Kiribati

"The strong bonds between Kiribati and New Zealand will enable a resolution to this unfortunate standoff," the Kiribati President's Office said on Monday.

The Nauru government said preliminary discussions were held last month, and the draft agreement was finalised by Nauru Air Corporation and Kiribati's Transport Ministry.

Opinion - We are seeing power plays from the US, but it is surprising from New Zealand, writes Sione Tekiteki.

Ruth Cross Kwansing, a New Zealand-born Kiribati MP, has come to her president's defence in the diplomatic row between Wellington and Tarawa.

The Foreign Minister has hit back at comments by a Kiribati government minister that the island nation's leader failed to receive him because of pre-planned commitments.

The visit by New Zealand's foreign minister "was cancelled by NZ itself" but blame is falling on Kiribati's president, a Cabinet minister in Taaneti Maamau's government says.

Victoria University's Jon Fraenkel says "there are difficulties in the relationship between Wellington and Kiribati" but "Kiribati does have alternatives" both in Beijing and elsewhere.

An opposition MP in Kiribati said the Budget did not include any funding for the commitments made in the president's manifesto.

High Court Judge David Lambourne was forced out of the country earlier this year following a dispute with the government.

David Lambourne left the country in May this year after a lengthy battle with the government, which wanted him out.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was the first Pacific leader to congratulate Maamau on Saturday.

Kiribati's president-elect Taneti Maamau arrived back in the capital Tarawa from his home island of Onotoa on Monday morning, ahead of his party's planned victory celebrations tonight.

Late drama has unfolded in the Kiribati presidential election with one of the three candidates from the ruling party breaking away to form his own alliance, challenging incumbent president.

There are three candidates for President: the man who has held the role for the past eight years, Taneti Maamau, along with Bauntaake Beia and Kaotitaake Kokoria.

The law states that the successful candidate will be held accountable to the commitments made during the electoral process to the Electoral Office.

The ruling Tokwaan Kiribati Party used its numbers in parliament to block any opposition candidates standing.

There will be three candidates - all from the same party, the ruling Tobwaan Kiribati Party (TKP) - after one TKP candidate, Riteta Iorome, was dropped.

Notices were published by electoral districts across the country on Friday.