Prime Minister

Rabuka was elected with 28 votes to 27.

"It was a very close margin," Social Democratic Liberal Party (Sodelpa) youth forum president Ben Daveta said.

From the polls to parliament, every decision was balanced on a knife's edge.

First, no party gained an outright majority to rule.

Then it took the king-makers Sodelpa two split-votes to choose a coalition partner -- and even in the final secret ballot to elect a prime minister, someone in the opposition ranks voted for the other side.

It has been a frantic time, Daveta said.

In a statement issued from Mark Brown's office Sir Tom Marsters said he was "satisfied" that Mark Brown had the majority of the MPs elected to Parliament.

Following the final count of the Cook Islands general elections, the Cook Islands Party (CIP) gained 12 seats including the Ngatangiia seat which was initially tied between CIP's candidate Sonny Williams and Cook Islands United Party's Margaret Matenga.

Mark Brown thanked the community for a fair and peaceful election process.

The prospective government - an unprecedented coalition of parties - has a razor-thin majority of one seat.

It would also end more than two years of political paralysis in which three elections resulted in stalemate.

Right-wing nationalist Naftali Bennett is poised to become PM in a power-sharing deal with a centrist leader.

Under the coalition agreement, Mr Bennett, who heads the Yamina party, will hold office until September 2023, when he will hand over to Yair Lapid, leader of Yesh Atid, for a further two years.

Prime Minister James Marape on October 14^th met with his Solomon Islands counterpart, Manasseh Damukana Sogavare, in Port Moresby.

Economic trade and investment was among areas of mutual interest both leaders discussed during their meet in Port Moresby yesterday.

Border Security, the Bougainville Referendum, labour mobility and employment opportunities and issues surrounding the Melanesian Spearhead Group were among those high on the agenda.

Loop PNG reports O’Neill was sworn in by Governor General Sir Bob Dadae in Parliament yesterday afternoon.

After his People's National Congress emerged as the party with the most MPs from PNG's lengthy national election, Mr O'Neill has gained enough support in the parliament to begin a second five year term in the position.

The Ialibu-Pangia MP-elect was nominated by Abau MP Puka Temu, before Mt Hagen MP William Duma seconded the motion and Tari MP James Marape closed the nomination.

“In 2012, when we took office only 23 per cent of all our roads (national highways) in the country were said to be in a good condition; today, I can tell you that over 50 per cent of roads in the country are classified as in good condition,” O’Neill said during the launching of PNC campaign for the election today in Port Moresby.   

“We (PNC led government) have rebuilt over 3,000km of roads throughout the country, but we have further 10, 000km we have to attend to, these are key major roads linking all our towns, cities and districts.”

Called it "the hardest decision I've ever made," an emotional Mr Key said "I don't know what I'll do next".

Deputy PM Bill English is likely to take over until the National Party holds a caucus to choose a new PM.

Mr Key, a popular leader, is stepping down at the request of his wife Bronagh, the New Zealand Herald reports.

He won a third term for the National Party at elections in September 2014. He said he would not be contesting the 2017 election.

'Nothing left'

'Akilisi Pohiva has told parliament he has doubts that the country will be ready in time to host the Games.

He said the government had still not found land to build an 18-hole golf course for the Games and the scheduled upgrade of the Teufaiva Stadium was also in doubt.

But the CEO of the Games Organising Committee, Lord Sevele, said a new golf course is not necessary.

Kosi Latu, who will become Director General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme in Samoa next month said Prime Minister Sopoaga, leader of the small island nation of Tuvalu, as lead negotiator and spokesman of the Pacific led from the front, braving long negotiation sessions till the early hours of the next day.