Culture and Arts

Malaita woman is the voice of the world hit 'Sweet Lullaby'. A new film finds her family and Deep Forest names her

The voice in Deep Forest's 1992 hit Sweet Lullaby is Afunakwa, a Baegu woman from Malaita, singing a lullaby about two orphans. A new film has found her family, who say none of the money reached them. In October the band began to name her.

2 hours ago · 10 min read Read story →

Helen, Afunakwa's last surviving child, listens to the 1969 recording of her mother's voice in the opening scene of Searching for Afunakwa. Source: Searching for Afunakwa

Pacific flags at Rugby League World Cup celebrate more than sport, lecturer says

Dr Caleb Panapa Marsters of the University of Auckland said the Pacific flags flying across Auckland during the Rugby League World Cup show the ties diaspora communities keep with their homelands, and singled out Papua New Guinea's passion for the game.

32m ago

Arie Rasmussen Magasiva, left, rowing in a double scull named Ngunguru

Sports

Samoan-Cook Islands rower Arie Rasmussen Magasiva wins Auckland Pasifika Blues Award

Rower Arie Rasmussen Magasiva, 23, received the Major Pasifika Award at the 2026 Blues Awards of Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, on 2 October.

15 hours ago

Australia Awards scholars with the prime minister, the Australian high commissioner and government and DFAT officials at the farewell dinner for the 2027 intake

Regional

Record 50 Solomon Islanders Finish Training Before Australia Awards Study

A record 50 Solomon Islanders have completed pre-departure training before starting Australia Awards scholarships in Australia in 2027, the Australian High Commission said. Women make up two-thirds of the cohort.

16 Oct 2026

Politics

Sogavare Conveys Opposition Condolences on Passing of MP David Gina

Leader of the Official Opposition Manasseh Damukana Sogavare has extended condolences on behalf of the Opposition Group in Parliament on the passing of Hon David Gina, MP for South New Georgia, Rendova and Tetepari.

16 Oct 2026

Officials at the solar LED light installation project in Gizo, Western Province.

Regional

Australia Hands Over 19 Community Projects in Gizo and Noro

Australia has handed over 19 community infrastructure projects in Gizo and Noro under phase two of the Community Access and Urban Services Enhancement Project, which is jointly financed with the World Bank.

16 Oct 2026

Regional

EIB says 2025 financing will improve water supplies for eight million in Asia-Pacific

The European Investment Bank said projects it financed in 2025 are expected to improve water supplies for nearly eight million people in Asia and the Pacific, including climate-resilient transport infrastructure in Kiribati.

16 Oct 2026

Economy

Copra Buying Centre Handed Over to Kaevanga Association in Isabel

A copra and cocoa storage and buying centre funded under the China-backed Rural Sustainable Development Programme was handed over to the Kaevanga Community Development Association in Isabel Province on 7 October 2026.

15 Oct 2026 Economy

Six Chevening scholars return home with UK master's degrees

Six Solomon Islands Chevening Scholars have returned after completing one-year master's degrees at UK universities, the British High Commission in Honiara said on 15 October.

15 Oct 2026

Culture & Arts

Malaita woman is the voice of the world hit 'Sweet Lullaby'. A new film finds her family and Deep Forest names her

Solomon Islands Entrant Wins Pacific Dataviz Prize for Cyclone Visualisation

Niue-born professor Sir Collin Tukuitonga takes Pacific health case to global bodies

Health ministry launches Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2026

First baby born at new Naha Birthing Centre since official opening

Pacific flags at Rugby League World Cup celebrate more than sport, lecturer says

Samoan-Cook Islands rower Arie Rasmussen Magasiva wins Auckland Pasifika Blues Award

Record 50 Solomon Islanders Finish Training Before Australia Awards Study

Sogavare Conveys Opposition Condolences on Passing of MP David Gina

Australia Hands Over 19 Community Projects in Gizo and Noro

EIB says 2025 financing will improve water supplies for eight million in Asia-Pacific

Copra Buying Centre Handed Over to Kaevanga Association in Isabel

Six Chevening scholars return home with UK master's degrees

Malaita woman is the voice of the world hit 'Sweet Lullaby'. A new film finds her family and Deep Forest names her

Dance scholar credits Suva childhood for research into Siva Samoa

West Papuan researcher graduates with doctorate on Muyu noken string bags

Commonwealth Poet Laureate Selina Tusitala Marsh visits Tuvalu for first time

Samoan-Cook Islands rower Arie Rasmussen Magasiva wins Auckland Pasifika Blues Award

Jerome Leong Returns to Honiara as an ADF Volleyball Coach

Solomon Islands to Host 2027 OFC Pro League Finals in Honiara

Coaches and Umpires Trained in Sports First Aid