PINA

Corruption and its staggering costs have hobbled sustainable development in all countries, but fresh efforts are making inroads, the President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) said on Tuesday at a special meeting to tackle the scourge and give the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development a much-needed boost. “Corruption drains more than 5 per cent of the global GDP,”...

The United States is on track to open a new embassy in Tonga this month, the top U.S diplomat for East Asia said on Tuesday, part of efforts to step up its diplomatic presence in the Pacific region to counter China. Daniel Kritenbrink told a subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that the United States was also continuing to...

The human rights context of journalism is essential for realising all other rights, and is a timely theme for the WPFD annual celebrations, says Pacific Article19 watchdog the Pacific Freedom Forum, PFF. Speaking on this year’s World Press Freedom Day theme Robert Iroga, Pacific Freedom Forum chair said ongoing challenges for Pacific journalists will only help strengthen resolve in freedom...

As we celebrate World Press Freedom Day on 03 May, the Palau Media Council takes this opportunity to honour the fundamental principles of freedom of expression, which serve as the bedrock for all other human rights. This year's theme, “Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of expression as a driver for all other human rights,” is particularly relevant in today's...

Disinformation, hate speech and deadly attacks against journalists are threatening freedom of the press worldwide, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Tuesday, calling for greater solidarity with the people who bring us the news. The appeal comes in his message ahead of World Press Freedom Day, celebrated annually on 03 May, in line with a 1993 UN General Assembly resolution. The...

Papua New Guinea hopes to sign a defense cooperation agreement with the United States during President Joe Biden’s stop over in the Pacific island nation this month. Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape and Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko on the weekend said the White House had indicated that Biden will briefly visit the capital Port Moresby on 22 May...

The next UN climate summit will be the first to consider health issues in depth, with a meeting of global health ministers to highlight the consequences of the climate crisis for wellbeing. Sultan Al Jaber, the president of Cop28, which will take place in Dubai this November, said on Tuesday: “We will be the first Cop to dedicate a day...

Fiji’s former Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum was granted $10,000 (US$5,000)non-cash bail Tuesday. Sayed-Khaiyum appeared before Chief Magistrate Wahleen George in Suva Magistrates Court. Acting Director of Public Prosecutions David Toganivalu served Sayed-Khaiyum’s lawyers Davenesh Sharma and Gul Fatima his first phase of disclosures. Counsel Davenesh Sharma told the Court that they would need time to look through the disclosures before taking Sayed-Khaiyum’s plea. The...

The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) and the Pacific Community (SPC) are launching the “Tuna Bites'” campaign to celebrate the UN World Tuna Day and Pacific Tuna Month. The campaign, in partnership with National Governments, aims to showcase tuna as an important source of protein in the Pacific and highlight its significance for food security. The campaign will be...

World Tuna Day and UN meeting offer chance to applaud management progress while urging more action By Grantly Galland Senior Officer International Fisheries  For decades, tuna fisheries around the world have been economic juggernauts, the nucleus of a global market worth US$40 billion annually. Demand of these fish—specifically bluefin, skipjack, bigeye, albacore and yellowfin—has also driven some species to the brink...