PINA

A group of influential civil society organisations has called on the Export-Import Bank of the United States (U.S Exim) to reject an application to support a liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Papua New Guinea. The Papua LNG project risks leaving “US$13bn in stranded assets without securing guaranteed sales”, according to Oil Change International, at a time when the Pacific...

The vote of no confidence to oust Tonga’s Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni was defeated in Parliament Wednesday afternoon with a vote of 14-11. The motion was submitted by 10 people’s MPs including two members of the nobility. The motion detailed a list of allegations against Hu’akavameiliku, mostly around government spending, mismanagement, lack of financial reports and non compliant activities surrounding...

Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa has announced a Cabinet reshuffle and the appointment of new Cabinet Ministers, the first in her two-year-old Government. Having clocked 25 months in public office, since the FAST administration came into power, the Prime Minister announced the Cabinet reshuffle during a press conference on Wednesday, after her Cabinet convened its weekly meeting. The appointment of...

Samoa’s Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mataafa has criticised the current global financial system as “condemning the small island states to a vicious cycle of growing debt, crushed by an uncaring, unseeing, and unfair global financial system.” She was giving a statement on video link as the Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) at the current UN meeting...

A milestone in regional cooperation was achieved on Monday with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), represented by Deputy Secretary General, Esala Nayasi and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) represented by Secretary General, Dr Kao Kim Hourn. The signing ceremony took place in the margins of the 43rd ASEAN Summit, hosted...

Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol held a summit with Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown on Wednesday, and discussed cooperation in the maritime and fisheries fields, his office said. The two leaders met on the sidelines of annual summits involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta and highly assessed the recent active exchanges between their countries, including...

Japan, in an irresponsible manner, has started to dump its nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the ocean, despite the environmental impact this will have on the ocean and strong oppositions from countries in the Pacific region. It's a crime against humanity. Why does Japan insist on doing so? What should countries, which will be directly affected by the dumping, do in response?...

Flying Fijians fly-half Caleb Muntz has been ruled out of the Rugby World Cup after sustaining a knee injury during the team’s training run on Monday. Head Coach Simon Raiwalui has confirmed “On Monday, Caleb sustained a knee injury in a non-contact session and is out of the Rugby World Cup. Raiwalui said “It’s most devastating for us as a group...

Emoni Narawa's Rugby World Cup dream has been cruelly ended before it could even begin, with a back injury meaning an early flight home for the Fijian-born winger. Narawa, 24, has enjoyed a rapid rise in 2023 - shining for the Chiefs in Super Rugby Pacific, leading to his first test call-up earlier this year. A try on his test debut...

World Rugby has announced that it will implement transformative measures to protect all match day officials and team squad players from online abuse during Rugby World Cup France 2023. The move underpins World Rugby's wider commitment to promote and protect the sport’s values and Rugby World Cup 2023’s mantra as the sport’s greatest celebration of togetherness, driving positive change. World Rugby...