New York Times Reporting by Yan Zhuang: After days of riots in the Solomon Islands during which protesters called for Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare to resign, set buildings ablaze and looted stores, authorities on Saturday said they had found the bodies of three people in a burned-out building of a store in the Chinatown district. They are the first reported deaths after days of violent protests in Honiara, the nation’s capital. Australia sent around 100 police officers and soldiers Thursday and Friday to help stabilize the situation, and Papua New Guinea sent 35 police and correctional service personnel Friday.
You are here
Results for Pacific Islands
Sunday 28 November 2021
Melbourne, Australia
Thursday 11 November 2021
Glasgow, United Kingdom
The dangerous effects of climate change continue to threaten Tonga's environment as well as the livelihoods and future existence of our people, Tonga's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, H.E. Hon. Fanetupouvava'u Tu'ivakano told the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference, Wednesday, in presenting Tonga's National Statement.
Thursday 11 November 2021
Glasgow, United Kingdom
A sea level rise of one metre will be devasting for Tongatapu where, “Under this scenario, 25% of buildings, 11% of roads, 16% of water, and 29% of power infrastructure would be permanently lost,” new modelling shows. The findings of a groundbreaking report analyzing climate and disaster risk management in the Pacific nation of Tonga, one of the most vulnerable in the world to the impact of climate change, was discussed at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, in Glasgow this week. New assets need to be developed away from low-lying high risk locations, it says.
Tuesday 9 November 2021
Premium content
Suva, Fiji
The Premier of Niue, Hon. Dalton Emani Makamau Tagelagi was installed as the new Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific (USP) this week.
Premium content
Wednesday 27 October 2021
Premium content
Suva, Fiji
Fiji is on track to open its borders to fully vaccinated travellers as the number of new COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to decrease in the country, while a high percentage of its adult population have been inoculated. About 96.2% of eligible adults have received their first dose, and 86.3% are now fully vaccinated in the country.
Premium content
Monday 25 October 2021
Premium content
Melbourne, Australia
Australian telecommunications company, Telstra, announced today it will acquire Digicel Pacific for US$1.6 billion, in partnership with the Australian Government. Telstra plans to retain the same Digicel brand and the current Digicel Pacific management team will continue to lead the business.
Premium content
Sunday 24 October 2021
Auckland, New Zealand
Ana Waalkens spent a week in Auckland City Hospital's intensive care unit after falling ill days after a growing Delta outbreak was discovered in Auckland in August - and before the 38-year-old was eligible to be vaccinated. Waalkens is telling her story because she wants everyone, especially fellow Pasifika - she has Tongan heritage - to get vaccinated so they don't suffer as she and her family had. Waalkens was fighting for her life. "My family and friends all thought I was going to die,” she said. By Cherie Howie, Reporter NZ Herald.
Friday 22 October 2021
Apia, Samoa
The Pacific is likely to experience a rare occurrence of what is called a double dip La Niña in the coming months, Climate models and predictions tools used by Pacific National Meteorological and Hydrological services (NMHSs) show. As a result, Pacific Island countries in the Central Pacific region such as Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu may experience below normal rainfall during this period, while islands in the South West Pacific will experience higher than normal rainfall, such as Fiji, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.
Tuesday 19 October 2021
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga's Fekita ‘Utoikamanu is a member of the jury for the Island Innovation Awards, an international initiative that is calling for applications in 12 award categories. The awards are focused on celebrating excellence in sustainability and are hosted by Island Innovation, in partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative. Applications are open until November 5, for projects in island communities. There are no monetary awards but the initiative aims to provide global exposure for projects that drive positive change.
Premium content
Monday 18 October 2021
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
One hundred and fifty Samoan RSE workers left Samoa for New Zealand on Saturday, 16 October under a special arrangement to facilitate a One-way Quarantine-free Travel Arrangement from Samoa to New Zealand that was signed by the Samoan Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mataafa and the New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Arden on 1 October 2021.
Premium content
Tuesday 12 October 2021
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Fiji will reopen its border to ‘travel partner countries’ from 11 November, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama announced on Fiji Day, 10 October.
Premium content
Monday 4 October 2021
Premium content
Suva, Fiji
Life in Fiji is starting to return to normal as businesses re-open at 70 percent capacity starting from today but only for people who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19. There are currently 12,828 active COVID-19 cases in Fiji. Since the COVID-19 outbreak that started in April 2021, there have been 51,132 cases and 631 deaths there.
Premium content
Thursday 23 September 2021
Dubai, UAE
The Tongan Pavilion at Dubai Expo 2020, a multi-million dollar facility built with assistance from the government of UAE, was officially handed over to Tonga's Ambassador, ahead of the official opening of the world expo next week. The theme of the pavilion ‘One Planet for All’ aims to shed light on the dangers of plastic waste to the ocean, its inhabitants and the subsequent challenges faced by the Pacific people.
Tuesday 21 September 2021
Hamilton, New Zealand
New research into the effect of drinking kava on driving has revealed it has a significant impact on temporal order judgement - or how well the brain is able to keep track of the order of events. Dr Apo Aporosa says the research findings will assist with kava drink-driving cases in court, but there is more work to be done.
Monday 20 September 2021
Premium content
Pago Pago, American Samoa
American Samoa recorded its first COVID-19 case this month, after a resident who returned from Honolulu on September 13 tested positive for the virus. Only 7 countries in the world remain COVID-19 free to date. They include Tonga, Kiribati, Micronesia, Tuvalu, Nauru, North Korea and Turkmenistan. Four other dependencies or territories in the Pacific - Tokelau, Niue, Pitcairn Island, and Cook Islands - also remain COVID-19 free.
Premium content
Wednesday 15 September 2021
Hamilton, New Zealand
In New Zealand, the University of Waikato, in support of increased Covid-19 vaccination rates among Māori and Pacific communities, will host a vaccination clinic and drive on September 16 to mark Kīngitanga day. There is concern that vaccination rates among the Māori and Pacific communities are lower when compared to the New Zealand national average, while some studies also suggest that Pacific people are three times more likely to need hospitalisation when infected with the virus than non-Pacific people.
Wednesday 15 September 2021
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Emosi Vakarua, the Secretary General of the University of the South Pacific Students' Association is calling on the Fijian Government to release the grant payments that it owes to the University of the South Pacific (USP).
Premium content
Wednesday 15 September 2021
Premium content
Auckland, New Zealand
Seasonal workers from Tonga, Samoa, and Vanuatu will be able to travel to New Zealand quarantine-free starting in October, announced New Zealand’s COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor yesterday, September 14. The arrangement will help New Zealand’s horticulture industry for the upcoming picking season.
Premium content
Monday 13 September 2021
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The new Director General of the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme will be Mr Sefanaia Nawadra, the SPREP Secretariat announced on 9 September, in Apia, Samoa. He will take over the role from Mr Kosi Latu on 4 April 2022.
Premium content
Monday 13 September 2021
Premium content
Suva, Fiji
Heads of Customs in the Pacific, including Tonga, have agreed that they need to work together with national security to ensure the region is more secure from transnational crimes. Despite border closures because of COVID-19, they say threats in the Pacific remain high from illegal activities, which are often facilitated by trusted insiders.
Premium content
