ABC Pacific

Communities on the south coast of Samoa's Upolu island are worried about the threat to the environment posed by the wreck of the New Zealand navy ship which ran aground and sank over the weekend. All 75 of the crew on board HMNZS Manawanui were rescued, but the worry now is that fuel oil and other chemicals could leak into the ocean and put villagers' livelihoods at risk.

There is concern among communities on the south coast of Samoa's Upolu island over the threat to the environment posed by the wreck of the New Zealand navy ship which ran aground and sank over the weekend. All 75 of the crew on board HMNZS Manawanui were rescued, but the worry now is that fuel oil and other chemicals could leak into the ocean and put villagers' livelihood at risk.

For five years, the result of Bougainville's independence referendum has been stalled, awaiting ratification from Papua New Guinea's parliament. The arrival of a moderator appointed to guide talks on the 2019 results could unlock Bougainville's path towards independence. Flanked by the leaders of Papua New Guinea and Bougainville, the importance of New Zealander Sir Jerry Mateparae's role can't be understated.

Seventy-five crew members of the New Zealand Navy Ship, the HMNZS Manawanui were rescued after it ran aground and sank off the coast of Samoa's main island of Upolu over the weekend. The vessel was surveying the sea floor, just two kilometres from shore, when it ran into a reef on Saturday night and caught fire. Samoa's acting Prime Minister Tuala Tevaga Iosefo Ponifasio said Samoa police assisted in the evacuation of 75 crew members who were later taken to the New Zealand High Commission in Apia.

This Sunday when Jarome Luai runs out for the NRL grand final, it will be his last dance with the Penrith Panthers, a team he has represented since he was a teenager. The 27-year-old has a glittering list of achievements with the club, including three premierships, but 2024 has been a stand-out year. Luai has reached career-high stats, contributing to his first-ever Dally M nomination for five-eighth of the year.

Rugby league is one of Australia's most celebrated exports, but there are growing fears the NRL's ties to gambling are having an insidious effect on Pacific communities. Sunday's grand final between Melbourne Storm and Penrith Panthers will be watched by millions across Papua New Guinea, where rugby league is the national sport. The broadcast will carry Australian gambling ads, according to Peter Aitsi, chairman of Transparency International PNG.

Self-censorship, low pay, political pressure and fear of reprisals were among the key challenges faced by journalists according to a new Pacific Media Forum Index. The inaugural "For Us, By Us, About Us" survey covered 14 Pacific nations, looking at the experiences of media workers. It's the first comprehensive survey of its kind and it's hoped it will provide a baseline for future reports. Joining us this morning is Solomon Islands journalist Robert Iroga who is chair of the Pacific Freedom Forum.

The cause of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai eruption in 2022 remains unclear, but new research from the Australian National University suggests gas could have been the main trigger. It's the latest of many findings from studies analysing the eruption, this one diverging from the consensus that the eruption was caused by magma mixing with water.

A research project set to commence this month across three pacific islands will use black soldier flies to help farmers turn food waste into nutrient-rich animal feed and fertiliser. Initial research will take place in Fiji, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea, followed by farm trials the next year. Unlike your regular house fly, the black soldier fly only feeds on organic waste and does not carry any disease.

Solomon Islands artist Chris Kamu’ana Rohoimae has been crowned the winner of Pacific Break 2024, the Pacific's biggest music competition. The 28-year-old from Malaita Province beat more than 300 entries from 18 Pacific nations and will now join the line-up for Australia's largest international festival of music, arts and dance, WOMADelaide, in March 2025. Loading Chris said he was with his father at the hospital before he died when he submitted his entry for Pacific Break.