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Local whale watching operators in Tonga are concerned the government is handing out too many licenses while foreign operators flout the rules, putting the whales and their breeding grounds at risk.

Timor-Leste has vowed to press ahead with its controversial 'Greater Sunrise' gas project after Woodside Energy sold its 33 per cent stake, leaving the project without an operator.

Twelve people are dead after an armed robbery ended in a vehicle rollover and a gunfight with authorities.

An earthquake off Northern Vanuatu has been followed by a series of strong aftershocks throughout the weekend.

Vanuatu's government has described the actions of the so-called "second republic movement" as illegal, warning that participants could be charged with sedition.

The PNG Chiefs now have an identity of their own with the unveiling of the club's inaugural logo and jersey ahead of its debut NRL season in 2028. The Chiefs' colours and logo are out there, and replica shirts are set to go on sale to fans in PNG, but they won't be in the shops in Australia or New Zealand, as the trademark dispute with the Chiefs Super Rugby franchise rumbles on.

Papua New Guinean university students will be able to apply to join the Australian Defence Force from next month.

Reactions are mixed over the death of the South Pacific's most infamous conman Noah Musingku.

Guam breathed a sigh of relief over the weekend when Super Typhoon Champi narrowly missed a direct hit on the island.

Fijian conjoined twins have just undergone a 12-hour separation surgery in Saudi Arabia successfully.

Chief Scientist Chris Brandolino at Earth Sciences New Zealand is warning the first cyclone of the season could develop in a matter of days.

Fiji's Justice Minister and Acting Attorney General, Siromi Turaga, has resigned from his ministerial portfolio after an explicit video was shared on his Facebook page.

Before their rescue, passengers on board the stranded ferry Awka in Solomon Islands were starting to fear the worst, but Starlink kept them connected to the outside world.

Questions have been raised over the use of public funds by Solomon Islands senior officials to seek medical treatment overseas.

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese may have left Fiji but discussions at the Pre-COP31 meeting continued well into last night. As expected, climate finance dominated the talks.