Tonga's Prime Minister Lord Fakafanua has invited the US Deputy Secretary of State to visit the Kingdom in a bid to strengthen ties with Washington. The invitation comes after the United States imposed a travel ban on Tongans, halting new visitor and student visas.

US deep sea mining plans shows no signs of slowing down after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration finalised new rules designed to fast‑track seabed mining permits. Also, the US turns to Pacific Compact free agreements as a potential blueprint for gaining access to Greenland.

The governments of Australia and Timor-Leste sign an agreement to strengthen their bilateral relationship and fast track a major natural gas project. Also, onlookers in Fiji are wonder how deeply embedded drug trafficking is in the country after seizure of 2.6 tonnes of cocaine.

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese makes his first official visit to Timor-Leste amid growing Chinese influence and long-running negotiations over the Greater Sunrise gas field. Also, Tonga's police chief hopes long prison sentences for importing methamphetamine will act as a deterrent to other would be traffickers.

Samoan novelist and poet Papali'i Sia Figiel is found dead at Tanumalala Prison where she was being housed while waiting for the outcome of a high profile murder trial. Also, more people are charged over a massive cocaine haul in Fiji, with police issuing conspiracy charges on five more suspects.

Fiji Police lay new charges in connection with the country's largest-ever cocaine seizure, with five more people now accused of involvement. 

Six men are remanded in custody in Fiji and will now answer charges over what police describe as the largest cocaine shipment ever intercepted in the country. 

Police have now laid charges following the interception of a large cocaine shipment in the country's west earlier this month. Also, Papua New Guinea's indicates support for the return of the death penalty as part of a hardline approach to illegal guns and drugs.

In Fiji, the villagers whose tip-off led to the country's latest big drug bust open up on seeing suspicious activities in their waters for years. Also, Papua New Guineans in possession of illegal weapons could soon face life in prison.

Samoa's prime minister proposes to ban non-Christian religions as a way to counter religious extremism. Also, French President Emmanuel Macron signs a new agreement with New Caledonia's political stakeholders around the territory's political future.