PINA

Pacific Islands Forum secretary general Baron Waqa has fired shots at critics who have raised concerns about his suitability to lead the region's main economic and political organisation. Waqa began his term at the beginning of June. He has since made official visits to the Solomon Islands where he met Prime Minsiter Manasseh Sogavare, and to Tonga where he met with...

Hawaii officials have announced a “groundbreaking” legal settlement with a group of young climate activists, which they said will force the state’s department of transportation to move more aggressively towards a zero-emission transportation system. “You have a constitutional right to fight for life-sustaining climate policy and you have mobilised our people in this case,” Josh Green, the Hawaii governor, told...

South Sydney have recruited two members of the touring Tongan Schoolboys team and others may also be offered life changing opportunities with NRL clubs. The Tongan Schoolboys and Schoolgirls teams flew home on Tuesday after successful tours to Australia and the news that a number of players are set to return on scholarship will generate a further explosion of participation...

Samoa's former Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi says it is easier for his people to get to hell than to come to New Zealand. Tuilaepa, who now sits in the opposition as leader, is in Auckland with his Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) this week. He made the comment at a public hearing that commenced in South Auckland for the ‘Restoring...

Five high-profile, award-winning journalists and journalism academics will join their regional media counterparts to address the 2024 Pacific International Media Conference in Suva, Fiji, this week. They include a three-time Emmy Award-winning television news producer from the United States, a widely published award-winning journalism academic and author based in Hong Kong, a recently honored Member of the New Zealand Order...

A talanoa session expected to be held later this year would see Pacific Island Forum leaders coming together in a collective position on seabed mining. Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, the Pacific Islands Forum outgoing chair, told the media in May that one of the outcomes of the Leaders meeting in Rarotonga last year on the issue was a...

The new Pacific Islands Forum secretary general has expressed concerns about the U.S-China rivalry in his first open press conference since starting the role. Baron Waqa also said he was ‘truly concerned’ about the ongoing crisis in New Caledonia, which has been gripped by civil unrest since May. Waqa assumed the key diplomatic role despite misgivings among some Pacific leaders over...

-Fiji's Registrar of Political Parties, Ana Mataiciwa has announced the deregistration of former ruling FijiFirst party on Monday 01 July 2024. This action was taken under section 12(4) of the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding & Disclosures) Act, 2013. “On 30 May 2024, FijiFirst was notified to amend its constitution to include provisions required under Schedule 2 of the Act,” said...

Theo McFarland has been given the Manu Samoa captain’s armband for the July Tests against Italy and Spain, and according to management, the lock deserves the leadership role. The 28-year-old was one of the outstanding players from the team’s last campaign. From playing rugby at Pesega College and then at Moamoa Roosters, he is now enjoying success at Saracens in...

The Pacific Islands Forum has announced the appointment of Desna Solofa as the Deputy Secretary General – Governance, effective 24 June 2024. Solofa joins the Forum from the Government of Samoa, where she was the Assistant Chief Executive Officer of the Regional Relations Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She has previously served at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat as...