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Papua New Guinea

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Papua New Guinea. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Port Moresby

Head of State

King Charles III

Head of Government

Prime Minister James Marape

Indonesia

World’s oldest cave art discovered in Indonesia

A handprint dating back at least 67,800 years is over a thousand years older than hand stencils in Spain that are attributed to Neanderthals.

22 Jan 2026 - 7:51AM

US-China relations

US denies Indo-Pacific retreat, says aid is being recalibrated to counter China

16 Dec 2025 - 6:24AM

China-Australia relations

Call for ‘Pacific Eyes’ intelligence body to offset China’s growing presence

21 Oct 2025 - 10:08PMvideocam

Pope Leo XIV

Nuns, teen influencer and ex-Satanic priest among 7 new saints

Pope Leo XIV created the new saints, including the first from Papua New Guinea and an archbishop killed in the Armenian genocide.

19 Oct 2025 - 9:57PM

Pope Leo XIV attends a Mass on the day of the canonisation of seven new saints, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, on Sunday. Photo: Reuters

Australia

What Australia’s ‘Pukpuk’ pact with Papua New Guinea means for the Pacific

While China has voiced misgivings, the pact is seen as necessary by some – even if it could draw Australia into PNG’s domestic conflicts.

7 Oct 2025 - 5:25PMvideocam

Australia

Will Australia’s defence pact with Papua New Guinea curb China’s Pacific sway?

The defence treaty strengthens ties, counters China’s influence, and offers PNG citizens a path to Australian citizenship.

2 Oct 2025 - 5:52PM

Diplomacy

Opinion | Apec offers a stage for China, US and two Koreas to make peace

With Trump and Xi set to attend, it could pave the way for a US-North Korea summit and mend China-South Korea ties.

27 Sep 2025 - 5:30AMvideocam

Australia

Australia to ‘upgrade’ defence ties with PNG as China’s Pacific influence grows

The deal will allow the nations’ citizens to serve in either military, with Australia offering citizenship as an incentive.

15 Sep 2025 - 1:31PM

Indonesia

Indonesia, US start 13-nation ‘Super Garuda Shield’ military drills

More than 4,100 Indonesian and 1,300 American troops will take part in this year’s ‘largest ever’ drills, aimed at boosting deterrence.

25 Aug 2025 - 4:12PM

Pacific nations

Australia, US push Pacific deterrence amid China’s security overtures

Analysts note the significance of Papua New Guinea and Fiji’s unprecedented involvement in this year’s ‘Olympics of war games’.

23 Jul 2025 - 2:52PM

A servicemen wears a badge displaying the emblem of the 2025 Talisman Sabre exercise in Sydney earlier this month. Photo: AFP

Australia

Australia’s largest-ever military drill under way, Chinese spy ships expected

Chinese military have observed these biennial exercises since 2017, but this year’s drills coincide with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to China.

14 Jul 2025 - 11:59AM

Australian and US HIMARS rockets are launched during the firepower demonstration as part of the Talisman Sabre 2025 joint military exercises on Monday. Photo: EPA

Pacific nations

‘Glassman’ jailed: PNG hopes ruling can curb tribal sorcery violence

After a horrific machete killing, a landmark ruling in Papua New Guinea aims to curb deadly sorcery accusations driven by jealousy and greed.

31 Mar 2025 - 3:18PM

Pacific nations

Pacific nation’s Facebook blackout tied to content ‘control’ experiment

Meta’s Facebook and Messenger remained inaccessible to users in Papua New Guinea on Tuesday, over 24 hours after mysteriously going offline.

25 Mar 2025 - 12:47PM

Australia

Will Australia use PNG defence deal as a ‘watchtower’ to track Chinese navy?

While the pact aims to strengthen Canberra’s regional leadership, it could also be utilised to monitor Chinese naval activity in the Pacific.

28 Feb 2025 - 12:34PMvideocam

Australia

Australia seals Papua New Guinea security deal with eye on China

The agreement comes just days after Canberra signed a similar treaty with the small Pacific nation of Nauru.

