PINA

The President of Timor-Leste José Ramos-Horta has suggested that Chinese diplomats turned down requests to develop police and military infrastructure in his country because they were worried about drawing an "overreaction" from Australia. Some Australian politicians expressed alarm when China and Timor-Leste struck a new comprehensive strategic partnership during a visit to Hangzhou by Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao last month. The...

President Biden Monday declared a state of emergency for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands and ordered federal assistance to supplement local responses to the potential impact of Tropical Storm Bolaven. “With the threat of Tropical Storm Bolaven in our region, it was critical we make this request for federal support early. Doing so ensures we have access to the...

Flying Fijians captain Waisea Nayacalevu has asked for his sincere forgiveness through his actions for accidentally uttering “I-Taukei” improper language during the after-match press conference Monday. Nayacalevu who has played 37 tests for the Flying Fijians said the comment was not directed to any particular fan but to a Fijian journalist who has a traditional relation as “Tauvu” {a relationship...

Samoa will move up one place to 15th in the World Rugby Women’s Rankings powered by Capgemini when they are officially updated at 12 noon (GMT) on Monday, on the back of a 17-17 draw against South Africa in Hermanus. In what was the sides’ final warm-up match before WXV 2 gets underway in Stellenbosch on Friday, the hosts started...

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape has condemned the attack on Israel, saying war-related violence is out of place in this modern day and age. “In this day and age, we condemn attacks on each other to resolve disputes,” he said. “In a world where the modern family of nations are coming together under the United Nations charter and rules...

Dr Satyendra Prasad, former Fijian Ambassador to the UN and a distinguished affiliate of Carnegie Endowment for International Peace addressed a sold-out crowd at Georgetown University. His speech covered issues of development and security within the growing partnership between the United States and nations of the Blue Pacific. His insights came in the wake of the 2nd USA - Pacific...

Papua New Guinea’s bill to amend the Terrorism Act has been drafted and ready to be presented to Cabinet before it is tabled in Parliament, Internal Security Minister Peter Tsiamalili Jnr said. Tsiamalili told Parliament last Friday that having taken note of the outstanding 2005 Guns Report which had 244 recommendations and not tabled in Parliament since its completion, this...

With the countdown now on till the Pacific Islands Forum leaders' meeting in Rarotonga, a question mark still remains over who will take over from Henry Puna when his term is up. This is expected to be set in stone in the Cook Islands. Puna said Baron Waqa remains on track to be his successor: “That is fact. That is correct...the...

By Richard Naidu The annual meeting of Trade Ministers from the Pacific Islands Forum in Fiji has agreed on the need to develop a regional strategy on labour mobility in the Pacific, citing the welfare of workers from Pacific Island countries as a key area of focus. Addressing journalists at the end of the two-day meeting at the Forum Secretariat...

Vanuatu's prime minister Sato Kilman has been voted out through a motion-of-no-confidence in the country's parliament Friday in Port Vila. The motion was carried by a show of hands, with 27 votes, in the absence of the government bench which had vacated the floor in protest ahead of the motion being moved. Charlot Salwai was then nominated as the sole candidate...