Pacific Beat

Residents on the Vanuatu island of Ambae say volcanic activity is intensifying with ash and sulphur spewing into the air.

Pasifika communities across Victoria say they're overwhelmed by changes to isolation rules and access to rapid antigen tests, as many in the community test positive to the virus.

With record COVID-19 case numbers in Victoria, Pacific communities say new isolation rules are making them feel overwhelmed and confused; and, a chief on Ambae Island says residents have been forced to flee after volcanic activity destroyed food crops and contaminated the water supply.

With 92% of the population double vaccinated life in Fiji is returning to normal with schools opening their doors to students this week, but with hundreds of new cases recorded there are worries that a third wave could be underway; and, the most successful soccer player to come out of the Pacific Islands, Fiji's Roy Krishna, has taken on a new role as ambassador for OFC, the Oceania Football Confederation

Culture and heritage in the Pacific, is often passed down through generations of story-telling, but as the world evolves into an ever more online eco-system some artists in the region believe that the answer to keeping traditions alive now lies in the world of crypto - specifically NFTs (nonfungible tokens).

The career of Papua New Guinea's most notorious criminal came to an end on the penultimate day of 2021, when Tommy Baker was shot dead by police officers in the capital of Milne Bay province, Alotau. He had managed to evade being detained for nearly ten years, having twice escaped from police custody.

Tuvalu’s former prime minister, Enele Sopoaga, says he's been caught off guard by a government backed plan to explore deep sea mining in the country's waters.

The career of Papua New Guinea's most notorious criminal came to an end on the penultimate day of 2021, when Tommy Baker was shot dead by police officers in Alotau. Tuvalu's former prime minister and environment champion, Enele Sopoaga, says he's been caught off guard by a government backed plan to explore deep sea mining in the country's waters.

We look ahead to 2022, which is shaping up to be a huge year in the Pacific, with three countries holding their national elections. We also take a look at the challenges posed by COVID-19, and why 2022 could be the biggest year yet in Pacific sport.

We take a look back at 2021 in Micronesia, where the region's leaders caused a stir when they announced they're pulling out of the Pacific Islands Forum. We also revisit some of the COVID-19 experiments we saw in Guam and we meet the Kiribati sailors who found themselves stranded in Australia.