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Paraguay's President Santiago Peña has announced his resignation following a political crisis sparked by the collapse of a bank linked to him."I want to apologise to the people if at any point I failed," he said in a video message on social media. "It was never my intention to betray the trust you placed in me."The crisis erupted after Ueno Bank entered an insolvency process, which froze all operations. Lawmakers accused Peña, who was a shareholder until last year in the company that owned the bank, of conflicts of interest and misconduct.Peña rejected suggestions of impropriety. His resignation came as Paraguay's lower house of congress voted in favour of pursuing an impeachment trial.Photos taken near Paraguay's Congress building on Thursday show police officers clashing with protesters demanding Peña be removed from office.Paraguay's congress must approve the resignation of a president. But a special session convened on Thursday to address his resignation was adjourned in favour of continuing with the impeachment process.Congress has scheduled a special session for Friday, when Peña is expected to present his defence, according to Reuters news agency.In a post on X, Peña confirmed he would appear for Senate impeachment proceedings, adding that he would do so to "exercise my right to a defence".He wrote: "I will provide the information requested of me. Citizens deserve to know the truth, without cover-ups and without anyone being above the law."Peña earlier said his resignation was to protect stability, social peace and democratic institutions.Ueno Bank has said it has about three million customers, equivalent to about 60% of Paraguay's adult population.It held pensions and some other public funds and, after its collapse earlier this week, millions could not access their accounts.The central bank seized the digital lender, and people took to the streets protesting and demanding Peña's resignation.A new president of the Central Bank of Paraguay has been appointed and Congress has approved a process to pay depositors.Peña won election in 2023 representing Paraguay's ruling conservative Colorado Party, beating a centre-left challenger.The Colorado party dropped impeachment proceedings against Vice President Pedro Alliana, who is next in line for the presidency after Peña.Source: BBC News

The Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) review conducted on a quarterly basis by the East New Britain Provincial Health Authority (ENBPHA) is significantly improving the daily performance of health programs within budget constraints. The health authority recently concluded its third-quarter review for the month of October at the Hamamas Hotel in Rabaul District, where key performance indicators (KPIs) for curative services, public health, corporate services, and executive management were thoroughly evaluated.Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Ako Yap, a strong advocate for these regular evaluations, emphasized the necessity of reviewing KPIs that align directly with executive Key Result Areas (KRAs).“Reviews held is very important for us in the health sector to provide a clear insight into the activities and programs implemented and allow us to keep improving on our performance and indicators.”The three quarterly reviews completed so far show marked progress in accountability, resource allocation, success indicators, and overall tracking of health targets.Despite severe budget reductions in the recent supplementary budget, Dr. Yap commended external partners and donors for maintaining their financial support during the current economic strain.“We cannot operate without funding to accomplish KRAs and having our donors and partners is something we must be grateful for who sustain the ongoing operations despite the government not enabling funding.”Moving forward, a primary priority for the ENBPHA is updating and renewing its Corporate Plan 2022–2026, a critical roadmap for coordinating and delivering effective clinical and rural healthcare services across the province.

