Australia and China build Solomons roads

by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer Australia has made a commitment to provide support for road infrastructure in the Malaita province of the Solomon Islands. The Australian High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands, Rod Hilton, along with Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele, attended the signing of a memorandum of understanding for the South Road Rehabilitation Project. The…

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PIF mission to New Caledonia postponed

by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer Just 10 days ago, Paris approved the mission when France’s top diplomat in the area delivered a letter from President Emmanuel Macron to the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) chair and secretary-general in Suva. Forum leaders had requested in July for a Ministerial Committee to visit Nouméa to gather information from…

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Kiribati elections update

by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer Preliminary election results in Kiribati indicate tight races for constituencies in and around the capital Tarawa, while the situation is different in the outer island electorates. Radio Kiribati has reported that some incumbent politicians, such as President Taneti Maamau in Onotoa and opposition leader Tessie Eria Lambourne in Abemama, appear…

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Papua protesters plea to Pope

by Richard Sanders, Staff Writer Indonesian security forces utilized tear gas and rubber bullets during clashes with demonstrators commemorating the 62nd anniversary of a UN accord that facilitated Jakarta’s absorption of the Papua region. According to Kimot Mote, a protest organizer, at least one protester sustained injuries from a rubber bullet, and 95 individuals were…

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Bougainville MP Fr. Simon-will be missed

by Francis Tuschek, Associate Editor Bougainville’s President, Ishmael Toroama, expressed deep sorrow over the passing of MP Father Simon Dumarinu, describing it as a significant loss for the region. The member of parliament for Central Bougainville in the Papua New Guinea National Parliament passed away last Friday. Toroama highlighted that Father Simon, a Catholic priest,…

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Kiribati election time

by Richard Sanders, Staff Writer The people of Kiribati have participated in the initial phase of voting today. The Kiribati Electoral Commission, in collaboration with the Ministry for Culture and Internal Affairs, is overseeing the election process. There is limited information available online regarding the elections, with the primary official updates being posted on the…

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Pacific resilience fund needs top up

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…

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