Read the latest news from regional and global sources, presenting different voices and perspectives.
COVID-19 made deep-sea mining more tempting for some Pacific islands – this could be a problem
Pacific News Service
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by Sue Farran While most Pacific islands have escaped the worst of COVID-19, a cornerstone of their economies, tourism, has taken a big hit. By June 2020, visitor arrivals in Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu had completely ceased, as borders were...
Million dollar climate funding to protect Tonga’s tuna stocks
Talanoa 'O Tonga
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March 7, 2025
Tonga is among 14 Pacific nations to receive a US$107 million Green Climate Fund (GCF) grant to safeguard their tuna industries from climate change impacts. Announced at the Honiara Summit 2025, the funding—one of the largest ever to the Pacific...
"Just, Inclusive & Equitable Energy Transition" – Are Pacific Island Countries’ Moving Towards 100 PC Renewable Energy?
Scoop
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The harmful effects of fossil fuels on the environment are now well-documented. There is a global push to move to renewable sources of energy and reduce the usage of fossil fuels to reduce the damage caused by harmful emissions that are being...
Multinational battlegroup practises urban ops
CONTACT Magazine
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July 9, 2025
Army’s Brisbane-based 7th Brigade kicked off the South Queensland Warfighter Exercise with more than 1500 soldiers from five nations training at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area. CAPTION: Australian Army soldiers from 8th/9th Battalion, Royal...
US and Allies Train Forces for Pacific War With China
Newsweek
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July 15, 2025
The United States, along with its allies and partners, is conducting a large-scale war game in Australia to train for maintaining stability in the Pacific amid growing threats from China. The three-week-long Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025—the...
Australia hosts military drills with US and other nations, likely to draw Chinese surveillance
The Messenger - Kentucky
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MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The largest-ever war-fighting drills in Australia, Exercise Talisman Sabre, are underway and expected to attract the attention of Chinese spy ships. Australia launched missiles from its M142 High Mobility Artillery...
Ground-breaking for Tonga Rugby Union’s new training facility
Matangi Tonga Online
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March 3, 2025
TRU training facility ground-breaking ceremony, group photo. Nuku'alofa, Tonga. 3 March 2025. Photo: Matangi Tonga. By Tupou Vaipulu Jr Tonga Rugby Union (TRU) began construction of their first training facility, with a ground-breaking ceremony at...
Tonga Offshore Mining spreads Christmas Joy
Talanoa 'O Tonga
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December 25, 2024
Tonga Offshore Mining Limited (TOML) celebrated the festive season with its “Bring Joy to a Child This Christmas” initiative, bringing smiles to nearly 100 disabled individuals and their caregivers. The event, held in collaboration with Kalapu...
Freight logistics companies consolidate operations
The Fiji Times
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March 4, 2025
NEPTUNE Pacific Direct Line (NPDL) has announced the consolidation of its Transam and Williams & Gosling’s businesses under the one entity Transam Fiji PTE (formerly known as Williams & Gosling PTE Limited). The two businesses have been rebranded...
Tonga allocates emergency funds for Vanuatu earthquake relief
Talanoa 'O Tonga
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December 19, 2024
Tonga’s acting Prime Minister, Samiu Vaipulu, announced today that the government has approved financial aid to support Vanuatu following the devastating earthquake. Cabinet approved $100,000 for the Vanuatu government and an additional $50,000...
Pacific leaders ‘must consider consequences’ of deep sea mining
Pacific News Service
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By Aigagalefili Fepulea’i – Tapua’i Representatives from 18 Pacific countries met in Fiji last week to discuss deep sea mining. The Deep Sea Minerals High-Level Talanoa, hosted by the Pacific Island Forum, could have set the stage for critical...
Pacific Tourism Organisation engages with Vavaʻu Leadership in Tonga Ahead of 2025 Meetings
Pacific Tourism Organisation
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February 21, 2025
In January, the Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) Chief Executive Officer Christopher Cocker joined SPTO Deputy Board Director and Ministry of Tourism in Tonga Chief Executive Officer Viliami Takau, in paying a courtesy visit to the Governor of...
Positive industry outlook reflected at ITB Berlin 2025
Xenios
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February 20, 2025
ITB Berlin is taking place on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds from 4 to 6 March 2025 and promises to be the international industry event of the year. Taking as its slogan ’The World of Travel Lives Here’, the exclusively B2B event once again covers...
Lulutai seeking $7 million subsidy as Tonga govenment assesses possibility for the airlines to be ‘wound-up’, Lulutai employs Real Tonga director as interim CEO to assist in airlines review process
Islands Business
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February 28, 2025
The Port Authority of Guam is seeking to raise tariffs by up to 17 percent this year as part of the agency’s revenue enhancement strategy. The port’s board of directors on Wednesday approved a resolution authorising the general manager to petition...
Pacific civil society groups send clear message to ban deep sea mining – Greenpeace
The Daily Blog
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February 23, 2025
A broad group of Pacific civil society organisations are calling for an outright ban on deep sea mining. The Pacific Blue Line Collective and partners, representing Pacific civil society organisations, faith-based groups, youth, women’s...
Pacific must get deep-sea mining decisions right, says Tonga Minister
Pacific News Service
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Tonga’s Minister of Lands, Survey, Planning, and Natural Resources, Dr ‘Uhilamoelangi Fasi, has called for a responsible and collaborative approach to deep-sea mining (DSM), warning that decisions made today will shape the future of the Pacific....
Deep-sea mining
Island Times
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February 25, 2025
By Shayal Devi SUVA (FIJI TIMES) — For scores of indigenous Pacific communities, the ocean remains a mysterious, vital heartbeat that sustains life on the planet. It’s a relationship that has been forged over centuries of reverence and respect for...
Pacific civil society organisations unite against Deep Sea Mining: A call…
Pacific News Service
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Civil society organisations in the Pacific have come together to urge Pacific leaders to take decisive action against deep-sea mining (DSM), calling for a permanent ban to protect the region’s marine ecosystems and indigenous rights. The call...
Ocean warming to take its toll on Pacific islands’ tuna industry
Island Times
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February 25, 2025
SUVA (PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES) — Pacific island nations, whose economies rely on tuna, are facing a 10 to 30 percent harvest decline by 2050 due to climate-related fish migration, according to research by Conservation International and the Pacific...
Pacific must get deep-sea mining decisions right, says Tongan Minister
Islands Business
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February 20, 2025
Brazil has asked the UN to throw out plans for a new levy on global shipping that would raise funds to fight the climate crisis, despite playing host to the next UN climate summit. The proposed levy on carbon dioxide emissions from shipping will...