owned newspaper is the pride of Michael and Halosi Jackson of Hakupu. BCN News spoke
Port Moresby suppresses West Papua flag raising ahead of Indonesian president’s visit
Authorities in Papua New Guinea have clamped down on displays of the West Papuan independence flag ahead of the Indonesian president’s visit to the Pacific island country this week. Papua New Guinea, which has a
Israel frees Fijian UN peacekeepers cleared of drug smuggling suspicion
Israel has released three Fijian UN peacekeepers arrested for drug smuggling, after it emerged the suspicious substance they were carrying across the border was not liquid cocaine, police said Sunday. The three
Tourism recovery is going to be harder for Palau
Tourism recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic for Palau will be harder than before due to significant policy changes in some of Palau’s key tourism markets and a more competitive global tourism market. Director Kristy
MSG a vibrant group despite challenge: Vanuatu Foreign Minister
The fever of the gathering of the Melanesian family through the upcoming 7th Melanesian Arts and Cultural Festival (MACFEST) began last week with the gathering of Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) foreign Ministers at
PNG Trade Minister Maru wants Trukai sale probed
The Papua New Guinea Government has directed the Securities Commission of PNG to investigate the sale to an Australian company of a substantial local shareholding in Trukai Industries. International Trade and Investment
Pentagon ordered to probe undersea mining to counter China
The Metals Company, a mineral explorer of the Pacific Ocean floor, is welcoming United States Congressional efforts to elevate contentious undersea mining to help achieve battery metal independence from
“Tough” Budget passed in Cook Islands Parliament
Cook Islands Parliament has officially passed the Budget after a grueling two-week session. Prime Minister Mark Brown praised the work of all parliamentarians over the past fortnight. It was the first time the Budget
Congressmen angry that Bikini islanders’ nuclear trust fund may have been ‘squandered’
Following widespread media coverage of the collapse of what was a more than US$70 million trust fund for Bikini islanders displaced by American nuclear weapons testing, the United States Congress has demanded answers
Australia appoints first special envoy for the Pacific
A new special envoy role will help Australia strengthen its already strong bond with the Pacific, the federal government says. Ewen McDonald, a senior foreign affairs department official, will take on the inaugural role
Latin America leads resistance to global shipping emission tax
At crunch talks in London, Latin American nations led by Brazil have fought against a tax on the emissions of the global shipping sector. The media is not allowed to watch the talks, hosted by the United Nation’s
Gulf oil states on a Pacific charm offensive
Gulf oil states are using their vast wealth to build influence across the far-flung South Pacific, experts have told AFP, tearing a page straight out of China’s Belt and Road playbook. Saudi Arabia and the United
IAEA chief to visit South Korea, Cook Islands, NZ over Japan’s treated nuclear plant water
The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) plans to visit South Korea, the Cook Islands and New Zealand in July, regarding the ocean discharge of treated water from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear
Masiu: Free media must always be the pinnacle of democracy
Papua New Guinea Minister for Communication & Information Technology, Timothy Masiu, has again assured that the anticipated PNG Media Development Policy is not meant to ban or regulate media. His latest comments
Fiji Budget 2023-2024: A wrap
Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Biman Prasad, today presented a deficit budget in Fiji’s parliament. With a projected revenue of $3.7 billion, and expenditure of $4.3 billion, the
Solomon Islands Maritime Association wants justice on tax levy for shipping industry
Solomon Islands Maritime Association (SIMTA) wants justice in the Solomon Islands Government’s (SIG) tax levy on fares and freights imposed on seafarers and the shipping industry. It was reported the tax levy is very