Sāmoan astrophysicist graduates with first physics PhD at Auckland university
Dr Sean Richards graduated on 22 September as the first Sāmoan to complete a PhD in Physics at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, with doctoral research on how stars evolve and die.
26m ago
Australia caps backpacker visa extensions, opening room for PALM, Howes says
Development Policy Centre director Stephen Howes said Australia's cut of 84 per cent to third-year backpacker visa extensions granted for regional work is a significant opportunity for the PALM labour mobility scheme.
18 hours ago
UXO Director says 114,560 items destroyed in Solomon Islands
UXO Director Benzily Kasutaba, speaking at Palau, said unexploded ordnance still threatens communities, land access and development, according to a government statement.
18 hours ago
Police raid kwaso production sites at Fiu village
Officers from Auki broke up homebrew production houses and stalls at Fiu village and seized cooking equipment, according to a statement on the Solomon Islands Government portal.
23 hours ago
Leigh urges governments to fund only the programmes evidence shows work
In an address to Asian Evaluation Week in Manila, Australian Assistant Minister Andrew Leigh said rigorous evaluation should decide which programmes are scrapped and which are scaled up.
21 Sep 2026
Forestry Ministry and JICA sign forest management project
The Ministry of Forestry and Research and JICA have signed a Record of Discussions for a new technical cooperation project on community-based forest management, according to a Solomon Islands Government statement.
21 Sep 2026Police say sunken border patrol boat beached in south Bougainville
Villagers at Nikumu in South Bougainville recovered a police speed craft that sank at the western border on 18 September 2026, police said.
21 Sep 2026 RegionalPacific Delegations Press Fisheries Priorities at FAO Committee in Rome
Pacific Island countries and territories used the 37th Session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries in Rome to call for stronger international support for regional fisheries systems, SPC said.
21 Sep 2026
