Pacific Beat: Recent Episodes
ABC Radio
Focusing on the Pacific region, the program brings you interviews with leaders, newsmakers, and people who make the Pacific beat.
Tuvalu's government makes a bold proposition, asserting it will continue to exist as a country, even if the island succumbs to rising sea levels. Also, authorities in Fiji race to find the cause of a diarrhoea outbreak in Ba.
Reports of toxic mold growth, poor ventilation and ageing public school facilities in Guam spark concern ahead of the new school year. Also, Local communities call for peace in PNG's Enga Province, as families and children bear the brunt of intensifying violence.
The Methodist Church in Fiji calls for authorities to target the South Korean religious group Grace Roads, which it calls a cult. Also, a new wave of tribal fighting leaves 70 dead in Papua New Guinea's highlands.
Two Papua New Guinean artists are in Australia taking part in a Street Art Festival in Darwin.
Gagana fa'a Samoa is the official language of Samoa, however English is increasingly being spoken.
A man accused of conspiring to murder Samoa's former prime minister will make another bid to be freed from prison this week.
A fresh look at one of rugby's most talented and controversial figures is being shown in a new documentary.
The Flying Fijians are awaiting news of their fly-half replacement, following a World Cup-ending injury to star playmaker Muntz.
Flying Fijians playmaker Caleb Muntz suffers World Cup ending injury, sparking speculation over replacement. Also, Pacific pundits make their predictions, as World Cup fever takes hold.
"What I think in my heart is that this will be the tournement of the Pacific Island nations."
Tonga’s Prime Minister Sioasi Sovaleni has defeated a no-confidence vote 14-11. But his opponents are crying foul, saying proper parliamentary procedures were not followed, because debate did not take place.
Vanuatu's new prime minister, Sato Kilman (Sah-toh Kil-man), says the country's security agreement with Australia is unlikely to be ratified.
Vanuatu's parliament convenes to name a new Prime Minister after the Court of Appeal ruled that last month's no-confidence vote against Ishmael Kalsakau was supported by the majority of MPs. Also, Tonga's parliament to consider a motion of no-confidence against Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni.
Pacific Islanders now make up 1.26 per cent of Australia's population, but the community is lagging behind when it comes to accessing higher education.
The Pacific's largest mobile phone operator Digicel has likely been used by private spy firms.
Surangel Whipps junior wants more people to visit the country and experience their 'vegetarian sharks'.
Papua New Guinea Football Association comes under fire for failing to send it under-23 national team to New Zealand in time for the OFC men's Olympic qualifying tournament. Also, Vanuatu's beach volleyballers compete for an Olympic berth at the Continental Cup.
Samoa's Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa has again raised deep concerns about the exodus of Pacific workers to Australia and New Zealand, arguing that countries like hers should not be seen merely as "outposts" which "grow" labourers for developed nations.
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum will be held on the 14th of October.
The Prime Minister has described it as a once in a generation chance to vote for recognition, while campaigners against the Voice are urging Australians to vote No.
Pacific communities in Australia have described the referendum as an important moment for fighting racism.
FEATURED:
Jioji Rovulo, professor and chair of Social Work and Policy Studies at the University of Sydney.
Bella Swan, the Pacific Communities Council Far North Queensland
Four prisoners were killed and 42 are on the run during a jailbreak in the southern highlands where a pastor and a warden were taken hostage.
Vanuatu's prime minister is appealing a Supreme Court ruling that has effectively ended his time in office. But the country's Finance Minister John Salong is urging opposition MPs to work with government for the sake of Vanuatu's stability.
People from the remote Pacific Island of Banaba say they've been blindsided over an agreement to explore phosphate mining on the tiny atoll. Also, Experts say a conclusion to Vanuatu's political crisis draws near, following a second no-confidence vote, which may have ended Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau's time in office.
Star veteran Israel Folau might be out of the side, but younger players will hope to fill the void for Tonga.
Former Gold Coast Titans and St Helens coach Justin Holbrook replaces Stanley Tepend as new PNG Kumals coach. Also, a plan to create a national women's competition in PNG takes another step forward.
Melanesian leaders will today decide on whether to grant a full membership to the United Liberation Movement for West Papua. It comes a day after Indonesian delegates walked out during an address by the head of the ULMWP.
Pacific leaders prepare their response to Japan's decision to begin discharging treated wastewater from the Fukushima power plant. Also, Pacific Island leaders arrive in Vanuatu ahead of the Melanesian Spearhead Group Leaders Summit.
PNG police say more than 60 people have been killed by tribal fighting in the past month. A gruesome social media video shows the bodies of three "mercenaries" being dragged behind a ute at the weekend.
Calls to make sure 750-million in relief funds reach flood-effected areas in Bougainville. Also, Solomon Islanders struggle through a Panadol shortage in some parts of the country.
Papua New Guinea will co-host the Pacific Championship, a new international Rugby League tournament that could one day rival the State of Origin.
The Matildas World Cup dream might be over, but the career of a young Fijian footballer might be about to take off.
The Australian government and NRL announce a new six-nation rugby league tournament in hopes of creating a ‘Pacific State of Origin.’ Also, Fiji’s first female professional footballer Trina Davis earns a trial A-League Women's club Wellington Phoenix.
Vanuatu’s Prime Minister survives a no-confidence vote on a technicality. But Ishmael Kalsakau's future in the top job is under question after Opposition MPs fail by a single vote to oust him.
Some Guam locals are warning that a new US missile defence system may expose them to danger in the event of an attack.
Pacific islanders are being invited to share their stories of the Pacific Games, as the sporting event celebrates 60 years since its first edition.
The Wan Squad from Papua New Guinea have starred at the World Hip Hop Dance Championship in the United States.
The influence of Australian Matildas player Mary Fowler continues to grow across the Pacific, as her performances stun audiences.
Locals in Hawaii say more should have been done to warn people ahead of the wildfires, which have so far claimed the lives of close to 100 people. Also, Fiji's Deputy Prime Minister calls on Australia to deliver on its election promise to allow 3000 Pacific Islanders to settle permanently in the country.
Australia's horticulture industry is warning changes to the Pacific Islander labour scheme could damage supplies of fresh fruit and vegetables, but many seasonal workers are in favour of the measures.
A deadly wildfire on the Hawaiian island of Maui has so far claimed the lives of 93 people.
The Pacific Games investment comes under scrutiny after the Solomon Island’s national hospital runs out of bandages and bandages and Panadol. Also, Manu Samoa and the Flying Fijians name their final squads ahead of the Rugby World Cup.
Manu Samoa and the Flying Fijians have joined the growing list of nations to name their final squads to take to the rugby world cup next month.
There are calls for Papua New Guinea to cancel the mining leases connected to a controversial, failed attempt at starting up the world's first deep-sea mining operation.
Vanuatu will come to a standstill today as MP's move to oust Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau in a no-confidence vote. But for the ordinary people, many are sick of the political 'monkey business'.
Tune in each morning and afternoon to keep-up-to-date on the happenings in the Pacific.
Residents on Solomon Islands' Gizo are calling for stray dogs to be culled after a recent mauling.
There are fears that Pacific families will be unable to afford rice as prices hit a 12 year high.
The number of US military personnel arriving on Guam is increasing the risk of homelessness among Pacific Islanders. Also, the village of Mary Fowler's mother in Papua New Guinea turns green and gold for the Women's World Cup.
A near-record cold snap has hit the Pacific islands, with Tonga's temperature dropping to 9.3 degrees celsius.
Fiji's former prime minister Frank Bainimarama may face jail time for interfering in a police investigation into corruption allegations at the University of the South Pacific.
Papua New Guinea has launched its first-ever junior youth academy as part of an effort to secure the nation an NRL license in the coming years.
Seventy-eight of Port Moresby's top under-14 and under-16 players are taking part in an eight-week pilot program aimed at preparing them for a career in professional football.
Pacific countries are fighting to protect their coral reefs on shoe-string budgets but with a looming El Nino raising fears of coral bleaching, experts say there's an urgent need for more funding.
Temukisa Siale never imagined she'd get involved in reef conservation, but three years ago, the young accountant was inspired to join a group of young people protecting marine life in Tuvalu.
Marshall Island's leaders call for a better response from the US to ongoing health and environmental problems caused by historical nuclear tests on Bikini and Enewetak atolls. Also, a new study aims to uncover the effects of IVF on Pacific people.
Marshall Island's leaders have called for a better response from the US to ongoing health and environmental problems caused by historical nuclear tests.
Questions are raised about the credibility of journalism at one of the Solomon Islands' longest running newspapers after the Chinese Embassy gave the Solomon Star 140-thousand-dollars in funding in return for favourable coverage. Also, efforts speed up to get the results of the 2019 Bougainville independence referendum into PNG's parliament.
The chief medical officer of American Samoa's only hospital has resigned after claiming that a measles outbreak earlier this year was fake. Also, high level diplomatic visits conclude in the Pacific.
For the first time in a decade, Manu Samoa has made the top 10 of the world rankings after a win against Japan. Now they'll be up against the Flying Fijians this weekend who are on a high after a win against Tonga.
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a new path for New Caledonia, which does not include independence. He's also revealed a doubling of French military presence in the region.
French President Emmanuel Macron to outline a path forward for New Caledonia in a much-anticipated speech. Also, The ongoing dispute between the Bank of Papua New Guinea and Puma Energy over foreign exchange reaches a dramatic climax.
French President Emanuel Macron makes first visit to New Caledonia since referendums were held to determine whether the archipelago wanted independence from France. Also, Plans to start deep sea mining in the world's oceans suffer a setback.
We unpack the legacy of the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands, better known as RAMSI, on the 20th anniversary of the operation. Also, PNG's prime minister James Marape calls for an end to tribal fighting so that the country's second largest mine can reopen.
Tonga's Ikale Tahi are in Lautoka this weekend to take on the Flying Fijians as Japan plays host to Manu Samoa.
French President Emmanuel Macron announces visits to New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu in attempt to 'recommit' France to the region. Also, Nauru declares a state of disaster after an unexploded World War Two bomb is uncovered.
More than 8,000 people are thought to have been displaced in Papua New Guinea's autonomous Bougainville region, as a volcano continues to spew ash and pyroclastic flow.
Almost 3,000 former soldiers are suing Fiji's military for alleged unpaid allowances during peacekeeping missions.
Vanuatu's Reggae Massive festival has returned after being postponed due to cyclones Judy and Kevin.
The prime minister of Solomon Islands says China has agreed to provide funding to prop up the country's troubled budget, and also accused Australia and development partners of suddenly withdrawing financial support worth millions of dollars.
The prime minister of Solomon Islands says China has agreed to provide funding to prop up the country's troubled budget, and also accused Australia and development partners of suddenly withdrawing financial support worth millions of dollars.
Fiji health authorities grapple to contain a deadly a deadly outbreak of leptospiroisis, which has killed 15 people and left thousands infected. Also, The International Atomic Energy Agency backs that it's safe to release treated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean.
Further efforts to strengthen Papua New Guinea's bid to join Australia's top rugby league competition, the NRL, will take place this week. Also, the Ikale Tahi unveils a star-studded line-up for their clash with Australia-A in Tonga.
Scientists from Harvard University have collected fragments believed to be from the first interstellar object known to enter the Earth's atmosphere.
Fiji is known for its tropical beauty and pristine waters but earlier this week Suva's Walu Bay turned an unatural shade of bright blue.
Australia's health care sector has a serious problem when it comes to waste because it is heavily reliant on on single-use plastics.
Tune in each morning and afternoon to keep-up-to-date on the happenings in the Pacific.
Australia has called for more transparency from China and Solomon Islands over the policing deal signed in Beijing which allows for a Chinese police presence in Solomon Islands until 2025.
Tune in each morning and afternoon to keep-up-to-date on the happenings in the Pacific.
Scientists have discovered an invasive leech in Fiji that could pose a threat to the country's "magic" freshwater snails.
The family of one of the two soldiers who were shot dead during a training excercise in Papua New Guinea last week want to know why live ammunition was used instead of blanks.
In one remote community of Malaita province, Solomon Islands, 10,000 bees have recently taken up residence and local keepers-in-training are buzzing to get to work.
A Bangladeshi refugee living in Papua New Guinea says he fears for his safety after a confrontation with members of a local business association.
A campaigner against a multi-level marketing firm banned by New Zealand authorities is calling on Australia to follow suit.
Tune in each morning and afternoon to keep-up-to-date on the happenings in the Pacific.
The Fiji Pearls complete a high-intensity training block with New Zealand professional club, the Central Pulse, in preparation for this month's Netball World Cup. Also, Tonga Rugby Union celebrates its centenary ahead of the nation's test match with Australia-A.
Indonesian president Joko Widodo meets with PNG prime minister James Marape in an effort to improve economic cooperation between the two countries. Also, frustration builds in Honiara as ongoing blackouts hamper small businesses.
The high-level diplomatic visits to Port Moresby continue, with Indonesia's President Joko Widodo the latest to meet with Prime Minister James Marape.
Samoa's highest court rules that parliament's suspension of the former Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi was unconstitutional. Also, West Papua launches a third attempt to join the Melanesian Spearhead group with the backing of Fiji prime minister Sitiveni Rabuka.
Samoa's highest court has ruled that parliament's suspension of former prime minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi was unconstitutional.
Two researchers from the University of Waikato have received a $1 million grant from the Health Research Council to study kava as a way to treat those with trauma and PTSD.
A support centre in Fiji says more women are seeking help after being abandoned by spouses who are overseas on seasonal worker programs. Economist Neelesh Gounder says the Fiji government's budget should reduce the country's massive debt burden. And an adventure vlogger recounts his misadventure in the Pacific Ocean, drifting for 30 days without communications or GPS.
The timing of the introduction of a new lottery-based visa that would allow 3000 Pacific workers annually stay in Australia more permanently is still up in the air.
A new era for soccer begins in PNG, with the revamped, renamed men's Premier Soccer League, but the reigning champions will be absent, And Cricket Fiji hope their under 19 men's team's unexpected success at the recent World Cup qualifier will be the catalyst for a rebirth.
Previously an assistant coach at two rugby world cups, this time Reverend Joji Rinakama has been drafted by the Flying Fijians to serve the players' spiritual and religious needs during the 2023 campaign.
Papua New Guinea's new Premier Soccer League is set to kick off with champion team Lae City absent and Football Association under fire over poor planning at club and international levels.
The sport of cricket has struggled in Fiji in recent years, but the performance of their men's under-19 team at the recent World Cup qualifying tournament in Darwin has sparked hope of rebirth.
When the men's and women's under 19 AFL teams from Nauru and PNG clash in Brisbane, winning will be important, but so too will be the chance to impress watching Australian talent scouts.
Drua's impact on Flying Fijians' World Cup selection plans, FRU wrestling with more financial woes, and the PNG FA under fire at local and national level - Tia Roko offers her views on the sporting subjects driving social medial commentary
Women in PNG demand police do more to catch a gang that's taking girls hostage, sexually assaulting them and holding them for ransom. Fiji's prime minister Sitiveni Rabuka warns people his government's first budget may be painful for some as it looks to tackle the country's high debt burden. And Taufa Vakatale is remembered as a pioneer for women in Fiji after a life of many firsts, including serving as the country's first female deputy prime minister.
There are calls for the police and government to do more to catch a gang that's taking teenagers and women hostage in PNG.
Samoans are urged to use their family and village fonos – or meetings – to talk about topics, often considered taboo - mental health and suicide. Also, Australia's deputy prime minister flags the possibility keeping police and troops in the Solomon Islands, beyond the Pacific Games.
Fresh allegations have surfaced against Fijian retail giant, Carpenters Fiji Limited, after its managing director admitted to holding the passports of foreign workers.
More concerns raised about the conduct of Carpenters in Fiji after its managing director said the company holds onto the passports of foreign workers. Victims of tribal violence in PNG are being helped to restart their lives by getting their personal identity documents back. And Vanuatu looks to grow its share of the Australian kava market.
PNG's chief censor banns the music of popular New Ireland singer Jayrex, following complaint it was traumatising and emotionally triggering. Also, Pacific leaders come together in Sydney, to address concerns that standardised healthcare is failing their people.
PNGFA in the firing line after a disastrous week for soccer in Papua New Guinea; and, despite the FRU being $3.5 million in debt, the man heading the operation to get Fiji Rugby Union back on track is confident it can be done,
It has been a disastrous week for the game of soccer in Papua New Guinea, with the women's team in danger of being excluded from the Under-19 Oceania Championship in Fiji and the men's team suffering their worst defeat.
Tonga's big-name squad for the World Cup has set the rugby community speculating on what impact the Ikale Tahi might have now in France.
The Fiji Rugby Union's debt could be even larger than the confirmed figure of $3.5 million — but the chair of the organisation's trustees, Peter Mazey, remains confident that a new FRU will rise from the ashes.
FRU in a hole, 2 x Women's State of Origin not good enough, Silktails rise as rugby league growth continues apace in Fiji - subjects under the microscope.
William Lai intends to take a break, now his reign as head of the Solomon Islands Football Federation has come to an end. Lai says he's sad to go, but satisfied that he's leaving an organisation in very good shape.
When a circular pig tusk was spotted amid the world's most famous shipwreck Titanic, it set off a mystery of Pacific proportions.
Health professionals are defending a new policy in Aotearoa New Zealand that prioritises Māori and Pacific Islanders for non-urgent surgeries; and, Queensland are the State of Origin rugby league champions for the second straight year.
The need for more sexual assault support is again being highlighted following the kidnappings and abuse of a group of women and girls in Papua New Guinea's highlands.
The need for more sexual assault support highlighted following PNG kidnappings and abuse of a group of women and girls in Papua New Guinea's highlands; and, predictions the return of the Melanesian Arts and Culture Festival will be the biggest post-covid festival in the Pacific.
The Melanesian Arts and Culture Festival is returning for the first time since the COVID pandemic and organisers say it'll be bigger and better than ever before.
International students on certain Australian visas are at times facing hefty medical bills if their health insurance does not cover them for certain illnesses.
