Pacific Beat

A call for more resources to tackle a rise in kidney disease in Papua New Guinea. A push for Tonga to reserve seats for women in Parliament.

Unease at the news that the police force on Solomon Islands might soon be rearmed. Anger in PNG as tensions bubble between locals and asylum seekers on Manus island.

We mark International Women's Day by talking to the first and so far only female president of an independent Pacific country. And, Tonga's sacked finance minister tells us he thought he'd healed the rift with Prime Minister Akilisi Pohiva.

PNG asks Australia to shift its aid spending to directly support the government budget concern about possible sedition charges for senior staff of the Fiji Times and the ABC's Caroline Tiriman looks back on her career and how the role of women in PNG has changed over the years.

The arrests of dozens of Solomon Islands landowners involved in a dispute with loggers provoke an angry public reaction. And, we look at what's being done to improve workplace safety for women in Papua New Guinea.

Grave concerns about the over fishing of sea cucumber in Fijian waters. Papua New Guinea farewells a veteran broadcaster.

Improving workplace safety in Papua New Guinea. We talk to the chairman of Bougainville Copper Limited about plans to re-open the Panuguna copper mine. We farewell the person who championed the issues of the Pacific in the United States Congress.

Pacific nations call for the UN's Human Rights Council to investigate alleged abuses in West Papua. And, a proposal takes shape to reopen the Panguna copper mine in Bougainville after more than 20 years.

A bid for the UN's Human Rights Council to investigate alleged abuses in West Papua. One of Vanuatu's most popular tourist attractions returns to life.

Union members in Papua New Guinea threaten a nationwide strike over the leaders appointed to head the government's new communications company. And, Transparency International PNG calls on the ABC to rethink its decision to shutdown shortwave radio broadcasts to Melanesia.