Pacific

With an exceptional work ethic, intelligence and ability to thrive in various climates, the demand for Australian working dogs is rising internationally.

China's Foreign Ministry sharply criticises Australia after joint drills in the South China Sea with the US and the Philippines, accusing all three nations of trying to "create trouble."

New Caledonia's giant geckos are the latest sensation in the global pet trade. But conservationists warn their social media-fuelled popularity is putting the endangered species at risk.

One of PNG's most respected and longstanding doctors says thousands of women have been treated on the floor of the country's main hospital due to a lack of beds and maternity spaces, with capacity for the neglected hospital surpassed in the 1990s.

Australia could get its own version of the UK's decorated Gurkha warriors under a new security treaty expected to allow PNG citizens to join the ADF.

Almost everyone has an opinion on Australia in the Pacific's capitals. Their leaders and civil society groups will watch its election result closely.

A new coalition of Solomon Islands MPs that includes former prime minister Manasseh Sogavare says it has the numbers to oust the country's sitting prime minister, with a vote of no confidence set for next week. 

With Australian voters facing an increasingly dangerous and uncertain world, both Labor and the Coalition are trying to burnish their national security credentials.

The Lowy Institute's Susannah Patton says regional tensions around the disputed Spratley Islands are ongoing.

The tiny Pacific island of Tinian was once used to cause the most devastating blast in human history. Now its 80-year-old airfield is being brought back to life, and locals fear history could repeat itself.

Catholics across the world are pausing to remember the life of Pope Francis. And the pontiff's death is being keenly felt in the Asia-Pacific region, where he leaves a significant legacy.

A video showing the slaughter of hundreds of dolphins in Solomon Islands has gone viral on social media, sparking heated debate in Solomon Islands and the broader Pacific about the ancient practice.

After news of Russia wanting access to an Indonesian air base, the obvious question is, what would it gain?

A billion-dollar bet on nickel mining gave many New Caledonians hopes of economic prosperity and political independence. But after the market turned, the mine has left behind a ghost town full of broken hearts.

New Zealand is not exactly known as a major military power, but it plans to nearly double its defence spending. What is driving this strategic shift and what are the implications for the region?

Locals on tiny Norfolk Island have been left "scratching their heads" at the prospect of being slugged with tariffs by US President Donald Trump.

Pope Francis approves the canonisation of Peter ToRot as PNG's first saint, not long after being released from hospital. 

The US Tsunami Warning Centre earlier warned waves were possible within 300 kilometres of the epicentre, which struck approximately 100 kilometres off the coast of Tonga.

New figures suggest last year's turmoil dealt a severe blow to New Caledonia's population, as French nationals left the territory in search of jobs or to escape violence.

Interviewees were granted anonymity to discuss their experiences, with 150 women telling their stories about the abuse they had received in politics.