Jenelyn Kennedy's family want her to be remembered as a beacon of hope for women across Papua New Guinea as court finds her husband guilty of her murder. Also, a comic book artist has imagined his own Samoan Spider-Woman, Elisapeta "Peta" Lalaga" aka Web Weaver.
Jenelyn Kennedy's family want her to be remembered as a loving mother, a beloved daughter and a beacon of hope for women across Papua New Guinea.
From the seas of Melanesia to the reefs of Far North Queensland - a successful reef guardianship program rolled out in Papua New Guinea is now testing the waters on the Great Barrier Reef.
Palau's president convinced of Japan's plans to dump treated nuclear wastewater into the Pacific following visit to the Fukushima plant; and, Guam authorities deal with an outbreak of COVID and flu in evacuation centres following super typhoon Mawar.
Authorities are dealing with an outbreak of flu and COVID19 among residents in evacuation centres following Typhoon Mawar.
AFL is growing as a sport in Tonga, and there are ambitious plans to raise funds to construct a purpose-built stadium where the game can be showcased.
While the FRU insists that all payments due to Fijiana players have been completed, national captain Sereima Leweniqila has her doubts and says the top women players are still not being treated fairly.
It took Vanuatu's captain Brian Kaltak more than a decade to break into the professional soccer ranks, but the hope is his outstanding success in the Australian A-League will smooth the way for other island players to follow.
The dream of Papua New Guinea one day fielding an NRL team of its own could be edging closer to reality, as the league moves towards an expanded competition by 2026.
17-year-old JJ Rice has his eye on an Olympic place in kiteboarding in Paris next year, and the young Tongan could be carrying his nation's flag.
Sports writer and social media forum moderator Tia Roko takes a look at the big stories that have been generating posts and comments in recent days.
The prime minister of Cook Islands is scheduled to give evidence on Thursday in a high-profile criminal trial against former senior members of government.
The release date of treated nuclear water from Japan's Fukushima power plant into the Pacific ocean is moving closer, though the debate on whether it's safe to do so is continuing.
Professor Biman Prasad reignited the calls for visa-free travel, saying it should not be easier for Lithuanians to enter Australia than it is for Fijians. Also, unions and farmers clash over changes to the way Pacific workers are employed on Australian farms.
Better communication promised as Fiji's coalition partners meet to discuss issues raised by SODELPA regarding the coalition agreement.
Former PNG prime minister Peter O'Neill is charged with giving false evidence under oath, following an inquiry into a more than $1 billion loan from the Union Bank of Switzerland in 2014. And a migration agent is "pleading" with the Australian government to refund the cost of her New Zealand clients' permanent resident visas,
Public outrage erupts over a rainbow flag raised at the US Embassy, prompting calls for PNG's leaders to do more to support the LGBTQ community. Also, scores of people in Guam remain without power, as the territory continues to rebuild from Super Typhoon Mawar.
He was joint top scorer and voted the most valuable player at the recent Melanesian Cup futsal tournament in Fiji, and now Solomon Islands' Calvin Do'oro is about to start a professional career in China.
Vanuatu's young cricketers may have been starved of competitive action recently, but they're fired up and ready to go at the East Asia-Pacific Under 19 World Cup qualifier in Darwin.
The Fijian Drua go into their first-ever Super Rugby Pacific finals match against the Crusaders in a confident mood, having already defeated the reigning champions during the home and away season.
A parliamentary speech from PNG's sidelined foreign minister Justin Tkatchenko prompts MPs to walk out. Also, Papua New Guinea's decision to postpone a security treaty with Australia might be a sensible course of action, argues one security analyst.
Some women from culturally diverse backgrounds in Australia are more at risk of developing some pregnancy complications.
Former PNG solicitor general Neville Devete says he has no regrets over speaking out about suspicious payments of state money being made to the country's biggest law firm in 2012. Also, the Australian government proposes new law reforms to tackle migrant worker exploitation.
Vanuatu's Climate Change Minister Ralph Regenvanu tells Australia to stop subsidising new fossil fuel projects and instead put that money into renewable energy projects, and Samoa's Manusina win the Oceania Rugby Women's Championships.
Vanuatu's Brian Kaltak looks to cap off his first A-league season with a grand final win against Melbourne City on Saturday. Also, the first ever OFC women's champion league tournament kicks off in Papua New Guinea.
The former head of PNG's now defunct anti-corruption task force says the successful prosecution of a high profile lawyer for stealing vast amounts of state money vindicates the work of his team. And Fijian coup leader George Speight may be released on a Presidential pardon as early as a month from now, 23 years after his attempted takeover of the country's government.
More than 100 of Australia's cultural and ethnic organisations, including those representing Pacific Islanders, have signed a joint resolution to back the Indigenous Voice to Parliament. And a new genre of fiction, Pasifikafuturism, provides a Pacific Islander perspective to science fiction.
South Korea pledges to double aid to the Pacific as regional leaders meet in Seoul, but the Korean government is opting for a more neutral stance on the release of treated wastewater from Japan's Fukushima nuclear reactor.
Concerns that people in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands are increasingly falling prey to loan sharks with exorbitant interest rates.
Manusina Samoa's Head Coach Ramsey Tomokino says he's preparing the way for his female assistants to take charge of the team. Meanwhile they are focussed on the Oceania Championship and securing a place in the new global WXV competition.
Suva FC targeting historic win over Auckland City in OFC Champions League, meanwhile as Samoa's Lupe ole Soaga face scrutiny by OFC's Disciplinary and Ethics Committee, the club are considering turning their back on the region's premier competition.
Lupe ole Soaga are considering turning their back on the OFC Champions League. Floored by player regulations and hit with rising costs, the Samoan club says taking part may not be a viable option for them in future.
No Fijian side has ever won the OFC Champions League, but Suva FC believe they have the right mix to topple perennial winners Auckland City
Moana Pasifika's CEO denies there is a rift between the players and soon to depart coach Aaron Mauger. Pelenato Sakalia says despite their long winless run, the Super Rugby Pacific franchise is making progress.
Their coach is leaving, the team can't win, and the fans are not turning up to watch. But exactly how big a crisis are Moana Pasifika facing, and what can be done to solve their problems?
Tropical storm winds continue to batter Guam, as authorities urge residents to remain in shelters hours after Super Typhoon Mawar made landfall on the US territory.
National Geographic launches an unprecedented five-year expedition into the Pacific region, aiming to research everything from the smallest algae to the largest sharks in a bid to create more protected areas.
A vicious parasitic mite is causing havoc to bees around the world, including those in the Pacific, and the region's beekeeping industry wants to do something about it.
Guam authorities are surveying the damage wrought by powerful Typhoon Mawar amid reports of fallen trees, walls and power lines, and extensive flooding. Also, National Geographic launches an unprecedented 5-year expedition into the Pacific.
New Caledonia's nickel could power the world's electric vehicles, but Kanak unions warn those looking to invest that miners must respect the wishes of traditional owners.
Fiji's highest chiefly political body, the Great Council of Chiefs (GCC) will reconvene today for the first time in 16 years.
A Canadian couple sailing the waters of French Polynesia were forced to make their own makeshift rudder after it fell off their boat more than 1,000 kilometres from shore.
Timor-Leste's independence hero and first president Xanana Gusmao wins the country's election for his party, but fails to reach an outright majority. Also, Papua New Guinea's prime minister James Marape assures his people that a new security pact with the United States will not threaten sovereignty.
Prime Minister James Marape has assured people a new security pact with the United States will not undermine Papua New Guinea's sovereignty or security, and that it will be made available to the public.
The result of Sunday's election paves the way for a return to power for the 76-year-old Xanana Gusmao, Timor-Leste's first president, if he can form a coalition.
Writer, producer and actor Gemma Bird Matheson recently wrapped filming season two of ABC's The PM's Daughter, and says she first came to writing as a way to create characters that looked more like her.
The family of Tongan and Samoan singer Iam Tongi say they are incredibly proud after the 18-year-old was crowned the next American Idol.
Papua New Guinea and opens its door for an US increased military presence after agreeing to new defence pact. Also, an expected category 3 typhoon closes in on the northern Pacific.
Guam and parts of the Northern Marianas could be in the firing line of a category three typhoon, with fears of damaging winds and heavy rain.
India's Prime Minister and leaders from more than a dozen Pacific Island nations arrive in PNG for a high-level summit. Also, questions over the future of Fiji's opposition party, Fiji First, after 24 of its MPs are barred from parliament.
India's Prime Minister and leaders from more than a dozen Pacific Island nations are in Papua New Guinea for a high level summit.
A new edition of a book documenting the history and importance of Samoan tattooing has been released more than a decade after it was first published.
Twenty-four politicians from Fiji's main opposition party, Fiji First, have been barred from sitting in parliament after its registration was suspended.
Tonga stand on the verge of claiming a place in the core group for next season's World Rugby 7s series.
A Tongan activist calls on journalists to educate themselves following an insensitive joke from British Sky News hosts about climate change. Also, the US territory of Guam finds a new way to "sniff out" invasive pests with the help of dogs.
A Tanna tribe, who saw Prince Philip as a descendant of an ancient Pacific warrior, celebrates the coronation of his son Charles. Also, the Fijiana Drua claim a fairytale win in the Super W final.
A week ago they looked down and out, but a battling comeback semi-final win over the Waratahs has lifted the morale in the Fijiana Drua and there is belief now that they can seal back to back Super W titles.
The FRU, Fijiana Drua and Tonga's bid to secure at World Rugby 7s top table - Tia Roko offers her thoughts
Prime Minister James Marape has received an enthusiastic welcome from spectators at the PNG Open in Port Moresby. At +21 after his first round, he is well off the pace, but his presence is seen as a boost for a tournament which has been on hold since 2019.
Unaloto Sili is not only drafting a new constitution for Tonga Rugby, but she's winning over the hearts and minds of the old guard who have been holding the game back.
Cricket PNG's new CEO keen to strengthen pathways from the junior ranks so the next generation is ready when called upon by the Barramundis or the Lewas.
There's excitement within Vanuatu's cricket fraternity as the national men's and women's teams take on the Australian Indigenous sides.
Fijiana Drua head coach Inoke Male assures fans team will hold on to the Super-W trophy, when they meet the Reds in Saturday's decider. Also, The Australian mens' and women's indigenous cricket teams touch down in Vanuatu for their first tour of the nation.
Locals in the Marshall Islands call for the FBI to investigate the Marshall Islands council over its use of two multi-million-dollar trust funds, set up to compensate victims of nuclear testing. Also, a blockade set up by angry workers on the Kokoda Track is torn down following a police order.
There are now two confirmed and 52 probable cases of measles in American Samoa, with the closure of daycare centres and a mass vaccination campaign underway.
Ex-British Army serviceman William Waqavakatoga says the push for Pacific islanders to join the ADF is a good idea.
Being a rugby league player in the NRLW is about more than just playing for the club, Elsie Albert says.
Schools in measles-hit American Samoa are re-opening this week, but only for vaccinated students.
Fiji's former attorney-general and political power broker Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum will appear in court today for abuse of office, after spending the night in a police cell.
A vaccine expert is warning of a "constant threat" from measles in the region as the number of suspected cases rises in American Samoa to more than 50.
The Attorny-General Siromi Turaga has declared that the Fiji Rugby Union is operating illegally, and the board has agreed to stand down. Trustees will be appointed soon to keep the FRU's operations going.
AFL footballer Mark Niamak is flying the flag for Vanuatu in the AFL Cairns competition. He scored on his competitive debut, and he's hoping his example will encourage more men and women to take up the sport back home.
Tonga Tala are on track to rise into the top six on the world netball rankings after another impressive tournament run in Australia.
Tonga are red-hot favourites heading into the second round of the World Rugby 7s Challenger in South Africa after winning the first round.
Calls for talks and negotiation to end the conflict in Papua as a new video of a New Zealand hostage draws attention to military air strikes in the contested region.
Authorities in PNG lament the recent killing of more than a dozen prisoners at Lakiemata prison, but say it's an outcome of increased escape attempts. Also, Fiji Rugby Union defend finances after the Fijiana Drua were turned back from a restaurant due to an unpaid bill.
A new immigration pathway is set to make it easier for New Zealanders to become Australian citizens, in a move celebrated by many Kiwi Pasifika families in the country.
The ship at the centre of the worst maritime disaster in Australia's history has been discovered more than 4,000 metres beneath the sea, 81 years after it sank after leaving Rabaul.
A young girl has tested positive to the virus and samples from suspected cases have been sent to Hawaii for testing.
Daycare centres shut down as American Samoa records one measles case and health officials wait for results from 29 suspected cases.
Vanuatu's prime minister defends efforts to clean up the country's passport scheme after it sparked a diplomatic stoush with the British government. Also, PNG midwives use WhatsApp to get advice while working in some of the country's most remote communities.
PNG RFL is planning to launch a national women's competition in 2025 that will put the country's best players in Australia's shop window.
What now for the FRU's annual meeting after interim CEO Sale Sorovaki tells member unions their motions and nominations are out of order'
ONOC is ramping up its drive to make the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics in Brisbane the best ever for athletes from the Pacific islands.
FSM will host it's first ever all-states futsal tournament in July, but the long term aim is to revive the national 11-a-side team and have another crack at the Pacific Games
The President of ONOC wants the Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics in 2032 to be the best ever for the Pacific islands, and the PNG RFL sets 2025 as the launch date for a national women's competition.
Former Kapuls' captain Alwin Komolong is confident of being fit for the Pacific Games, despite facing many months of rehab after knee surgery in Doha.
As Fiji hosts a national economic summit, the World Bank is urging the government to reduce debt but there's questions on whether this will mean higher taxes for citizens.
Comedian James Nokise touches on serious issues in the Pasifika community like religion, discrimination and mental health.
Election time in Timor-Leste is described as a party, with huge political rallies and celebrations of democracy.
A new report says nearly 4 million Pacific children will lose access to education due to cyclones, sea level rise and extreme weather.
The Australia government is looking at ways to bolster Pacific economies after number of seasonal workers reaches 35,000.
Climate change and extreme weather are disrupting the education of Pacific young people.
A weekend attack on Indonesian forces by separatists has sparked concern for the safety of NZ pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens.
Papua journalist Victor Mambor said the media are struggling to verify information about a recent attack that killed Indonesian soldiers who were searching for a kidnapped New Zealand pilot.
The arrival of high-level foreign diplomats at Solomon Islands' Henderson International Airport has become a regular sight in recent years.
Many Pacific Island nations rely heavily on imported diesel for electricity, which is expensive and damaging to the environment.
Cook Islands lawmakers have decriminalised homosexuality, after years long battle by campaigners with the hopes that other Pacific nations will follow.
One of Fiji's top athletics coaches has voiced his concerns about what he characterises as the persistent poaching of track and field talent by rugby and rugby sevens.
A four year wait is over with the AFL Women's competition back in action in Vanuatu. Meanwhile top Vanuatu player Mark Niamak is impressing after signing a deal to play in Queensland's top regional league.
Moana Pasifika CEO says the team's first home game in the Pacific is just the start, with the club committed eventually to playing all their home games in the islands.
The Fiji Rugby Union is teetering on the brink, as it faces tough questions over finance, player welfare, and the powers of its own member unions.
The Fijian Government has intervened in the simmering row between the FNRL and the Kaiviti Silktails. The FNRL has been ordered to guarantee the team's home games will go ahead, or risk being sanctioned.
The long-running standoff between the Kaiviti Silktails and the Fijian National Rugby League takes an unexpected twist. Also, history beckons as Moana Pasifika prepare to play their first Super Rugby home game in the Pacific.
Data gathered over the past 20 years shows that bias impacts the final outcome in 50 per cent of court cases surrounding violence against women in the Pacific. Also, a super El Nino is predicted to bring higher temperatures than expected to Australia.
A group of former Pacific leaders launch a blistering attack on Australia over the AUKUS partnership with the United Kingdom and the United States. Also, a new Pacific Food Trade Database captures a transition from traditional diets to heavily processed food.
A technical glitch at Papua New Guinea's largest bank causes chaos for customers across the country. Also, the Northern Mariana Islands pivots away from the Chinese tourist market in favour of US military personnel.
Papua New Guinea's largest bank Bank South Pacific is calling for customers to return funds after a technical glitch say them able to withdraw cash while their balance remained unchanged.
Fiji's legal fraternity welcomes a government plan to review a controversial law, which they say is silencing lawyers.
Federated States of Micronesia president David Panuelo launches fresh allegations at China, just a day before FSM's congress passes a resolution reaffirming the country's ties with Beijing.
The International Seabed Authority will start accepting applications from companies who want to mine the deepest parts of the Pacific ocean, however it's unlikely that regulations to govern the controversial activity will be finalised in time. Also, efforts to boost the profile of va'a racing in the Solomon Islands ahead of the Pacific Games.
At least three people have been killed after a magnitude-7.1 earthquake struck Papua New Guinea's East Sepik province. Also, Vanuatu works to get food and water to communities, still feeling the effects of category four cyclones Judy and Kevin.
Tributes flow for former Papuan New Guinea prime minister Sir Rabbie Namaliu, who passed away over the weekend after a sudden illness. Also, a new cervical cancer screening and treatment clinic aims to irradiate the disease in a PNG province.
The Brumbies new assistant coach, Filoi Eneliko, is backing her native Samoa to follow Fiji and enter a team in the Super W competition.
The new look Silktails squad has made a promising start to the 2023, and with the door open again, a number of players are expected to push for Bati selection.
Moana Pasifika coach Aaron Mauger undaunted by the critics after a 59-point-loss to Hurricanes. And could a team from Samoa follow the Fijiana Drua into Super?
Coach Aaron Mauger urges critics to look beyond Moana Pasifika's poor results when they make their assessments of the team's progress.
The Kurukurus' new English coach, Damon Shaw, says talent and brand new facilities are the perfect ingredients for another World Cup run.
The United Nations passes a landmark resolution to get the International Court of Justice to consider whether countries should have an obligation to fight climate change. Also, a major Papua New Guinea tuna factoriy scales back operations, compromising thousands of jobs.
