I had meant to note this before, but Ilya Gridneff’s Papua News Guinea blog is no more – banned from the ether by the Grand Poobahs at Australian Associated Press.

Ilya is the AAP correspondent in Port Moresby, from where he covers the affairs of PNG and the Solomon Islands.

Entitled Death by 1001 cuts (although it was the 1001st that provided the coup de grace), Ilya’s final contribution to the blog read: “Due to unpopular demand this is the last post.

“Sadly Papua News Guinea is to die a very premature death due to AAP concerns the 30 per day who daily read it are undermining the nature of their news service.

“That and they may be liable for some law suit due to the author's unchecked behaviour. It was but brief. Adieu all ye PNG fateful.”

The blog provided a breezy, sometimes irreverent and always informative look at PNG affairs. It’s now of strictly archival value, but for the moment you can still read it here.

As one regular reader commented: “I'd never have HEARD of AAP without your blog. I'll certainly remember it now.” But not for the right reasons, I presume.