Communities across the Highlands region are expected to see closer monitoring of government spending and service delivery following the successful deployment of Senior Performance Monitoring Officers (SPMOs) in all seven Highlands provinces.The milestone was completed with the appointment of Tony Kapili to Jiwaka Province, marking the full establishment of the Department of Provincial and Local-Level Government Affairs' (DPLGA) new monitoring network across the Highlands.The move is part of a wider governance reform that aims to ensure public funds are properly used and that government projects deliver real benefits to ordinary Papua New Guineans.For many rural communities that have long complained about abandoned projects, poor services and lack of accountability, the presence of dedicated performance officers is intended to provide stronger oversight and greater transparency at the provincial level.Following a departmental restructure, DPLGA has now deployed 20 SPMOs across 20 provinces, excluding the National Capital District and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.DPLGA Secretary Philip Leo said the officers will play a critical role in improving governance standards and monitoring the performance of government institutions."Our SPMOs will be working closely with all of you, and I urge you to provide them with the necessary support to ensure their roles and functions are effectively carried out," Mr. Leo said.The officers will monitor compliance with national laws and policies, track statutory reporting requirements, oversee the use of public funds and assess whether government-funded programs are delivering measurable results.A key focus will be identifying gaps between approved budgets, expenditure and actual services reaching communities, particularly in remote and rural areas where residents often face challenges accessing essential services.The officers will also help detect incomplete projects, monitor government assets purchased with public funds and report persistent governance failures through the appropriate administrative and legal processes.DPLGA says the initiative reflects the Government's commitment to ensuring taxpayer-funded projects are managed transparently and that public resources translate into tangible development outcomes.With all Highlands provinces now covered, the department believes the strengthened monitoring presence will help improve accountability, support better decision-making and ultimately deliver more effective services to citizens.

Seven Australian volunteers have started new placements with organisations across Papua New Guinea, bringing professional skills to support health services, climate resilience, animal welfare and community development.The volunteers will work alongside Papua New Guinean staff through the Australian Volunteers Program, focusing on strengthening local skills, improving organisational systems and building long-term partnerships.Two volunteers, Kevin Morris and Melissa Walker, have joined Waniati Maternal Waiting Home in Goroka.Mr. Morris will help improve financial management systems, reporting and documentation to strengthen the organisation's ability to access and manage donor funding.Ms. Walker will assist in setting up an electronic health records system to improve the management of patient information across the organisation's clinics.Another two volunteers, Daniel Bartos and Dr Liese Coulter, have joined World Vision Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby.Mr. Bartos will support monitoring and evaluation systems, while Dr Coulter will help integrate climate change adaptation, environmental protection and disaster risk reduction into livelihood programs.Meanwhile, Pamela George has arrived in the country to continue her work with the Key Population Advocacy Consortium as a Grants and Partnerships Mentor, supporting funding applications and engagement with donors.At RSPCA PNG, veterinary nursing mentor Mikaela Rixon-Zonnenbergs will work with local veterinary staff to strengthen clinical knowledge and practical animal care skills.Cricket PNG has also welcomed Anthony Healy for his third volunteer assignment in the country.Mr. Healy will support cricket development programs in upper primary and secondary schools, improve player tracking systems and promote greater inclusion in the sport.The seven volunteers add to more than 1,750 Australians who have served in Papua New Guinea through volunteer placements over the past 60 years.

Air Niugini will return to New Zealand this month after receiving its International Airline Licence today.Department of Transport Secretary Mathew Wowoni formally presented Licence No. 29 to Air Niugini Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Alan Milne at the Department's headquarters at 7 Mile in Port Moresby.According to a statement, the licence allows Air Niugini to operate scheduled services between Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Auckland, after meeting all regulatory, safety, operational and financial requirements.Mr. Wowoni called it a significant milestone for the airline and the country.“The presentation of this licence represents a significant milestone for Air Niugini and Papua New Guinea as the national airline prepares to recommence services to New Zealand after 26 years,” he said.“It is an important step in strengthening air connectivity, trade, tourism and people-to-people links between the two countries.”Mr. Wowoni said Air Niugini already flies to almost all Pacific Island countries, and the Auckland service will further strengthen PNG's connections across the region.“Air Niugini already flies to almost all Pacific Island countries. With the commencement of Auckland services, we look forward to welcoming more of our Kiwi friends to Papua New Guinea while providing PNG travellers with greater access to New Zealand.”Air Niugini CEO, Mr. Milne thanked the Government for its support, saying launching an international route takes major planning across ground handling, catering, logistics and regulatory approvals.“Launching an international route requires significant planning and coordination across many areas of the business, including ground handling, catering, logistics, regulatory approvals and bilateral arrangements. State approval is a critical component of that process, and we are grateful for the support received.” Mr. Milne said.The CEO said the Auckland route aligns with the airline's long-term growth strategy and strengthens its regional network.“New Zealand is an excellent addition to our network and complements Air Niugini's hub-and-spoke strategy through Port Moresby,” he said.“The service will strengthen links between Auckland, Papua New Guinea, Australia's east coast, and destinations throughout the Pacific and Asia.”Direct flights between Port Moresby and Auckland will recommence on Tuesday, 17th November.Air Niugini will operate three services a week. Flight PX 31 will leave Port Moresby at 9:30am every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, arriving in Auckland at 6:30pm local time.Return flights will leave Auckland at 9:00am every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, arriving in Port Moresby at 12:00pm. Flight time is about 5 hours and 40 minutes.Services will start on the Boeing 737-800 before moving to the airline's new Airbus A220-300 aircraft.The Auckland route forms part of Air Niugini’s broader network expansion program and reinforces the airline’s commitment to strengthen Papua New Guinea’s connectivity with Key Markets across the Pacific region.