The Tongan community in Australia is being warned to avoid what authorities say shows signs of being a pyramid scheme.
Today the United Nations is set to decide on whether to get climate change to the world's highest court, the International Court of Justice. What does it mean?
A lack of access to family planning and sexual health services is putting pressure on the economy of Pacific nations, as rapid population growth stretches the resources of many governments.
Major food producer Lae Biscuit Company shuts down operations for two weeks, bringing attention to problems facing PNG business community. Also, as the US government considers banning social media platform TikTok, could Pacific countries do the same?
A crisis at an iconic Papua New Guinea food producer is shining a light on the wider problems businesses in the country are facing.
Vanuatu announces plans to allow 1,500 foreign workers into the country to take pressure off businesses, who are losing workers to Australia and New Zealand. Also, police officers in PNG caught using illegal drugs.
Work commitments have made preparations difficult, but Western Maroons' coach Vela Tawake still believes his side can win the Melanesian Cup
Vanuatu is all set to host the OFC Champions League for the first time in May, with matches to be played in Port Vila and Luganville.
Former Papua New Guinea soccer captain Alwin Komolong who needs knee surgery to save his career, says player welfare standards in PNG are way below professional levels.
PNG's former men's soccer captain has turned to the public to raise funds for an operation on a knee injury that is threatening his career.
Tune in each morning and afternoon to keep-up-to-date on the happenings in the Pacific.
Former Tongan Prime Minister Dr Pohiva Tu'ionetoa passed away in the United States at the weekend after a prolonged illness.
Thousands of Papua New Guineans fall victim to a scheme that promises money in return for reviews of 15-second blockbuster movie clips.
Thousands of people in Papua New Guinea fall victim to an apparent online scam, which promises cash in exchange for movie reviews. Also, we unpack the legacy of former Tongan prime minister Dr Pohiva Tu'ionetoa, who passed away on the weekend.
From growing up in remote Papua New Guinea, to studying psychology at a prestigious university in London Paul Poloka knows a thing or two about chasing your dreams.
An anti-corruption commission formed in Solomon Islands four years ago is facing scrutiny for lack of effectiveness and transparency.
The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report reveals the global temperature will likely rise, however it's still possible to avoid it with rapid action. Also, Samoa's Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa criticises global powers for not adequately consulting with the Pacific.
Pacific climate activist are calling for rapid action after the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report reveals the global temperature will likely rise, however it's still possible to avoid it with rapid action.
A bloc of Pacific Island governments commits to creating a 'Fossil Fuel Free Pacific', and Solomon Islands becomes a diplomacy hotspot with visits from Japanese, Chinese and United States officials.
A growing interest in beekeeping in the Pacific has helped improve yield and quality for more than 30 per cent of the Fiji's pollination-dependent crops. But experts say the country's bees are getting sick and going hungry.
The fixture for 2023 OFC Champions League is all but cemented, with the top seven Pacific clubs securing their place.
Fiji's Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has backed Australia's nuclear submarine plan. And high remittance fees in the Pacific region come under the spotlight in the wake of Vanuatu's twin cyclones.
A Pacific team is tipped as the leading contender for an NRL license, with talks of the side being based in Cairns. But who would fund it, and what could it mean for Papua New Guinea's NRL bid?
Major flight delays to Vanuatu further hamper the country's business recovery in the wake of twin cyclones Judy and Kevin. Also, a panel of scientists argue for and against the planned release of 1 million tonnes of treated wastewater from Japan's Fukushima power plant.
China says it respects Micronesia's "development path", after a letter from FSM's president revealed that it was considering switching of diplomatic ties to Taiwan. Also, a Solomon Islands worker in Australia threatens to sue his empoyers over injuries suffered on the job.
Vanuatu Cricket is picking up the pieces after category 4 Cyclone Judy and Cyclone Kevin destroyed part of its headquarters; Also darts popularity is growing in Papua New Guinea as grassroots competitions and clubs sprout up across the country.
Mick Byrne is not impressed with Super Rugby's head injury assessment protocol, after a player was sidelined for failing the test due to language difficulties.
In a remote corner of Papua New Guinea, police officers are being accused of locking people in shipping containers at a logging site. Also, Pacific pregnancy is a major barrier to women entering the workforce and women across the region are calling for change.
As the clean-up from the devastation of Cyclone Judy and Kevin continues in Vanuatu, concerns turn to dwindling food supplies. Also, China's new special envoy to the Pacific touches down in PNG in effort to forge stronger ties.
Half of Vanuatu's population believed to be affected by category 4 back-to-back cyclones Judy and Kevin. And the United Nations passes a landmark treaty protecting a third of the world's oceans.
Federated States of Micronesia president David Panuelo says he did not know of human rights abuse allegations against Baron Waqa before he was endorsed as Pacific Islands Forum secretary general. Also, Vanuatu faces a tough road to recovery following two back-to-back cyclones.
Melbourne is set to host all 12 clubs of Super Rugby for the first time. Also Vanuatu begins it's clean up as second cyclone in as many days bears down
Volcano Boarding is an extreme sport reportedly first started by American journalist, Zoltan Istvan, on Vanuatu's active volcano Mount Yasur.
The tournament's top players will be selected into the Australian indigenous squad which will tour Vanuatu for a four-game series in May.
Marshall Islands' Nuclear Victim's Remembrance Day was marked across the region with marches and speeches.
Residents of Port Vila emerge to fallen powerlines and damage from ocean surges following Cyclone Judy. Also as Sydney WorldPride celebrations continue Samoan-born faa'fafine trans-activist Ymania Brown tells her story of the fight for LGBTQIA + rights in the Pacific.
Gale force winds and torrential rain threaten Vanuatu's south islands, as cyclone Judy intensifies to category three. Also, discrimination against LGBTQI+ people remains an issue through out the Pacific, even as some Pacific church groups embrace more inclusive communities.
Australian professor Bryce Barker returns home, but the hunt continues for the gang that took him and his colleagues. Also, Fiji's prime minister applologises to the wife of late academic Brij Lal, who was forced into exile by the former government.
In the 1860's tens of thousands of Pacific Islanders were taken to Australia to work on plantations often by force or trickery. Now more than a century later thousands of Pacific Islanders come to Australian farms as seasonal workers to pick fruits and vegetables.
Fiji's prime minister has apologised to the family of well-known academic Brij Lal for his "cruel" and "inhumane" treatment at the hands of the former government.
An Australian archaeology professor and his two Papua New Guinean colleagues are released from captivity after more than a week of tense and traumatic negotiations. Also, a new disaster monitoring centre for the Pacific opens in China.
The Fijian Drua and the Moana Pasifika will be hoping the rugby Gods smile on them a bit more kindly this year, as they kick off the 2023 Super Rugby season with a 'Pacific derby'. Also, Fiji's new rugby league coach aims to strengthen ties between the national side and Australia's NRL.
As the Pacific Island Forum converges on Nadi, Australia pledges to assist cyclone-hit schools in Fiji. Also, environmentalists express fear for the Pacific islands' future as Japan prepares to release treated wastewater from its Fukushima nuclear plant.
Australian foreign minister Penny Wong announces plans to rapidly scale up security and development cooperation with Kiribati. Also, better internet and a passion for sport contributes to a rise in online gambling in PNG.
A police operation is underway to rescue an Australian university professor and three researchers who were taken hostage in the PNG highlands. Also, fears a rise in Facebook pages, where users share infidelity allegations against men, could become a defamation minefield.
Fiji opposition leader Frank Bainimarama is removed from parliament after critical comments aimed at the country's president. Also, Australia agrees to establish visa processing in PNG, following a ministerial forum.
A spot in the Women's World Cup Final is on the line this weekend, with PNG just a step away from cementing history. Also, Pacific athletes to take part in one of the world's biggest long distance events.
Experts say it's still unclear if US president Joe Biden will visit the Pacific, despite indications from Micronesian leaders that he plans to do so. Also, a Tongan community leader calls for the New Zealand government to do more to protect seasonal workers after dozens were helicoptered to safety following catastrophic floods.
Fiji's former PM Frank Bainimarama and his former Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum face several hours of questioning from police for alleged misconduct while in office. Also, Australian employers call form more clarity around Samoa's plan to resume sending seasonal workers abroad.
A national state of emergency is declared across New Zealand, as flooding, winds from former tropical cyclone Gabrielle threaten lives. Also, a report reveals Polynesians in Australia have some of the highest rates of diabetes and kidney disease in the country.
Fiji's Colonial War Memorial Hospital is in a state of disrepair, with leaks in ceilings and crumbling walls making it hard for staff to adequately care for patients. Also, calls for careful negotiations in West Papua following the kidnapping of a New Zealand pilot.
Speculation is rife over who the next Flying Fijians head coach will be, and prepare for the great Pacific shakedown, when the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs square off in Super Bowl 57.
Lawyers, human rights advocates are among those calling for clemency after being charged and convicted on offences like sedition and treason under the Bainimarama government. Also, Solomon Islands tries to retain nurses, as many take up opportunities overseas.
Protesters take to the streets in Malaita Povince in the Solomon Islands after a vote to remove provincial premier Daniel Suidani is successful. Also, Papua New Guinea unveils a draft policy that could lead to tighter media restrictions.
The Pacific's top diplomatic body commences talks with Japan over controversial plans to release treated nuclear wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear meltdown into the Pacific Ocean. Also, one of Solomon Islands' biggest critics of China faces a no-confidence vote.
Pacific could face unprecedented heat waves and drought according to new climate predictions. And a new program looks at curbing type 2 diabetes in Pasifika women in Australia.
Raphael Lea'i is settling in nicely after signing his historic contract to play in the Bosnian Premier League. Could it be the signal for European talent scouts to head to the Pacific?
Has Solomon Islands international Raphael Lea'i opened a door for other Pacific players to follow, after signing a pro contract in Europe. And calls for gender equality and gender equity in Fiji rugby grow louder.
Women in rugby in Fiji are pushing for gender equality, but more importantly they're asking for gender equity to ensure that female players are paid properly.
The Australian government says the massive expansion of the seasonal worker scheme is a benefit to Pacific families, but commits to address concerns of exploitation. And what a rise in vaping means for the health of Pacific youth.
In what's believed to be a first for the country, tribal leaders in Papua New Guinea's Enga Province are calling for peace, and urging no payback killings following the death of eleven of their tribe.
FBC's new head responds to allegations of 'witch hunt' as chief executive Riyaz Sayid Khaiyum fired over hefty salary and expenses. Also, tribal leaders in PNG's Enga Province make unprecedented plea for peace following death of eleven tribal members.
Vanuatu police are investigating a devastating fire that burned down the headquarters of the malvatumauri, or council of chiefs.
Auckland's Pacific community is among the hardest hit in flash floods that devastated New Zealand's north island. Also, Kiribati announces a return to the Pacific Islands Forum following leadership dispute.
Hopes government-endorsed media censorship will stop in Fiji following the change in government. It come as the new Rabuka administration suspend the commissioners of police and corrections service.
The World Rugby 7s bandwagon has rolled into Sydney with Samoa's men in fifth place and Olympic champions Fiji in eighth. Also, New Caledonia and New Zealand will go head to head in the OFC Under 17 Championship final in Suva this weekend, safe in the knowledge that places at the FIFA Under 17 World Cup have been secured.
A major deployment of US Marines sent to Guam Guam as a new wargame simulation by a US think-tank puts the territory at the centre of conflict. Also, Pacific leaders and support workers in Australia call for reforms to the country's labour scheme.
Pacific leaders and support workers in Australia say reforms to the country's labour scheme need to be put in place to ensure Pacific workers benefit from the program.
As part of Australia Day commemorations Australia's South Sea Islander community have hosted Melanesian minifest Yumi Wansolwara, hoping to reflect truth telling for first nations communities through songs, stories, and culture.
Papuan journalist Victor Mambor says a bomb attack at his house is the latest in a string of threats made against him. Also, Vanuatu PM Ishmael Kalsakau addresses deportation concerns, after close to 100 seasonal workers are found with fake documents.
Vanuatu's prime minister has said the country is trying to fix corruption and procedural problems within its labour scheme, which saw dozens of seasonal workers sent to Australia and New Zealand on forged documents.
A new report from Griffith University has found there is an urgent need for Pacific support services in regional Australia as the number of seasonal workers swells.
A prominent Papuan journalist has said a recent bombing near his home is the latest in a string of attacks against him.
Fijian lawyer Imrana Jalal becomes the first Pacific woman to receive Ruth Bader Ginsburg Medal of Honour. Also, a leadership battle at Fiji Rigby Union heats up, as president and former prime minister, Frank Bainimarama fights to keep the top job.
New Zealand politician Carmel Sepuloni has been named the country's new deputy prime minister.
New Zealand MP Carmel Sepuloni becomes the first Pasifika person to hold the position of deputy prime minister. And, Fiji's prime minister makes ceremonial apology to Kiribati to repair fractured Pacific Islands Forum.
The head of the University of the South Pacific has welcomed the return of payments by the new Fiji government.
While Hamilton may have been dumped as a World Rugby 7s host city, NZ Rugby are considering their options for a new international tournament of their own with a Pacific focus
New Zealand Rugby's hatch plans for a new international sevens event, with a distinctly Pacific flavour. Also, the OFC Under-17 men's football championship reaches the quarter final stage with Samoa involved for the first time ever.
Samoa have broken new ground at the OFC U17 Championship by making the knock-out stage for the first time. And they have done it with a squad featuring a high number of heritage players.
They're down to the last eight at the OFC U17 Championship. NZ remain favourites to win but which island team will claim the second World Cup place in Peru?
Fiji's Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka is arriving in Kiribati today where he will hold talks with his counterpart Taneti Maamau.
Fiji's Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka lands in Kiribati to hold talks with counterpart Taneti Maamau. Also, The Fiji Broadcasting Corporation has a whole new board as the government continues to clear the decks in the public service.
Fiji's government has summoned the country's top military commander after he issued an extraordinary statement raising concerns about the "ambition and speed" of changes being made by the new government.
Fiji government summons the country's top military commander after he issued an extraordinary statement raising concerns about the "ambition and speed" of changes. PNG hospital morgue calls for families to collect dead bodies as mass burials continue.
Papua New Guinea is at the centre of a new human rights report, which reveals close to half the country's population is living in poverty.
The United States is close to signing deals with two Pacific island nations, Palau and Marshall Islands, as China becomes increasingly assertive in the region.
Papua New Guinea is at the centre of a new human rights report, which reveals close to half the country's population is living in poverty. Also, new research shows noise from shipping or drilling impacts how marine animals communicate.
An exhibition is launched in Tonga to commemorate the one year of the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai volcano eruption. Also, A British NGO funds an ambitious plan to rid the Solomon Islands of unexploded bombs from World War Two.
A purge of Fiji Rugby Union officials with links to Frank Bainimarama looks set to escalate, and Solomon Islands national soccer coach calls foul on OFC's ban on the country's under 17 squad.
A new management structure would appear to be imminent at the Fiji Rugby Union, as the Rabuka administration continues its purge of organisations and government departments. It could signal the end of Frank Bainimarama's hold on the FRU presidency.
Forum's Henry Puna to lead delegation to Japan as Pacific continue to raise opposition to the release of nuclear contaminated water into the Pacific. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese prepares to head to PNG with visa and defence talks on the agenda.
Concerns raised in Solomon Islands over a pay hike for politicians. And Australia's Pacific community back calls for indigenous voice to parliament.
A former Papua New Guinea diplomat, Winnie Kiap is the first woman to be in the running for the governor general's post. And Fiji's Prime Minister rejects allegations by Opposition Leader about unconstitutional actions.
The Executive Director of SINIS says a year after it opened, up to 450 athletes per day come through the sports institute. Aaron Alsop believes the Solomons' team is on track for a record medal haul at the Honiara Pacific Games.
Manu Samoa's Head Coach, Seilala Mapusua, says World Rugby's new time saving rules can make the game better. But it will be July before the Manu get to play with the new laws under test match conditions.
Fiji's new government fires back at claims from former prime minister Frank Bainimarama about unrest in the country. And, could an Oceania High Performance Centre be the key to allowing Pacific athletes to train and develop at home rather than overseas?
Chinese tourists could return to the Pacific very soon, with borders finally opening after the country abandoned its zero-COVID policy. And Fiji's opposition leader walks-back his decision to place the former AG in the Constitutional Offices Commission, and removing him from parliament.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to make his inaugural visit to PNG this year, in a move expected to deepen India's ties with the Pacific. And a mass burial is planned in Port Moresby after its hospital morgue was found overflowing.
Fiji's new Minister for Women has rejected claims of constitutional foul play by the opposition as she vows to push ahead with a welfare system review, and Tonga's tsunami victims are finally resettled.
Fiji's new Prime Minister says a police investigation of former attorney general Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has nothing to do with his relationship with the opposition, while the ashes of late exiled Fijian historian Brij Lal are set to return to his homeland.
Fiji's new home affairs minister asks the country's police commissioner to resign from his position, as the prime minister addresses the nation for the first time.
It was a historic year for Papua New Guinea, with the election of two female MPs to the country's parliament.
Papua New Guinea was marked by historic moments for both the better and worse in 2022. We take a look at some of the key stories that defined the year.
Papua New Guinea is the only country in the world where rugby league is overwhelmingly the national sport, so it is no surprise that the game dominated PNG's 2022 sporting highlights.
Solomon Island's decision to sign a security deal with China in April defined geopolitics in the region for the rest of 2022.
For the soccer-mad Solomon Islands, naturally the "world game" featured heavily this year, along with preparations for the upcoming Pacific Games.
For the first time in almost two decades Fiji has seen a peaceful transition to a new government, with Sitiveni Rabuka assuming the leadership for a second time.
For the first time in almost two decades Fiji has seen a peaceful transition to a new government.
WIth the Fiji men's 7s team struggling more than usual in recent weeks, one of the country's leading rugby figures is asking if its time for a local coach to be given the top job.
