Pacific Islands focus: health and gender inequities, climate updates, and some hope for marine biodiversity

Introduction by Croakey: In breaking news on Thursday, Papua New Guinea’s cabinet has approved a landmark defence agreement with Australia. PNG’s Prime Minister James Marape said the agreement, known as the PukPuk treaty, “will elevate the two...

Solomon Islands pushes UN to back Pacific-led peace and resilience agenda

Solomon Islands Prime Minister and Forum Chair Jeremiah Manele has told the United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) last week that the world is entering “a moment of profound uncertainty,” warning against militarisation, rising inequality, and...

Solomon Islands strengthens bilateral ties with Indonesia

BY LORETTA B MANELE Solomon Islands is strengthening its bilateral ties with Indonesia. According to a press statement from the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (OPMC), Acting Prime Minister, Bradley Tovosia received a courtesy call last...

Solomon Islands exports to China hit $2.3 billion in six years

BY NED GAGAHE China has emerged as Solomon Islands’ largest trading partner, with two-way trade surging past US$3.5 billion in just six years since diplomatic ties between the two countries were formalised in 2019. The major milestone was...

World leaders back UN plan to combat non-communicable diseases and mental health

A delegate from Kiribati in a meeting during the third day of the general debate of the General Assembly's eightieth session. September 2025 Photo: UN Photo/Laura Jarriel World leaders have thrown their weight behind a United Nations (UN)...

OPINION | A health and development challenge for the Pacific

Diabetes The first article in this series reported on the latest trends in development assistance for health and the second focused on the rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) globally and especially in low- and middle-income countries. This...

Helpful, but won’t guarantee deferment, say economists

The United Nations (UN) will support an assessment of Bangladesh's readiness to graduate from least developed country (LDC) status, which economists say would be helpful for, but not guarantee, a deferment of the transition. The review is expected...

Strengthening animal health with Australia

BY CHRIS ALEX Animal and plant health systems in Solomon Islands are set to improve with the help of Australia. This was discussed among animal health experts at the “Livestock and Biosecurity Partnership Dialogue” last week at SINU in Honiara....

U.S. island in the Pacific endures "ecological disaster”

Since the middle of the 20th century, a non-native species of snake has wrought havoc with the ecosystem on Guam, a small U.S. territory nestled in the Western Pacific Ocean. Most notably, the snake’s invasion of the 210-square-mile,...

After 83 years, WWII Marine returns home to rest beside brother

Ken Budd holds a photo of brother, Robert, in 1989. The photo was taken shortly before Budd’s third trip to Guadalcanal to look for his brother’s body. Robert was found in 2021, just a month after his brother’s death. (Ellen M. Blalock via TNS)...

Solomon Islands Strengthens Partnership with India at FIPIC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

New York, Wednesday 24 September 2025 – Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade Peter Shanel Agovaka (MP) highlighted the Solomon Islands’ commitment to strengthening its bilateral partnership with India during the Forum for India-Pacific...

PNG approves contentious defence treaty with Australia: PM

Agence France-Presse . Sydney, Australia 02 October, 2025, 22:58 Papua New Guinea’s cabinet has approved a contentious mutual defence treaty with Australia, the Pacific country’s prime minister said Thursday, as Canberra seeks to deepen ties with...

Outrage as Solomon Islands government orders vetting of stories on national broadcaster

The Solomon Islands’ government has prompted outrage by ordering the censorship of the national broadcaster, forbidding it from publishing material critical of the government, which will vet all stories before broadcast. On Monday the government...

2nd Ocean Conference gets underway in Honiara

The second Pacific Islands Ocean Conference 2025 is underway in Honiara this week. It was officially opened on Monday, bringing together around 350 participants from across the region to strengthen collaboration on sustainable ocean governance....

PIF calls for stronger global action on NCDs and mental health

BY NED GAGAHE The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) has made a powerful call for renewed global commitment to tackle Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and mental health challenges in the region. Delivering the Forum’s statement at the Fourth High-Level...

West Deputy Premier: strategy, interventions key to health success

WESTERN Province Deputy Premier, Hon. Brian Lotikena, has underscored the importance of strategic planning and timely interventions in strengthening the country’s health outcomes. Hon. Lotikena made the remarks during the closing program of the...

‘Awareness key to tackling child sexual abuse in Solomon Islands’

BY JOHN HOUANIHAU Despite strict laws against sexual abuse, Solomon Islands continues to record alarmingly high cases of this, according to Dr. Koen Sevenants, a consultant for UNICEF’s Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) for Children...

HIV 'national crisis' in Fiji - assistant health minister

selective focus of negative and positive hiv blood sample test on red background Photo: Copyright: lightfieldstudios Fiji's assistant health minister says the country may record more than 3000 HIV cases by the end of the year. The country declared...

PM Manele Highlights Solomon Islands’ Leadership in Ocean Governance at Bloomberg Global Forum

New York, USA, Wednesday 24 September 2025 – Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele today participated in a high-level roundtable discussion at the 2025 Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Forum in New York, emphasizing the country’s progress in advancing...

Reunited: WWII Soldier Returns Home After 83 Years to Be Buried Next to Brother

Kathy Kinane of Camillus, N.Y., said her dad, Ken Budd, and her uncle, Robert, had a “wonderfully close” brotherly connection. Though he was 10 years younger, Ken idolized his older brother. “My uncle would take him places and cover for him,”...