by Martin Haffner Associate Editor Australia will get an effective veto right over Nauru entering a security agreement with another country under a pact that will prop up the Pacific nation’s budget. The two countries will have to mutually agree to any engagement in Nauru’s security, banking and telecommunications sectors and consult on outside engagement…
by Martin Haffner Associate editor Watchdog Lambasts PNG’s Poor Governance in Controversial Forestry Deal In a startling escalation of concerns over governance in Papua New Guinea (PNG), a prominent watchdog organization has publicly denounced the country’s handling of a controversial forestry deal. The report, which details significant lapses in transparency and accountability, raises urgent questions…
by Martin Haffner Associate Editor Palau’s President Surangel Whipps Jr is inviting United States President-elect Donald Trump to “visit the Pacific” to see firsthand the impacts of the climate crisis. Palau is set to host the largest annual Pacific leaders meeting in 2026, and the country’s leader Whipps told RNZ Pacific he would “love” Trump…
Tusi Tala, Staff Writer The Solomon Islands Law Reform Commission is currently evaluating the Islanders’ Marriage and Divorce Act, specifically considering raising the legal marriage age from 15 to 18 years. A report from a coalition of charities in the Solomon Islands, known as Solomon Islands Endim Vaelens Agenstims Pikinini, revealed that one in five…
by Martin Haffner Associate Editor The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague has become a battleground in the global fight against climate change, as the Cook Islands, Marshall Islands, and Solomon Islands presented impassioned arguments urging the Court to recognise the legal obligations of States in addressing the climate crisis. Representing some of…
by Jake Sanders, Editor Update: Malaysian Immigration to Deport Serey Sam Back to Denmark In a significant turn of events, Malaysian immigration authorities have decided to deport Serey Sam, a prominent Cambodian activist, back to Denmark. This decision follows his detention on December 4, 2024, while attempting to enter Malaysia on a Danish refugee document….
by Martin Haffner Associate Editor Voters have until 5pm today (03 December) to register to vote in the Snap Election on 14 January 2025, including the by-election for the Northern Ward Constituency of the Port Vila City Council (PVCC). Citizens who have recently turned 18, those who are 18 but have not yet registered, and…
by Martin Haffner Associate Editor A policing expert in the Pacific says that as cyber threats become more sophisticated, the role of governments and organisations in safeguarding their assets has never been more critical. To address this, a security awareness training programme is being implemented to develop an information security mindset within the Pacific police…
by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer President William Lai arrived in the Marshall Islands today, following his visit to Hawaii as part of his Pacific tour. The Marshall Islands is one of the last 12 nations to officially recognize Taiwan. Upon his arrival in the capital, Majuro, Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine warmly welcomed Lai, who…
by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer Vanuatu’s caretaker Foreign Minister Matai Seremaiah has stated that regional labor mobility programs are affecting the local kava industry. He noted that the influx of Ni-Vanuatu workers taking seasonal jobs abroad has diminished the local workforce available for kava farming. “Farmers need assurance of a market to encourage planting,” he…