Tune in each morning and afternoon to keep-up-to-date on the happenings in the Pacific.
Complications have arisen as Fiji's newly-formed coalition government waiting to be sworn into office, with the incumbent standing firm, and countries pledge to protect biodiversity in a landmark deal covering two-thirds of the world's plants and animals.
Celebrations have broken out in Fiji after it was announced the country will welcome a new Prime Minister for the first time in 16 years, and researchers in Papua New Guinea puzzle over the country's population figure.
Fijians are waiting on 'kingmaker' opposition party SODELPA to determine what coalition will form government following the country's general election and the head of the UN has welcomed the adoption of a landmark deal aimed at reversing biodiversity loss and setting the natural world on a path to recovery.
Fiji's People's Alliance Party leader Sitiveni Rabuka is confident he'll form a coalition government with SODELPA, while Fijians will have to wait up to two weeks to find out who will form government. And cautious optimism for the benefits of nuclear fusion for the future of the Pacific.
Fiji's main opposition leader Sitiveni Rabuka says he is confident that he will get the support of the Social Democratic Liberal Party to form the next government.
The people of Tonga take the Tala to their hearts, as the all-conquering netball team set foot on Tongan soil as Oceania Champions and World Cup qualifiers.
Pacific swimmers rack up PBs at the 25m World Swimming Championships in Melbourne. And new names put their hands up for Pacific Games places, after PNG's National Athletics Championships.
A week long staging camp ahead of the 25m World Swimming Championships in Melbourne has paid dividends for Pacific athletes. All of them have clocked personal best times.
A final count of votes in Fiji's national election begins after a glitches plague the results calculating system overnight. Also, Palau mistakes international criminal gangs for tourists, leading to a rise in organised crime.
More than 600,000 Fijians will cast their vote today as polls open the country's third democratic election since 2013. Also, a parliamentary inquiry is established in PNG to investigate fake news in the country.
Fiji will head to the polls tomorrow, and a number of restrictions is limiting what ABC and other media organisations can report on around the election. Also, an OCCRP investigation finds organised crime figures and businesspeople, many with links to China, are working to build influence in Palau.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong leads a bi-partisan delegation to the Pacific to demonstrate Australia's commitment to the region. Also, Papua New Guineans living on the Australian border voice concerns over a restrictive treaty with nearby islands.
Papua New Guineans living along the Australian border say a treaty with nearby islands has become so restrictive, they may as well abandon it.
Fears global malaria elimination targets won't be met unless drastic action is taken to combat the disease, which infected more than 650,000 people in Papua New Guinea last year.
A new system for earning places at the top table in the World Rugby 7s Series could improve Tonga's of a breakthrough at last. Under the new model as many as four new teams could promoted each season.
Tune in each morning and afternoon to keep-up-to-date on the happenings in the Pacific.
The celebrations continue after Toa Samoa's historic run to the final at the Rugby League World Cup. Most of the squad are expected to appear at a welcome home celebration in Brisbane this weekend.
Vanuatu set to experiment in games against Denmark and Canada, now they're facing a relegation dogfight in 2023 after a disappointing showing in Malaysia.
PNG citizens want answers from the government after a UN report revealed the country's population is double the official number. Also, Solomon Islands controversially decides to shorten the next year's school year.
PNG singer and songwriter Danielle has been crowned Pacific Break's 2022 winner, the first female artist to take out the top prize in the competition's history.
Fiji's election supervisor accuses the National Federation Party of misinformation. Also, Pacific archeologists criticise a Netflix TV show for attempting to rewrite Pacific history.
A new study suggesting PNG's population could be almost double the official estimate, creates controversy within the government. Also, people in Fiji's remote communities cast their vote early ahead of the election.
A UN report is said to have found the population of Papua New Guinea may be almost double – at 17 million – the official figure.
Fiji's most remote communities have started to cast their ballots as pre-polling begins, a week out from the national general election.
United Nations Assistant Secretary-General Kanni Wignaraja says it's imperative that a "loss and damage" fund for climate vulnerable countries is properly financed.
A strong 6.7 magnitude earthquake strikes near Tonga, putting Pacific nations on high-alert for aftershocks and tsunami warnings. Also the cost of some alcoholic drinks is set to skyrocket in Papua New Guinea, due to a newly imposed tax.
Still no definite answer on Seni Seruvakula's status as coach of Fijiana Drua, meanwhile China's women have been crowned 7s champions of Asia under their Fijian coach, Osea Kolinisau
OFC plans for a professional league could include a composite Pacific team and marquee players from overseas. And the Hunters and Silktails rebuilds are in full swing ahead of their first proper home rugby league season in three years.
The dismissal of championship winning PNG soccer coach Nicola Demaine remains a mystery, with new coach Spencer Prior insisting he knows nothing about past events.
The PNG Hunters and the Kaiviti Silktails are itching to play in front of their own fans when the 2023 rugby league season kicks off. Both sides have played in exile in Australia for the past two years because of the pandemic.
Island countries could join forces to field teams in an OFC Pro League, with plans for a big kick off in 2025. It's hoped some overseas stars will also be attracted to the new set-up.
Fiji's national election is only two weeks away and the leaders of three of the major parties have taken to TikTok to campaign. Also, the West Papua independence movement marks its 57th anniversary.
Work is underway to improve the safety of Pacific fishing observers, as they prepare to return to sea for the first time in two years. Also, an Australian foreign policy initiative comes under fire for failing to meet the Pacific's needs.
One of Australia's key foreign policy initiatives is under fire by the NGO Jubilee Australia Research Centre for failing to meet the region's greatest needs.
During the height of Australia's COVID-19 outbreak, Pacific Islander communities were among those hit the hardest, with the highest death rates seen in people born in Tonga and Samoa.
Fisheries observers across the Pacific are due to return to work after a more-than two-year hiatus due to COVID-19.
As Fijians countdown to polling day - political campaigning has intensified with just two weeks to go to the national election.
An informal settlement in Fiji is part of a new trial set to discover how sustainable sewage treatment can help prevent deadly disease.
Forty-five per cent of the world's children with disabilities come out of the Indo-Pacific but data is limited on the challenges they face growing up in the region.
Campaigning is ramping up in Fiji, just weeks before election, as the controversial conviction of a prominent lawyer weighs on voters' minds. Also, advocates say stigma and discrimination against people with disabilities is on the rise in the Pacific.
A ransomware attack on Vanuatu's government has led to payment delays for public workers and communication loses for health services. Also, Kiribati unveils a bold plan to raise its islands in response to the threat of rising sea levels.
Almost a month on and Vanuatu's government is still suffering from the effects of a cyber attack.
Kiribati has started work on an ambitious project to raise some of its islands in a bid to curb the impacts of rising sea levels.
Papua New Guinea's only national domestic violence helpline says it's overwhelmed by the number of calls it's receiving on a daily basis.
Brian Kaltak gets a hero's welcome after touching down in Vanuatu for a three-game tour with his Central Coast Mariners. Also, six Pacific Rugby Combine players are awarded life-changing Super-W scholarships.
Netball PNG have a plan to climb back up the world rankings, but they won't be following Tonga's model of recruiting exclusively from the diaspora
Half a dozen of the best female rugby players in the Pacific have been offered the chance to prove themselves with Super W clubs next season.
He was hoping for a relaxing trip home during the A-League World Cup break, but Vanuatu's captain Brian Kaltak was in high demand when he returned to Port Vila for a three match tour with Central Coast Mariners, his first professional club
A Chinese-led law enforcing meeting with Pacific nations falls flat, after only one Pacific minister attends. Also, a PNG bird thought to be extinct, is sighted for the first time in 140 years.
Three decades ago, Divina Loloma did not feel safe in her country and had to travel to Australia to receive support and medical care for her gender transition.
A rare bird on the island of Fergusson, east of the PNG mainland, long though extinct, has been recorded for the first time in 140 years.
China's Public Security Minister has held a meeting with a host of senior police officers and diplomats from six Pacific nations, in another sign of the Chinese government's determination to entrench and deepen its links with law enforcement across the region.
Prominent Fiji lawyer and political candidate Richard Naidu is found guilty of contempt and scandalising the court, after pointing out a spelling error in a high court judgement. Also, disability advocates call for greater support in emergencies after a powerful earthquake hits Solomon Islands.
Nurses in Pacific countries leave their jobs in droves, as Australia expands its regional labour scheme. Also, an untouched piece of rainforest in Solomon Islands might soon disappear after the government grants logging access.
Samoa makes history by becoming first Pacific team to compete at the Rugby League World Cup final. Also, uncertainty for Vanuatu's lucrative passports-for-sale program, after the European Union suspends visa free travel for ni-Vanuatu citizens.
Former captain Willie Poching breaks down Toa Samoa's history-making Rugby League World Cup final clash against Australia.
Is enough being done to keep the Fijiana train on track for 2023, as players switch codes and teams, and the coach's position remains uncertain.
They've already seen off Spain and Chile, and now Tonga are targeting Uruguay as they look to end their European tour undefeated
There's no grass pitch at home, and some of the players don't own boots, but Kiribati are determined to make an impact at the Oceania Rugby 7s Challenge in Brisbane
Former Toa Samoa captain and coach, Willie Poching, in confident mood as the team prepares to take on champions Australia in the Rugby League World Cup final.
The trials and tribulations of the Kurukuru, Solomon Islands' crack futsal team, will feature on the big screen next year, with a documentary about the side in post-production.
Vanuatu's first youth orchestra has just finished the trip of a lifetime in Australia where they rehearsed with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and performed their national anthem for Pacific seasonal workers.
Luxury cruising has returned to many parts of the Pacific, but with a recent outbreak on a cruise ship in Sydney, there are concerns of coronavirus spread. Also, Vanuatu's first youth orchestra take their talents to Australia.
Leaders at the G20 meeting in Bali have agreed to pursue efforts to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius and recognised the need to speed up efforts to phase down coal use.
Leaders at the G20 meeting in Bali have agreed to pursue efforts to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius and recognised the need to speed up efforts to phase down coal use.
Vanuatu's first youth orchestra has just finished the trip of a lifetime in Australia where they rehearsed with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and performed their national anthem for Pacific seasonal workers.
Luxury cruising has returned to many parts of the Pacific, but with a recent outbreak on a cruise ship in Sydney, there are concerns of coronavirus spread. Also, Vanuatu's first youth orchestra take their talents to Australia.
Tuvalu will build a digital replica of itself on the metaverse, to preserve its history and culture in the face of rising sea levels. Also, a vicious, homemade weapon puts strain on PNG's health system.
Tuvalu plans to build a digital version of itself, replicating islands and landmarks and preserving its history and culture as rising sea levels threaten to submerge the Pacific nation.
Authorities in Papua New Guinea are growing increasingly worried about the proliferation of a new type of homemade weapon that's been described as "nasty" and "vicious".
Tuvalu will build a digital replica of itself on the metaverse, to preserve its history and culture in the face of rising sea levels. Also, a vicious, homemade weapon puts strain on PNG's health system.
Tuvalu plans to build a digital version of itself, replicating islands and landmarks and preserving its history and culture as rising sea levels threaten to submerge the Pacific nation.
Authorities in Papua New Guinea are growing increasingly worried about the proliferation of a new type of homemade weapon that's been described as "nasty" and "vicious".
Twin crises hit Tuvalu, after months of no rain and COVID-19 cases surpass 1,000 just a week after community transmission first detected. Also, carbon offset is on the agenda at UN climate talks near in Egypt, but not everyone is happy with the arrangement.
Carbon offsets remain a deeply contentious area, with some saying it can boost Pacific enterprise and others calling it "carbon capitalism".
Queensland will appoint a new trade commissioner for the Pacific as part of a strategy to boost economic ties with the region.
Carbon offsets remain a deeply contentious area, with some saying it can boost Pacific enterprise and others calling it "carbon capitalism".
Twin crises hit Tuvalu, after months of no rain and COVID-19 cases surpass 1,000 just a week after community transmission first detected. Also, carbon offset is on the agenda at UN climate talks near in Egypt, but not everyone is happy with the arrangement.
Queensland will appoint a new trade commissioner for the Pacific as part of a strategy to boost economic ties with the region.
Samoans took to the streets on Sunday to celebrate a historical rugby league win against England.
Fiji has been the location of Hollywood films like Castaway and Blue Lagoon but local film makers say they've been overlooked.
A campaign opposing aspects of one of Papua New Guinea's largest gold mining projects has stepped up a level, with the filing of an official legal complaint.
Samoans take to the streets after upsetting England in an epic Ruby League World Cup semi-final clash. Also, a campaign opposing one of PNG's largest gold mining projects ramps up.
A campaign opposing aspects of one of Papua New Guinea's largest gold mining projects has stepped up a level, with the filing of an official legal complaint.
Samoans took to the streets on Sunday to celebrate a historical rugby league win against England.
Fiji has been the location of Hollywood films like Castaway and Blue Lagoon but local film makers say they've been overlooked.
A Papuan-Australian photographer is using bilum bags to tell stories about the lives of Papua New Guineans living overseas.
A Papuan-Australian photographer is using bilum bags to tell stories about the lives of Papua New Guineans living overseas.
Samoans take to the streets after upsetting England in an epic Ruby League World Cup semi-final clash. Also, a campaign opposing one of PNG's largest gold mining projects ramps up.
Oceania women's football champions Papua New Guinea are in full preparation mode ahead of the 2023 Soccer World Cup Qualifiers in February.
Samoa is gearing up for the biggest game in the nation's history at the Rugby League World Cup.
Samoa is gearing up for the biggest game in the nation's history at the Rugby League World Cup.
Oceania women's football champions Papua New Guinea are in full preparation mode ahead of the 2023 Soccer World Cup Qualifiers in February.
Chess grandmaster Nigel Short is touring the region in an effort to ramp up support for the sport and establish federations.
A spot in the Rugby League World Cup final will be at stake when Samoa meets England in a semi-final showdown on Monday. Also, a plan to establish a women's professional football competition in PNG edges closer.
Chess grandmaster Nigel Short is touring the region in an effort to ramp up support for the sport and establish federations.
A spot in the Rugby League World Cup final will be at stake when Samoa meets England in a semi-final showdown on Monday. Also, a plan to establish a women's professional football competition in PNG edges closer.
Fiji's much-anticipated election is just around the corner, but voters are speculating over what will happen after the results come in.
Mothers reveal how language barriers impact prenatal care, as experts call for interpreters to be permanent hospital staff.
Scientists are using new technology to piece together a more accurate picture of Polynesian migration to New Zealand in the late 1200s.
Democracy, economy, freedom of speech and uncertainty over governance shape up as the key issues for voters ahead of the Fiji election. Also, Australian hospitals call for more trained interpreters, amid concerns the needs of Pasifika women are being overlooked.
Fiji's much-anticipated election is just around the corner, but voters are speculating over what will happen after the results come in.
Mothers reveal how language barriers impact prenatal care, as experts call for interpreters to be permanent hospital staff.
Democracy, economy, freedom of speech and uncertainty over governance shape up as the key issues for voters ahead of the Fiji election. Also, Australian hospitals call for more trained interpreters, amid concerns the needs of Pasifika women are being overlooked.
Scientists are using new technology to piece together a more accurate picture of Polynesian migration to New Zealand in the late 1200s.
Charges against a high-profile Fijian politician have been dropped, a month out from the country's national election.
A charge of insulting the modesty of a women against Fiji opposition politician Biman Prasad has been dropped. Also, Pacific nations report pushback against a loss and damage fund for climate change.
Charges against a high-profile Fijian politician have been dropped, a month out from the country's national election.
A charge of insulting the modesty of a women against Fiji opposition politician Biman Prasad has been dropped. Also, Pacific nations report pushback against a loss and damage fund for climate change.
Fears over democratic decline have intensified in Kiribati after the appointment of the country's attorney-general to the position of acting chief justice.
Concerns are mounting over the separation of powers in Kiribati, after the country's attorney general was appointed as acting chief justice. Also, hopes a new visa class will make it easier for Pacific Islanders to settle and work in Australia.
Rape, sexual violence and the traumatic journey of survivors are the themes of Vanuatu film, Mat Mo Pig.
Fears over democratic decline have intensified in Kiribati after the appointment of the country's attorney-general to the position of acting chief justice.
From mid-2023, thousands of Pacific Islanders will be able to travel to and live permanently in Australia as part of a new visa program.
Concerns are mounting over the separation of powers in Kiribati, after the country's attorney general was appointed as acting chief justice. Also, hopes a new visa class will make it easier for Pacific Islanders to settle and work in Australia.
Rape, sexual violence and the traumatic journey of survivors are the themes of Vanuatu film, Mat Mo Pig.
From mid-2023, thousands of Pacific Islanders will be able to travel to and live permanently in Australia as part of a new visa program.
A US plan to station a squadron of B-52 Bombers in northern Australian sparks concern from a Pacific anti-military activist. Also, investigations continue after Vanuatu government websites attacked by foreign groups.
Four Pacific teams have secured a place in the knockout stage of the Rugby League World Cup.
A US plan to station a squadron of B-52 Bombers in northern Australian sparks concern from a Pacific anti-military activist. Also, investigations continue after Vanuatu government websites attacked by foreign groups.
Groups in Asia could be behind a cyberattack on Vanuatu government websites, but investigations are underway to determine exactly who and why the attacks were made.
A United States government plan to deploy nuclear-capable bombers to northern Australia has drawn concern from a Pacific anti-military activist.
Four Pacific teams have secured a place in the knockout stage of the Rugby League World Cup.
Groups in Asia could be behind a cyberattack on Vanuatu government websites, but investigations are underway to determine exactly who and why the attacks were made.
A United States government plan to deploy nuclear-capable bombers to northern Australia has drawn concern from a Pacific anti-military activist.
Fijians will go to the polls just 11 days out from Christmas after the country's prime minister announced the election date. Also, New Caledonian leaders and France meet for first time since December's independence vote, but pro-independence leaders refuse to attend talks.
New figures show foreign aid to the Pacific surged to record highs as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on regional economies, while Chinese development assistance fell to a new low.
