France injects funds to New Caledonia
by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer The French government is introducing a new financial aid package of approximately €130 million to support New Caledonia’s economy. This funding aims to provide urgent assistance to prevent critical services, such as the main electricity provider ENERCAL and social services, from facing imminent collapse, according to a release from the…
Pope to grace Papua New Guinea soon
by Jake Sanders, Editor Papua New Guinea is getting ready to warmly welcome His Holiness Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church, who will arrive on Friday. It has been three decades since a Pope last visited the South Pacific nation, with the previous visit by John Paul II occurring in 1995. This trip…
Fiji anti-corruption chief quizzed
by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer Fiji’s newly appointed anti-corruption chief was questioned by the anti-corruption office regarding an abuse of office allegation just a day after her appointment was announced. On Wednesday, Barbara Malimali, who has an active case with the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) due to her position as chair of the…
PNG no confidence vote on PM Marape
by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer The Speaker of the Papua New Guinea Parliament, Job Pomat, has declared in a parliamentary session that he has received and accepted a motion of no confidence against Prime Minister James Marape. The opposition has been attempting to submit this motion since February, marking this as their fifth effort since…
Taiwan row mars Pacific summit
by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer The 53rd Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) has altered its final communique to remove a reference to Taiwan, after a senior Chinese diplomat publicly criticized the document. Organizers have blamed the wording on an error. The group of 18 island nations, along with Australia and New Zealand, convened in Tonga last…
Paralympics update
by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer Pacific Island athletes at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris have yet to secure any medals. Over the weekend, seven athletes participated in para-taekwondo and para-athletics events. Fiji’s Irene Mar came the closest to winning a medal, losing in the bronze medal playoff for the women’s taekwondo K44, 57kg division on…
‘Getting along with Russia is good’ – Trump
Engaging with Russia and North Korea, and “getting along” with them, would be a “good thing,” former US President Donald Trump has argued. Speaking at an election rally in Pennsylvania on Friday, the Republican nominee touted his diplomatic efforts to fix Washington’s ties with Pyongyang, referring to his 2019 meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in the demilitarized…
Solomons delegation on strategic engagements in Australia.
from Solomon Islands PM and Cabinet Office A high level Government delegation comprising Ministers and backbenchers will leave the country this weekend for various strategic engagements in Australia. Led by the Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification, Hon. Bradley Billy Smoky Rodo Tovosia, the 14 member delegation is down for…
PIF issues communique on climate change and removes Taiwan
by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer A joint statement from Pacific leaders was reissued at the PIF yesterday morning, omitting references to Taiwan after China criticized a previous version as a “mistake” that needed correction. Following five days of discussions in Tonga, a revised communique was published on Friday, reaffirming a 30-year-old agreement that permits Taiwan’s…
US strategy for the Pacific moving forward
by TusiTala, Staff Writer The United States has been attentive to the concerns of Pacific Island nations as it aims to enhance its diplomatic presence in the region, according to Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell. Speaking at a media briefing in Nuku’alofa during the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting, Campbell outlined various initiatives…
