Oceania Samoa A power outage in Upolu exposed the vulnerabilities of Moto'otua National Hospital's emergency power supply, as the backup generator failed to kick in, leaving the facility without electricity for an hour earlier this week
Oceania Vanuatu Malapoa College has experienced a dramatic drop in students' enrollment due to lack of classrooms, acting Principle says: intake has been reduced to around 800, down from over 1.500, with 100 students admitted into Year 11 and another 100 into Year 13
Oceania Tonga 25 Tongan police officers successfully completed a two-week leadership training programme for 'emerging leaders' conducted in collaboration with the UK College of Policing
Oceania New Zealand A new report by NZ Post revealed that shoppers spent NZ$1,73 billion ($984 million) online between October and December 2024, a 9% increase over the same period in 2023
Oceania Samoa Cervical cancer, which is currently the sixth most common form of cancer in Samoa, is the object of attention of the ministry, working on a new vaccination programme
Oceania Palau The Senate is again considering a proposal to lift the ban on the export of reef fish, with a bill that would allow limited shipments abroad of certain species for personal use
Oceania Papua New Guinea Arnold Amet has been appointed as the new ambassador to the United States; his endorsement, that came both from King Charles III and US President Donald Trump, marks a step in strengthening relations between the countries
Oceania Fiji The Fiji National Provident Fund is in negotiations with the Government to allow its members to make voluntary contributions after they reach 55 years of age, the age of entitlement to retirement for FNPF members
Oceania Marshall Islands An impactful project to fix Majuro's drainage system is underway; the foundation stone-laying ceremony was held in Rita, under contract to local company AC Construction
Oceania Australia 157 stranded cetaceans, of the pseudorhynchus species, were found on a beach on the north-west coast of Tasmania; the animals will have to be suppressed because the beach cannot be reached by sufficiently means of transport large enough
Oceania Vanuatu The new interest rate has been increased from 2,5% to 2,75%; the initiative of the Reserve Bank of Vanuatu aims to control inflation, with the economy expected to grow by 3,6% this year
Oceania Tuvalu Palau, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands have decided to install microgrids for aquaculture and agriculture that will provide more than 50% of the energy needed for the demonstration farms and aquaculture centres on each island
Oceania Tonga Ten cases of dengue fever have been confirmed in Tonga and according to the Minister of Health the are likely to increase