12 Dec 2024 - 12:54PMvideocam

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (right) shakes hands with Papua New Guinea’s leader James Marape during a press conference in Sydney on Thursday. Photo: AFP

Pacific nations

Rebel region vows to become Pacific’s newest nation by 2027

Bougainville, home to about 300,000 people, voted to secede from Papua New Guinea five years ago after a bloody decade-long war.

11 Dec 2024 - 2:33PM

Australia

As Chinese banks circle, Australia pushes ANZ to stay in Pacific island nations

For years, Western banks have been closing branches throughout the South Pacific. State-owned Bank of China has shown it’s eager to step in.

12 Nov 2024 - 10:34AM

Pope Francis

Video | Pope Francis tours one of the world's most remote areas

9 Sep 2024 - 5:31PM

Pope Francis exchanges gifts with children in remote area of Papua New Guinea

02:42

Pacific nations

Pope calls for PNG to ‘end’ tribal violence, urges fair share of its resources

In a keynote speech, the pope called for an end to tribal violence while insisting the people benefit from the country’s resource boom.

9 Sep 2024 - 4:57PMvideocam

Indonesia

Video | Pope praises Indonesians for choosing children over pets

5 Sep 2024 - 3:27PM

Asia

Video | Indonesian Catholics in tears as pope visits Jakarta

5 Sep 2024 - 11:44AM

Pope Francis arrives in Indonesia at start of 12-day Asia-Pacific tour

04:04

UAE

Pope heads to Southeast Asia in ambitious trip

Pope Francis’ visit aims to cement the Catholic Church’s position in the region and comes despite his growing health problems.

31 Aug 2024 - 12:43PMvideocam

Pope Francis will visit four countries in Southeast Asia starting next week. Photo: Reuters

Pacific nations

Australia pushes Pacific police force proposal to check China’s ambitions

Pacific leaders endorsed on Wednesday a plan creating a 200-officer police force to address security challenges and limit China’s reach.

28 Aug 2024 - 2:07PMvideocam

Australia

Opinion | Aukus is a setback for Australia’s hard-fought independence

Years after Curtin stood up to Churchill and Keating rejected the “US deputy” label, Australia seems to have lost its backbone.

22 Aug 2024 - 6:53AM

Architecture and design

How the other half travel: in their own flat aboard mega-yacht The World

Residents mostly spend a few months at a time aboard, visiting their pick of the more than 100 ports the ship visits in a year – and perhaps making plans to change the wallpaper ahead of their next visit

30 Jul 2024 - 3:22PM

Australia

Australia PM replaces immigration, national security ministers after scandals

PM Anthony Albanese has moved Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil and Immigration Minister Andrew Giles into new portfolios.

28 Jul 2024 - 3:53PM

Australian PM Anthony Albanese speaks to media during a press conference in Canberra. Photo: dpa

Japan

Japan talks with Pacific islands focus on climate, security issues take back seat

Among the areas of concern highlighted by Pacific island nations was Japan’s release of treated radioactive water.

20 Jul 2024 - 1:45PMvideocam

Australia

Australia urged to act as refugee health crisis intensifies in Papua New Guinea

A report by an asylum seeker support group found one-fifth of the remaining refugees are “so unwell their lives were at imminent risk”.

20 Jul 2024 - 1:52PMvideocam

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Papua New Guinea

World’s oldest cave art discovered in Indonesia

A handprint dating back at least 67,800 years is over a thousand years older than hand stencils in Spain that are attributed to Neanderthals.

US denies Indo-Pacific retreat, says aid is being recalibrated to counter China

Call for ‘Pacific Eyes’ intelligence body to offset China’s growing presence

Nuns, teen influencer and ex-Satanic priest among 7 new saints

Pope Leo XIV created the new saints, including the first from Papua New Guinea and an archbishop killed in the Armenian genocide.

What Australia’s ‘Pukpuk’ pact with Papua New Guinea means for the Pacific

While China has voiced misgivings, the pact is seen as necessary by some – even if it could draw Australia into PNG’s domestic conflicts.

