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…
by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer At the commencement of the Forum Economic Ministers Meeting (FEMM) in Suva today, the Finance Minister of Tonga, who also serves as the chair, emphasized the importance of capitalizing on growth opportunities. According to PACNEWS, discussions over the next two days will revolve around crucial economic priorities such as technology,…
by Tusi Tasi, Staff Writer A prominent Kanak tribal leader has declared his resignation from the Customary Senate of New Caledonia. Hippolyte Sinewami Htamumu, who once led the 16-member traditional Senate of chiefs established under the terms of the Nouméa Accord signed in 1998, cited reasons of “inefficiency” and “politicization” for his decision to step…
Peter Kenilorea being interviewed yesterday in Taipei by Jake Sanders, Editor In the dynamic arena of international diplomacy, Solomon Islands politician Peter Kenilorea has emerged as a key figure advocating for a delicate balancing act in the country’s foreign relations. With a background deeply rooted in the political history of the Solomon Islands, Kenilorea’s recent…
by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer IPAC photo Lawmakers from 23 countries across five continents including the Solomon Islands are in Taipei for a summit, the largest ever MP delegation visit to Taiwan. The lawmakers, drawn from a broad spectrum of the world’s political parties, are members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), coming together…
by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer Following a meeting between President Macron and New Caledonia’s French Parliamentarians in Paris, the French Pacific archipelago announced a relaxation of its curfew hours on Friday. The dusk-to-dawn curfew, originally imposed after violent civil unrest on May 13, will now be in effect from 10 pm to 5 am starting…