The Flying Fijians defeated Manu Samoa 29-15 at the Rotorua International Stadium on Saturday afternoon, in a Pacific Nations Cup and 2027 Rugby World Cup qualifier battle.

Former New Caledonia President Louis Mapou says human rights and sovereignty are big issues facing not only Melanesia but the wider Pacific.

The New Zealand foreign minister says Pacific Islands Forum members may have opted to hold this week's leaders' meeting in another country if they'd known Honiara was banning outside partners.

Samoa's Electoral Commissioner Toleafoa Tuiaefelolo Alexander Stanley has declared the official results of the snap general election.

Bougainvilleans waited in long queues to cast their votes in the region's election on Friday.

Aman Ravindra-Singh - who fled from Fiji in 2022 to avoid jail for contempt of court - claims a landmark ruling has paved the way for a long-running constitutional crisis.

A win will put their 2027 Rugby World Cup campaign back on track.

Both national women's rugby sides are out of the main competition, but the two sides still face their last pool matches this weekend.

Pacific Islands Forum leaders are en route to the Solomon Islands for their annual meeting, which kicks off Monday.

Polls will open at 8am local time (9am NZ time), with some 404 candidates contesting for 46 seats in the Bougainville parliament, including a record 34 women.

RNZ Pacific spoke with attendees about this enduring connection, and how it continues to evolve as Koroneihana marks one year since the ascension of Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po.

While opinions about political parties differed, there was a shared sense of relief that the election was over and a hope that Samoa can now move forward.

France's top diplomat in the region says the investment of Pacific Islands Forum dialogue partners is significant and not allowing the partners to meet with Pacific leaders "is an issue".

The All Black loose forward and sometime captain has become such an important part of the team, so this occasion will befit someone of his stature reaching 100 test caps.

Four years after he last played for the Black Caps, he is coming out of international retirement to help the country of his mother's birth qualify for next year's T20 World Cup.

Unofficial results indicate a landslide win for the ruling FAST Party.

A round-up of news from around the region, including a delayed start date for schools in American Samoa.