Will Australia’s defence pact with Papua New Guinea curb China’s Pacific sway?

The defence treaty strengthens ties, counters China’s influence, and offers PNG citizens a path to Australian citizenship.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Opinion | Apec offers a stage for China, US and two Koreas to make peace

With Trump and Xi set to attend, it could pave the way for a US-North Korea summit and mend China-South Korea ties.

Australia to ‘upgrade’ defence ties with PNG as China’s Pacific influence grows

The deal will allow the nations’ citizens to serve in either military, with Australia offering citizenship as an incentive.

Indonesia, US start 13-nation ‘Super Garuda Shield’ military drills

More than 4,100 Indonesian and 1,300 American troops will take part in this year’s ‘largest ever’ drills, aimed at boosting deterrence.

Australia, US push Pacific deterrence amid China’s security overtures

Analysts note the significance of Papua New Guinea and Fiji’s unprecedented involvement in this year’s ‘Olympics of war games’.

Australia’s largest-ever military drill under way, Chinese spy ships expected

Chinese military have observed these biennial exercises since 2017, but this year’s drills coincide with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to China.

‘Glassman’ jailed: PNG hopes ruling can curb tribal sorcery violence

After a horrific machete killing, a landmark ruling in Papua New Guinea aims to curb deadly sorcery accusations driven by jealousy and greed.

Pacific nation’s Facebook blackout tied to content ‘control’ experiment

Meta’s Facebook and Messenger remained inaccessible to users in Papua New Guinea on Tuesday, over 24 hours after mysteriously going offline.

Will Australia use PNG defence deal as a ‘watchtower’ to track Chinese navy?

While the pact aims to strengthen Canberra’s regional leadership, it could also be utilised to monitor Chinese naval activity in the Pacific.

Australia seals Papua New Guinea security deal with eye on China

The agreement comes just days after Canberra signed a similar treaty with the small Pacific nation of Nauru.

Rebel region vows to become Pacific’s newest nation by 2027

Bougainville, home to about 300,000 people, voted to secede from Papua New Guinea five years ago after a bloody decade-long war.

As Chinese banks circle, Australia pushes ANZ to stay in Pacific island nations

For years, Western banks have been closing branches throughout the South Pacific. State-owned Bank of China has shown it’s eager to step in.

.css-rcruog{color:#C79A00;}Video | Pope Francis tours one of the world's most remote areas

Pope calls for PNG to ‘end’ tribal violence, urges fair share of its resources

In a keynote speech, the pope called for an end to tribal violence while insisting the people benefit from the country’s resource boom.

Video | Pope praises Indonesians for choosing children over pets

Video | Indonesian Catholics in tears as pope visits Jakarta

Pope heads to Southeast Asia in ambitious trip

Pope Francis’ visit aims to cement the Catholic Church’s position in the region and comes despite his growing health problems.

Australia pushes Pacific police force proposal to check China’s ambitions

Pacific leaders endorsed on Wednesday a plan creating a 200-officer police force to address security challenges and limit China’s reach.

Opinion | Aukus is a setback for Australia’s hard-fought independence

Years after Curtin stood up to Churchill and Keating rejected the “US deputy” label, Australia seems to have lost its backbone.

How the other half travel: in their own flat aboard mega-yacht The World

Residents mostly spend a few months at a time aboard, visiting their pick of the more than 100 ports the ship visits in a year – and perhaps making plans to change the wallpaper ahead of their next visit

Australia PM replaces immigration, national security ministers after scandals

PM Anthony Albanese has moved Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil and Immigration Minister Andrew Giles into new portfolios.

Japan talks with Pacific islands focus on climate, security issues take back seat

Among the areas of concern highlighted by Pacific island nations was Japan’s release of treated radioactive water.

Australia urged to act as refugee health crisis intensifies in Papua New Guinea

A report by an asylum seeker support group found one-fifth of the remaining refugees are “so unwell their lives were at imminent risk”.

Opinion | Apec offers a stage for China, US and two Koreas to make peace

Video | Pope Francis tours one of the world's most remote areas