Environment, Conservation and Climate Change Minister John Kaupa is bringing development partners and government agencies together to identify practical solutions for communities affected by El Niño dry conditions.Kaupa convened the second coordination meeting in Port Moresby on Friday, November 6, directing the Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA) and the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (CEPA) to work with partners on immediate and medium-term climate adaptation measures.The meeting focused on addressing growing concerns over water shortages, declining agricultural production and food insecurity affecting communities across Papua New Guinea.Proposed interventions include drilling water bores, improving water storage and supply systems, introducing suitable desalination technologies for coastal and island communities, and promoting drought-tolerant crops and climate-resilient farming methods.Kaupa said the initiative is aimed at strengthening communities' ability to withstand current and future climate-related challenges, rather than duplicating the Government's existing emergency response efforts.He said the National Disaster Centre remains responsible for coordinating disaster response and relief, while his Ministry will focus on climate adaptation, preparedness and preventative measures.CCDA Managing Director Debra Sungi said the meeting worked towards a coordinated action plan that brings together existing development partner programs and identifies resources that can be directed to communities most in need.Ms. Sungi added that the CCDA will consolidate requests from affected communities and work with partners to identify suitable interventions, implementing agencies and opportunities to speed up assistance.Development partners involved include the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations Development Programme, Asian Development Bank, Australian and New Zealand governments, European Union-supported programs and the International Organization for Migration.The meeting also highlighted the need for stronger public awareness on water conservation, food security, health and sanitation to help households prepare for prolonged dry conditions.Kaupa said the Government's climate response must go beyond addressing the immediate impacts of El Niño and focus on building long-term resilience among vulnerable communities.

Prime Minister James Marape recently announced that the national government will soon introduce a national family planning policy designed to lower Papua New Guinea’s high birth rate by encouraging families to limit childbirth to a maximum of three children.Prime Minister Marape made the announcement during a tour of the maternity wing at the newly opened Pomio District Hospital, the Dr. Kaven Memorial Hospital, at Palmalmal Station on Friday, 6 November 2026.He stated that the policy intends to curtail uncontrolled demographic expansion, prevent unplanned pregnancies, and reduce the heavy economic burdens placed on rural households.“This is to ensure that there is prevention of unplanned pregnancies and births, and families will be encouraged to have no more than three children,” PM Marape said during a short address at the facility.He added that managing the birth rate is essential for generating a long-term positive economic impact for families and protecting the well-being of mothers throughout the country.Official findings from the National Statistics Office note that Papua New Guinea's total population has reached approximately 10.18 million people, reflecting an average annual population growth rate of 2.6 percent.Public experts and statistical data show that at this sustained trajectory, the country’s population expands by more than 180, 000 people annually, placing critical strain on infrastructure, classroom capacities, and health services.According to PM Marape, the proposed regulatory framework will directly address these systemic challenges while mitigating rural healthcare pressures, such as the long distances pregnant women must travel to access functional maternal healthcare services in rural areas.

