PINA

Japan conducted its first-ever cybersecurity exercise with five Pacific island countries in February, apparently aiming in conjunction with the United States to create secure and robust digital connectivity in the strategically important region where China is expanding its influence. Security experts hailed the recent event in Guam as significant -- with some seeing it as Japan's first foray into cyber...

By Camilla Pohle Members of a U.S Senate hearing on 14 March said that Washington’s relationships with Pacific Island countries are based on respect. If this is true, the United States must compensate and apologise to Marshallese victims of U.S radiation experiments that began in the 1950s. The Marshall Islands is a crucial U.S partner, with a diaspora in this country,...

International Maritime Organisation IMO has agreed on an illustration of a possible draft outline of an “IMO net-zero framework” for cutting greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from international shipping. This marks a step forward in the legal process towards adopting global regulations, referred to as "mid-term GHG reduction measures", that will help achieve the targets contained in the 2023 IMO Strategy...

The Fijian Drua have broken NSW Waratahs hearts with a pulsating 39-36 Super Rugby Pacific win in tropical Lautoka. Kemu Valetini snapped a field goal seven minutes into golden-point extra time to snatch victory after the Waratahs seemed poised to avenge two deflating two-point home defeats to the Highlanders and Blues. The Tahs overcame extreme heat and a 16-point second-half deficit...

Fijian Drua coach Mick Byrne has cheekily donned a Chicago Bulls cap to make the Waratahs eat their words on Saturday. Two years ago, Waratahs coach Darren Coleman told reporters in Sydney that they “hadn’t beaten the Chicago Bulls” after a victory against the Drua. But after the Drua beat the Waratahs in a golden-point thriller in Fiji on Saturday, Byrne...

A brilliant Tom Wright try-of-the-year contender has helped the ACT Brumbies trounce Moana Pasifika in a statement 39-point Super Rugby Pacific win in Canberra. Five-eighth Noah Lolesio was also a standout in Friday's 60-21 victory, the Brumbies scoring nine tries and moving to 4-1 ahead of a tasty Australian derby with the in-form Queensland Reds in Brisbane next Saturday. The game...

Today marks a significant milestone in the historic campaign to take climate change to the world’s highest court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), as the deadline for State written submissions closes. This moment follows on from the landmark resolution to seek an advisory opinion from the ICJ, adopted by consensus at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in March...

About 300 foreign personnel will be deployed to Solomon Islands to support the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force provide security at next month’s joint elections. Commissioner of Police Mostyn Mangau said under existing security arrangements with regional countries, around 300 officers will be in Honiara. They come from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji under the Solomons International Assistance Force (SIAF) and RSIPF’s...

The video from Yahukimo showing Indonesian soldiers torturing a West Papuan man is horrifying, says Benny Wenda the President of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP). Wenda said it highlights the urgent need for a UN Human Rights visit to West Papua. In the video, soldiers can be seen kicking, punching, and slashing a young Papuan man who is...

Op-ed by Joey Tau Last month’s visit to the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat by Japanese Foreign Minister, Yōko Kamikawa, to convene an interim Ministerial meeting of the Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM) was applauded by Pacific foreign officials and ministers as a reassuring gesture of Japan’s commitment to the blue Pacific. But for many Pacific civil society organizations, activists and movements,...