Fijians will go to the polls just 11 days out from Christmas after the island's prime minister announced December 14 as the date for national elections.
New Caledonian leaders and officials from France have met in Paris to discuss the future of the French territory, but pro-independence groups have refused to take part.
Fijians will go to the polls just 11 days out from Christmas after the country's prime minister announced the election date. Also, New Caledonian leaders and France meet for first time since December's independence vote, but pro-independence leaders refuse to attend talks.
A violent massacre on a PNG island has left a community searching for answers as tribal conflicts worsen across the country.
A violent massacre on a PNG island has left a community searching for answers as tribal conflicts worsen across the country.
New figures show foreign aid to the Pacific surged to record highs as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on regional economies, while Chinese development assistance fell to a new low.
Fijians will go to the polls just 11 days out from Christmas after the island's prime minister announced December 14 as the date for national elections.
New Caledonian leaders and officials from France have met in Paris to discuss the future of the French territory, but pro-independence groups have refused to take part.
Victory over France will guarantee a Rugby League World Cup quarter-final place for Toa Samoa, and set up a showdown with Pacific arch-rivals Tonga
After knocking off defending champions PNG at the Melanesian Cup, Solomon Islands men's basketball team slipped up against Fiji, and now need to beat New Caledonia to secure a spot at the Pacific Games next year on home soil.
Toa Samoa and Fiji Bati can both secure a place in the quarter-finals with wins in their final pool matches at the Rugby League World Cup. Also, Solomon Islands make history at the FIBA Melanesian Cup.
Victory over France will guarantee a Rugby League World Cup quarter-final place for Toa Samoa, and set up a showdown with Pacific arch-rivals Tonga
After knocking off defending champions PNG at the Melanesian Cup, Solomon Islands men's basketball team slipped up against Fiji, and now need to beat New Caledonia to secure a spot at the Pacific Games next year on home soil.
They didn't a win a game at the AFCU17 qualifiers; in fact they lost heavily and didn't even score, and yet CNMI's young soccer players have proved to be an inspiration
They didn't a win a game at the AFCU17 qualifiers; in fact they lost heavily and didn't even score, and yet CNMI's young soccer players have proved to be an inspiration
Toa Samoa and Fiji Bati can both secure a place in the quarter-finals with wins in their final pool matches at the Rugby League World Cup. Also, Solomon Islands make history at the FIBA Melanesian Cup.
Gloria Julia King has won a rural seat in Efate, Vanuatu's main island, becoming the sixth women to sit in Vanuatu's parliament since independence.
Plans unveiled for ABC to employ more Pacific journalists and fund a Pacific TV show, following a $32 million funding boost to ABC's international services. Also, advocacy groups in Vanuatu celebrate the election of the country's first female MP in 14 years.
Australia has allocated $900 million to the Pacific, including a $32 million boost to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Asia and Pacific services.
Gloria Julia King has won a rural seat in Efate, Vanuatu's main island, becoming the sixth women to sit in Vanuatu's parliament since independence.
Plans unveiled for ABC to employ more Pacific journalists and fund a Pacific TV show, following a $32 million funding boost to ABC's international services. Also, advocacy groups in Vanuatu celebrate the election of the country's first female MP in 14 years.
Australia has allocated $900 million to the Pacific, including a $32 million boost to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Asia and Pacific services.
Almost two weeks on from Vanuatu's snap election the country is inching closer to having a government.
New Zealand photographer Richard Robinson has won The Natural History Museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year for a photo of two whales caught in the moment of having sex.
The Australian government pledges a further $375 million to its Pacific aid package, but activists say it doesn't go far enough to fight climate change. Also, the outcome of Vanuatu's snap election becomes clearer.
The Pacific was one of the big winners in the Australian budget, with a significant boost to spending for the region.
The Pacific was one of the big winners in the Australian budget, with a significant boost to spending for the region.
The Australian government pledges a further $375 million to its Pacific aid package, but activists say it doesn't go far enough to fight climate change. Also, the outcome of Vanuatu's snap election becomes clearer.
The parents of a teenager who died after being given a contaminated anaesthetic in Papua New Guinea's capital say they want answers about his death.
New Zealand photographer Richard Robinson has won The Natural History Museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year for a photo of two whales caught in the moment of having sex.
Almost two weeks on from Vanuatu's snap election the country is inching closer to having a government.
The parents of a teenager who died after being given a contaminated anaesthetic in Papua New Guinea's capital say they want answers about his death.
Pasifika players poised to play starring roles in the NRL Grand Final as the Eels take on reigning premiers the Panthers
Vanuatu to host Samoa, Fiji and PNG in first ever Pacific Cup tournament for women cricketers
Former PNG swimming star Ryan Pini says he is honoured to be chosen as his country's Olympic Chef de Mission for Paris 2024
Brought in to make up the numbers, Vanuatu's next generation have surprised everyone by making the final of the MSG Prime Ministers' Cup
A number of players from Tonga, Samoa and PNG could be playing for Super W teams in Australia next season after world first rugby combine
Vanuatu to host Samoa, Fiji and PNG in first ever Pacific Cup tournament for women cricketers
The Panthers and the Eels gear up for the NRL grand final, with more than half the players involved boasting Pacific or Maori background. And Vanuatu's development team out to complete their surprise run in the MSG Prime Ministers' Cup by winning the final against PNG.
Former PNG swimming star Ryan Pini says he is honoured to be chosen as his country's Olympic Chef de Mission for Paris 2024
Pasifika players poised to play starring roles in the NRL Grand Final as the Eels take on reigning premiers the Panthers
Brought in to make up the numbers, Vanuatu's next generation have surprised everyone by making the final of the MSG Prime Ministers' Cup
A number of players from Tonga, Samoa and PNG could be playing for Super W teams in Australia next season after world first rugby combine
Vanuatu to host Samoa, Fiji and PNG in first ever Pacific Cup tournament for women cricketers
Former PNG swimming star Ryan Pini says he is honoured to be chosen as his country's Olympic Chef de Mission for Paris 2024
The Panthers and the Eels gear up for the NRL grand final, with more than half the players involved boasting Pacific or Maori background. And Vanuatu's development team out to complete their surprise run in the MSG Prime Ministers' Cup by winning the final against PNG.
Pasifika players poised to play starring roles in the NRL Grand Final as the Eels take on reigning premiers the Panthers
A number of players from Tonga, Samoa and PNG could be playing for Super W teams in Australia next season after world first rugby combine
The Panthers and the Eels gear up for the NRL grand final, with more than half the players involved boasting Pacific or Maori background. And Vanuatu's development team out to complete their surprise run in the MSG Prime Ministers' Cup by winning the final against PNG.
Brought in to make up the numbers, Vanuatu's next generation have surprised everyone by making the final of the MSG Prime Ministers' Cup
The United States and Pacific Island draft joint statement spans a wide range of topics, including climate change, security, illegal fishing, the legacy of nuclear testing and the economic recovery from COVID-19. Also Russ Kun has been elected unopposed as Nauru's new President, replacing former President Lionnel Aingimea.
Solomon Islands refusal to sign the 11-point declaration has raised eyebrows ahead of a historic meeting with US President Joe Biden.
The United States and Pacific Island draft joint statement spans a wide range of topics, including climate change, security, illegal fishing, the legacy of nuclear testing and the economic recovery from COVID-19. Also Russ Kun has been elected unopposed as Nauru's new President, replacing former President Lionnel Aingimea.
Solomon Islands refusal to sign the 11-point declaration has raised eyebrows ahead of a historic meeting with US President Joe Biden.
Russ Kun has been elected unopposed as Nauru's new president, replacing former President Lionel Aingimea who has now become the deputy speaker.
Russ Kun has been elected unopposed as Nauru's new president, replacing former President Lionel Aingimea who has now become the deputy speaker.
Owners of a remote Vanuatu island have started selling plots of land on the blockchain as Land NFTs, in an ambitious project to create a cryptocurrency city in the Pacific.
Owners of a remote Vanuatu island have started selling plots of land on the blockchain as Land NFTs, in an ambitious project to create a cryptocurrency city in the Pacific.
Solomon Islands refusal to sign the 11-point declaration has raised eyebrows ahead of a historic meeting with US President Joe Biden.
Russ Kun has been elected unopposed as Nauru's new president, replacing former President Lionel Aingimea who has now become the deputy speaker.
The United States and Pacific Island draft joint statement spans a wide range of topics, including climate change, security, illegal fishing, the legacy of nuclear testing and the economic recovery from COVID-19. Also Russ Kun has been elected unopposed as Nauru's new President, replacing former President Lionnel Aingimea.
Owners of a remote Vanuatu island have started selling plots of land on the blockchain as Land NFTs, in an ambitious project to create a cryptocurrency city in the Pacific.
Solomon Islands has signalled it won't sign on to an 11-point declaration between the United States and Pacific Island nations this week, dealing a blow to the White House ahead of a high-profile presidential summit with Pacific leaders in Washington
Solomon Islands has signalled it won't sign on to an 11-point declaration between the United States and Pacific Island nations this week. Samoa meanwhile supports the declaration, and Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa joins the show to explain why.
Solomon Islands has signalled it won't sign on to an 11-point declaration between the United States and Pacific Island nations this week, dealing a blow to the White House ahead of a high-profile presidential summit with Pacific leaders in Washington
Solomon Islands has signalled it won't sign on to an 11-point declaration between the United States and Pacific Island nations this week. Samoa meanwhile supports the declaration, and Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa joins the show to explain why.
Solomon Islands has signalled it won't sign on to an 11-point declaration between the United States and Pacific Island nations this week. Samoa meanwhile supports the declaration, and Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa joins the show to explain why.
Solomon Islands has signalled it won't sign on to an 11-point declaration between the United States and Pacific Island nations this week, dealing a blow to the White House ahead of a high-profile presidential summit with Pacific leaders in Washington
The US commits almost $5 million in humanitarian assistance to PNG after 90,000 people are displaced due to violence. Also, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General says upcoming White House meeting will be 'landmark' in US-Pacific relations.
Pacific representatives for the Red Cross are calling on the international community to bring Pacific knowledge into the fold of disaster management.
The US commits almost $5 million in humanitarian assistance to PNG after 90,000 people are displaced due to violence. Also, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General says upcoming White House meeting will be 'landmark' in US-Pacific relations.
Pacific representatives for the Red Cross are calling on the international community to bring Pacific knowledge into the fold of disaster management.
The US commits almost $5 million in humanitarian assistance to PNG after 90,000 people are displaced due to violence. Also, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General says upcoming White House meeting will be 'landmark' in US-Pacific relations.
New research shows that traditional-style Pacific houses are more cyclone-proof than many modern designs.
New research shows that traditional-style Pacific houses are more cyclone-proof than many modern designs.
Pacific representatives for the Red Cross are calling on the international community to bring Pacific knowledge into the fold of disaster management.
New research shows that traditional-style Pacific houses are more cyclone-proof than many modern designs.
Human rights groups are campaigning to get women into parliament as Vanuatu heads into a snap election.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare told world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly in New York that Solomon Islands' sovereignty needed to be respected.
A new exhibit in Sydney is diving into the amazing world of sharks and Pacific people's knowledge about them.
Manasseh Sogavare says his country has been vilified and targeted after signing a security treaty with China earlier this year. Also, Torres Strait Islanders hope a groundbreaking finding by a UN committee will spark climate action.
Human rights groups are campaigning to get women into parliament as Vanuatu heads into a snap election.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare told world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly in New York that Solomon Islands' sovereignty needed to be respected.
Human rights groups are campaigning to get women into parliament as Vanuatu heads into a snap election.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare told world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly in New York that Solomon Islands' sovereignty needed to be respected.
A new exhibit in Sydney is diving into the amazing world of sharks and Pacific people's knowledge about them.
Australia's Prime Minister's XIII teams may have bested Papua New Guineas' over the weekend, but those overseeing the match say sports diplomacy between the two nations was the real winner.
Manasseh Sogavare says his country has been vilified and targeted after signing a security treaty with China earlier this year. Also, Torres Strait Islanders hope a groundbreaking finding by a UN committee will spark climate action.
Australia's Prime Minister's XIII teams may have bested Papua New Guineas' over the weekend, but those overseeing the match say sports diplomacy between the two nations was the real winner.
A new exhibit in Sydney is diving into the amazing world of sharks and Pacific people's knowledge about them.
Australia's Prime Minister's XIII teams may have bested Papua New Guineas' over the weekend, but those overseeing the match say sports diplomacy between the two nations was the real winner.
Manasseh Sogavare says his country has been vilified and targeted after signing a security treaty with China earlier this year. Also, Torres Strait Islanders hope a groundbreaking finding by a UN committee will spark climate action.
Player of the tournament performance by skipper Ma'ara Ave in Vanuatu has put new life into Cook Islands cricket
Samoa's traditional sport kilikiti has overtones of cricket and is starting to take off in Australia, with Brisbane hosting major team event.
After her decorated playing career with the Broncos was cut short by injury, Meg Ward is buoyant about her new coaching role with PNG Orchids
It's been three years since rugby league fans in PNG got to see their national sides take on Australia's PM's XIIIs, and Fiji are on their way to the FIFA U20 World Cup .
After her decorated playing career with the Broncos was cut short by injury, Meg Ward is buoyant about her new coaching role with PNG Orchids
No NRL or SuperLeague players in Kumuls' squad to face Australian PM's XIII as club finals create selection obstacles
Samoa's traditional sport kilikiti has overtones of cricket and is starting to take off in Australia, with Brisbane hosting major team event.
No NRL or SuperLeague players in Kumuls' squad to face Australian PM's XIII as club finals create selection obstacles
After her decorated playing career with the Broncos was cut short by injury, Meg Ward is buoyant about her new coaching role with PNG Orchids
Player of the tournament performance by skipper Ma'ara Ave in Vanuatu has put new life into Cook Islands cricket
It's been three years since rugby league fans in PNG got to see their national sides take on Australia's PM's XIIIs, and Fiji are on their way to the FIFA U20 World Cup .
Player of the tournament performance by skipper Ma'ara Ave in Vanuatu has put new life into Cook Islands cricket
It's been three years since rugby league fans in PNG got to see their national sides take on Australia's PM's XIIIs, and Fiji are on their way to the FIFA U20 World Cup .
Samoa's traditional sport kilikiti has overtones of cricket and is starting to take off in Australia, with Brisbane hosting major team event.
No NRL or SuperLeague players in Kumuls' squad to face Australian PM's XIII as club finals create selection obstacles
It can be dangerous work, but a passionate team of young women are at the forefront of marine conservation in PNG.
Vanuatu's Supreme Court will decide the country's political future on Friday and whether voters will head to the polls for a snap election.
Major sea level rise caused by melting Greenland ice cap could devastate Pacific atolls. Also, Vanuatu is days away from a landmark court ruling, which could lead to a change in government.
A study has shown major sea-level rise from the melting of the Greenland ice cap is now inevitable, even if the world stops emitting greenhouse gases immediately.
The furore ramps up over PNG FA's apparent sacking of their OFC title-winning coach. Also, we get the latest on PNG's bid to join the NRL.
PNG NRL bid lead consultant says high profile political support can go a long way to ensuring his mission is a success
The captain of PNG's national women's soccer says she is confused by the FA's decision to sideline ten players and oust the team's OFC title winning coach
More than 20 years after teams last competed for the Melanesian Cup, the tournament will rise again under a new name to satisfy FIFA's concerns over discrimination
Oceania Rugby is launching a world first combine for women players, with the aim of fast-tracking the best Pacific talent into Australia's Super W competition.
The Digicel Cup rugby league finals series will put the best local players in the shop window, but PNG's national coach says World Cup places are unlikely.
PNG Foreign Minister worries the Solomon Islands' foreign ship moratorium sends wrong message to partners. Also, a controversial Facebook post sparks debate over race and identity in Fiji.
A Facebook post published on an opposition party's page has reignited debates over race and identity in Fiji.
A new law that would grant sweeping power to Fiji's supervisor of elections could be rushed through parliament today.
Samoa's beer might be staying in country — but its unclear when production will commence, or if workers will keep their jobs.
A security treaty between Papua New Guinea and Australia was a key point of discussion during Foreign Minister Penny Wong's PNG visit. And police in Fiji are burning drugs to stop the substances being stolen from evidence rooms.
Compact computers and USB sticks filled with the latest in medical education are being delivered to doctors across PNG.
An investigation has been launched into the death of an Indonesian fisherman, who was allegedly shot in PNG waters. And a South Korean cyclist, pedalling her way around the world arrives in Vanuatu.
A South Korean cyclist who has pedalled her way around the world says she's been blown away by the warmth of Pacific Islanders.
Jochebed William came up with the business idea after her mum returned to Vanuatu after seasonal work abroad.
Inquiries ongoing after 'extremely unusual' shooting of Indonesian captain on PNG coastline.
New York based lawyer Ravi Batra, who represents the Kiribati government, has said they reject a Court of Appeal ruling that an Australian judge be allowed to stay in Kiribati and continue working.
Pacific businesses worry about an exodus of workers taking up jobs in Australia as part of the government's Labour Mobility program. Also, we hear from the New York lawyer representing the Kiribati government in the David Lambourne case.
To mark International Day Against Nuclear Tests, Pacific Beat spoke to Alson Kelen, chair of Marshall Islands National Nuclear Commission.
French Polynesia has been confirmed as a co-host for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Surfing events will be held at Teahupo'o on Tahiti, and the hope is that some Pacific surfers will make it through qualification.
The PacificAus Sports backed deal between Cricket Australia and Cricket Vanuatu is being hailed as a game changer for the number two ranked team in the Pacific.
PNG Hunters' first Queensland Cup home game since 2019 will go ahead after opponents Mackay backed away from refusing to play because of security concerns.
She may have led PNG to the OFC Women's Championship but Nicola Demaine won't be getting a new deal. PNG FA wants someone with a bigger reputation to take her place.
PNG under 19 squad member Lee Navu Faunt has paved the way for his team to play his Queensland club side Redlands Utd as a warm-up for OFC Championship.
