Regional

The interactive new center is a welcome addition to the island for both locals and tourists providing them with a one-stop location for information and bookings, cultural experiences and shopping. The visitor center features an exhibition space for regular cultural performances and offers a place f…

The Electoral College, made up of 517 members, chose the two candidates backed by France’s ruling UMP in a second round of voting in Noumea. This year, New Caledonia elected for the first time two senators as the 341-member Senate is being enlarged by five members. They replace Simon Loueckhote who…

Such diseases are a “pandemic” in the Pacific, claiming six out of every 10 lives, said Danny Philip, prime minister of the Solomon Islands, in an address to the General Assembly’s annual general debate. Philip said his country had put in place a strategic plan for the next five years to try to ove…

The World Music Days “Harmony for Humanity” is inspired by the life and work of Wall Street Journal reporter and musician Daniel Pearl, who, in 2002, was murdered by terrorists while investigating a story in Pakistan. U.S. Ambassador Peter Prahar commemorated Pearl during his remarks at the event. …

Customs says it has been advised by the Community and Public Sector Union that its members will stage industrial action starting on Tuesday. The action will include one and two-hour stoppages. International airports throughout the country will be affected on Tuesday and Sydney airport will be affec…

As a result, there will be inter-connection to the existing water network, which will result in intermittent service interruption from time to time until the completion of the project. The GTWA management and board kindly ask all concerned to bear with the need for short-term service disruptions fr…

O’Neill confirmed that the controversial jet was owned by Air Niugini and not by the government anymore. “We hire the jet to use and Air Niugini sends us the bill every month like any other commercial arrangement. We are not using it free of charge,” O’Neill said. Critics of the government have voi…

The budget was bumped up by just over one million dollars when “subsequent to the public hearings, the appropriations committee identified $1,053,338 from Ministry of Health special revenue (that) was not included (in the bill originally introduced in mid-August),” said Finance Minister Jack Ading …

A Greenpeace ship, The Esperanza, has left American Samoa and will travel across the Pacific on a new campaign to protect dwindling fish stocks. Greenpeace wants marine reserves to be established in four areas of the Pacific, collectively referred to as the Pacific Commons. Greenpeace spokesman Cas…

The company got permission earlier this year to offload its fishing vessels to a Chinese container ship at the main Apia harbor. Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Le Mamea Ropati says the company is looking for a more viable business operation and it needs government assistance. The minister sa…