French Ambassador for the Pacific makes first official visit to Vanuatu

French Ambassador for the Pacific Véronique Roger-Lacan, left, held talks with the Prime Minister Jotham Napat, middle. Photo: French Embassy in Vanuatu / Jean-Baptiste Jeangène Vilmer France's Nouméa-based Ambassador for the Pacific Véronique...

New Vanuatu PM says he will ‘revisit’ 2022 security agreement with Australia

Vanuatu’s new prime minister has said his government intends to “revisit” a security agreement with Australia, arguing it does not reflect his country’s priorities including climate change and travel mobility for its citizens. Jotham Napat, who...

No Place To Hide! Lalit Modi’s Great Escape To Vanuatu Halted As Passport Revoked. India Must Act Now!

Lalit Modi, the former vice president of the BCCI has long been on the run, accused of bid rigging, money laundering, and violations of FEMA, Foreign Exchange Management Act. He left India in 2010 and since ha been under a cloud of financial...

Vanuatu to launch ICJ hearings on climate and human rights

By Nic Maclellan It began five years ago, as an exercise amongst law students at the Emalus campus of the University of the South Pacific in Port Vila, Vanuatu. Now, in the Netherlands, the Republic of Vanuatu will open presentations before the...

Fast, cheap, and tax-free: Why Indians like Lalit Modi are turning to Vanuatu for quick citizenship

Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat on Monday directed the Citizenship Commission to cancel the passport issued to former Indian Premier League (IPL) founder Lalit Modi. The move came after reports suggested that Modi had acquired Vanuatu...

Dozens of blacklisted Victorian workers stripped of children check

About half of the people banned by the childcare regulator for posing an unacceptable risk still held permission to work with children until recently, the Victorian government has revealed. The government told the ABC it had revoked the Working...

Steep and icy slopes no barrier for legally-blind skier

Georgia Gunew is all too familiar with the combination of adrenaline, excitement and nerves that come with skiing at high speeds down mountains. The fact she has a blind spot in the centre of her vision and sees in "low resolution" makes it all...

Prosthetic boxing arms help quadruple amputee back to the punching bag

When Adam Smith fell sick with the flu two years ago, no-one could have predicted how significantly it would change his life. He developed sepsis while his immunity was down and spent three weeks in a coma, waking to learn he would need to have...

Lalit Modi buys Vanuatu citizenship: Where is it and other key facts about the island country

Vanuatu has a popular citizenship by investment scheme, which allows wealthy individuals to effectively buy its passport. But where is the country located? Let's understand that along with other key facts about it. Fugitive businessman Lalit Modi...

Discover Vanuatu: A Paradise of Adventure, Culture, and Hidden Gems

Vanuatu is a destination that defies expectations, blending breathtaking natural wonders, a vibrant cultural heritage, and secluded treasures waiting to be explored. Whether you’re a culture enthusiast, or a seeker of serenity, Vanuatu promises...

Vanuatu to launch ICJ hearings on climate and human right

“At Daulomani Safe Home, we’re fighting not just the climate but society’s prejudice,” says founder Edwina Biyau, a trans advocate and survivor of homelessness. As Fiji faces the intensifying effects of climate change, vulnerable...

Cook Islanders 'completely sucked in': Deep sea mining companies accused of infiltrating society

Cook Islands nodule field - photo taken within Cook Islands EEZ. Photo: Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority Deep sea mining companies in the Cook Islands are being accused of using charity to change public perception. However, one mining...

Vanuatu PM down under after inking security pact

Vanuatu’s prime minister is in Canberra for discussions just months after signing a security agreement with Australia. Prime Minister Alatoi Ishmael Kalsakau will meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as well as opposition foreign affairs...

Fiji’s medical tourism initiative takes a leap forward with first open-heart surgery on Vanuatu patient

Fiji’s bid to become an attractive medical tourism hub of the Pacific is slowly turning into a reality because of the presence of a state-of-the-art 130-bed specialty private hospital a stone’s throw away from the Nadi International Airport....

All About Vanuatu: Island Nation That Cancelled Lalit Modi's Passport

The Vanuatu government cancelled the passport issued to Indian Premier League (IPL) founder Lalit Modi, saying that escaping extradition was not a legitimate reason for citizenship in the island nation. Lalit Modi, wanted in India for alleged...

COVID-19 made deep-sea mining more tempting for some Pacific islands – this could be a problem

by Sue Farran While most Pacific islands have escaped the worst of COVID-19, a cornerstone of their economies, tourism, has taken a big hit. By June 2020, visitor arrivals in Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu had completely ceased, as borders were...

REnew Pacific grants now available to deliver off-grid renewable energy in Palau’s remote communities

10 March 2025– The Australian Government’s REnew Pacific program has launched its first call for proposals for off-grid renewable energy solutions, offering an exciting opportunity to power remote communities in Palau with clean energy for...

China's struggle for growth is reshaping its Pacific diplomacy

China's rise in the Pacific isn't just about aid or diplomacy — it's about survival and power. As domestic demand slows and Western tariffs squeeze exports, Beijing has been forced to turn its industrial surplus outward. Behind the roads, mines...

Solomon Islanders Call for Sustainable, Community-Driven Tourism

The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO), in partnership with Tourism Solomons (TSO) and Solomon Islands Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT), has released the results of the 2024 Community Attitude Survey (CAS)—the first nationwide study of its...

Timor-Leste Community Voices Highlight Tourism’s Promise and Challenges

The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO), in collaboration with Timor-Leste’s Ministry of Tourism and Environment (MTA), released the findings of the 2024–2025 Community Attitudes Survey (CAS)—Timor-Leste’s first comprehensive national study on...