Pacific Beat

What opportunities is China's booming economy providing for Pacific businesses? And what are the challenges? These are some of the questions facing the European-funded Facilitating Agricultural Commodity Trade project.

A report commissioned by Oxfam outlines the social implications of the LNG project in Papua New Guinea.

Pacific leaders met with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda in Japan over the weekend, where he pledged $500 million US in aid to the region over the next three years.

Samoa celebrates its 50th year of independence on June 1.

The youth employment crisis is the theme for The International Labour Organisation's 101st session underway in Geneva.

In this week's women's segment we talked about the Well Women's Clinic in Port Moresby.

A recent report has recommended a new commercial bank be established in Solomon Islands' province of Malaita for Malaitans.

The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program is celebrating 20 years of service to the region.

The newly elected President of the Tonga Rugby Board, Epeli Taione says he'll do his best to put Tongan rugby back on track.

There are feelings of relief and elation in Solomon Islands after the rescue of 49 people who'd been adrift in the open sea in life rafts after an inter island ship sank last Wednesday.

Police in Papua New Guinea are interviewing another senior judge and say they expect to charge him with sedition.

Australia's Foreign Minister Bob Carr has urged all politicians in Papua New Guinea to focus on elections in June.

Tonga's first major renewable electricity generation plant, a solar farm on the main island of Tongatapu, will be ready for commissioning in late July.

The New Zealand opposition has accused the government of Prime Minister John Key of foregoing its commitment to the island nations of the Pacific region.

In New Zealand, two double-hulled voyaging canoes are being prepared for a10 thousand nautical miles return journey to Rapa Nui, or Easter Island in Chile.

The Australian Air Force has helped in the rescue of 49 people who were adrift in Solomon Islands waters for four days after their boat sank.

Census data shows 30 per cent of Marshall Islands' population resides in the United States.

There's been a new call for the incoming government in Papua New Guinea to stop the Nautilus Deep Sea mining project going ahead.

Representatives from Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Solomon Islands have recently participated at the Pacific Strategy Meeting for Girl Guides hosted by Fiji.

The All Whites have beaten Honduras in sweltering conditions in Dallas.