Prime Minister James Marape announced that the national government will readjust its domestic fuel subsidy relief program to align with global market conditions.The decision comes as part of a broader fiscal strategy to manage the national economy through persistent El Niño weather patterns and upcoming national elections.Prime Minister Marape said the government has spent over K1 billion on the fuel subsidy program during a challenging fiscal year, noting that while the relief mitigated domestic cost pressures, the State must now transition to a balanced budget for the upcoming fiscal year.The Prime Minister also issued a direct appeal to Papua New Guineans and parents to remain mindful of these tightening economic conditions, to assist in supporting the economy wherever possible, and to manage expectations regarding direct government relief.“I appeal to our people to understand that next year will be even tougher, with elections coming up and El Niño continuing,” PM Marape said.“I want to ask all Papua New Guineans to help out in the economy wherever possible. Please do not expect too much from the government, such as the fuel subsidy we have been running.”In addition to economic contributions, the Prime Minister strongly appealed to citizens to look after law and order within their respective communities, emphasizing that maintaining peace and stability is a vital way everyone can help the nation navigate these challenging times.On the issue of fuel prices, Prime Minister Marape offered his reassurance that while structural changes are necessary, the government remains deeply committed to the welfare of its citizens and will do its absolute best to assist where possible to cushion severe impacts.Prime Minister Marape emphasized that domestic fuel prices have been kept artificially lower than in neighbouring countries solely due to the State subsidy.“If you look at the price of fuel in Australia and elsewhere,” Prime Minister Marape noted. “They are paying a much higher price than we are carrying right now.”“The reason we are paying less is not because of the world price, but because of our government’s subsidy program.”Key directives and economic measures outlined by the Prime Minister include:Fiscal Discipline: The government is operating at a 1 percent deficit, down from a peak deficit of nearly 9 percent in 2020. It aims to achieve a balanced budget with zero borrowing next year.Debt and Borrowing Thresholds: Future external borrowing will be restricted until the national debt-to-GDP ratio falls below 30 percent.Funding Priorities: Full State funding for educational tuition—spanning early childhood through to universities and colleges—will be maintained despite the fiscal tightening. Resources will remain focused on essential health services, agriculture recovery, and electoral expenditures.Budget Expansion: The national budget has expanded to over K30 billion, up from less than K16 billion when the Marape-led Government took office.“Because our budget and economy are bigger now must not give us a false sense of security,” PM Marape warned.“I call upon all governors, Members of Parliament, and departments to spend where it matters most; helping our people in tough times, focusing on key national impact projects, and maintaining essential services.”He said the government will prioritize long-term economic growth through major resource initiatives, including the Papua LNG project, as he urged Papua New Guineans to work together.“All of us must contribute to keeping our economy safer because there is a lot of fragility out there in the global economy.”“It is going to be a very tough year again. We just have to work together better and harder.”

