PINA

Dueling powers the United States, China and Russia are having a rare moment of unanimity on the world stage. But it’s likely at the expense of the health of the planet. The top polluters have all argued against liability for global warming in landmark hearings on climate change at the International Court of Justice, or ICJ. Two weeks of oral submissions...

The Fiji Parliament has passed the Child Justice Bill Thursday. There was no opposition to the Bill. Minister for Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Lynda Tabuya thanked the former Fiji First government for initiating this piece of law. The Child Justice Bill, of course, sets the foundation for the rights and welfare of children across our nation,” she said. The new...

UNICEF welcomes Fiji’s passage of the new Child Care and Protection Act as well as Child Justice Act, commending the Government’s efforts to strengthen the child protection system. The Child Care and Protection Act includes the establishment of a Department for Children within the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection, prioritises prevention of violence, and creates new criminal offences...

By Wesley Morgan Australia has long tried to be two things at once – a trusted friend to Pacific nations in a bid to reduce China’s influence, and a giant exporter of fossil fuels. This diplomatic tightrope has become increasingly hard to walk, as Pacific nations see climate change as an existential threat. This week, Australia’s government was forced to make...

Samoa and Tonga's sevens rugby teams are top contenders for qualification into the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series at this weekend's 2024 Oceania Rugby Sevens in Honiara. The two teams stand out as favourites, with Fiji, who is in the annual World Sevens Series (now the HSBC Sevens Series), not being considered, and Papua New Guinea remains suspended from Oceania...

The U.S Department of Defence is seeking to secure the Federated States of Micronesia’s (FSM) borders, lining up several projects throughout the Pacific nation designed to boost regional security. FSM officials received project updates from defence officials during the 2024 Joint Committee Meeting held on 13 - 14 November in Chuuk. “This two-day meeting brought together officials from both nations to...

Senior police officers from Australia and Papua New Guinea have monitored the destruction of 500kg of cocaine, which was seized by authorities in 2020 after the black flight believed to have been transporting it to Australia crashed. The drugs, which were seized in PNG but later sent to the AFP for forensic testing and storage in Australia, were incinerated last...

Binding global targets to cut plastic production must be at the centre of any continuing negotiations to secure the world’s first treaty to tackle plastic waste, a group of 85 countries has said. Talks in Busan, South Korea, attempting to secure agreement between more than 200 countries on the details of a plastic pollution treaty ended in failure over the...

The CIVICUS Monitor has announced in a new report Wednesday that it has upgraded Fiji’s civic space to “Narrowed” from “Obstructed” in its annual ratings with the expansion of space for civil society and the exercise of fundamental freedoms. Fiji’s upgraded rating, detailed in the People Power Under Attack 2024 report, reflects steps taken by the government over the last...

Vanuatu’s Special Envoy for Climate Change, Ralph Regenvanu, has slammed Australia, the United States, and other major polluters for their stance during the International Court of Justice (ICJ) climate hearings in The Hague. Regenvanu accused the nations of hiding behind failed treaties instead of taking meaningful action to curb emissions. “Today, as sea levels rise and the impacts of climate change...