PINA

The four pools for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 in England have been confirmed, setting the stage for the thrilling matchups in what promises to be the largest global celebration of women’s rugby, scheduled from 22 August to 27 September 2025. The Draw took place live on The One Show, one of the BBC’s most-watched programmes, in the heart of...

Pioneering Tonga forward Jason Taumalolo is hoping the strong connections formed by his squad will help them produce another upset when they face Australia in Brisbane. Part of the team that stunned the rugby league world when they defeated Australia in Auckland in 2019, Taumalolo said while much has changed in the past five years, he believes they have a...

Fiji’s Minister for Women, Children, and Social Protection, Lynda Tabuya, has called for urgent and collective action to tackle the social and institutional maltreatment that perpetuates poverty. Speaking on the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Tabuya highlighted the need for Fiji and the world to address both visible and hidden dimensions of poverty. “We can’t turn a blind eye...

Law enforcement officials in Tonga said they have arrested a person and recovered a victim during a human trafficking bust last week. The report comes after the U.S State Department raised concerns about the lack of a prevention plan in Tonga to combat all forms of trafficking and support and protect victims. The following year, Tonga launched its first action plan...

The 6PAC+ alliance, representing Pacific Island nations, expressed frustration over the lack of strong action at the 82nd session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 82) Working Group, which wrapped up in London this month. Despite some progress on key elements of the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) net-zero framework, the failure to secure consensus on critical measures such as...

The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) has officially launched its corporate plans for government departments that sets out clear strategies up to 2027, to prepare Bougainville’s institutions for the responsibilities of statehood and aligns with the government's broader vision for sovereignty. President Ishmael Toroama, speaking at the launch, emphasised that these plans are more than just objectives; they represent Bougainville's continued...

By Sione Tekiteki The Pacific Islands Forum and its secretariat is a complex bureaucracy that will take any individual at least a year to understand. It is a political organisation that continually works to balance the interests of 18 member states to strengthen regional solidarity. It operates on a mix of rules and procedures and established forum practice – a...

Following three days of meetings, Pacific Island Attorney Generals representing Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu and Vanuatu issued a joint statement today underscoring the Pacific Island states' unique position as the only region where all United Nations member states are actively participating in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) climate advisory opinion proceedings. Oral hearings are set to begin...

France's new Minister for Overseas, François-Noël Buffet, arrived in New Caledonia on Wednesday, five months after violent riots broke out. Buffet is scheduled to spend four days there, with high on his agenda to reaffirm France's commitment to New Caledonia's post-riots' recovery amid a backdrop of economic, social and societal collapse. Since the unrest started, New Caledonia has sustained significant damage...

Controversial Australian government contractor Paladin is suspected of abusing taxpayer funds to bribe then-Papua New Guinea police minister Jelta Wong to enable the firm to run the federal government’s offshore detention regime. The suspicions are detailed in police documents sighted by this masthead and come after federal agents seized the phone of a suspected Paladin middleman after he flew into...