The Saa, Mian, and Koblaku (SMK) volunteer network has successfully raised K70,000 through a dedicated mobilization campaign to purchase and distribute emergency food rations for communities severely impacted by the ongoing nationwide El Niño drought in the Gumine District of Chimbu Province.Gumine District, home to a population of 55,000 (2024 Census), is facing acute water shortages and agricultural failure. Local streams and organic coffee crops have completely dried up, leaving communities in the Gumine LLG—including the Sasmalin, Era, Dirima, Mian, Sakaleku, and Koblaku tribes—reliant on major rivers that are rapidly receding. The extreme distance from the provincial capital of Kundiawa has further exacerbated the crisis, making processed goods financially and logistically difficult for rural families to procure.In response, professionals from the Saa, Mian, and Koblaku tribes working across Papua New Guinea and abroad established a volunteer network via the SMK WhatsApp group to fundraise directly for family-level relief.The grassroots mobilization has been highly structured to ensure immediate accountability and rapid delivery:• Mian Tribe: Having met their initial targets early, fundraising concluded on Friday, 6 November. Emergency food distribution is scheduled to take place from Monday, 16 November to Friday, 20 November 2026.• Koblaku Tribe: The deadline for all financial contributions is Sunday, 15 November, with food distribution running concurrently from 16 November to 20 November 2026.• Sakaleku Tribe: Fundraising efforts and subsequent food distribution operations will wrap up fully by Monday, 30 November 2026.A separate, broader batch of fundraising will continue until the end of November, with additional food rations procured in early December to ensure comprehensive coverage across every family home. Local ward councillors and villagers have praised the transparency of the initiative, with many contributing their own limited resources to bolster the fund.Group spokespersons John Kama, Jenny Array, Joseph Gore, John Kora, and Paul Gore emphasized that the SMK network operates strictly as an independent, volunteer humanitarian collective. The group maintains no affiliation with any political candidates, government agencies, NGOs, or religious organizations. Intending candidates from the SMK region who contributed did so entirely apolitically, with no attached political obligations."Our immediate intention is a pure gesture of human generosity to ensure the survival of our people as this severe El Niño pattern threatens to persist into 2027," stated Mr. Kama. "We are praying for a break in the weather so our subsistence agriculture can recover, but until then, we must look after our own."The relief operation also serves as the foundation for a broader regional unity program, which will culminate in a community forum hosted in Mul Village on 27 December 2026. Beyond immediate disaster response, the SMK group has established a long-term mission to unite local tribes for shared developmental success, focusing on;Infrastructure Advocacy, securing adequate road connectivity and structural services for remote wards.Human Resource Development: Investing directly in the education, health, and socio-economic well-being of Gumine youth. Governance and Security: Promoting law and order alongside good governance practices at the community level.The SMK administrative team expressed its profound gratitude to the diaspora and local leaders who have dug deep despite nationwide economic pressures, high inflation, and a rising cost of living to support their families unconditionally.

Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) has officially completed the commissioning of its advanced Computed Tomography (CT) Simulator, marking a transformative leap forward for cancer treatment and radiation therapy in Papua New Guinea.The intensive five-day commissioning process was executed in partnership with the Flowtint Group and drew on a high-level collaboration of international and local medical physicists from Australia, Sri Lanka, and Papua New Guinea.To ensure the highest standards of patient safety and clinical accuracy, the joint technical team established baseline machine performance, completed rigorous quality assurance protocols, and verified that the CT Simulator met strict international tolerance thresholds for optimal diagnostic imaging.A critical phase of the technical work involved mapping the exact relationship between CT Hounsfield Units (HU) and Relative Electron Density (RED) using various tissue-equivalent materials. These precise metrics have now been integrated into the hospital's Treatment Planning System (TPS), allowing oncology teams to calculate pinpoint radiation doses tailored to individual radiotherapy patients.The technical commissioning data will now undergo a final round of verification before being submitted to the PMGH Clinical Governance committee for official sign-off and immediate release into clinical use.This milestone drastically enhances PMGH’s internal capacity to deliver safe, highly accurate, and international-standard cancer treatment services directly to the people of Papua New Guinea.

