Teuila Fuatai

Almost two weeks after Tonga's general election, four MPs - including two former prime ministers and a former speaker - are being floated as potential candidates for the top job. Audio

Lord Fakafanua was re-elected as a nobles' representative for Ha'apai in last week's general election.

Caretaker Prime Minister Dr Aisake 'Eke has retained his seat in parliament for another term, winning his Tongatapu 5 constituency by nearly three-quarters of the electorate vote. Audio

Voting continues for the general public to elect 17 people's representatives, who will join their nine noble counterparts in the Legislative Assembly.

There are 71 candidates vying for a seat in parliament, including eight women. Audio

A fuel shortage on the eve of the general election highlights a variety of challenges Tongans are juggling as they prepare to head to the polls.

The Women and Children's Crisis Centre in Tonga is calling for a stronger female voice in the kingdom's parliament, as only eight women are confirmed to contest the polls next week.

A geopolitical analyst says the prime minister should fix the diplomatic stand-off, as the foreign minister is making things worse. Audio

In 2010 - the first election following the kingdom's constitutional reforms - voter participation peaked at 91 percent. But in last election in 2021, voter participation was just 62 percent.

The first of potentially hundreds of individuals deemed "non-citizens" by Australia have been removed to Nauru as part of $2.5 billion resettlement arrangement between the nations. Audio

Tongans will head to the polls on 20 November. Audio

Tafitoala villagers are pleading for Manawanui wreckage compensation, saying "we are fighting for a big amount" as their livelihoods are most affected.

New Zealand's Foreign Minister says the Paris Agreement fails to hold the world's biggest emitters accountable. Audio

They say the tougher deportation laws put Pacific people at risk and are hypocritical. Audio

The Papua New Guinea prime minister is rebuffing any suggestion that Beijing has had a hand in derailing a new security deal the country is negotiating with Australia. Audio

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape says challenges, like corruption, crime and poverty, will need to be addressed for the country to move forward in the next 50 years. Audio

"1975 was just a construct of nation, as depicted in United Nations Charter. Before that, we were a people that existed."

The Autonomous Bougainville Government says the landing of a NZDF plane in Buka on the day before the region went to the polls breached the Bougainville Peace Agreement. Audio

In Aotearoa, a small community is celebrating a huge win against 80 years of sand mining on their coastline. Audio

Dr Ananda Amarasinghe said a four-year-old Lae boy had paralysis in his left leg and left hand.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spent eight months requesting to view agreements made by Prime Minister Mark Brown with Beijing, documents released under the Official Information Act show.

The Metals Company is advancing deep sea mining ambitions with Nauru and Tonga, bypassing UN oversight by leveraging a United States regulatory pathway.

The Fijian Prime Minister's initiative to declare the Pacific an 'ocean of peace' is slated for approval at the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Honiara next month. Audio

Solomon Islands Prime Minister's proposal not to invite the likes of the US, China and Taiwan has been approved at the Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Fiji.

The NZ Foreign Minister fell just short of confirming that Honiara has made an independent move to shut the door on Pacific Islands Forum dialogue partners for this year's annual leaders' summit.