Staff Wrtiters In August of last year, Japan initiated the release of water that had been collected from the Fukushima nuclear plant following a meltdown caused by an earthquake and tsunami in 2011. The response from Pacific leaders was varied, with some expressing support for the move and others strongly opposing it, particularly advocates for…
By Tusi Tala, Staff Writer Tonga has secured the support of Pacific economic ministers to be the host of the regional community resilience financing facility. The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders have approved the establishment of the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) to facilitate easier access to climate financing for climate adaptation, disaster preparedness, and early…
by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer Business owners in New Caledonia’s capital, Nouméa, are noticing a concerning trend where individuals or newly established entities are increasingly providing “protection” services, as per a report by local public broadcaster NC la Première. These “protection fees” are being imposed on businesses that have not yet been destroyed by fire…
by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer France has authorized a significant Pacific “fact-finding mission” to New Caledonia to gather information from all involved parties amid the ongoing crisis. In an exclusive interview with RNZ Pacific on Friday evening, Véronique Roger-Lacan, the French Ambassador to the Pacific, announced the approval of a troika mission for fact-finding in…
by Francis Tuschek, Staff Writer The Chamorros, the native inhabitants of the Mariana Islands in Micronesia, are split between Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands politically. Presently, Chamorro heritage is upheld through language sharing and education provided by The Guam Museum. Despite this, asserting themselves and having a voice as a US territory remains an…
by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer Glen Malcolm Conning, aged 50, was slain by a separatist group called the Free Papua Organisation (OPM) when insurgents corralled the occupants of the helicopter, including four passengers, following their landing in a remote area in Central Papua province. The passengers are said to be unharmed. In a statement issued…
by Richard Sanders, Staff Writer The Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and Prime Minister of Tonga, Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni, is still awaiting approval from Paris for a Pacific mission to New Caledonia. Recently, the French Ambassador to the Pacific, Véronique Roger-Lacan, mentioned that President Emmanuel Macron has not yet signed a letter permitting…
by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer The Prime Minister of Fiji, Sitiveni Rabuka, has reportedly confirmed that the Fijian government has initiated preparations to revise the country’s constitution. The 2013 Constitution has faced criticism from political analysts and critics of the previous FijiFirst government, including Rabuka, who viewed it as being “imposed on the people.” Former…
by Richard Sanders, Staff Writer A separatist group in the easternmost region of Papua in Indonesia has reportedly agreed to release New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens, who has been held captive for over a year since being kidnapped. According to an audio message from a spokesperson on Saturday, an armed faction of the West Papua…
The head of the independent faction in the Solomon Islands has raised doubts about whether the country remains truly independent. According to a report by SIBC, Peter Kenilorea Jr responded to a government statement that accused him of breaching the one-China policy and undermining the Solomon Islands government’s ties with Beijing. This accusation came after…