Photo: Flickr/Jeff Adams
- Tess Newton Cain has outlined her 2017 predictions for the Pacific region, a busy year that will bring elections in Papua New Guinea and France (the latter of which may affect New Caledonia) and potential discussion on constitutional reform in several countries.
- New research will examine how the differences between state law and customary law in the Pacific region could affect the implementation of international legal agreements on with climate change.
- The PNG government has deployed troops and police in a operation to curb gun violence near a gas project in Hela province.
- Papua New Guinea's university selection process has frustrated some students who have missed out due to a shortage of places, despite high grades.
- After two Fijian men were charged over the discovery of a cache of ammunition in early January, there are fears the cache may have been part of a terrorist plan.
- Following an earthquake in Fiji, and threat of a possible tsunami, locals used social media to spread information, but an emergency response specialist has warned that this can lead to misinformation and panic.
- Solomon Islands is still experiencing aftershocks in the wake of last month’s 7.8 earthquake, including a 6.4 quake that stuck early this morning.
- Solomon Islands have contracted Huawei, a Chinese multinational, to install an undersea internet cable between Sydney and Honiara.
- Meanwhile, an internet blackout in the Marshall Islands continues, as repairs to their undersea internet cable may take longer than expected.
- The Tongan government is providing discounted fresh fish to the public in a new health initiative.