Oceania

A kauri cross from St. Patrick's Church in Napier was returned 44 years after it fell during the 1981 fire that destroyed the steeple, one of Hawke's Bay's largest; the artifact was recovered and has now been returned to the church

Kongu Lavata, a small but resource-rich community just minutes from Gizo, officially registered its first Community-Based Management system; the milestone initiative is aimed at improving local governance, conservation, and community development

Selling online is not automatically legal and without proper license activities can be fined; the warn comes from Bureau of Revenue & Taxation that sanctioned an individual with over $5.000 for operating an unregistered online business on Facebook

All flights have resumed in three major Australia airports after a technical issue with air traffic control communications sent terminals into chaos; Airservices Australia is addressing an issue with the systems at its Melbourne Air Traffic Service Centre

Several correctional facilities in Fiji have been visited by Commonwealth Secretariat officials as part of preparations for the upcoming Commonwealth Justice Ministerial Meeting, which Fiji will host in February 2026

Twenty-one custom chiefs from across Vanuatu have convened to call for an urgent review of the Land Reform Act, saying the legislation has not fully benefited indigenous landowners since its introduction

3.402 senior students throughout Tonga are starting their national exams this week, including 1.321 Form 5 students who have been discontinued from the national exam since 2022, under a decision taken during the COVID-19 restrictions

A memorial service was held at dawn on 27 October at the World War II Memorial in Aiwo to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the return of Nauruans who were exiled to Chuuk and 93rd anniversary of Angam Day, celebrating recovery from possible extinction

Prices of beef sausages in Port Vila have surged sharply in recent weeks, raising questions among consumers and traders about what is driving the increase; all agree that meat is much more consumed that in previous years

A popular brand of coloured sand sold in New Zealand has been urgently recalled over concerns it may contain asbestos following independent testing in Australia that confirmed asbestos contamination in similar products

A last-minute visa mix-up nearly prevented Kiribati from joining the 65th Board of Directors Meeting of the Association of Pacific Island Legislatures general assembly; people need to fly to Fiji to get the US visa to enter the Northern Mariana Islands

The opening of the 2025 American College of Trial Lawyers Trial Practice Training, hosted by the Pacific Judicial Council, brought together legal practitioners from FSM and the region focusing on promoting excellence in the administration of justice.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Solomon Islands has officially certified the Drone Support Unit as an authorized Unmanned Aircraft Operator under Part 102 of the Civil Aviation Act 2008; the certification marks a key step in modern policing capability