Pacific Beat

A big week in the push for greater gender equality with the Conference of Pacific Women and the Meeting of Pacific Ministers for Women opening in Suva and we hear more from some of the first Manus Island and Nauru refugees who have made it to the United States to start a new life there.

The mass evacuation of Vanuatu's Ambae island continues - but the Red Cross is warning that fresh water supplies for those still there, are being contaminated. And, the Australian government accused of having blood on its hands after the apparent suicide of a refugee at the Manus Island Detention Centre.

After a long-delayed count, William Powi confirmed as governor of PNG's Southern Highlands province. And, the PNG Hunters head to Sydney in search of more silverware as they prepare to take on Penrith Panthers for the Australian State Championship.

Evacuations continue as the entire population on Vanuatu's Ambae island are ordered to leave

As the threat of a major volcanic eruption increases, the people of Ambae in Vanuatu may be forced to leave the island altogether and President John Momis takes issue with the PNG's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill over the rules of engagement for the planned referendum on independence for Bougainville.

Yet another opposition party in Papua New Guinea has defected to the government. And, a petition with the signatures of 1.8 million West Papuans has been presented to the United Nations demanding a free vote on independence.

The latest on the infectious viruses of Zika and Chikungunya in the Pacific as the world's leading virologists gather in Melbourne for the Global Virus Network Conference. And, an aerial survey of Vanuatu's Ambae island by the New Zealand Air Force has found the Monaro volcano is already beginning to erupt.

The referendum on bougainville's independence thrown into doubt by Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister and evacuations continue on Vanuatu's Ambae island as the monaro volcano threatens a larger eruption.

We speak to a villager from Vanuatu's Ambae Island as thousands more are forced to leave their homes to escape the erupting Monaro volcano .

One of New Zealand Labour's new Maori MPs says he's not surprised Maori voters turned their back on the Maori Party at last weekend's election. And, Evacuations on Vanuatu's Ambae Island near completion, as a volcano threatens to erupt.