The PNG Hunters will kick off in front of home fans for the first time in more than two years, after opponents Mackay withdrew their threat to pull out over security concerns. And the new connection with Cricket Australia that could help Cricket Vanuatu close the gap on PNG.
Family members Charlie Va'ai and Beatrice Ott will now be taking over the production licence of Samoa's national beer.
The Supreme Court has set a trial date to determine whether the dissolution of parliament is legal. Also, Solomon Islands becomes the first country in the world to administer a drug en mass to treat scabies.
Papua New Guinea's biggest hospital has purchased another generator to keep vital services in operation after a spate of power cuts in the capital Port Moresby.
Sawfish used to live across the Indo-Pacific, but are now extinct in dozens of countries.
Solomon Islands is the first country in the world to have ivermectin distributed to its entire population to treat scabies.
Citizens and experts call for new measures to improve the democratic process in PNG. Also, Samoan performers take to the stage to confront taboo topics around mental health.
The Fiji Elections Office has been working closely with disability advocates to come up with initiatives that will make voting more inclusive.
Vanuatu's former parliamentarians have gone to the Supreme Court to nullify a decision by the President to dissolve parliament.
Vanuatu's opposition leader takes decision to dissolve parliament to the Supreme Court. Also, a curfew is imposed in Mendi in PNG's Southern Highlands, as election-related violence erupts.
Just over two years since Vanuatu last headed to the polls, the country will again hold an election as a result of a controversial move by the government to request the president to dissolve parliament.
Kiribati's attempt to deport Australian-born High Court Judge David Lambourne has shone a spotlight on the role of foreign judges in the Pacific.
Fears parliament dissolution being used for political gain in Vanuatu. Also, a Fijian lawyer flees to avoid jailtime for criticising the Prime Minister on social media.
A Fijian lawyer says he's fled the country to avoid a jail sentence after making posts on Facebook critical of the Prime Minister and Attorney-General.
The head of Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League says fans are disappointed that the PNG Hunters will not play their match weekend's in Port Moresby.
Hundreds of Fijians living overseas are back in Fiji for this week's Fiji Australia New Zealand and Canada Muslim sports tournament.
Vanuatu's opposition say they'll challenge a shock decision by the president to dissolve parliament. Also, time is running out for the PNG Hunters to return to Port Moresby in the Hostplus Cup.
Vanuatu's opposition members say they will go to the Supreme Court to challenge the President's decision to dissolve parliament.
Men's and women's cricket teams from Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu are set to join the Australian ranks as part of a new partnership between Cricket Australia and the Australian Government.
The film is loosely based around real events which took place in the trenches between Anzac and Turkish soldiers where men would throw food and other items to each other across enemy lines.
Pacific leaders have welcomed the biggest climate funding package in US history. The more than $624 billion bill, signed into law by US President Joe Biden on Tuesday, is designed to cut domestic greenhouse gas emissions and boost investments in renewable energy.
Vanuatu's Opposition party believes it has the numbers to oust prime minister Bob Loughman when parliament sits on Friday.
An upcoming Australian-funded maritime centre comes under fire from Fiji locals. Also, a major flu outbreak forces the closure of one of the Solomon Islands' largest boarding schools.
An upcoming Australian-funded maritime centre comes under fire from Fiji locals. Also, a major flu outbreak forces the closure of one of the Solomon Islands' largest boarding schools.
A cluster of earthquakes has been going off in American Samoa, including a strong 6.2 quake that rattled the Manu'a Island Group.
A 6.2 earthquake rattles the Manu'a Island Group in American Samoa. Also, four men are arrested for dynamite fishing in the Solomon Islands.
Dynamite fishing is when people use explosives, often taken from decades-old World War II bombs, to kill and capture fish.
Three staff members have been fired from the Fiji Rugby Union, and CEO John O'Connor is taking a leave of absence, while an investigation into the organisation takes place.
Youth workers play a powerful role in the lives of Australia's Pasifika and Maori young people but there's never been concrete data on their impact until now.
Dynamite fishing is when people use explosives, often taken from decades-old World War II bombs, to kill and capture fish.
A cluster of earthquakes has been going off in American Samoa, including a strong 6.2 quake that rattled the Manu'a Island Group.
Three staff members have been fired from the Fiji Rugby Union, and CEO John O'Connor is taking a leave of absence, while an investigation into the organisation takes place.
Youth workers play a powerful role in the lives of Australia's Pasifika and Maori young people but there's never been concrete data on their impact until now.
A 6.2 earthquake rattles the Manu'a Island Group in American Samoa. Also, four men are arrested for dynamite fishing in the Solomon Islands.
Saukarasa Ravinasaga'sRescuer's wife recounts the moment three fishermen were found and rescued from a sinking boat near Vomo Island.
Kiribati's former president speaks on extraordinary attempt to deport High Court justice, David Lambourne. Also, medical expert sheds light on threat the monkeypox virus poses to the Pacific.
Kiribati's former president Anote Tonga says the deportation attempt of suspended High Court justice is a sign of the country's eroding democracy.
Veterans who served in Guam say they experience enduring health issues — from cancer, chronic pain to infertility — as a result of toxic herbicide exposure on the island.
The Pacific region remains a low to moderate risk for the outbreak, nevertheless, parts of New Caledonia and French Polynesia have started to vaccinate against monkeypox.
The coach of Tonga's men's rugby sevens squad, Tevita Tu'ifua, is confident his team can make an impact at the World Rugby Challenger series in Chile, particularly with the recent experience of the Commonwealth Games behind them.
OFC Champions League semi-finals will feature an all French battle in one game, while in the other Auckland City will take on the new boys from Solomon Islands, Central Coast FC, as the New Zealand team goes in search of a tenth OCL title.
Rugby sevens teams from Papua New Guinea and Tonga have travelled to Chile for the World Rugby 7s Challenger event. Also, the OFC Champions League semi-final pits nine times champions Auckland against Central Coast, and AS Venus against Hienghene in all French encounter.
Rugby sevens teams from Papua New Guinea and Tonga have travelled to Chile for the World Rugby 7s Challenger event. Also, the OFC Champions League semi-final pits nine times champions Auckland against Central Coast, and AS Venus against Hienghene in all French encounter.
OFC Champions League semi-finals will feature an all French battle in one game, while in the other Auckland City will take on the new boys from Solomon Islands, Central Coast FC, as the New Zealand team goes in search of a tenth OCL title.
The coach of Tonga's men's rugby sevens squad, Tevita Tu'ifua, is confident his team can make an impact at the World Rugby Challenger series in Chile, particularly with the recent experience of the Commonwealth Games behind them.
Spotted at the Pacific Games in 2019, the Mackay Meteors' Tongan international Viliami Foketi continues to turn heads as he and his team pursue consecutive NBL1 titles in Queensland
Spotted at the Pacific Games in 2019, the Mackay Meteors' Tongan international Viliami Foketi continues to turn heads as he and his team pursue consecutive NBL1 titles in Queensland
They may be man's best friend but in Fiji some dogs have been subject to what's described as cruel and inhumane behaviour.
Our clocks might have to be set ahead because the earth is spinning faster, causing the shortest day ever to be recorded recently.
How COVID came to Marshall Islands remains a mystery, but the country's health secretary fears the outbreak will lead to further hospitalisations.
PNG's members of parliament sat for the first time this week, following a general election marred by violence and controversy.
A community group reveals kidnapped dogs are being used to hunt wild pigs. Also, a PNG think tank calls for an overhaul to the country's voting system. And COVID-19 takes hold in the Marshall Islands.
Kessy Sawang has been elected as MP for Madang Rai Coast and joins Rufina Peter as the second woman admitted to PNG's parliament this election.
Mr Ali said he wanted to bring the stories of Fijians and their sense of community to the Australian screen.
Parliamentary MPs will sit today after James Marape's Pangu Party claims victory in the PNG election. Also, Fiji will formerly recognise wastepickers, and a scuba diver encounters a rare jellyfish in PNG.
Commemoration ceremonies take place in Honiara to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal. Also, a dual Australian-Tongan citizen is named chief attendant to the King of Tonga.
JFK's daughter Caroline Kennedy has made a special presentation to relatives of one of the coast watchers who saved her father's life during the Battle of Guadalcanal during a memorial service to mark the 80th anniversary of the World War 2 campaign.
The board of Solomon Islands' national broadcaster could be fired as the government continues its crackdown on SIBC, which it has accused of causing public disquiet with its reporting.
After a two year break because of the pandemic, the OFC Champions League has kicked off in New Zealand with the first of the pool round games.
It's been tough going for the Vanuatu men's cricket team in Canada, where after a dramatic first up win over Malaysia in World Cup Challenge League A, they lost their next two games to Denmark and Qatar by big margins.
The team from Samoa have led the way in weightlifting for the Pacific at the Commonwealth Games in England, finishing in 6th place on the medal table, and ahead of Australia.
The much heralded return to Port Moresby by the PNG Hunters has been put on ice for at least another week by the Queensland Rugby League.
At the recent Garma Festival Australia's Prime Minister revealed a proposed set of words to be added to the constitution for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
Advocates call for an independent body to assist seasonal workers after group absconds because of poor working conditions and Solomon Islands is set to commemorate the 80th anniversary of a World War Two battle.
Policing and security experts are meeting in Fiji to discuss illegal activity and transnational crime.
A group of Pacific Island workers are fighting to have their visas restored after absconding due to working conditions and Cook Islands parliament looks set for a shake up following the country's general election.
Australia's chief veterinary officer Dr mark Schipp says monitoring imported food is vital to preventing the spread of foot and mouth disease in Papua New Guinea.
As PNG's troubled election nears its end elected MPs get to work to form government and Tonga reopens for business after closing its borders for two years.
It's the biggest match in the history of women's soccer in the Pacific, the OFC Nations Cup Final in Suva featuring the host nation Fiji and Papua New Guinea. The winners will step onto world stage alongside nine other teams with a chance to qualify for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.
A chance for World Cup qualification will be on the line when Fiji and Papua New Guinea go head-to-head in the OFC Women's Nations Cup final. Meanwhile Samoa's top boxers set their sights on gold in Birmingham. And the row over Manly's pride jumpers opens the door for a former Silktail to make his NRL debut.
Kaiviti Silktails are still in Ron Massey Cup finals contention, despite enduring a season blighted by COVID-19, monsoonal weather and a row with the Fiji NRL that scuppered the team's homecoming plans.
Gold Coast Suns' Ace Oea and Brisbane Lions' Zimmorlei Farquharson have signed on as ambassadors for a new Aussie Rules talent drive in the Pacific, backed with money from the Australian Government's PacificAusSports programme.
They made hard work of chasing down a small total, but Vanuatu are off to a winning start at the World Cricket Challenge in Canada after they defeated Malaysia by two wickets, with debutant wicket keeper Jarryd Allan the hero.
Opposition parliamentarians are calling for an inquiry into the relationship between the Fiji government and a controversial Korean church.
Counting in Papua New Guinea's election has been extended by two weeks after delays in the process and the eruption of violence.
Pre-tournament favourites at the Oceania Football Confederation Women's Nations Cup in Fiji have made it through to the final.
Opposition politicians in Fiji are calling for an inquiry into the government's relationship with controversial Korean church Grace Road. COP President Alok Sharma in Fiji to drum up political support ahead of the next UN climate change talks. Also, the stage is set for a Melanesian showdown in the OFC Women's Nations Cup.
There are concerns the spread of a highly contagious livestock disease could devastate pig populations in Papua New Guinea.
The coach of the Manly Sea Eagles rugby league team has apologised for not consulting the players before announcing they'd be wearing gay pride jerseys in this Thursday night's match.
Papua New Guinea's governor general has extended the election period to allow counting to continue and avoid failed elections. It comes as Commonwealth Observers call for major electoral reforms with half of voters missing from the electoral roll. A players welfare group says better communication is needed after Pasifika players boycott match over gay pride jersey.
It's semi-finals day at the OFC Women's Nations Cup in Fiji, with the host nation taking on Solomon Islands in one semi, while Papua New Guinea play Samoa in the other.
Explorers may have uncovered a unique Second World War aircraft, lost in the Pacific more than 80 years ago.
Korean church Grace Road and its businesses received millions of dollars from the Fiji Development Bank according to a report by an investigative group.
A labour mobility expert says Australia needs to be selective in which countries it gives quotas to under the Pacific Engagement visa.
A senior Papua New Guinea journalist says the feeling of impunity and frustration over the electoral process is fuelling violence prompting the deployment of security forces in Port Moresby. Close links between a controversial Korean church and the Fiji government, including state backed loans, unearthed in new investigative report.
Electoral officials in Papua New Guinea have been ordered to work day and night to get vote counting complete by the end of the week
Papua New Guinea officials say rapid police response prevented a machete attack by rival political groups in the capital, Port Moresby from escalating.
Police are scaling back the search for three missing seasonal workers off the coast of Far North Queensland after their boat sank on the way back from a fishing trip to the Great Barrier Reef.
Plastic waste from fishing vessels are accumulating across the world's oceans despite numerous international laws aiming to stop the pollution.
"Relief" was the word heard over and over again in the Tongan camp after they beat Hong Kong 44-22 at Sunshine Coast Stadium at Kawana Waters on Saturday. The win meant Tonga had secured its place at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.
A vicious machete attack in Port Moresby marks the final week of vote counting as election officials rush to meet the deadline for polling. Police scale back search for three missing seasonal workers in Far North Queensland. And Tonga book a ticket to the Rugby World Cup after a drought-breaking win.
The battle to represent Oceania in the inter-continental FIFA World Cup play off next year is about to begin in earnest, with the OFC Women's Nations Cup at the knockout stage. The quarter finals will see Papua New Guinea line up against Tonga, Fiji play Cook Islands, Tahiti take on Solomon Islands and Samoa will be up against New Caledonia.
Eleven of the 18-strong track and field team from Papua New Guinea have been doing some fine tuning in Australia ahead of the Commonwealth Games in England. The team are in confident mood after winning a hatful of medals at the Pacific Mini Games, but the Commonwealths will be a very different beast.
It won't be the end of the road for Tonga if they lose their Rugby World Cup qualifying play-off against Hong Kong on Australia's Sunshine Coast, but the road to France 2023 will be a lot harder. However the Ikale Tahi will start favourites to beat the lower ranked Hong Kong side, despite losing all their games at the Pacific Nations Cup.
The government-backed bid by PNG to field a team in the NRL provides a golden opportunity for Australia's new Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese to exercise some soft power in Port Moresby. Deakin University Sports Management specialist, Dr Hunter Fujak, says rugby league is a short cut to winning the hearts and minds of the PNG people.
Tonga look to bounce back against Hong Kong following a disappointing Pacific Nations Cup campaign in Fiji. Also the OFC Women's Nations Cup reaches the knockout stage, and PNG athletes tune up in Australia ahead of the Commonwealth Games in England
There's fears that violence and lawlessness in Papua New Guinea is undermining the integrity of the election process. Cook Island's tourism sector is feeling the impact of ongoing high sea swells. And one of Australia's top reality TV shows is heading back to Samoa.
Women waste pickers in Fiji have banded together to establish a new name for themselves and become formally recognised in their work.
After seven weeks of intense cooking challenges Fijian-born Sam Low has taken home the MasterChef New Zealand crown.
The head of Transparency International PNG says election violence is worse this year than in 2017 and the process has been mismanaged by the Electoral Commission.
Samoa’s business community has welcomed news that the reality TV show Survivor Australia is returning to its shores after two years away.
A new study finds noise pollution from mining oceans could reverberate hundreds of kilometres. A shortage of doctors is seeing cataracts go untreated in Vanuatu. And a weather expert sheds light on large swells, that's affecting Pacific countries and causing five-meter-high waves in the Cook Islands.
Vanuatu's single eye doctor has a backlog of 800 patients waiting for treatment but with borders now open, help could soon be on the way.
The University of South Pacific’s Vice Chancellor says Fiji’s failure to pay its grant contribution is affecting the university’s operations and students.
A new study has found noise pollution from proposed deep-sea mining could reverberate hundreds of kilometres through the ocean.
Samoa’s business community is reeling after a decision to shift the brewing operations of locally-made beer Vailima to Fiji.
The outbreak of violence in parts of Papua New Guinea is affecting vote counting as polling wraps up in most areas across Papua New Guinea.
Pacific LGBTQI advocates are hoping legislative change in the Cook Islands will ignite a regional push to decriminalise same-sex relations.
Pacific LGBTQI advocates are hoping legislative change in the Cook Islands will ignite a regional push to decriminalise same-sex relations. Meanwhile, PNG's police commissioner calls for calm after 50 ballot boxes are stolen. And Fiji prepares to welcome back cruise ships.
Fiji will again become a major cruise ship destination, with the country set to welcome back the luxury vessels next month. But the lack of specialist infrastructure could hinder the benefits.
An unusual weather event in Kiribati, Cooks Islands and French Polynesia, has caught officials by surprise. The Aid Transparency Index shows transparency into Australian foreign aid is on the decline. The cost of living skyrockets as Fijians prepare to head to the polls for the national election.
One of Australia's biggest Agricultural employers of Pacific Island workers reports growing pains within the revamped Labour Mobility Scheme.
Estimates suggest a million people might be denied their right to vote in the Papua New Guinea election because their names are not on the electoral roll. There are fears it might lead to violence, with many expected to be turned away at voting booths. Also, a Papuan-Australian woman is denied entry into a nightclub due to traditional face markings.
Australia's message to Pacific Island nations is that it is here to listen. In an address at the Pacific Update, Minister for the Pacific Pat Conroy outlines a broad approach for a stable and resilient region. Also, 140 women gear up to run as candidates in the PNG election this weekend.
With the launch of the Partners in the Blue Pacific Initiative, the United States and its allies say they'll be aiming to 'bolster Pacific regionalism' and 'expand opportunities for cooperation between the Pacific and the world'. But the details of the initiative have slightly puzzled some Pacific observers, who say there seems to be significant overlap with existing diplomatic architecture.