Former Prime Minister and Member for Ialibu-Pangia, Hon. Peter O'Neill, CMG, MP, has officially accepted Prime Minister James Marape’s challenge to a televised debate on the national economy. However, O'Neill strongly criticized the Prime Minister's approach, insisting that the national Parliament remains the proper constitutional forum for economic accountability."I accept the Prime Minister’s challenge to a televised debate, thrown down to me in his TikTok-style video," Mr. O'Neill stated. "We should be cautious, though, about how flippantly he has responded to serious questions about the economy. The proper place for economic debate is the house of the people, the Parliament."In a sweeping critique of the current administration, Mr. O'Neill accused the Prime Minister and the Treasurer of avoiding parliamentary scrutiny over the past eight years regarding the financial hardships of citizens, opting instead for public relations campaigns.For the past eight years the Prime Minister and his Treasurer have been empty drums of noise, refusing to properly debate the suffering of our people in the Parliament. After eight years he now wants to avoid the accountability of Parliament House and dabble in a popularity contest.Neither Melanesia nor democracy is about grandstanding. We are a village society, and in a village, people trust the leader who listens, stays humble and answers for what he has done. The right thing for the Prime Minister to do is to accept that the size of GDP does not put food on the table or pay for petrol.Mr O'Neil highlighted that the Prime Minister Marape has stated that the economy has grown from about K79 billion in 2019 to about K140 billion, however that is not how the people feel."They feel whether the clinic has medicine and the classroom has a teacher."  "This year the World Bank found that Papua New Guinea spends just 1.9 per cent of its economy on health, and that real spending on each student has fallen by 14 per cent since 2018."The IMF found that projects are often chosen for political reasons and that cash is released erratically. Read together, the two reports describe a budget run for politics, with health and education left short.O'Neil further added that the Prime Minister today boasted that the economy is now K140 billion, up about 77 per cent from K79 billion in 2019, but about half of that increase comes from the fall in the Kina. Under its agreement with the IMF, the Marape Government has devalued the Kina by more than a fifth against the US dollar since 2019, so it now takes about 30 per cent more Kina to buy a dollar. "When the Kina falls, the dollars we earn from exports turn into more Kina and prices rise, so the economy looks bigger when it is counted in Kina. Counted in US dollars, the same rise is less than 40 per cent""That is smoke and mirrors accounting, not genuine growth. It builds no clinic, pays no teacher and creates no job, and it makes the food, petrol and medicine we import dearer for every family."Mr. O'Neill concluded by reiterating that while he will participate in the debate as requested, the administration must face the formal records of Hansard and the elected members of Parliament to answer for the country's economic trajectory."I will debate the Prime Minister as he wishes, but the right place for accountability is the Parliament."

The Commissioner of Police, David Manning, has officially paused the current Officer Cadet recruitment drive to conduct an immediate review into regional underrepresentation. The intervention aims to ensure the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) maintains public confidence and fairly reflects the population of every province across the country."This is our nation’s police force. It must serve all Papua New Guineans and reflect the people of every province. Public confidence begins with a recruitment process that is fair and can stand up to scrutiny," Commissioner Manning stated.The pause comes just before the interview phase after a demographic breakdown revealed lower application numbers from specific regions. The RPNGC review will examine systematic barriers preventing candidates from certain provinces from advancing, such as localized education standards, health criteria, and regional difficulties in acquiring required supporting documentation.A total of 3,304 Officer Cadet applications were received for this cycle, with 1,485 applicants successfully shortlisted for their first interview. Commissioner Manning confirmed that the automated electronic systems used by RPNGC recruitment staff ensured complete transparency and digital audit trails for every submission.Commissioner Manning emphasized that the review will not result in diluted entry criteria."Let me be clear: recruitment standards will not be lowered," Manning affirmed. "Building a force that reflects every province and maintaining high standards are responsibilities we must uphold together. This review will establish where applicants are falling short and why, so we can uphold recruitment standards while ensuring people from every province have a fair opportunity to serve."The RPNGC expects the administrative pause to last a few weeks. Once finalized, the recruitment drive will immediately proceed to the interview phase and subsequent physical evaluations.The Commissioner highlighted the historic rigor of the program, noting that out of more than 3,000 applicants in 2023, only 63 qualified to begin the grueling three-year program, culminating in 54 being commissioned as Inspectors in October 2026.A formal public notice will be issued immediately upon the completion of the review to advise all shortlisted applicants of the upcoming interview schedules and next steps.