Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — More than a dozen civil society groups are calling on Pacific governments to completely ban deep seabed mining (DSM) as regional leaders meet in Suva for a high-level meeting on deep-sea minerals on Friday.

Seabed mining is one of the most divisive regional issues, with Pacific Islands Forum member nations, such as the Cook Islands and Nauru, strongly in favor of it, while others, such as Fiji, Samaoa, the Marshall Islands and Palau, advocate against it.

The Pacific Blue Line collective, made up of women, youth, faith-based, and environmental organizations, is demanding "for an outright ban on deep sea mining", saying the Pacific leaders have a "longstanding responsibility to protect the Pacific Ocean".

"As the Pacific Islands leaders meet for the High-Level Talanoa on deep sea minerals this week, it is vital that the duty of care to safeguard our oceans is at the forefront of discussions," the group said in a paid advertisement in Thursday's edition of Fiji's daily national newspapers.

"The group calls for a complete ban on DSM in the Pacific until thorough, independent scientific evaluations and inclusive consultations with impacted communities are carried out."

The collective believes that this stance reflects a shared dedication to protecting the rights of Pacific peoples, preserving the oceans, and ensuring developments related to DSM "adhere to the principles of sustainability, human rights, and fairness for future generations".

The Pacific Blue Line collective says evidence points to the fact that mining the ocean floor poses significant environmental risks to the marine environment that are yet to be fully understood.

The decisions made by Pacific leaders this week will have profound and lasting consequences, the groups said.

"We must act with urgency to halt DSM before it begins."

(RNZ Pacific)

FIJI DRUG ARRESTS

Three people were arrested in Fiji on Sunday morning for drug possession.

Assistant police chief of operations Livai Driu said a search conducted on the premises resulted in the seizure of clear plastics containing white substances believed to be methamphetamine.

fijivillage.com reported the owner of the house fled the scene.

Meanwhile, seven people were arrested in the space of 48 hours in the Southern Division after being found with substances believed to be meth or marijuana.

Police said all seized substances were sent for analysis.

(RNZ Pacific)

VANUATU PASSPORT SALES

The new leader of the Vanuatu Opposition bloc, former prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau, has called for an investigation into the alleged sale of diplomatic passports involving some politicians.

The call for an investigation follows recent discussions about allegations of diplomatic passports being marketed overseas, which has sparked public outcry.

Kalsakau told the Vanuatu Daily Post, after his appointment as Leader of the Opposition, that if there is fact to the claims a bribery and corruption, a complaint will be made to police.

(RNZ Pacific)

PACIFIC SECURITY THREATS

The top US military commander for the Indo-Pacific has raised concern over growing threats from China, Russia, and North Korea.

Admiral Samuel Paparo issued a warning at the Honolulu Defense Forum.

He warned that threats from China, Russia, and North Korea could shift the Pacific from "free and open" to "contested and controlled."

He said Beijing's militarization of the South China Sea, joint naval drills with Russia and North Korea, and advanced military tech transfers are raising tensions.

Papaaro said the US faces critical challenges, including aging military assets, low stockpiles of precision weapons, and maintenance backlogs.

He wants urgent reforms, including the scaling-up of unmanned systems, military acquisitions streamlined, and AI-driven manufacturing to meet defense needs faster.

(RNZ Pacific)

PASSPORTS FOR STATELESS ADOPTED CHILDREN

A proposal seeking to give travel documents to stateless adopted children in Palau has been presented to the country's Congress.

Palau's Constitution defines citizenship strictly by ancestry, leaving some adopted children unable to obtain a passport, and the bill aims to create a legal pathway for international travel.

The Island Times reported if enacted, the proposal would allow the issuing of Machine Readable Convention Travel Documents to qualifying individuals.

The criteria includes: the person was adopted by a Palauan citizen before turning one year old; they are not recognized as Palauan citizens under the Constitution; and they do not hold a passport from another country.

The documents do not confer citizenship and acceptance by foreign nations is not guaranteed, but they are internationally recognized under United Nations guidelines.

(RNZ Pacific)

NIUE COURT SITS

One of only two Niue High Court hearings each year is coming up.

Niue TV reported New Zealand-based judges visit Niue twice a year to preside over cases before the High Court.

There is a March sitting and one held in November.

Visiting judge Sarah Reeves will hold the next sitting from March 17-20.

While most of the cases will be land matters, the judges will also hear criminal and civil cases.

(RNZ Pacific)

SOLOMON ISLANDS INFRASTRUCTURE

Solomon Islands officials are being trained to strengthen critical infrastructure, through better planning, financing and delivery.

Australia's Solomon Islands Infrastructure Program has so far trained a total of 38 participants from six government agencies, state-owned enterprises, and the Honiara City Council.