It's orange season in Samoa so the Vitamin-C packed fruit is filling the kitchens of people around the country. Chef Dora Rossi is putting her energy into orange and mascarpone cake and orange marmalade.
Papua New Guinea is one of the few countries in the world that does not have women in their Parliament. But there's a real shift to try to change that at the upcoming election this weekend, with more than 140 women putting up their hands as candidates. Is the message getting through to female voters?
The ABC has been told that China is pushing for a virtual meeting between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Pacific counterparts at the Pacific Island Forum on 14 July. The timing is deeply contentious, because Pacific Presidents and Prime Ministers are due to hold their final retreat at the end of the PIF meeting in Suva on the same day.
The US Supreme Court's decision to overturn the Constitutional right to abortion has put a global focus on safe abortions. Those working in sexual and reproductive healthcare are highlighting the importance in providing access to safe abortion and contraception, especially in places where abortion is illegal, restricted or heavily stigmatised — such as Papua New Guinea.
In just over 10 years since its discovery in Papua New Guinea, the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle has destroyed large areas of coconut and oil palm plantations. But now a new eradication program has been fast-tracked in PNG, supported by the Pacific Community and the New Zealand government.
Until recently there had been no long-term investigation of wage growth in Papua New Guinea. However, new research using superannuation data from PNG's formal employment sector has allowed for the tracking of real movement in wages between 1999 and 2018.
In Papua New Guinea, abortion is illegal and can be highly stigmatised. We hear about the work being done in the country to provide safe healthcare for women. Also, the UN Oceans Conference has started in Lisbon with concerns the poor ocean state is due to overfishing and pollution
As the cost of living rises in Fiji, more families are turning to desperate measures to make ends meet. Meanwhile abortion access is tipped to get harder in US Pacific territories after the Supreme Court overturns Roe vs Wade.
Tune in each morning and afternoon to keep-up-to-date on the happenings in the Pacific.An awkward calendar clash with the State of Origin on Sunday will see some players absent from their national sides when six of the Pacific’s top nations square off on Saturday, and a cloud hangs over the citizenship status of some of PNG's top basketballers
A cloud hangs over the citizenship status some of PNG's top basketballers, as the side gears up for the Melanesian Games in October.
When you look at sport, from rugby to boxing, you'll more than likely see Maori and Pasifika athletes everywhere.
Tomorrow night Samoa will face off against Cook Islands in the rugby league Pacific Test — and it might be the wake up call Samoa needs to get back into the swing of international rugby league.
After a week of non-stop action in Northern Marianas, the Pacific Mini Games wrap up tomorrow with the last of medals being handed out before the closing ceremony.
An awkward calendar clash with the State of Origin on Sunday will see some players absent from their national sides when six of the Pacific's top nations square off this weekend.
Sir Peter Barter kick-started PNG's tourism industry and is a beloved former politician. The country, and the town he called home, are in mourning over the news of his death this week.
An Australian-born Papua New Guinean politician is under scrutiny after he made derogatory comments about women at a recent rally in Port Moresby.
United States officials described the signing of a security pact between China and Solomon Islands as "very troubling" in internal emails, a freedom of information (FOI) request has revealed.
Plans to amend the constitution have been put aside for the moment, but the event has raised concerns over the rule of law in Vanuatu.
Strange spirals of blue light in the New Zealand skies have left some star gazers dazzled and confused, while others blamed aliens for the mystery.
Lawyers fear for Vanuatu's rule of law as the government tries and fails to introduce limits to Chief Justice terms and change how ombudsmen are appointed, and Papua New Guinea's election campaigns are being marred by extreme violence and bloodshed.
A committee has been created to shortlist possible options and then it will go to a public vote.
Politics is far from boring in Papua New Guinea, where the country's national election campaign is "like a festival in itself".
As the PNG election campaign begins health officials are worried about a lack of testing capacity because of payment issues.
A new US initiative is part of a host of developments in the Pacific, as the White House scrambles to offset Beijing's thrust into the Pacific. But some are questioning a "reactive" approach by the West.
For the first time, all three of French Polynesia's parliamentary seats in France will be going to pro-independence politicians from the Tavini Huiraatira Party.
As French President Emmanuel Macron's centrist alliance loses majority in parliament, French Polynesian candidates who support secession from France have made strong gains. And Pacific experiences are at the forefront of a global meeting to discuss prohibiting nuclear weapons.
Solomon Islands doctor looks ahead to what emergency care will look like if the climate crisis worsens.
One positive side effect of the pandemic is that many people, particularly young people in the region, have started to open up and seek mental health counselling.
Visitor numbers are still down, but there is a silver lining as Cook Islands tourism gets going after the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the Pacific becomes more connected to the internet cyber security experts say it's increasing their vulnerability to attacks.
Calls for foreign powers to shift attention to communities in Solomon Islands and Samoans are seeking out mental health services despite the stigma surrounding it.
There are calls for foreign powers to shift their attention to families and communities in Solomon Islands and address their needs, amid recent high-level meetings with Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Solomon Islands Prime minister Mannasseh Sogavare.
The Women's National Soccer League season in Papua New Guinea reaches its climax tomorrow when Hekari United meet Bara in the Grand Final at the National Football Stadium in Port Moresby.
In rugby league, the scheduling of the Pacific Tests next weekend the day before Origin Two is causing rifts between teammates and fans in several camps.
Excitement is high as the Pacific Mini Games kicks off today in Northern Marianas, and the scheduling of next weekend's Pacific rugby league Test series causes rifts between teammates and fans.
The island of Saipan in the Northern Marianas will be the epicentre of Pacific sport for the next week, as the Pacific Mini Games kicks off today.
A visit to the Solomon's by Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Friday will help repair relations between the two countries says Dr Tarcisius Kabutaulaka.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong set to travel to Solomon Islands to discuss climate change and regional security in what will be her third visit to the Pacific since being sworn in last month.
A damaging heavy swell warning is in place for islands of Beqa, Kadavu and Vatulele in Fiji after several coastal towns were hit by flooding as a result of high tides.
New Zealand's rare hihi birds used to be widespread across the north island of Aotearoa, New Zealand, during pre-colonial times, but they now all just live on one small island.
Cairns woman Michelle King has started a grassroots drive to collect second-hand reading glasses for people with poor eyesight.
A record number of political parties have registered for Fiji's election but it looks like the ultimate contest will be between two former military leaders with controversial pasts, and Samoa's Prime Minister says China's bid to set up a security pact with Pacific island countries should be considered by the regional forum.
Two former military commanders are set to go head-to-head in a race to become the next prime minister of Fiji.
Tuvaluans living on Kioa, a small island in the Pacific, work on making their home climate ready and future proof.
China's bid to set up a security pact with Pacific island countries should be considered by a regional forum, the leaders of Samoa and New Zealand said, weeks after the Solomon Islands sparked uproar by signing a deal with China.
As it looks to cement its presence in the region, China has promised development, aid, trade deals and security support to several Pacific nations. But there's one thing Pacific leaders say they want more than anything, and that's action on climate change.
An old World War II bomb was used by groups in the town of Wewak in East Sepik province to destroy several homes, as tensions flared between local landowners and settler communities following a volleyball match.
Governor Alan Bird says discarded ordnances continue to cause a problem in his province, though this is the first time he's seen it used in a conflict, and are China's credentials on climate change enough to influence Pacific leaders?
Fiji faces its biggest threat from "devastating climate change" rather than conflict, the country's defence minister warned at this weekend's Shangri-La Dialogue, as Australia announces a new Pacific Defence School, and Pacific Islanders are being encouraged to turn to traditional foods as the region faces rising food costs.
The man who took Rugby League World Cup games to Port Moresby explains what it will take to get a PNG team into the NRL, and he's confident of success.
Former Rugby League World Cup CEO Andrew Hill says he wouldn't have taken on the role of lead consultant for PNG's NRL bid if he didn't believe it could succeed.
The CEO of Pacific Rugby Players Welfare, Dan Leo, who led from the front in the push for changes to eligibility rules, says it was current players who took the biggest personal risk by taking on World Rugby's power brokers.
Cruise ships are returning to our oceans after the pandemic brought the industry to a halt. But some countries want to see change when they welcome tourists back to their tropical islands.
ABC journalist Edwina Seselja talks about how China has engaged with 10 Pacific nations over the past decade, and why families in Papua New Guinea are forced to go to great lengths to treat childhood cancer.
When Ugava Tau Ugava was diagnosed with bone cancer last year, the only treatment option in Papua New Guinea was to amputate his leg.
Australia's Reserve Bank has lifted the cash rate by half a percentage point to 0.85 per cent — the biggest rate hike in 22 years and the first back-to-back rate hike since May 2010.
Pacific Island leaders strike a deal that looks set to stop the region's premier regional body from splintering, taking an important step towards healing an ugly rift opened by an acrimonious leadership contest last year.
A global team, including businesspeople from Australia, are using cryptocurrency and NFTs selling access to a private island off the coast of Santo in Vanuatu.
Several top Pacific Island leaders will today sit down for an extraordinary meeting that they hope will resolve the leadership crisis threatening to split the region's peak diplomatic body.
Australia's new Pacific Minister says regional solidarity, not China's activity in the region, is behind the government's renewed focus on the Pacific.
Several top Pacific Island leaders will today sit down for an extraordinary meeting that they hope will resolve the leadership crisis threatening to split the region's peak diplomatic body, and Australia's new Pacific Minister lays out his government's plans for the region
The study from the University of Queensland found that New Caledonian humpbacks were learning complex songs with high accuracy.
Amnesty International says police in Indonesia's Papua are forcing residents to cut their hair and beards in a bid to crack down on armed resistance in the region, and there is increasing concern that the influence of China on Pacific media censorship points to more systemic issues.
All sides are talking but Fijiana Drua's defence of their Super W title next year is not confirmed yet. Meanwhile the FRU and NZR are talking about the possibility of switching the Hamilton World 7s Series leg to Fiji some time after 2023.
With the assistance of Australian finance and sports science expertise, Vanuatu's beach volleyball duo are out to make the final at this year's Commonwealth Games in England, after the country missed out narrowly four years ago. They say attending the Gold Coast GAPS camp has made them stronger.
Fijian Rugby Union says talks are ongoing, and they're hopeful of a positive outcome despite the lack of a guarantee that Fijiana Drua will return to defend their Super W title, and athletes from across the Pacific have been taking part in a GAPS camp at Griffith University on Australia's Gold Coast, as part of their Commonwealth Games preparations.
Coach Paul Ifill says he doubts will be able include many, if any, islands based players in Samoa's women's squad for the OFC Nations Cup in July. A COVID-19 lockdown means the local players have had next to no action lately, and fitness levels are low.
A top Pacific diplomat has welcomed the visit of China's Foreign Minister to Papua New Guinea, despite its falling during the country's national election campaign.
A top Pacific diplomat has welcomed China's visit to Papua New Guinea despite its timing being not "ideal", and debate continues in Guam over proposed legislation to ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected.
The latest virus to ring alarm bells among health authorities worldwide is monkeypox, after it spread from the African continent to Europe, the United States and Australia.
No big wins yet despite Wang Yi's steady progress on bilateral agreements in the Pacific region, and as China's Foreign Minister continues his trip around the Pacific, Vanuatu's former ambassador says more assistance from Beijing will be welcomed.
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi is heading to Vanuatu today on the next leg of his Pacific tour, after signing cooperation agreements with the Tongan government.
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi heads to Vanuatu, as part of a whirlwind tour of the Pacific where he will meet the Prime Minister for talks.
A Chinese foreign policy expert believes a warning letter by one Pacific leader and a clear lack of consensus forced China to shelve its plans for a multilateral deal with 10 Pacific countries.
China has fallen short in its ambitious bid to sign up 10 Pacific nations to a wide-ranging trade and security deal. One researcher says a warning letter by the Federated States of Micronesia and Pacific consensus was too much for China to overcome.
Bottlenose dolphins have 'signature whistles' and accents that are influenced by their habitat, or where they live, scientists have said.
The President of the Pacific island nation of Palau has recalled World War Two in a warning other regional leaders that wide-ranging trade and security pacts with China could have harmful consequences.
Palau's President Surangel Whipps, Jr. says Pacific neighbours should be cautious in their dealings with China, as a high-level meeting between Pacific foreign ministers and Chinese officials is set to take place in Suva today.
Labor mobility experts say a plan by the new Australian government to offer a visa that will pave the way for permanent residency for thousands of Pacific Islanders will lead to "brain gain" not brain drain, and help improve relations.
The Kaiviti Silktails' claim that the club's players have effectively been barred from selection for the national team would appear to stand up, now that an extended Fiji Bati squad has been named for the Rugby League World Cup, with not one current Silktail included in the list of 50 players.
While the NRL features large numbers of players with Pasifika, Maori and Indigenous backgrounds, they are hardly represented at all in the coaching ranks. Now the league's Indigenous Pathways Manager is calling for change to open up new career opportunities off the field.
Not one Kaiviti Silktail included in the list of 50 names making up the extended Fiji Bati squad for the Rugby League World Cup, and as the NRL marks Indigenous round, there's a call for more Pasifika, Maori and Indigenous coaches in the game.
A new short film explores the story of handwoven bilum bags, which can nowadays be found not only in Papua New Guinea, but in galleries and museums across the world, and most recently on the Red Carpet.
The Media Association of Solomon Islands (MASI) has announced that its members will be boycotting a media event for China's visiting Foreign Minister on Thursday, after restrictions were placed on media access to the event.
The Media Association of Solomon Islands plans to boycott an event for China's Foreign Minister, while concerns are raised over a leaked communique between China and Pacific nations.
Salote was the first female pilot Kiribati had hired in 20 years. 7 years later she's spent almost 10,000 hours in the sky.
The Chinese delegation will visit seven other Pacific nations, including Kiribati, and experts believe it would not be surprising if further security agreements are made.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has confirmed he will visit Kiribati this week amid speculation a security deal between the two countries is being negotiated.
The Kaiviti Silktails' Assistant Coach, Daryl Millard, says the team's weather hampered start to the 2022 season has actually worked in their favour. It has enabled them to bring players switching codes up to speed with the demands of rugby league, and now the Fijian team is starting to reap the benefits.
The first ever Super Rugby battle of the Pacific between Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika has been more than 25 years in the making. But now the Pacific has a foot in the door, a rugby revolution in the islands is starting to build.
Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika's first Super Rugby encounter promises to be quite a match with so much Pacific pride at stake, and Tongan Rugby Union CEO, Peter Harding, finally back in country after being stranded in Sydney sets to work on rebuilding.
Team sports are still at a standstill in the aftermath of January's volcanic eruption and tsunami, and a COVID-19 lockdown. But the Tongan Rugby Union is preparing for a big push on game development in the islands, particularly once the schools are back.
An activist says there should be more democratic space for West Papuans as police use water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters, and Solomon Islands leaders continue their tour of the Pacific region in an attempt to calm anxieties over the security pact with China.
Activist are calling for more support for locally made Aloha shirts as big fashion labels push their own patterns and design of the iconic Hawaiian shirt.
About one-third of the world's corals are under threat of extinction due to climate change but researchers have discovered a 'lost' species of coral, which has been hidden for more than 50 years.
A West Papuan activist is concerned by "violent" tactics used by Indonesian police, after they deployed water cannons to shut down protests in West Papua over an administrative shake-up to the region. Thousands of West Papuans have taken to the streets this week in opposition to Jakarta's decision to establish six new provinces in West Papua.
Solomon Islands Ministry of Education plans to re-open schools at the end of the month and Japan assures the Pacific Island's Forum it's plan to dump nuclear wastewater is safe.
The one-man performance at Sydney's Everything But The Kitchen Sink Festival focuses on Melanesian identity in the context of capitalism and colonialism.
Solomon Islands’ parents have welcomed plans to start the school year some five months after a major COVID-19 outbreak prevented the start of the academic year.
Starting next year, Japan is planning to dump treated nuclear water from the Fukushima nuclear disaster into the ocean, but many Pacific organisations are not convinced it is safe.
Vanuatu takes the legal route to break through barriers in tackling climate change, and Fiji Media Association calls for the Fiji government to show a greater commitment to media freedom.
A group of American Samoans are pushing for the US Supreme Court to decide if people born in the US territory have the right to be US citizens.
Over 16 episodes the podcast tracks the journey of how COVID-19 has impacted their community over the past two years
Pacific communities in Australia consider cost of living as the federal election approaches, and Marshall Islands partners with Global Fishing Watch to crack down on illegal fishing.
A Pacific women's rights activist has said that recognition of the "diversity of motherhood" across the region is a necessary part of the struggle for the improvement of rights of women.
Marshall Islands has become the first Pacific nation to share information on fishing activities in their waters as part of a crack down on illegal fishing.
Matt Parish still firmly at the helm of Samoa's national rugby league team, with Pacific Beat being told NRL greats the Johns brothers never made any formal approach to take charge, and the Kumuls long-time coach Michael Marum confirms he is stepping away from rugby league to pursue a seat in the PNG parliament.
All the stories linking NRL greats Andrew and Matty Johns with the Samoan coaching role have fallen on stony ground, now incumbent coach Matt Parish has strengthened his hand. One of the rising stars of the NRL coaching scene has been added to his backroom team.
The final whistle in their last match on home soil for the Tongan women's soccer team was literally the signal for disaster, as the country was struck by a volcanic eruption and tsunami. But the team has risen again against the odds in Australia and made their new coach proud!
Fiji's best line-up for the Rugby League World Cup in England would most likely be a mix of NRL and English Superleague players. But the Fiji NRL's CEO says all options are open to the head coach, who will have the final say on the make up of the squad.
Former PNG Kumuls coach Michael Marum says public pressure in his own East New Britain community has persuaded him to run for Parliament. He will stand as an independent after rejecting overtures from the political parties.
As a political bun fight continues in Australia over Solomon Islands security deal with China, why has there been so much consternation, when previous security agreements signed between Beijing and Pacific island nations have passed by largely unnoticed?
