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Digicel celebrates family this Christmas

Digicel is once again bringing families and the Pacific’s greatest musical talent together with an upbeat new version of their hit song ‘We Are Family’. This new rendition is a cheerful Pacific Christmas music collaboration, available to all Digicel customers across the company’s six Pacific countries. 

Drought-stricken Pacific nations to brace for likely disease

Disaster officials in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu and Tonga have reported this week that the situation is already bad and they are expecting it to get worse.

Australian agricultural scientist, Mike Bourke says remote areas such as those in Vanuatu's south, worst affected by Cyclone Pam, will need attention, particularly with treatment of disease.

PNG judicial independence queried

The lawyers, Greg Egan and Terence Lambert, were preparing to represent PNG investigators in a major fraud case against the Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill.

But they were blocked from entering the country, apparently on instruction from Chief Migration Officer Mataio Rabura.

An executive member for the Law Council of Australia, Morry Bailes, says he is disturbed by the reports.

U20 World Cup spot up for grabs for Oceania women

PNG replaced South Africa as World Cup hosts in March, gifting them automatic qualification and a second berth for Oceania.

Hosts Tonga face a tough test in today's opening match against defending Oceania champions New Zealand, who have been on an unbeaten run since 2002.

Coach Penateti Feke was a part of the Tongan team at July's Pacific Games.

She's selected four of her teammates from that event, while nine have experience from last year's Under 20 tournament.

Indonesia condemns abduction of pair in PNG

The Indonesian Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi says the government is trying to free the hostages, who the Antara news agency reports were kidnapped by villagers from Skoutio village in PNG's West Sepik province last Wednesday.

Armed men reportedly ambushed them while they were conducting logging operations in Skopro, within Papua and a three-hour walk from Skoutio village.

Another Indonesian logging worker was reportedly shot during the incident in which the men were captured, but was not taken into detention and is now in hospital in Jayapua.

Greenpeace calls for investigation into illegal fishing by Taiwanese ship

“We are still tracking the Shuen De Ching No.888 and we have supplied all our information to the nations where the ship might pull into their ports, including Papua New Guinea, Nauru and Fiji.

“We think it is vital for Pacific nations to investigate this ship to show that illegal fishing will not be tolerated, particularly as the region tries to develop a sustainable fisheries industry,” said Lagi Toribau, Greenpeace Australia Pacific Global Tuna campaigner from aboard Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior ship.

Papua New Guinea and Pacific Community mark new era

The people of Papua New Guinea stand to benefit from the new agreement between their government and the Pacific region’s principal scientific and technical organisation which will strengthen ties to address the country’s complex development challenges in a more holistic way.

“This agreement is based on a genuine spirit of collaboration in which our government and the Pacific Community will seek to complement one another’s efforts more and embrace the contributions of other partners to achieve development outcomes that will assist the people who need it most,” Minister Pato said.

We are co-operating with PNG on Manus case

The three, who worked for a security contractor at the asylum seeker processing centre on PNG's Manus Island, are accused of raping another employee at the Australian-run centre.

Shortly after the alleged rape in July, the three were flown out of the country.

PNG police efforts to have the three extradited have so far been unsuccessful.

PNG's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said the three guards must be returned to be tried under the law in PNG, where rape convictions carry the death sentence.

Robust talks tipped for Pacific forum

Port Moresby is hosting the Pacific Islands Forum leaders summit from Monday and Rimbink Pato says PNG is ready to take on a strong leadership role on shared development, social, economic and environmental challenges.

“In order for regionalism to work properly the leaders will hold frank discussions about pooling sovereignty, sharing resources and agreeing upon regional practices,” Pato told reporters in Port Moresby on Friday.

Attempt to smuggle bullets to Papua foiled

A Jakarta police spokesperson says they are still investigating the case, but it's suspected the ammunition had been ordered by Papuan separatists.

The police say the ammunition was found without proper paperwork on Monday, and was ready to be dispatched to Papua.

After arresting the man who checked in the baggage, the police say they learned that a Papua separatist group member had ordered the bullets.

The ammunition is now being kept at the airport while investigations continue.