Nine dead since start of New Caledonia unrest

A man in his thirties who was shot amongst the New Caledonia rioting has died of his wounds.  He was allegedly shot by a gendarme who responded after being targeted, according to initial investigations, the public

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Shadowy exotic pet trade thrives in Pacific island nation

The Pacific’s Solomon Islands has become a key player in the global live animal trade, with foreign collectors sourcing exotic species including some subject to trade bans, an AFP investigation has found. 

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May 2024 Vol 50 No.5

The tragedy of New Caledonia Solomon Islands elections: A change in direction or just smoother sailing? Pacific leaders prioritise connecting their people over geopolitics in cable competition University’s

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SOGIESC activists rally for inclusivity and justice

Advocates for SOGIESC (sexual orientation, gender identity, expression, and sex characteristics) are rallying for inclusivity and justice in the Pacific, saying that their struggles intersect with broader issues such as

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Whispers

Against independence – and each other As French President Macron flew into Noumea for 18 hours, there were sharp divisions between political leaders – and that’s just on the anti-independence side! Even though

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Briefs

American Samoa American Samoa is working to establish and record physical addresses. Talanei News reports that the absence of official physical addresses or location identifiers for streets, households, business,

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Award-winning playwright Sia Figiel on murder charge in Samoa

Details are emerging after a well-known Samoa playwright was charged with murder on Monday for allegedly stabbing a woman in Vaivase-uta last Saturday.  Award-winning playwright Papalii Sia Figiel, 57, was earlier

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France’s Macron delays New Caledonia voting reform after protests

French President Emmanuel Macron says he will delay a voting reform in New Caledonia that the Indigenous Kanak people on the French-ruled Pacific islands say would dilute their votes and undermine their struggle for

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Vanuatu PM discloses $2 billion fund diversion, Airline crisis unveiled

Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai has revealed that the Vanuatu Government’s VT2 billion (US$8.3 million) budget allocated for a new plane was instead used to pay for the lease of the ATR72 aircraft. 

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Fiji’s Bainimarama gets one year in jail

Suspended Police Commissioner gets 2-year sentence Former Fiji Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama has been sentenced to a year in prison after being found guilty of one count of attempt to pervert the course of justice.

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Bougainville may use other means to gain independence 

The Autonomous Bougainville Government(ABG) is warning it might use other avenues to gain its independence should the PNG government continue to be mischievous in dealing with the Bougainville Independence agenda.  The

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U.S. sanctions Cook Islands-flagged ships aiding Iranian drone shipment to Russia

Three Cook Islands-flagged vessels have been sanctioned by the United States for their involvement in the shipment of Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Russia’s war in Ukraine.  Moeroa Mamanu-Matheson,

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