Papua New Guinea's government, along with the country's Sports Foundation launch a bid to enter a team in Australia's NRL, and Samoa Tourism Authority's acting CEO says the reopening of borders will be a big benefit to Samoa's economy.
Securing private investment will be critical, but plans to build a major tuna processing plant in Solomon Islands' Malaita Province are gathering momentum. If the project comes to fruition it's anticipated there will be 1600 factory jobs, and around 4000 more in associated industries.
A senior Papua New Guinea journalist says an ongoing dispute between journalists and management at broadcaster EMTV is starving the county’s provinces of news.
Fiji's High Court has ruled in favour of a bid by the United States government and Fijian authorities to seize a Russian-owned superyacht.
High court rules that superyacht Amadea can be seized by the US but the defence is granted time to apply for a stay which could lead to an appeal, and a major tuna processing plant being built in Solomon Islands is projected to create more than 5,000 jobs.
Former Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Dame Meg Taylor says Pacific governments should include climate change discussions when negotiating with foreign powers, and Pacific Islanders in Australia weigh in on a proposed pathway to citizenship.
New urban settlements across the Pacific are highly vulnerable to climate change threats like cyclones, floods and earthquakes according to new research.
A group of West Papuan students are pressing the New Zealand government not to deport them after their university scholarships were suddenly terminated. Some of them are living illegally in New Zealand as they seek help from authorities.
In a landmark judgment, Fiji's High Court fines a Chinese company that dug a channel through mangroves and a coral reef so it could provide access to an island resort and casino development; and we take a look at why a 2011 security agreement signed between Fiji and China drew so little attention.
Fiji signed a security pact with China more than a decade ago, yet it didn't receive as much attention as the Solomon Islands recent treaty with Beijing. One researcher says Australia's national elections is heightening coverage on the issue.
The number of weightlifters competing at the Paris Olympics will be less than half compared to the Rio Games in 2016. But veteran Oceania coach Paul Coffa says far from missing out on places, the best lifters from the Pacific are not only good enough to qualify, but well capable of winning medals too.
Commonwealth Games Australia has joined forces with Government to assist Pacific athletes with their build-up to the Commonwealth Games in England. The key aims are to support athletes and para-athletes with qualification, classification and preparation. And while time is short, CGA's CEO says much can still be achieved.
Sports watchers hope the Fijiana Drua's rousing Super W championship win can help usher in a new era of professionalism for women's sport in the Pacific.
It's been suggested that smaller competitor numbers and fewer categories at the Olympic weightlifting event in 2024 will damage the Pacific's prospects. But veteran coach Paul Coffa says that's far from the truth, and as many as ten percent of participants in Paris could be from the islands.
A downward shift in the average age of the PNG Hunters squad may be playing a part in the club's struggles so far this season. Coach Matt Church says the aim is to catch the eye of the NRL clubs with young talent, but while some players are standing out individually, they're failing to click as a team.
Traditional tattoos in the Pacific were once almost wiped-off, but tattoo artists across the Pacific are on a journey of reviving the ancient art.
Papua New Guinea's water supplier has urged residents in the capital Port Moresby to be patient as water rationing and maintenance continues to cause water supply disruptions — but many say they're fed up.
Solomon Islands' security pact with China has dominated Australia's federal election campaign, but what are the issues Pacific Islanders care about? And frustrated residents in Papua New Guinea's capital face days-long water shortages.
Political researcher Geejay Milli says Papua New Guinea's two-week delay in electoral process is caused by government's unpreparedness, and a maritime law expert breaks down the legal drama in Fiji over the Russian superyacht Amadea.
The start of Papua New Guinea’s elections has been delayed by two weeks with hiccups over funding and ballot papers. The Electoral Commission says new ballot papers have had to be created for seven recently created constituencies.
The discovery of ancient bones and pottery on Brooker Island in Papua New Guinea helps explain how the Lapita people of Asia spread through the Pacific islands.
A legal battle is unfolding in Fiji's courts over the Russian superyacht Amadea, which authorities say belongs to Russian oligarch, Suleiman Kerimov.
The legacy of nuclear testing, the independence movement in New Caledonia, and climate change are likely key issues for the French Pacific under Macron's second term, and electric cars are touted as a cheaper, more sustainable option to fuel-powered vehicles, but do they have a viable market in the Pacific?
Re-elected French president Emmanuel Macron was the most popular candidate in the Pacific territories but experts say he must address discontent there during his next term.
Electric cars are being touted as a cheaper and more sustainable option to gas-guzzling vehicles as the price of fuel rockets up.
As Australian leaders continue to sound the alarm over Solomon Islands' new security treaty with China, in the Pacific nation, opinion about it is clearly divided.
Fate of superyacht Amadea, which docked in Fiji and faces international sanctions, could be decided by the end of the week; and Fijiana Drua makes history as Super W rugby champions.
Crew detained but Fiji authorities want yacht seized as sanctions mount against Russian oligarchs around the world. High Court to make a decision this week.
Now that Victoria has succeeded in winning hosting rights for the 2026 Commonwealth Games using a group of cities, could the time be right now for a group of Pacific island countries to join force and table a bid?
After what has already been a remarkable debut season in Super W rugby, the unbeaten Fijiana Drua are out to win the premiership at their first attempt by beating the previously invincible NSW Waratahs for a second time.
Fijiana Drua to face the NSW Warratahs for the Super W Grand Final trophy, and weightlifter Eileen Cikamatana, once of Fiji but now with Australia, is confident of winning gold for the second time at the 2022 Commonwealth Games
Political analyst Dr Tarcisius Kabutaulaka looks at whether concern around the Solomons-China security deal is justified, and a human rights lawyer who has worked with asylum seekers sent to Pacific nations shares her thoughts on the UK's new policy to send refugees to Rwanda.
Avian malaria is threatening Hawaiian honeycreepers, with a new reports saying some species could be wiped out in just two years.
The British government plans to send tens of thousands of asylum seekers to Rwanda in Africa to be resettled, in an approach that human rights lawyer Neha Prasad says copies some of the failures of Australia's approach.
Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni says they are closely monitoring the situation as Solomon Islands sign security pact with China. He says Solomon Islands will be given a chance to explain new security deal to Pacific leaders.
Opposition MP says Solomon Islands security deal with China will destabilise the region and is a first step by Beijing in getting a foothold in the region. Peter Kenilorea Junior says he will push for full disclosure on the security treaty.
China and Solomon Islands have signed a framework agreement on security cooperation — a deal Australia, New Zealand and the US fear could open the door to a Chinese naval base in the Pacific, and Tonga Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni says people are still displaced three months after the volcanic eruption and tsunami hit.
The cruise industry is ready to take off again after a two year standstill as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, causing a blow to the tourism industry around the region.
Timor Leste heads to the polls today but a win by favourite Jose Ramos-Horta could spell massive political changes. Cruise ships make a return to Australia but a slower take up for the Pacific.
A former guerilla fighter and a Nobel Peace Prize recipient face off in the final vote to elect Timor Leste's next president.
A Papua New Guinean law student is on a personal mission to help defend Ukraine from Russian invasion, with hopes to join the country's military forces.
He's taken the team to fifth on the world rugby league ladder, but now Michael Marum has confirmed he has stepped down as head coach of the PNG Kumuls. And right now political leaders are jockeying for his support, as he considers a run for parliament.
Olympic boxing silver medallist Paea Wolfgramm has been a legend in Tongan sport for 26 years. But now the drive is on to find some new medal winning fighters for the Kingdom, and the target is the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Papua New Guinea Kumuls former head coach Michael Marum considers entering the political arena at the national elections after stepping down from coaching. And Bitila Tawake says faith and belief are the foundations of the team's success in their debut season as she leads Fijiana Drua to defend their remarkable unbeaten Super W record against reigning champions the NSW Warratahs.
Solomon Islands may have lost the final of the Oceania football qualifiers but one player who shone brightly was Raphael Le'ai.
Cricket Vanuatu's new National Coach and Head of High Performance is focussed on preparing teams for their long delayed return to international competition. Former South Australia state player, Ben Cameron, says he was surprised and honoured to be appointed.
Social media is often blamed for eroding traditional culture but one linguistics expert believes it can save indigenous language.
Almost 11 weeks after a major volcanic eruption in Tonga caused a tsunami to ripple through the region, Vanuatu locals are still concerned about the adequacy of their country's tsunami warning system.
Former Chinese diplomat and Australian National University research fellow Dr Denghua Zhang says if the draft agreement between Solomon Islands and China is approved, it would mark a "big change" to Beijing's foreign policy in the Pacific.
PNG Prime Minister James Marape will meet with his Indonesian counterpart, but there is little detail around security agreement discussions between the nations. And two young women in PNG are using Tiktok to teach people their Enga dialect, and one linguistics expert believes it's key to preserving indigenous language.
A viral TikTok song is breaking down cultural barriers and sparking appreciation for Māori culture around the world.
Australia’s overall aid budget is set to increase modestly but international development advocates say temporary COVID-19 spending should be made permanent.
Tens of thousands are expected to attend a memorial service for cricket great Shane Warne in Melbourne. PNG's leg-spinning all-rounder CJ Amini can't be there, but he says Warnie was the catalyst for his career.
The actress plays queer Christian character Kiri Durant and is excited to bring that representation to the iconic show.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister defends controversial security agreement with China, as foreign leaders weigh in
Advocacy groups fear officials have not taken into consideration the needs of people with mobility, hearing, or visual needs.
Leadership in Melanesia tends to be men's territory but Rhoda Sikilabu has broken the glass ceiling by becoming Solomon Islands first female premier.
Marine cone snail venom is strong enough to kill humans, but researchers believe the peptides it contains could inspire fast-acting insulin to treat diabetes.
Solomon Islanders fear the government's security deal with China may inflame domestic tensions, but one academic is calling for an emphasis on dialogue and peace talks. And we dive into the murky world of international ship registries after a luxury yacht linked to Russia's president was found to be registered to a Marshall Islands company.
Marshall Islands' Foreign Minister is considering "expelling" any Russian yachts or boats that have been targeted by Western-led sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
Solomon Islands' Opposition Leader claims he warned Australian officials last year that China was negotiating a military pact which could see a base established on the strategically located Pacific nation.
The single-dose malaria medication for children could open the door to approvals of the treatment in PNG and Solomon Islands
Honiara's draft security agreement with Beijing has caught Australia by surprise, but one Solomon Islands politician believes Canberra should have expected the current situation, and Secretary General for Pacific Islands Forum Henry Puna is believed to step down in June but he might have been given a lifeline from an unlikely source.
One of the world's largest Pacific cultural festivals has negotiated major difficulties yet again to put on a successful show in Auckland at the weekend.
The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Henry Puna, has been given a lifeline after the Marshall Islands broke ranks from the Micronesian bloc of countries to support the Cook Islanders' tenure in office.
Crucial information about the lives and culture of Guam's Indigenous people is at risk of being destroyed forever, community leaders say.
When Timor Leste heads to the polls on Saturday to elect its next president, there will be more candidates and more female candidates than ever before.
The highest number of female candidates in Timor Leste's history will be on the ballots as the country hold its presidential election this weekend, and a young Pacific Community organiser reacts to the Australian Federal Court ruling that the government does not have a duty of care to protect young people from climate change.
Authorities in Vanuatu are scrambling to contain a COVID-19 outbreak that has now spread to two provinces.
Some seasonal workers are alleging that their employers are eating into their salaries with hidden deductions after receiving on $100 for a week's worth of work on Australian farms.
Vanuatu's Ministry of Health investigates the death of a women who tested positive for COVID-19, and community advocates are speaking out about seasonal worker conditions ahead of a senate inquiry report in Australia.
An online archive has collected about a million recordings of birds accounting for nearly 90 per cent of all bird species on earth, including birds in the Pacific.
A former Australian high commissioner to Solomon Islands says the involvement of Chinese officials in training local police is setting off alarm bells in Canberra.
The head of Bougainville’s Police Force is calling for urgent action after a group of Solomon Islands villagers crossed the border into Papua New Guinea in defiance of border closures and COVID-19 restrictions.
Australia's former High Commissioner says Chinese officials training police in the Solomon Islands is setting off alarm bells in Canberra, and a group of Solomon Islanders broke COVID-19 restrictions to sell produce and buy food in Bougainville, a situation the police force says should be urgently resolved.
As conflict in Ukraine has Pacific Island states calling for peace, history tells of an interesting link between Nauru and Russia in the wake of a different war.
Solomon Islander Dr Geoff Muduioa is a Brisbane surgeon who is turning heads with his unique approach to calming anxious patients.
Pacific environmental groups raise concerns after company Nauru Ocean Resources prepares to conduct deep-sea mining, and a member of Papua New Guinea's parliament is facing calls to resign as police investigate an accidental shooting.
Minister for International Development and the Pacific Zed Seselja talks about the Black Rock camp, a new humanitarian response and peacekeeping facility.
Nauru is sponsoring Nauru Ocean Resources, a subsidiary of Canada-based The Metals Company, to run a two-month mining test in the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and Mexico.
The head of Netball Fiji says an upcoming tournament in Sydney this month will provide much-needed international competition for Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Papua New Guinea.
Dr Basil Leodoro says Australia and other international partners need to support Vanuatu healthcare workers amid the fast-spreading outbreak.
Soccer teams from eight Oceania nations are in Doha for a one-off tournament to decide which Pacific team will head into the final round of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup later this year.
Vanuatu's head of public service is pleading for Australian support as COVID-19 spreads into second province as mystery surrounds the source of the community outbreak.
The Sirebe tribe in Solomon Islands receives their first carbon credit after 10 years of conservation work in their land.
Vanuatu citizenship agents are holding out hope that passport sales will continue after the European Union stopped its visa-waiver program with the country, and a tribe in the Solomon Islands is set to receive millions of dollars from carbon trading.
Experts say the European Union's suspension of its visa waiver programme with Vanuatu will have a devastating impact on the Pacific nation's economy.
Nicky Hager says conversations with a confidential source within the New Zealand government lead him to believe Australia and New Zealand's surveillance programs continue to this day.
Island states are fearing the economic and security implications of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and residents in Port Vila, Vanuatu say the government's communication in regards to the COVID-19 outbreak are unclear.
As a 48 hour curfew is announced for Efate Island people in Vanuatu's capital Port Vila say communication from the government is confusing.
Papua New Guinea's main hospital is facing a shortage of medicines including in antibiotics as the country faces a COVID-19 surge around the country.
A Samoan couple in Australia share their harrowing tale of getting COVID-19 and the residents of Banaba Island in Kiribati are facing a food crisis.
Vaitoelau and Dennis Ah Fook did not think much about COVID-19, until September last year when Dennis had to be rushed to hospital. It completely changed their lives.
An island in Kiribati whose phosphate rich soil boosted agriculture in Australia and New Zealand is now facing its own food crisis. The residents of Banaba, also known as Ocean Island, have been out of food supplies for weeks due to delayed shipments from Tarawa.
Tongans living on the main island of Tongatapu have been assured that if they are connected to the domestic supply, then their water is safe again after last month's tsunami. But for those who rely on tank systems, they are being warned not to drink that water and use it only for cleaning because of the contamination caused by volcanic ash deposits.
The Pacific is home to more than 10 per cent of the world's languages, but these languages are dying out at an extraordinary rate. Researchers and local speakers are teaming up to preserve the language before they disappear for ever.
Questions remain about the health of Fiji's Prime Minister and Pacific languages are dying out at an extraordinary rate but linguists are trying to save them.
Concern over the health of Fiji's Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama remain, just days out from one of the country's most important diplomatic visits in decades.
Chef Dora Rossi has been cooking up tuna carpaccio in her kitchen and speaks about health benefits of the fresh fish.
As schools resume in Fiji parents are anxious for their children as Fiji has been unable to source COVID-19 vaccinations for those under 12 years old.
Pacific athletes are celebrating a female surfing championship that took place in Hawaii over the weekend, an event that has been generations in the making.
The US announced its Secretary of State will visit Fiji for the first time in 37 years and women make surfing history at the Pipeline Masters in Hawaii.
For the first time in 37 years a US Secretary of State will visit Fiji, when Antony Blinken meets with senior Fijian officials and Pacific leaders this week.
Tuvalu's Foreign Minister Simon Kofe hopes his nomination for this year's Nobel Peace Prize will raise awareness about climate change. Mr Kofe gained international attention last year when he delivered video speech at COP 26 standing knee deep in the sea.
Activists on Guam are taking the US Air Force to court over a plan to burn 15,000 kilograms of military material on a local beach.
The Winter Olympics kick off today in Beijing, where the sole Pacific representative is hoping to reach the finals in a tournament beset by COVID-19 restrictions and a diplomatic boycott.
Concerns about a COVID-19 outbreak are growing in Tonga, after three more people tested positive for the virus, sending residents into an indefinite lockdown.
Fiji police have charged an Australian citizen over offensive posts on TikTok, in what's believed to be the first-ever case brought under Fiji's new Online Safety Act.
Tonga continues to record community transmission of COVID-19 with a further three cases detected and Tonga's deputy head of mission in Australia, Curtis Tuihalangingie, says the country's lockdown is 'an urgent and very important move' by the government to supress the spread of COVID.
One of the largest coral reefs in the world has been discovered near Tahiti, in French Polynesia, in what's being called a "step forward for science".
Papua New Guinea's capital Port Moresby is on high alert after a spike in the number of COVID-19 staff infections at the country's main referral hospital.
Tonga will enter a two-day nationwide lockdown from Wednesday night after recording two asymptomatic community cases of COVID-19.
Tonga heads into lockdown, as the country records two cases of COVID-19, with recovery from the devastating natural disaster still underway and logistical issues have prompted Vanuatu's Government to broaden their supplies beyond the Astra Zeneca COVID vaccine.
Journalists in Solomon Islands say they can't do their jobs because the government is refusing to give exemptions to allow them to move around during the lockdown.
Journalists in Solomon Islands say they can't do their jobs because the government is refusing to give exemptions to allow them to move around during the lockdown and Tonga's volcanic eruption has wreaked havoc on the country's agricutlure system.