PINA

Counting is underway in a highly anticipated national census in Papua New Guinea that is hoped will dispel wildly diverging population estimates ranging from 9.6 million to nearly twice the number. Just after midnight on Monday, Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape became the first person in the country to be recorded, as part of a broadcast to raise...

The Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) has announced it will convene an independent Board of Inquiry (BOI) on the grounding of the Fiji Navy vessel, RFNS Puamau. RFNS Puamau hit a reef and ran aground in a passage close to the far-flung island of Fulaga in the Lau group. The incident occurred last Tuesday, only a month after the multi-million-dollar...

Diplomatic relations between Australia and China may be warming, but Foreign Minister Penny Wong says the contest for influence in the Pacific is far from over. Senator Wong says previous governments were inactive in maintaining Australia influence in the region, and that her government is working to make Australia the Pacific's number one security partner. Her comments come as she prepares...

The United States and Palau are bolstering their longstanding partnership through Exercise Valiant Shield, a large-scale military training event currently underway across the Indo-Pacific region. “This exercise is a routine training event that upholds our commitment to regional security and Palau’s defence under the Compact of Free Association,” said Colonel Matthew Mulvey of Combat Logistics Regiment 17, who is leading...

Fijiana 15’s coach Moses Rauluni says it was a rusty start to the week, with players not putting in their maximum effort as they prepare for their first Test against Japan. However, things took a positive turn during Thursday’s captain’s run ahead of their Test against Japan. The former national skipper says that the players seemed to lack undivided attention in...

Taking the helm of the Pacific Islands Forum as its new secretary general, former Nauru President Baron Waqa has called on island nations to stick together toward accomplishing regional goals. “Our PIF membership has never been as strong as it is today. But we cannot afford to become complacent. We must continue to work every day to build and strengthen...

As nearly 40 percent of land across the planet is degraded with more acres lost every second, governments, businesses and communities must galvanise action to reverse the damage and protect Earth, the UN chief said in a strong message for the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, marked annually on 17 June. “Every second, around four football fields of...

The national congress of New Caledonia's pro-independence platform, the FLNKS, was postponed at the weekend due to major differences between its hard-line component and its more moderate parties. The FLNKS is the Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front. It consists of several pro-independence parties, including the Kanak Liberation Party (PALIKA), the Progressist Union in Melanesia (UPM) and the more hard-line Union Calédonienne...

Countries expressed disappointment as key negotiations on climate finance and emissions-cutting measures made scant progress at mid-year talks By Megan Rowling and Matteo Civillini UN climate talks in Bonn ended in finger-pointing over their failure to move forward on a key programme to reduce planet-heating emissions, with the UN climate chief warning of “a very steep mountain to climb to...

Vanuatu Minister of Internal Affairs, Johnny Koanapo, said the government should make future referendums compulsory to ensure inclusive participation. While the referendum provided an opportunity for citizens to exercise their rights under Article 7 of the Constitution to make changes, there were some who were irresponsible in abstaining from voting, he stressed. He said while turnout in some polling stations were...